Do you need to encourage your cat to drink more water? We’ve had the situation, often due to kidney issues, where we needed to encourage our cats to stay hydrated.
Cats typically need to drink between 3.5 and 4.5 ounces of water per 5 pounds of body weight per day. This means that a 10-pound cat should drink between 7 and 9 ounces of water per day–but, just like us, not all cats drink the recommended amount of water every day. It’s up to us to come up with enticing ways to encourage our cats to drink a bit more water.
Here are seven easy ways we’ve encouraged our cats to drink more water:
Move your cat’s water bowl.
Ah, predictability can be so boring, right?
If Fluffy’s water dish has always, always been right beside the food bowl in the kitchen, try adding a second water bowl in the corner of the living room. Or in your bedroom. Or up on the window sill.
Your cat will enjoy finding water in new and unexpected places.
Install a fountain.
Cat fountains are a great way to keep your cat’s water fresh and flowing. We have used pet fountains for years. (I think we’re on our third one now).
We use a very large fountain since we’ve a full house (and, along with the cats, our dogs drink a tremendous amount of water).
Fountains are a bit of an investment but they are a wonderful way to keep that water fresh and to encourage your cat to remain hydrated.
Change the water more frequently.
No one wants to drink flat, stale water!
Change the water more often and wash the dish with each change.
Offer multiple bowls made of different materials.
Do you always provide water in a ceramic bowl? Then it’s time for some additional bowl options: a glass casserole dish, a porcelain saucer, a stainless steel bowl.
Varying both the size and shape of the bowl as well as the materials can pique your cat’s interest.
Add an ice cube to your cat’s water.
Some cats enjoy some playful fun with their water. (Our Jetty cannot resist dipping a paw in the water each time she passes it.)
An ice cube can be a fun and free way to make your cat stop and play–and drink.
Add a few spoonfuls of low-sodium chicken broth or tuna water.
Just a few spoonfuls of broth can add flavor to your cat’s water and encourage more drinking.
Be careful of commercial chicken broth; some varieties include onion which is a no-no. Salt is a problem in many commercial broths as well.
It’s quick and easy to make your own broth bringing chicken to a boil then simmering for a few hours.
Cool then pour it into ice trays and just add a cube to your cat’s water dish for a tasty addition.
Add water to your cat’s wet food.
This trick is used by many feral cat colony guardians during the winter months to ensure that the cats get plenty of water before it freezes.
By adding water to wet food, cats will take in the extra water when they eat.
With just a few simple steps, you can encourage your cat to drink more water–and, in the process, have more fun doing so!
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