Hello, friends, today I’m answering the question of our regular reader and channel viewer: “The cat doesn’t drink water, what should I do?” Okay, let’s start in order, first I’ll list some ways you can increase interest in water, and then I’ll answer one more question: “Why doesn’t the cat drink water?” By the way, in the photo little Samych drinks water.

Ways to increase interest in water

Try changing the bowl. For example, if you have a green plastic bowl, change it to a white ceramic or stainless steel one.

Try different shapes and volumes, different materials. Typically, cats like to drink from large containers: a bucket, pan, vase...

Place several drinking containers in different places so that your cat can easily reach them. Experiment.

Our regular viewer shares his experience of how he managed to interest the cat, and he began to drink more water.

Ksyusha Karapetyan: Thanks for the useful video, Sergey. Our sweet bun also didn't want to drink from the bowl. We cut a 5 liter plastic bottle and put water in it for him. There are still no limits to happiness. The main thing is to change the water every day, otherwise for some reason he also wets his paws in it from time to time.

Add milk or broth to clean water. Many cats like the smell of milk. For an average 200-300 ml bowl, 1-2 ml of milk or broth is enough, and sometimes a few drops are enough. But such water needs to be changed more often, especially in summer, as it quickly deteriorates.

Open tap. The running stream of water from the tap attracts many cats, try it, maybe yours will like it too. Of course, this method has its drawbacks. The quality of tap water is often terrible, so you will have to install a filter. And also someone will need to open and close the tap, that is, you will be tortured by running to the kitchen.

Buy a special drinking fountain. Cat fountains are sold online or in pet stores. They are of different types. In the form of a geyser, when water rises from the bottom and flows down a smooth surface, or a constantly running stream of water or a small waterfall.

Choose any one you like, but take the one that is quieter. Some cats are frightened by the noise from the running pump and are afraid to approach the fountain, below is a comment on the topic.

Tori May: Thank you very much, Sergey. Our cat is not a fan of drinking, even in the heat. We are looking for different ways to give them something to drink and attract them to bowls and jars. We noticed that he liked to drink from a tall ceramic cup, matte, white, filled to the brim. Cats are afraid of fountains because of the noise of the pump; you need to choose a model with a quiet, gurgling sound and adjustable water supply. Cats almost never refuse such models.

Forced drinking. Usually they use a syringe without a needle and carefully pour it into the mouth in small portions, as I show in the video below. But this method is used when other methods do not work, for example during illness.

Why doesn't the cat drink water?

There can be many reasons for refusing to drink water, but I will list the most common:

You feed the cat mixed, that is, you give wet food, soup, milk, kefir and other products. This feeding is not entirely correct, but the listed foods contain a lot of liquid. Therefore, the animal may not drink clean water for several days.

There's a pipe leaking somewhere, condensation collects, an open toilet..., that is, there is a source of water that you do not know about or do not think that you can drink from it.

Diseases. For example, a kitten is sick, its tongue is covered with ulcers, in this case you want to drink, but it hurts. Or, whose joints hurt, it is difficult for him to move, and the bowl of water is far from his place of rest, then he will endure until the last.

It should also be taken into account that cats, by nature, can tolerate a lack of fluid longer, at least they have a reduced sensitivity to thirst. Compared to dogs.

What happens if a cat doesn’t drink water for a long time?

On average, a cat needs 30-40 ml of liquid per 1 kg of weight per day. This is an average dose and depends on activity, age, ambient temperature, type of feeding and other factors.

You also need to take into account not only the amount of ordinary water, but also the liquid in the feed. When feeding milk, kefir, fermented baked milk, wet food... a cat can go without water for a very long time. She gets water with her food.

But if the cat does not receive fluid in the required quantity for a long time, this will lead to diseases. The excretory system will be affected first. There may be a provocation of urolithiasis, exacerbation of kidney disease, cystitis...

As you know, everything in the body is interconnected, so disturbances in the excretory system will lead to failures in other organs and systems.

But by and large, without water nothing can work properly. The skin and mucous membranes will not be able to protect, the intestines will not be able to digest normally, the heart will not be able to pump blood, the liver will not be able to remove toxins...

Conclusion

Keep track of how much your cat drinks and what quality of water it is, because many people don’t pay attention to this. I don’t want to be a bore, but I often come across situations where the animal is already seriously dehydrated, and the owner does not know whether the cat drinks or not.

You should be wary of sudden changes in drinking regimen when feeding and environmental temperature remain unchanged.

