“Hey Human, I’m thirsty!” Your Cat & Water

7 Dec | Posted by admin | no comments |

When our cats used to live outside, they hunted. Their prey usually contained between 60 to 70 percent moisture. As well, they got to choose their own water sources, such as flat empty ponds. With the move over to dry food and keeping our cats indoors, most of our cats are just not getting enough to drink.

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Cats evolved to be less sensitive to dehydration, and because of this their desire to drink is decreased. This is a very good adaption when you are surviving in an arid climate like their ancestors. However, it’s not such an advantage with our house cats’ current lifestyles. Also, many of us have shifted over to the convenience of dry food, which contains very little water. Finally, moving them to an indoor environment has decreased their choices of suitable water sources.

Not getting enough water has many serious short and long term risks to feline health. Their urine gets too concentrated and increases the risk of many diseases of the urinary tract. Not enough water also leads to chronic intermittent constipation. Not only does this result in an inflamed gut, but many cats will stop using their litter boxes due to the pain associated with constipation. If you are unsure, or suspect your cat may be constipated, check out our previous blog on constipation and healthy stools. You can even bring us in a sample.

Thankfully, there are a number of different easy steps that you can put into place to help your cat get the right amount of water every day. Dr. Spooner has put together a page of useful information to help you get your cat drinking a healthy amount every day, from bowl and fountain recommendations to the ideal locations for their water. Read more on the details of cats and their water here.

We at La Clinique Veterinaire des Chats will be glad to help you to get your cat to drink more. We are also excellent at detecting and treating constipation  in cats. Call us, email us, or drop in! We are your cat’s dedicated health team.

– Dr. Spooner