Cats need Fresh fresh water on a daily basis They can be a bit picky about food, but when it comes to water, much more. Regardless of their scrupulous behavior, it is common for owners to have difficulty calculating the daily amount that the cat has drunk throughout the day. Some have a tendency to drink little and others, on the contrary, too much.
In this article on our site we will explain how much water a cat should drink a day, delving into the variables of age, sex and feeding. These are some of the points that we must keep in mind when answering this simple but sometimes problematic question to our veterinarian.
What does water intake depend on?
This can be a very complicated answer. Water intake may depend on the size of the cat, the time of year it is in and, as we all or most of us know, its diet.
If our cat is fed only commercial food, which only has 10% water in its composition, we must provide between 60 and 120 ml morethan cats that are fed wet food, which can contain up to 80% water inside. Therefore, a cat fed only dry food should drink more water than those fed wet food, all this to stay properly hydrated.
If we refer to the age of the cat, we must know that kittens and senile cats should drink more water than adults. But there is no rule for it in ages, although there is in weight. A cat weighing 5 kg should drink 250 ml of water a day under natural conditions. It is always important to know how much water our feline's drinker can hold and, if possible, not to fill it until it is empty. But a cat should drink as much water as he wants, so it is always good to motivate him with different bowls in different places in the house, so that he never forgets.
Finally, it varies slightly depending on the time of year. It is not the same in summer, when they are very hot, as it is in winter, when they do not want to leave the stove for a second, even if they go to drink water. We must be rational in these cases so as not to be unnecessarily alarmed.
When should we worry?
Extremes are never good, so start paying more attention to your cat if he drinks too little or too much water. A dehydrated cat can present some symptoms, such as those explained below:
- Hair dull and flaky.
- Inflexible skin, which does not return normally to its place or takes more than two seconds. We can do the test on the skin of the neck.
- Reduced physical activity, apathy, and moodiness.
- You urinate a few times a day.
Water deficiency, in very extreme cases, can lead our cat to have problems in its urinary system, such as crystals in urine, kidney stones, etc. Chronic renal failure is the most common cause of death in mature cats. Other problems will be visible on the skin, but we will also appreciate a bad smell from the mouth, such as halitosis.
The excessive water intake or polydipsia, may be indicating that the cat is losing fluids elsewhere, either through the urine or other routes. In general, polydipsia will be accompanied by polyuria, a pathology that causes the feline to urinate more than normal. We can detect it if we observe more than three urines a day, even outside the litter tray. The changes are usually gradual but when the owners notice it, it can be too late. We should consult the vet when we see that something is wrong.
TIPS to hydrate a cat
- Avoid plastic drinkers as they sometimes give off flavors that you don't like and you will stop drinking from them. It is preferable to use those that are made of stainless steel or glass in various parts of the house, especially important in older cats with reduced mobility.
- Always keep the water fresh and clean.
- Dry food can be moistened with a little chicken fish broth (without s alt or onion) or hot water to enhance aromas and flavors and encourage it to drink more water.
- Offer a small portion of wet food every day.
- Do not prevent him from drinking from open taps because it is a habit that cats love. Today, there are small cat fountains on the market.
