Cats have - unlike humans or, for example, dogs - no pronounced feeling of thirst, as they largely "automatically" hydrate themselves through the blood of their prey in the wild. Canned food or meat from the butcher contains no blood - dry food not even moisture.
If cats feel "thirsty" and, for example, beg at the faucet, they are usually already far too dehydrated! Lack of water can cause long-term diseases of the urinary tract and kidneys such as urinary grit, bladder stones, or chronic kidney insufficiency (CKI). It is therefore very important to encourage cats to drink, especially in summer! Here are ten tips on how to ensure cats drink enough:
- Give several small wet food meals spread over the day (3-5), additionally enriching the food with two to three tablespoons of water. (You can even increase this over time)
- Set up a cat drinking fountain – running water naturally encourages cats to drink more.
- “Flavor” the drinking water with some chicken broth (salt-free), tuna water, or a teaspoon of low-fat milk.
- Add an ice cube to the food or water. You can also make a gigantic ice cube yourself by freezing a water-filled balloon and offering this giant ball in summer - but normal ice cubes work very well too. Cats love to lick ice cubes for a long time and take in a lot of water this way.
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Avoid dry food if possible, or at least moisten it beforehand with a spray bottle.
Dry food even draws additional water from the cat's body that is needed for digestion. Avoid treats in the form of dry food - you are not doing your cat any favors, even if they often like to eat dry food enriched with palatability enhancers.
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Distribute multiple drinking options throughout the apartment.
- Change the water several times a day so it is always nice and fresh.
- Cats very much dislike drinking where they eat, so always place water as far away from the food as possible.
This of course also applies to the litter box!
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Do not give chlorinated tap water – in cities with chlorinated water, better use still water from the discount store or
Use rainwater or let tap water stand for two hours so the chlorine can dissipate in the air. Ask your utility company if chlorine is added to the water. Cats are much more sensitive than humans.
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Always let a faucet drip so cats can drink around the clock (Warning!! - more expensive than you think - a few hundred EUROS in water costs can quickly add up) - better to offer a cat drinking fountain (see point 2.)
Please allow us a bit of self-promotion here, as we are firmly convinced
that a cat fountain encourages cats to drink and is good for their health in the long term:
click here to view the Lucky-Kitty cat fountain.