Water is essential for your Cat’s health. Adequate water intake is necessary in order to reduce the risk of urolithiasis, which is a specific disease in cats, as well as to minimize digestive problems. The way you offer water to a cat can greatly affect whether she will drink or not. Read the full article to know why Cat is not drinking water.
Why Cat not drinking water?
Offer fresh water!
Fill a bowl with fresh water daily. Cats taste very subtle, and if the water has been in the bowl for too long, it will have an unpleasant aftertaste. Particles of food and dust can accumulate in the water, which creates a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria. If your Cat has the habit of dipping his paw in water before drinking, it also promotes the growth of bacteria because there can be dirt, dust, and debris from the toilet tray on the paw.
Keep the bowl clean
Wash the bowl each time before updating the water in it! Some owners simply add clean water to an empty bowl or even to yesterday’s water and believe that they have poured fresh water. But the bacteria in the water continue to multiply! Wool, dirt, saliva, and food can stick to the walls from the inside. Wash the bowl with dishwashing detergent, and then rinse thoroughly with running water before filling it again. Traces of dishwashing detergent can give the water an unpleasant taste, so rinse the bowl thoroughly after washing!
Bowl size and shape matter
Some water bowls can literally dare a cat to drink! Try to choose a bowl that really suits cats. Your Cat has a long mustache, and this mustache is very sensitive. More often than not, the Cat does not want her mustache to touch the edges of the bowl when she is drinking. If you notice that your Cat has the habit of lowering his paw into the water and then licking it, perhaps the reason is that she does not want to touch the sides of the bowl with her mustache.
Choose a wide and shallow bowl, and the Cat will be happy. But each Cat has its preferences. If you notice that your Cat is constantly trying to drink from your glasses, install glasses for her with water. If she likes to drink from a bucket for mopping – install buckets! Observe your Cat, and she will tell you what form she likes best.
The location of the water bowl is very important.
Many cat owners use double bowls to put dry food in one part of the bowl and pour water into the second part of the bowl. Although it may seem that it is very convenient for a cat, in fact, it is not at all like that. Most cats prefer to drink away from where they eat. Therefore, you should install one separate bowl with water at the feeding place and several more throughout the house in different places. Between meals, your Cat may prefer to get drunk in the neutral zone, away from the feeding area. In addition, when using a double bowl, pieces of food can fall into the water, which makes it less attractive and promotes the growth of bacteria.
Water level
Be consistent, and try to keep the water in your Cat’s bowl at the same level. Do not let the level drop to the very bottom, and also, do not fill the bowl one day to the brim and only half the next day. Some cats begin to immerse their paw in water because they are not sure at what level the water is today. With the determination of the water level, a transparent bowl can help the Cat.
Treat your Cat to a fountain!
If your Cat likes to drink from the tap or play with water in his bowl, consider buying a unique drinking fountain. The fountainlet will encourage your Cat to drink more and create additional opportunities for playing with water, and the constant circulation of water through the filter will make it more oxygenated and keep it fresh for a long time.
Even if you don’t have a fountain, and the Cat likes to play around with a bowl of water, you can entertain the Cat a little by periodically throwing a cube of ice into the water, especially on very hot summer days.
Best water for cats to drink: quality and quantity
The body of a cat is 65% liquid. In the diet of a pet, there must be not only tasty and high-quality food but also clean drinking water, which is of great importance for the body. Water takes part in many important vital processes and helps to dissolve substances entering the digestive tract. In the article, we will consider the Best water for cats to drink, how much fluid should be given to a cat per day and answers to popular questions.
Best water for cats to drink
Tap water
This is the easiest option. Many cats like to drink tap water, and there is an explanation for this. Running water is richest in oxygen; cats feel it instinctively and always prefer flowing water to stagnant water. For the same reason, many cats like to drink water from the aquarium because, in it, the water is either enriched with oxygen due to the circulation system or aquarium plants emit oxygen.