And remember that clean water in the right quantity is one of the main building blocks of good animal health. I will end here, until we meet again.

One of the questions frequently asked to felinologists is: why doesn’t the kitten drink water? Beginning owners worry when it seems to them that the baby is not consuming enough fluids. What if the kitten is sick? Owners experience no less concern if their cat drinks water frequently. How can you tell if your pet is drinking as much as she needs?

The body consists of elementary units - cells. In turn, the cell consists of up to 80% water. The cell “absorbs” useful substances and releases waste products through the cell membrane – a “sieve” consisting of tiny cells. In order for the desired element to penetrate the cell or be removed from it, it must be dissolved in water. Lack of moisture leads to a slowdown in this process, which negatively affects the functioning of all functions and systems of the body.

Still don't care how to get your cat to drink water? Then let's remember about lymph, which “helps” deliver salts, proteins, moisture and metabolic products from the tissue to the bloodstream. Lymph plays a vital role in the formation of immunity, without which life is impossible. Lymph translated from Latin means “living moisture, clean water.”

How many days can a cat go without water?

With the absolute cessation of fluid intake into the body (that is, not only the lack of drinking, but also the lack of food containing moisture), all processes slow down, the cells quickly “dry out,” cellular plasma, lymph and blood thicken, and the water-salt balance is disturbed. How long a cat can live without water depends on its age and general condition. The body of a young healthy cat contains about 70% fluid - such an animal can survive without drinking for about four to five days. The older the animal, the less fluid the body contains, the faster it dies from dehydration, since internal reserves are scarce.

Is all water healthy?

Before deciding how much your cat should drink, you should choose water that will benefit your pet.

Boiled water is dead water, according to scientists. It brings less benefits, and after storage for three hours it even becomes harmful. Many veterinarians believe that drinking boiled water can lead to the development of urolithiasis. Owners with the best intentions quite often try to give their pets this kind of water - sometimes this is the reason why the cat does not drink water. By the way, boiled water changes its properties, turning into a “magnet” for bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms contained in the environment.

Distilled water is lifeless and useless. It is obtained by boiling - the steam is collected and cooled. All microelements remain “overboard”, and they are vitally necessary for the body. In addition, distilled water almost does not conduct current, and the absence of electromagnetic pulses in moisture leads to a slowdown in the movement of moisture in the body.

Fresh tap water often contains too many heavy salts, metals, chloride compounds and other “nasties” that are absolutely unnecessary for the cat’s body. Sometimes a cat drinks little because of an unpleasant odor or taste that owners do not notice due to prolonged use of tap water.

Bottled water is a good option if you can find a quality product. Often, Russian manufacturers (which is officially permitted) sell ordinary tap water, industrially purified and enriched with minerals (an excess of which can lead to the occurrence of ICD), under the guise of “natural” water of the first category. You should choose water of the highest category, marked “drinking”, obtained from underground sources (the well number, chemical composition and place of extraction must be indicated on the label).

So what kind of water should you give? There are two options: filtered or settled tap water. The water needs to stand in the refrigerator, in a tightly closed glass jug, for six to eight hours.

Read also: How to determine the age of a cat?

Fluid intake for cats

It is easy to calculate how much water you need to drink. Veterinarians believe that a pet should consume about 20-40 milliliters of liquid per kilogram of weight. If you make accurate calculations, the cat's weight needs to be multiplied by 0.03. It turns out that a pet weighing six kilograms should drink 180 milliliters of water per day.

In most cases, the dilemma of why a pet does not drink faces those owners who feed their pets canned food or natural products with a high moisture content. For example, canned food contains about 80% water! It is clear that the pet, receiving moisture from food, almost does not drink. But cats who eat dry food normally drink much more than those who eat natural or canned food.

Why don't cats drink enough?

One explanation is hidden in the mists of time: zoologists believe that the ancient ancestors of cats lived in arid areas and, during evolution, adapted to reduced fluid intake. A cat, unlike a person, hardly sweats, and even knows how to “extract” the moisture the body needs by concentrating urine. The latter is not very good if the pet is prone to ICD.

Before you think about how to accustom a kitten to water, you need to make sure that the pet really drinks little: we cut off access to all sources of moisture, place measuring cups of water around the apartment and after a day we calculate how much has been drunk (with a small correction for evaporation). But one day is not an indicator, because on the day of the “experiment” the pet may not be too thirsty. Therefore, it is advisable to carry out the “test” several times. Ideally, control over the amount of fluid consumed should be carried out regularly, once every three months: a significant change in one direction or another is a reason to consult a veterinarian.

