Cats are one of the few animals that can self-regulate their body temperature. As a result, they do not sweat like humans, and they don’t pant to cool themselves down!
This means it is important for cat owners to provide an adequate supply of fresh water. Cats are natural carnivores, meaning they tend to eat more protein than other types of pets – which may lead them to drink less water.
Cats’ kidneys can become impacted due to dehydration. Therefore, owners need to be mindful about how much water their fur baby drinks each day.
How Much Water Do Cats Drink?
To make it easy to understand for you here, we calculate it in different ways like:
A cat needs 3 to 5 ounces of water per 5 pounds of its body weight; if your cat weighs 10 pounds, she must intake 6 to 10 ounces of water daily.
When you can administer in milliliters, then keep in mind a healthy cat needs 40 to 60ml per 1kg body weight, a 5 kg cat needs 250ml of water in a day to ensure their body functions properly.
If your cat is on wet food, she doesn’t need to intake the same amount of water because wet food consists of 75 to 80% liquids, which contribute to the liquid requirements of a cat.
How Do Keep Them Hydrated??
You can provide them with fresh water daily at the same place and time every day. You can use a cat bowl placed inside their favorite spot, or you can also put it in certain places, like near the sink, but make sure to wash this bowl after each use. We suggest under-listed ways to keep them hydrated.
- Get a Cat Water Fountain
- Place Multiple Bowls
- Start Feeding Wet Food
- Shift From Plastic to Ceramic Bowl
1. Get a Cat Water Fountain
Some cats like to drink running water, which means you should invest in a fountain to make sure your cat has enough water at all times.
Consider a cat water fountain equipped with a water filter, has a large water reservoir, multiple flowing streams, water level indication, gentle water flow, which does not create splashes. You might need to make efforts to find the best cat water fountain, but it eliminates all of the hydration issues of your cat.
Buying a cat water fountain can produce uninterrupted and clean freshwater as well as some mental stimulation for your feline friend.
You must clean the fountain each day, or at least once per week.
2. Place Multiple Bowls
If you have more than one cat, be sure to keep them separated. If your cats are socialized from an early age, they will probably get along with other cats and enjoy the same water, but if not, there could be some serious issues. This is especially true if you have multiple cats since another cat’s scent would deter them from sharing the same water.
The best way is to provide them bowls in several locations. This will encourage them to drink more water, and they won’t have to spend time searching for a fresh supply.
You can also add ice cubes during the hot summer days.
If you have multiple cats, consider buying a cat fountain instead of bowls that allow each cat to drink at its own speed. Filters in fountains also clear the cat’s scents effectively.
3. Start Feeding Wet Food
Cats are more likely to drink enough water when they’re eating wet food instead of dry kibble. It’s common for cats to eat around 70% of their daily intake through wet food, which gives them all the vital nutrients and calories they need.
It is important to feed your cat with high-quality wet food that contains no by-products because these are not suitable for cats.
You can prepare a mixture of dry kibble and wet food, but the best way to do it is to feed them only with wet food.
4. Shift From Plastic to Ceramic Bowl
Water in plastic bowls can taste unpleasant to cats, and changing to a glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel bowl may make it more appealing.
Moreover, these materials are easy to clean and accumulate fewer algae and bacteria, so they also contribute to the good health of cats.
Things to Take Care
It is not accurately possible for domestic pet parents to measure how much cat has been drinking, especially when having multiple cats in the household. However, the following are some signs which indicate your cat is having a hydration issue.
- Recurred visits to the water bowl
- Drinking from other locations like a tap, shower, fish pond, etc.
For some cats, these habits are normal and don’t necessarily indicate disease. But when you observe serious signs like increased urination frequency, change in apatite, more sleep, or sleeping in an unusual place, take it seriously. Then, it is time to consider the above-discussed solutions or look for a medical remedy.