It is clear that it is simply impossible to always prevent a cat’s desire to drink from the tap. In addition, tap water can sometimes smell like bleach and other cleaning impurities, which may be the reason why the Cat does not drink water. Substances contained in tap water may also not be very beneficial for the Cat’s body. If your tap water is not of very good quality, do not give it to your darling. And as a compromise, you can install a filter on the tap.
Water Drinking Fountain
In pet stores, special drinking bowls and fountains are sold, in which water circulates all the time while cleaning itself from accidental debris and harmful impurities. Some of them are covered with a dome with a hole on top. Cats can drink from the fountain or lick water from the dome, which they also like. If you want to pamper your pet, you can buy her a fountain. But be prepared for the fact that this acquisition can be an expensive pleasure.
Boiled water
Many people think that boiled water is better than water from the tap. However, this is rather a fallacy. The fact is that when the boiling part of the water evaporates, and this leads to an increase in the concentration of salts in the water. In the remaining liquid, a precipitate appears, which, when mixed with freshwater, forms “heavy water.” Therefore, the constant use of boiled water can contribute to the development of urolithiasis.
Bottled water
Bottled water is well suited to drinking water for cats if you choose the right one. The ideal option is natural water of the highest category from underground sources, which should be written on the packaging.
If you do not plan to spend money on buying water, it is best to use water from a filter or tap water, settled in a tightly closed container for 6-8 hours.
How much water should a cat drink per day?
Cats do not need a lot of fluid, but there must be clean water in the pet’s daily diet. Broths and other liquid formulations cannot fully replace ordinary drinking water. The average daily norm of water for a cat is 40-50 ml of liquid per 1 kg of weight.
If a cat eats wet food and eats other nutritious foods well, a specific part of the daily rate of fluid enters its body. She gets the rest with drinking water. That is why the owner often thinks that the Cat does not drink water at all or drinks very little.
Can a cat live without water?
An adult cat can live without water for no more than five days, subject to complete hunger. The period of abstinence from drinking can be reduced which depends on temperature conditions, air humidity, and the characteristics of the animal’s body.
How many times to change a cat’s water?
Drinking water for the Cat should be changed every day. You can simplify this task and buy an automatic drinking bowl or a special fountain with a filter that purifies running water.
Several life hacks
If your Cat does not want to drink water from a bowl or even from a fountain at all, then you can try to accustom it to water by adding water to its main feed. For example, add water to wet food, first a little, and then increase its amount, or soak dry food. After soaking dry food, if you pour a little more water than you need, there remains a “bouillon.” You can offer it to the Cat when it is hungry, first at maximum concentration and then diluting it with more and more water.
You can also try to attract the Cat to the water by adding various aromatic additives, such as marabi or catnip. Sometimes, it helps to drop a couple of drops of milk into the water so that the water does not become completely transparent, and the Cat starts drinking it. Write your life hacks in the comments, and tell us how you taught your Cat to drink more water!
Dr. Jenifer Miona is a highly skilled and compassionate veterinarian based in Ireland. With a passion for animal health and wellbeing, she has dedicated her career to providing the highest standard of veterinary care to pets and their families.
After completing her veterinary degree at the University of Dublin, Dr. Miona went on to specialize in small animal medicine. She has since gained extensive experience in all areas of veterinary care, including routine check-ups, surgical procedures, and emergency treatments.
In her clinic, Dr. Miona is known for her gentle and compassionate approach to patient care. She takes the time to listen to the concerns of pet owners and develops personalized treatment plans to meet the unique needs of each animal.
Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Miona is active in the veterinary community and stays up-to-date with the latest advances in veterinary medicine through ongoing education and professional development. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Irish Veterinary Association and the European College of Small Animal Medicine.
Outside of her work as a veterinarian, Dr. Miona is an avid animal lover and enjoys spending time with her own pets. She also volunteers at local animal shelters and is committed to promoting animal welfare through community outreach and education.