How to train a cat to drink water?

You need to use the selection method:

• By placing containers of water around the apartment at different levels, it is easy to determine where it is more comfortable for the cat to drink;

• By choosing containers of different sizes and shapes, the owner will find out from which dishes the cat prefers to lap. Most pets love large volumes; from the cat’s point of view, such water is a “lake” and not a miserable dirty “puddle”;

• it is important to understand what kind of water to give (some pets drink only water at room temperature or slightly higher, others drink only cold water);

• metal and plastic containers should be replaced with glass or ceramic dishes;

• some people only like running water. In this case, you should purchase a drinking fountain or leave the tap open more often;

• the water needs to be changed at least twice a day;

• A bowl of water should not be placed next to food, as cats prefer only clean water.

Cats love consistency and have a negative attitude towards any change. Habit for a cat is a fundamental factor in behavior, so it is important from the very beginning to instill in your baby the habit of lapping up not only tasty milk. A mother cat knows better than anyone how to teach a kitten to drink water - the baby will almost certainly copy the behavior of an authoritative member of the pack. If an adult cat is a light-drinking pet, the owner must offer the kitten water himself: in a wide, shallow container, cool and clean, after active play.

If your cat categorically refuses to drink water, you need to have it examined by a veterinarian. Perhaps the doctor will recommend forced drinking until a normal feeling of thirst appears (due to an artificially formed drinking habit). They feed cats from a spoon or from a syringe without a needle. The food should be moistened by adding water (dry food is soaked, but not mixed, since the pet may refuse the unattractive “porridge”).

Drinking regime is an important component of a kitten’s balanced diet. The health of an animal largely depends on how correctly the amount of water it consumes is controlled. Attentive owners should be alert to the situation when a kitten does not drink water at all or drinks very little of it.

A sufficient amount of fluid to drink is a necessary condition for the normal course of digestive and metabolic processes in the cat’s body. Dehydration immediately affects the appearance of the animal and affects its well-being. The fur becomes dull, the skin loses its elasticity and begins to peel. Blood and lymph become thick, water-salt metabolism is disrupted. All the prerequisites are created for the development of urolithiasis, the sad end of which is often death.

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  Water consumption rate

  The amount of fluid in a cat's diet may vary slightly throughout its life. It depends on some factors:

  1. 1. Body weight of the cat.
  2. 2. Environmental conditions.
  3. 3. Special periods in the life of the animal.
  4. 4. Type and quality of feed.

  

  Animal body weight

  You can independently calculate the daily water intake depending on the weight of the cat. To do this, it is necessary to multiply her body weight by a factor of 0.03. It turns out that a cat should drink approximately 30 - 40 milliliters per kilogram of its weight. An adult animal should receive 150-250 milliliters of water per day. The norm for a kitten is, accordingly, several times less.

  

  Environmental conditions and special periods of life

  Sometimes environmental conditions contribute to dehydration. This must be taken into account when calculating water consumption standards for animals. At this time, it should drink much more, covering the fluid deficit in the body:

  1. 1. Hot summer weather causes increased natural moisture loss.
  2. 2. Dry indoor air created by operating heating devices can also lead to dehydration.
  3. 3. Pregnancy and lactation are a special condition of the cat’s body, accompanied by excessive fluid consumption.

  

  Type and quality of feed

  The rate of water consumption depends very much on what the kitten eats. The more liquid the food contains, the less the animal needs to drink:

  1. 1. A baby who feeds on mother's milk does not need additional watering, since he receives all the necessary moisture (as well as all nutrients) from the cat's milk.
  2. 2. A kitten eating natural food, soft food and canned food should not drink a lot of water. It gets almost all the moisture it needs from food.
  3. 3. A kitten whose main food is dry food must drink enough water. Otherwise, his body is at risk of dehydration. Negative consequences in this case cannot be avoided.

  Why doesn't the kitten drink water?

  In most cases, owners' fears about the kitten not drinking water are exaggerated. If the baby is in a good mood, he is playful, active, goes to the toilet often (2-3 times a day), and has thick and shiny fur, this means that there is nothing to worry about. The pet receives as much fluid as its body needs.

