Encourage Your Cat to Drink More Water

While you may not think cats need very much water, it's important that domesticated cats eating commercial cat foods stay hydrated. Preventing dehydration is also crucial if your cat has a kidney or bladder problem. Fortunately, there are several ways you can encourage your cat to drink more water. Provide plenty of clean fresh water and motivate her to drink by learning her water preferences.

Steps

Providing Fresh Water

  1. Offer a variety of bowls and glasses. Your cat may simply be picky and have her own bowl or glass preferences. She may want a bowl or glass made from stainless steel, ordinary ceramic, or plastic. To see what your cat likes, put out a variety of styles to see if one appeals more to your cat.
    • You might also experiment with depth of the bowls. Your cat may prefer a deep bowl or a shallow bowl. It's just a matter of personal preference.[1]
  2. Place the bowls throughout the house. Avoid keeping water bowls in only one place since it may discourage your cat from drinking. Instead, put bowls near the sink, on the kitchen counter, near your bed, in the bathroom, or just all over the house. This will encourage your cat to explore and remind her to drink water.[2]
    • Make sure the bowls are located in areas your cat is likely to be. For example, if your cat spends hours napping on the windowsill, place a cup of water next to this spot.
    • You can also place a bowl near the bathtub to see if your cat is interested.
  3. Keep the bowls and water clean. Clean the bowls out with soap and water every other day, taking care to rinse them well. Once a week, run them through the dishwasher to sterilize them. Change the water at least once or twice every day and check to make sure that nothing has fallen into the bowl throughout the day, especially if it's near the kitchen.[3]
    • Your cat may not be drinking much water if her bowls are dirty. Some cats can be very picky about having clean water and will show their displeasure by not drinking.
  4. Pay attention to where your cat drinks. The water bowls should be in an appealing place far from your cat's food or litter box. While some cats don't care if their water is close to the litter box or food bowl, others are particular about having them close to the water.[2]
    • Make sure your cat can see you move the water to a new location, away from the food or litter box. This way, she won't fear that her water has been removed.
  5. Run the tap. Though this isn't the most water-saving friendly approach, some cats love drinking from the tap. Your cat may be excited and curious by the movement, making her want to drink. If she doesn't seem interested right away, you can move her up to the sink and show her how fun it is to drink from the tap.[4]
    • Since you probably don't want to run the tap constantly, make this part of your morning or evening routine so your cat knows to expect it at those times.
  6. Consider using a drinking fountain. If you find that your cat loves running water, buy a drinking fountain. This will keep the water flowing all day, making drinking more exciting. Your cat may love to stare at, play, and drink from the fountain. Don't throw away the regular water bottles when you introduce the fountain. Keep both options available so your cat can decide which she prefers.[5]
    • Cat drinking fountains can be a bit pricey, costing over $50 in most cases. However, if you're worried about your cat becoming dehydrated, then it may be worth the investment.

Motivating Your Cat to Drink

  1. Add flavors to the water. Pour a little tuna or chicken broth into your cat's water. You can also add some juice from wet cat food. Just a spoonful or two of flavoring mixed into the water may be enough to trick your cat into drinking the water, especially if your cat normally likes wet cat food. However, realize that not all cats like the taste of flavored water.
    • You can also try to trick your cat into drinking water by crushing up catnip in the water bowl. Let your cat see you crush a bit of catnip in the bottom of her water dish so she knows it's there.[6]
  2. Offer bottled water. Buy a plain bottled drinking water and see if your cat prefers that to the water out of the tap.[7] Your cat may dislike the tap water because of the chlorine or excessive minerals in it.
    • Try offering room temperature bottled water as well as chilled bottled water to see which temperature your cat prefers.
  3. Give your cat more wet food. While wet food is richer and more expensive, it does contain more moisture than dry cat food. If you're concerned your cat isn't drinking enough, completely switch to wet food or incorporate some into her regular dry meals. Ask your vet before making any dietary changes.[5]
    • Do not add water to your cat's dry food in an attempt to make her drink water. Not only will this make his food much less appealing and soggy, but it can cause the food to spoil, making your cat sick.
  4. Add ice cubes to the water. Some cats really love cold water and the ice cubes also give her something to play with. At first, add just one or two ice cubes to each bowl. This way, your cat isn't shocked by the change in temperature. If your cat likes the flavor, freeze broth into ice cubes and place them in the bowl.[8]
    • You may even want to have your cat watch you put the ice cube in her water. Eventually, she may be more excited and mentally stimulated about drinking her water.
  5. Serve smaller, more frequent meals. Lots of cats tend to drink after they eat, much like humans, so try feeding your cat more than once or twice a day. Break those meals into several smaller ones to encourage your cat to drink more often throughout the day. It may take time for your cat to adjust to the new feeding schedule, but it may keep your cat hydrated.[9]
    • If you want to offer more frequent meals, you must be available for feeding.

Tips

  • If the water might freeze, use stainless steel dishes instead of glass bowls. If electricity is available in the area, invest in a heated water bowl. Many are plastic, but can be lined with a separate stainless steel bowl. Put water in and around the stainless steel bowl so the heat will be conducted through the water.

Warnings

  • Excessive water intake and urination can be signs of a serious medical issue. A cat with these symptoms needs to be taken to the veterinarian for a thorough examination. Likewise, if your cat stops drinking water entirely, take her to the vet for an exam.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=21+1276&aid=1061
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/how-appealing-is-your-cats-water/
  3. ↑ https://www.petfinder.com/blog/2011/06/you_can_lead_a_cat_to_water
  4. ↑ www.catster.com/lifestyle/cats-drink-more-water-health
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/clearing-the-air/2013/02/get-your-cat-to-drink-more-water
  6. ↑ http://pets.webmd.com/cats/catnip-effects-on-cats
  7. ↑ http://www.foothillpethospital.com/pet_info-cats_drinking_water.html
  8. ↑ http://www.higginsanimalclinic.com/site/epage/51409_332.htm
  9. ↑ http://ringwoodeastvetcare.com.au/Ringwood_East_Vetcare/Blog/Entries/2014/5/1_11_Ways_to_encourage_your_cat_to_drink_more_water.html
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