Cats need fresh water and renewed daily. They can be something special with food, but as far as water is concerned, much more. Apart from 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 we will explain how much water a cat should drink a day, going into the variables of age, sex and diet. These are some of the points that we should keep in mind when answering our veterinarian this simple but sometimes problematic question.

What does the water intake depend on?

It can be a very complicated answer. The water intake may depend on the size of the cat, The time of year where you are and, as all or most of us know, your food.

If our cat feeds only on commercial feed, which only has an 10% of water in its composition, we should provide between 60 and 120 ml more that to the cats that feed with humid food, which can contain until a 80% of water in its interior. Therefore, a cat fed only dry feed, should drink more water than those fed wet food, all to stay properly hydrated.

If we refer to the age of the cat, we should know that senile kittens and cats should drink more water than adults. But there is no rule for it in ages, although in weight. A cat of 5 kg of weight should drink 250 ml of water per day in natural conditions It is always important to know how much water our cat drinker can contain and, if possible, not fill it up until it is empty. But a cat should drink as much water as he wants, so it’s always good to motivate him with different bowls in different parts of the house, so he never forgets.

Finally, it varies in small proportions according to the time of year. It is not the same in summer, that they suffer much heat, that in winter, when they do not want to separate one second of the stove, although to go to drink water. We must be rational in these cases so as not to be unnecessarily alarmed.

When should we worry?

The ends are never good, so you should start paying more attention to your cat if drink little or lots of water. A dehydrated cat may present some symptoms, such as the ones explained below:

• Hair that is not bright and with scales.
• Skin not very flexible, 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 bad mood.
• Urinates a few times a day.

The deficiency of water, in very extreme cases can lead our cat to have problems in his urinary apparatus, like crystals in urine, kidney stones, etc. Chronic renal failure being the most common cause of death in mature cats. Other problems will be visible on the skin, but we will also appreciate bad odor from the mouth, such as halitosis.

La excessive water intake or polydipsia, may be indicating that the cat loses fluids on the other hand, either through urine or other routes. In general, polydipsia will be accompanied by polyuria, a pathology that causes the feline to urinate more than usual. We can detect it if we observe more than three urine a day, even outside the sand tray. The changes are usually gradual but when the owners notice it, it may be too late. We should consult the veterinarian when we see that something is not right.

TIPS to hydrate a cat

• Avoid drinking plastic fountains since sometimes they give off flavors that do not please you and you will stop drinking from there. It is preferable to use those that are stainless steel or glass in several places in 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 salt or onion) or hot water to enhance aromas and flavors and encourage you to drink more water.
• Offer a small portion of wet food every day.
• Do not prevent him from drinking open faucets because it is a habit that cats love. Today, there are small sources for cats in the market.

This article is merely informative, in .com we do not have the faculty to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.

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