  

  Sometimes refusing water is so obvious that it cannot be ignored. Here are a few situations that may cause it:

  1. 1. The baby was separated from his mother early. Perhaps the mother cat did not have time to teach him this procedure. Now it’s up to the owner to do this.
  2. 2. Drinking utensils are not clean enough. The innate quality of a cat is cleanliness. She will not drink from a dirty bowl. In this case, her choice will fall on other secluded places where she can get drunk (a sink or an aquarium).
  3. 3. The drinking bowl has a strong foreign odor or bright color. The ideal water bowl should be made of quality ceramics in a neutral shade.
  4. 4. Poor quality water that smells like chlorine. Bottled or filtered tap water is most suitable for watering animals. You should not give your pet boiled water. It deteriorates very quickly and becomes a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms.
  5. 5. If a cat walks outside, then he may not touch his home water bowl, but drink water from natural sources in the form of puddles. You should not scold your pet for this behavior. It is necessary to carry out timely deworming, enrich the diet with a sufficient amount of vitamins and microelements that support the immune system.
  6. 6. The kitten is sick. If the baby suddenly stops drinking and eating, and also does not go to the toilet, this is an alarming signal. It is important not to waste time and show him to the veterinarian.

  Excessive consumption of liquid by an animal should also inspire concern in the owner. This behavior may indicate a high temperature, kidney or stomach problems, or diabetes. And in this case, consultation with a veterinarian is mandatory. The specialist will give all the necessary recommendations, taking into account the age and lifestyle of the pet, and select an individual treatment regimen.

  British and Scottish kittens are very curious, but have a dull sense of thirst. Therefore, they need to be reminded that they need to drink. You just need to bring the kitten to the drinking bowl and offer it to quench its thirst.

  3. You can offer the animal bowls of different depths and shapes for drinking. Experience shows that kittens are more often attracted to wide dishes.

  4. It has been proven that animals really like a babbling stream, which is why many kittens love to lap from the drinking fountain. You can also periodically open the water tap and let the animal drink.

  5. Some owners additionally soak their cat food. This is how the pet receives a certain amount of liquid from food. It is worth noting that it is not recommended to soak dry food. This will lead to its rapid deterioration.

  6. Sometimes the kitten likes warm water. You can experiment by offering your pet drinks at different temperatures.

  7. You can add meat broth, milk or a small amount of salt to the water.

  8. If you categorically refuse, forced watering will be required. To do this, draw water into a syringe and, opening the baby’s mouth, inject the required amount of liquid.

  Sphynx cats especially enjoy running water. Often, in order to give a cat water, owners have to leave the water tap dripping and move a chair closer to the sink.

For reference:

• natural drink for pets is water and only water,


• You should not use regular tap water; it is better to give your pet bottled or filtered water;


• natural food and canned cat food consist of 70-80% liquid;


• If a cat eats dry food, it should drink 2-3 times more water than the amount of dry food eaten per day.

Watch your pet first. Perhaps the cat drinks little from the bowl or does not touch it at all, because it laps up water from the tap, some vase or jug. Place containers with water of different sizes and colors in different places in the apartment - mugs, bowls, saucers.

When choosing a place for the next container of water, remember that:

• the feeding area should be located as far as possible from the tray or toilet, if the tray is located there;


• bowls for food and water should be placed at some distance from each other;


• It is best to use containers made of polypropylene or stainless steel;


• Drinking utensils should be washed daily with soap or in the dishwasher.

Encourage your pet, praise and pet it, encourage it to drink, lightly wetting its paws and the tip of its nose. Place his favorite toys in the water so that your pet associates the drinking process with something pleasant and positive.

As a last resort, add water to the norm using a syringe, injecting it into the corner of your mouth. Do this procedure every day and praise your pet every time after it.

Dehydration test

To be able to tell if your cat is consuming enough water, gently gather the skin in the area of ​​the shoulder blades in your hand, as if you were going to lift your pet by the scruff of the neck, and then release it. If the skin straightens quickly, then everything is in order. If the skin first stands like a stake for some time, and then slowly straightens out, this is a sign of health problems. In this case, it is recommended to examine the animal for the occurrence of urolithiasis.

The question is extraordinary and worries many owners. If the cat doesn’t drink at all, how much harm can it do to the body and what can be done to prevent complications?

In fact, it’s not so scary if the cat drinks little water. This means that there is enough moisture in the food to satisfy the need.

It’s not so scary if the cat drinks little water.

In addition, many breeds generally come from desert areas, and in the desert, as you know, there is practically no water. Normal physiological intake Water is considered if a cat weighing up to about four kilograms drinks half a regular glass of liquid. Water is necessary for the body for the normal functioning of all body systems.

