Why doesn't my friend's cat drink very much water? Could it be a sickness? How to encourage more water intake?

Question

Why doesn't my friend's cat drink very much water? Could it be a sickness? How to encourage more water intake?

Answer 1

Cats are desert animals and are also exclusive carnivores which means that they only eat meat.  In the wild they would kill and eat live small animals such as rodents and lizards and bugs.  They would get all their hydration from the body fluids of the creature they had eaten.  

But domestic cats don't often kill and eat their own prey. So they need to drink water (which goes against their programming). One option is to change their food to wet canned food. They will get additional moisture from their food. The down side is that wet food is awful for their teeth!. As already stated, make sure there is lots of cool, fresh, clean water available, and if the cat continues to refuse to drink or if her coat begins to look tatty, eyes look less bright, litter box is too clean (you know what I mean) get her to a vet!

Answer 2

Cats love to drink cool, refreshing water. They also like it if it's moving water, so maybe buy a pet fountain, or your friend should change it more often.

Cats are desert creatures, so it's natural for them to store water in their bodies.

Answer 3

If the cat is eating tinned food, it won't need to drink much.  

Answer 4

If they eat wet food (canned), cats may not drink any water at all. If he eats dry food, it is not good for him not to drink water. She could mix some water in his food.

Answer 5

Cats were not designed by nature to be big water drinkers.  They will do it but they usually don't drink enough because they are meant to get moisture IN their food, not from a bowl.  So if your friend's cat eats canned food he's probably getting all he needs.

But if not, there's not a whole lot you can do.  You can be sure that the bowls are very clean and very well rinsed - some cats are put off by any soap scent left behind.

Be sure it's the freshest water possible.  I personally decided to give my cats the same filtered water we drink.

Some cats show more interest in water fountains.  Some prefer to drink right from the faucet.

Answer 6

I agree with Em there...

But pet fountains can be expensive and you may end up with a pet that doesn't like it.

You can try one of those water features you would by to display in your living room as a decoration, which should only be a few bucks at a dollar store. Or better yet, turn on your kitchen sink, place your cat up there and get it to pay attention to the water, wet you finger then then cats mouth so it knows its water and its ok to drink.

Keep the water on a very light stream, my cats get angry when its a drip and they just try to play with it instead...

Answer 7

change the water more often

most cats drink what they need and nothing more and they don't need much since they don't sweat also you cant know exactly where he gets all his water there maybe some other place he gets water like a leaking hose of a broken sprinkler

but if you know he inst drinking any water at all you should take him to the vet