Cat key resources – Water

Having already covered other cat key resources such as litter and scratching it’s important to think of the basic needs such as what cats should eat and drink. First, let’s discuss water and why cats do that annoying thing of sometimes drinking the slightly green rainwater outside or the dripping tap in your bathroom…

Give them access to water, otherwise, they forget!

Unlike dogs’ cats don’t have the drive to drink. They usually drink when they stumble across a water source, so it is important you provide them with water points throughout their space.

One reason for this is that a cat has a very good sense of taste, and impurities can put them off. This may lead back to cats in the wild only drinking what is best for them. However, it can lead to dehydration, especially when cats get older.

So how can you provide cat-friendly water?

• Keep your cat water away from the cat food.
  It may seem like the best thing to do, to have it right next to their food and many cats bowls come with dual containers but going back to contamination with food, cats will not often use this water source.
• Research has shown that around 50 cm away from food is optimal. However, in my experience look to place bowls in areas where your cat wanders past.
• Think corridors and bathrooms indoors or next to the back door or cat flap outdoors.
• Senior cats are often sub-clinically dehydrated, if your cat is getting on in years, look to add another bowl and raise them slightly up off the ground to help with arthritis.
  Also, see my old blog ‘I think my cat is drinking more…’
• Multiple bowls. Every floor of the house should have a water bowl, if your house is open plan add a few bowls in different areas. Ideally anywhere they wander past will remind them to drink.
• Some cats don’t like their whiskers to touch the water. So, your bowl needs to be wide rather than narrow. Some like their noses down towards the water, especially those pointed breeds like Siamese.
• Cats love to see the meniscus, so always top up the water, especially during the Summer and ideally replace it once a day.
• No plastic bowls. Cats love ceramic, glass, or even stainless steel (although they also don’t like to see their reflection so bare this in mind). This, again, could be because plastic can contaminate the liquid and is more likely to get mouldy and almost gives it an off-putting taste.
• Rather than spend out try a Pyrex glass bowl or a wide pasta bowl or even a dog bowl (which my cats prefer).
• You can collect rainwater or even offer filtered water as some cats don’t like our chorine fluorine water from the tap, see what your cat prefers.
• A word on cat fountains, if your cat likes to drink from the tap a special cat fountain, you can buy from pet shops or online, could work for your cat but beware many are plastic and not all cats like the feeling. I have seen stainless steel ones and ornate Japanese-themed fountains with various types of cascading water, again it depends on your cat and their taste in drinking vessels.

Cat hack

If you are having trouble getting your cat to drink more, you can encourage water drinking by adding a frozen cube of tuna in spring water. Simply add the liquid from a can of tuna in spring water to a freezer tray, freeze and then add one to their bowl. Other ideas include doing this but with fresh chicken stock or by adding more water to their wet food.
If you think your cat can taste the impurities fill a Pyrex jug and leave the water to settle for a few days, use the top of the water as any sediment or contamination should sink to the bottom.
Remember the resource rule, 1 per cat plus 1 extra, if you have more than one cat you need an extra bowl, so 3 cats = 4 water bowls.

 

Did you know…

Cat wet food is around 80% water and that is where cats get most of their intake. If your cat eats dry food, it is more important to ensure extra water sources are available.

Health Conditions

If you think your cat is drinking more it may be an issue you need to highlight with your vet and have your cat checked. Many health problems in cats require them to drink more such as kidney and bladder problems. More senior cats may suffer from these and thyroid issues.

But how can you tell if your cat is drinking more? The first stop is their litter tray, check to see if the volume of urine has increased. On average a cat will drink around 10/20 millilitres/kg a day.

Need cat behaviour help?

If you are struggling with cat behaviour in general or looking to have help optimising your cat’s environment book a consultation with me:

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