Is it harmful?

The liquid has the ability to promote normal metabolism, remove toxic substances and waste from the body.

It is also part of every single cell of the animal’s body. Thus, we can conclude that a cat simply needs water, but... Most pets are light drinkers. If at the same time the diet of such an animal is not properly balanced, then stones in the bladder or kidneys are guaranteed.

The cat needs water!

There are a number of negative consequences that result from minimally hydrating food:

• as a result of dehydration, the inability to form urea;
• the minimal amount of remaining urine becomes highly concentrated and becomes toxic;
• precipitation of salts;
• formation of stones from precipitation.

When cleaning the cat's litter box, there are signs on the bottom yellowish crusts , which are very difficult to wash. This is nothing more than salt deposits and the same ones are found in the renal pelvis. To avoid this, the animal simply needs to drink enough fluid.

The cat does not drink water, what should I do?

How to give a cat something to drink if he refuses?

There are many ways to replenish a cat’s water balance, both radical methods and gentle ones through luring.

1. You should watch your pet; perhaps he is looking for a source of drink in another place, but he just I don’t like the dishes provided . The solution is obvious - change the container.
2. There may be another reason quite likely - stagnant water . Cats, like people, have their own habits and preferences, and it is quite possible that after drinking a drink once, the second time he demands to replace the drink with a fresher one.
3. Individuals from the cat family are hunters by nature and it happens that the male needs "to get food" . Thus, similar conditions should be created for him: raised to an elevation or placed in a not very accessible place. Others prefer running water. The solution is also very simple - a drinking fountain.
4. You can simply give the animal broths and soups instead of dry food more often; this will also replace ordinary water.
5. Animals can drink quietly and in another place, for example from the host's cup.

Perhaps the cat doesn’t like his bowl, try buying a new one.

How to detect dehydration?

To detect dehydration, a small test .

Do a dehydration test.

You need to grab the skin in the neck area with two fingers and pull it slightly. If it quickly returns to its original position, there is no dehydration. If the skin returns to its place with difficulty and is difficult to pull back, this can only mean one thing - the skin has lost its elasticity as a result of dehydration.

How dangerous is dehydration in a cat?

If your cat refuses to drink, you need to monitor his diet.

If your cat stops drinking water, you need to see if he has any interest in food.

It may happen that along with water, the animal also does not want to eat, and other alarming symptoms may be observed.

1. Associated symptoms may include constant sleepiness of the animal , visible weight loss.
2. , constantly lies in one place, does not respond to the call of the owner and other household members.
3. Traceable loss of former activity , there may be dull eyes, an empty, meaningless look.
4. In any case, you should pay attention to the stool, the act of urination, presence of impurities in feces and urine.
5. It is likely that the absence of the urge to drink may be a manifestation latent period of diseases .
6. In such cases, a few days after the first refusal of liquid, other symptoms will appear: nausea, vomiting, fever, pallor of the mucous membranes, and a “cloudy” look.
7. There will be mucus in the stool , possibly blood streaks. Feces with a strong, uncharacteristic odor. The consistency is unformed soft or liquid watery. Possible diseases with these symptoms: various types of colitis, enterocolitis, food poisoning.
8. But also refusal to drink and eat may indicate the presence of.
9. Similar signs are typical for liver damage , gallbladder and biliary tract. In this case, yellowness of the mucous membranes will appear.
10. Feces can be clearly designed, without, but changed in color – lighter than usual, sometimes almost white.
11. Refusal of water and food may also indicate diseases pancreas and, For example.
12. It is often possible to observe the absence of pronounced symptoms if there are chronic pathological processes in the animal’s body during their exacerbation.
13. At the pet's behavior changes , lack of appetite and thirst.
14. Availability– a sign of diseases of the genitourinary system: urolithiasis, urethritis, nephritis.
15. Among other things, it is worth checking the visible mucous membranes of the throat, nose, and mouth. Possible presence of stomatitis, complicated periodontal disease. These pathologies are accompanied by severe pain, which makes eating and drinking difficult.

If the cat does not eat, it will become lethargic and drowsy.

conclusions

A set of preventive measures will help you avoid any surprises. Regular examination by a veterinarian should not be neglected. It is necessary to get vaccinated on time. Feed your pet only fresh and high-quality food.

Only fresh and high-quality food is suitable for feeding a cat.

Video about cats drinking water while lying down