You left a nice full bowl of water for your cat before leaving the house. After a long day out, you come home only to find out that it looks exactly the same as when you left this morning. It happens once so you let it pass. Then it happened for another 5 more times. You start to worry, thinking, “How long has my cat not drank any water? Has it been more than a month? But I’ve only realised it now?” You then sit beside your cat, trying to coax and beg it to have a lick of the water. However, your cat just looks at you unimpressed, “Drink water? No.”
Why is it so hard to get cats to drink water?
It is because of their desert origin. Furthermore, in the wild, they prey on mice which are made up of 70% water. It has thus been in their genes to rely on their meals for water. They are not used to drinking from a water source directly.
What if they don’t drink enough water?
Besides dehydration, they may be prone to a variety of health problems such as kidney disease and urinary tract disease.
Like us, they need water for the circulation of nutrients and removal of toxins, control of body temperature and involvement in important chemical reactions in tissues. Prolonged dehydration can be detrimental to their body function.
1. Place water bowl everywhere
Make it very accessible. Make it easy for them. Just like how you can go half the day without drinking water when you don’t have your water bottle beside you. And how you would keep drinking your water when you have your bottle of water right beside you. Cats naturally wouldn’t drink water, why would they make the extra effort to look for water?
Place many water bowls all over the house, in the playroom, dining area, garden, kitchen, by the window. It’ll serve as little reminders for them to “drink up!”
Some cats may prefer to drink their water at a particular area in the house, maybe the garden as they can soak in the sight and smell of nature. But you never know unless you try!
2. Clean the water bowl daily
Change their water in their water bowl daily. You may even consider changing it twice daily! Cats are highly sensitive to smell and they know whether the water is fresh or stale. Cats prefer fresh water and may not drink any water at all if they think that the water has gone stale. They would rather be safe than sorry, but what they don’t know is the unhealthy long-term effects they might have if they don’t drink enough water.
Wash their water bowl with antibacterial soap or hot water at least once per week (more often the better!) to kill off any bacteria colonies that are forming on the bowl and prevent any unpleasant odour! It’ll allow your cat to be safe, healthy and less reluctant to drink water. I mean, few people would still want to drink a cup of water that has been sitting there for more than a day. What more for a cat that has more than 10 times better sense of smell?
3. Change diet to wet food
Wet food has about 70-80% water but dry kibbles only has about 10%(1). As mentioned previously, cats don’t naturally get their water from water itself but mostly, if not all, from their food. Changing to a wet food diet can not only help them satisfy their water needs, it can save you the time, energy and trouble trying to beg your cat to drink more water. For an average 4.5kg cat, it can get about half its daily recommended water intake from just 1 can (5.5oz) of wet food!
4. Soak the kibbles in water
This method works wonders for my cat! She would drink the water first, then eat the soggy kibbles like a champ! I would soak 2 tablespoons of kibbles in half a cup of warm water for a few minutes to allow the kibbles to absorb the water. I know half a cup may seem like a lot for that 2 tablespoon of kibbles. It’s perfectly normal that not all the water will be absorbed. The soggy kibbles float in the water but my cat still enjoys eating it! She drinks all the water first, takes a little break and gets back to eating the kibbles.
However, this method does not work for all cats. Though most cats are motivated by the smell of their food rather than the taste or appearance of it, some cats may be put off by the texture of the kibbles. That’s why using warm water to soak the kibbles helps, it may enhance the smell and taste of the food.
5. Switch to a different water source
If you’ve been giving tap water, why not try boiled, filtered or even bottled water? Who knows, you may find that your cat prefers boiled water over normal tap water! However, avoid using distilled water. When distilled water is exposed to air, its pH decreases and it can become too acidic for your cat. Your cat may develop urinary crystals or stones(1).
6. Introduce a water fountain
Running water just encourages cats to drink more water. They love it. At the start, it may be curiosity but it is mainly because of their instincts. They associate running water to be fresh and stale water to be harmful (so they avoid it). In the wild, fresh water comes from river streams and rainwater, while still water tends to be contaminated.
Like how you would give your cat’s water bowl a thorough clean once per week, the same goes for the cleaning of the water fountain. Use small brushes to clean the spout and motor regularly. It’s honestly not as troublesome as you think it is. Instead of using the usual sponge for cleaning, you’ll need a small brush! You just need to get your butt up to buy the brush!
7. Add ice cubes to water
Chilled water can be nice and refreshing for your cat. Not only that, they’d be intrigued by the bobbing ice cubes and would play with it. When cats play, they’ll touch, lick, flick and lick again. They may even enjoy licking the ice cubes.
This method did not work for my senior cat. Being a little old grumpy lady, she did not care about the ice cubes at all. If your cat is playful and curious (which most cats are), this method may work well, as it involves a lot of time and energy to lick and play with the ice cubes.
8. Add flavour to your cat’s water
Flavouring your cat’s water naturally would be the best way. You can use water that’s left over after boiling or poaching some fish, chicken or prawns. Of course, you have to take note of any allergic reactions your cat may have.
Liquids to avoid:
- salty liquids such as brine or salted stock/broth.
- liquid that contains onions, garlic or chives like seasoned stock.
They are poisonous to cats. It will break down your cat’s red blood cells leading to anaemia.
- Milk
Contrary to many cat owners, cats cannot fully digest milk and it may cause diarrhoea. Milk also contains high levels of phosphates which can be harmful to your cat’s kidneys(2).
9. Test different bowls
You can try out bowls of different materials such as glass, metal or ceramic. It is recommended to avoid using plastic bowls as they can harbour odour and can be harder to clean.
Cats normally prefer shallow and wide bowls to prevent their whiskers from touching the sides of the bowl. Placing the bowl on an elevated surface also encourages your cat to drink as they are still able to see what’s going on in front and around them while they are taking sips of water.
How much water should cats drink?
Typically, cats need between 3.5–4.5 ounces (about ½ a cup) of water per 5 pounds of body weight per day. If you have a 10-pound cat, they should be consuming between 7–9 ounces (about 1 cup) of water(1). And it can already get half its water needs from just one can (5.5oz) of wet food! So yes, cats consume their water, they don’t have to drink it.
How to monitor your cat’s water intake?
Measure the amount of water you place in your cat’s drinking bowl at the start of the day and again when you change the water the next day. The difference in the volume is the amount your cat drank. Keep a log of it so that you would be aware when your cat is drinking more or less water — it can be an early sign of an underlying disease. Once you notice any significant changes, do seek veterinary advice. If your cat’s anxiety and stress is making you reluctant to visit the vet, here are some tips to help make vet visits less stressful for your cat!
Signs of dehydration to watch out for:
- Prolonged skin tent
- Dry and/or tacky mucous membrane
- Increase heart rate
- Muscle weakness
- Sunken eyes
- Panting
- Decreased body temperature
Look out for early signs of dehydration, the earlier it is detected, the less severe the impact on your cat’s bodily function. When percentage dehydration is more than 10%, your cat may already be in decompensatory shock and in a fatal state.
