Tips on How to Get a Cat Drink More Water

Summer heats do not affect only humans, but also have an impact on our little animal friends – cats. Summer imposes lots of risks on cats, and the major one is heat stroke. To prevent a cat from getting heat stroke, we have to provide a good source of fresh water. Sometimes, we can face cat’s resistance when it comes to drinking water. Cats can refuse to drink water for various reasons. They can avoid it because of illness. But if we only suspect on it, it will be wise to reconsider other factors before. Often, cats will not show an interest in taking water when the bowls are dirt. To ensure cleanliness of bowls, they should be regularly and thoroughly washed. Regularly means at least once a day, and thoroughly – with detergent and a large quantity of water for a rinse. If we only place water in an unwashed bowl, a cat’s strong sense of smell will sniff bacteria in it and will not be interested in drinking from a contaminated dish. To encourage a cat to drink more water, the article “Does Your Cat Drink from the Water Faucet?” offers some useful tips.

• Try putting ice in your cat’s bowl so that the water will be colder.
• Move your cat’s water bowl to a different location separate from your cat’s food dish. It is possible that your cat doesn’t like to smell her food while
she drinks water.
• Try buying your cat a different type of water dish. Water bowls made from different materials may smell different to your cat. Perhaps your cat doesn’t
like the smell of the plastic that his or her water bowl is made from. So try ceramic or metal bowls. In addition, plastic bowls harbor more bacteria than
the other types of bowls.
• If your cat tips over his water bowl then you can buy non-tippable bowls. These are usually metal bowls that have a rubber rim around the bottom. This
makes it harder for your cat to slide the bowl across the floor and to tip it over. However, some very persistent cats can still manage to tip these bowls
over.
• Buy your cat his or her very own cat water fountain. There are several types and they provide running water for your cat. I’ve not used one, but I’ve
heard from several people that their cat loves drinking from their water fountain. The water will already be moving and so your cat won’t need to splash
water out all over before getting a drink.
• Or, just do what I do, put out water bowls for your cat, but several times a day turn on a small stream of water in the sink and let your cat drink his or
her fill.

Sometimes, cats can drink more water than usual. Frequently, the changes in weather can be the cause, and normally summer heat will force a cat to drink more. Another cause can come from the changes in a cat’s diet. If our cat eats more kibble than usual, chances that it will be thirsty are greater. According to veterinarians, dry food contains about 10% of the water while the water quantity in canned food can reach almost 80%. However, if we have excluded hot weather and increased the quantity of dry food in a cat’s diet, then we should take it to the vet for a checkup. The most common diseases that can cause a cat to drink more water are diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease. These risks are far greater in older cats than in younger ones. Thus, if our cat is more than 8 years old, it is a good idea to watch its drinking habits carefully.