The body of the cat, like all mammals, is consisted of a very large amount of water. The cat’s body is consisted of 67% water and that alone is an indication of how important water is for the life and general health of the cat!
Cats as predators in their natural environment receive most of the water they need from their prey (prey that consists of moisture up to 70%). That’s why they do not have a strong tendency to drink (pure) water. That’s why, if you feed your cat dry food, you should push your cat to drink more water.
How do cats drink water?
Before we move on, we should mention that cats drink water using their tongue and it is wonderful.
And now it’s time to see how we can keep our cat satisfactorily hydrated by following a few simple tricks:
1. Put the right water bowl at the right place
The location of your cat’s water bowl can affect the amount of water you cat drinks. You may have to keep the water bowl away from the food bowl. Some cats are very picky and do not like drinking right next to their food. You should also try to put the water bowl at different places in your house to find out where you cat likes to drink water.
Also, try using different types of water bowls. Some cats may prefer ceramic or stainless steel or even plastic bowls! A cat may be allergic to plastic. Try using a bowl of a larger diameter, as some cats do not like getting their whiskers wet when drinking water.
2. Incorporate liquid food in your cat’s diet
Since the cat’s ancestors would get most of their water from their prey, it is a good idea to incorporate plenty of liquid food in your cat’s diet (try offering your cat the same amount of calories from dry and liquid food). You see, dry food contains only 10% water, while liquid food exceeds 75% and is a great source of hydration for your cat, which resembles the natural diet of the cat (in nature, a cat eats its prey which consists of 70% moisture).
3. Running water for cats – Water fountain for cats
Some cats prefer running water to static, either because it seems safer or because they want to play with it while drinking or because they are attracted by the sound of the water! Pick a water fountain for cats with a filter that offers filtered cean water without bacteria (its constant movement prevents their formation) to your cat.
If you do not want to get into buying a fountain for you cat (fully understood) try the running tap water! It may make her go crazy!
4. Make the water tastier
Try to make the water your cat drinks tastier by adding low sodium supplements. Of course, they may not like it at all (any change may bother a cat that respects itself), but they also may appreciate it.
I have heard of a cat that would not drink any water unless her human would drink from the glass that contained the cat’s water first – and then it would actually drink plenty of it!
5. Consider trying raw food
Since the cat in its natural environment eats the prey as it is, raw and is basically hydrated by it, have you ever considered changing your cat’s traditional dry food and trying to adopt a raw diet for it? The benefits seem fantastic but in any case it is a process that must be done in the right way otherwise it can be dangerous.
6. Soak your cat’s dry food in water
More and more companies, recognizing the problem of dehydration, give instructions on their packaging on how to soak dry food so that the cat can take in a little more water.
We should mention here that you can add extra water in your cat’s liquid food as well. Chicho adds another 5 g. of water for every 20 g. of liquid food for maximum hydration!
7. Give your cat vegetables or fruit that are rich in water
Most vegetables and fruit are rich in water, so if your cat likes broccoli, carrots or tomatoes, in addition to fiber, it will also acquire plenty of water that can be beneficial for it.
8. Give your cat hydrating soups
There are also some cat hydration soups on the market, which are often grain free (without grains) and which look tastier than plain water and can make the cat drink more.
Signs of dehydration of your cat
If you notice any of the following you may begin to reasonably suspect that your cat is dehydrated and is not drinking enough water:
- Dry gums
- Loss of appetite (why does my cat not eat at all)
- Fatigue or indifference
- Loose skin
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Higher heart rate
- Sunken eyes
- Reduced urination
- Shortness of breath
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