Introduction
According to Matt Davies Harmony Communities, while cats are often associated with tigers and lions, their real ancestors are from the desert. That means they got most of their moisture from their prey and didn’t develop the need to drink water as often as dogs. Let’s check out how you can entice your cat to drink more water.
Tips & Tricks
- Wet food – If your cat prefers wet food, you’re all good. Wet food like high-quality canned food has a lot of water and most cats should be able to fulfill a significant portion of their hydration needs from a decent wet food. If your vet recommends increasing the water intake despite the wet food diet, you can add a bit more water to the bowl and mix it well with the wet food.
Don’t try to force your cat if it doesn’t like to eat wet food with added water. Use of force would worsen the problem and may even make your cat go on a hunger strike. That’s where other options come in.
- Dry food – If your cat prefers kibble over canned food and doesn’t like the switch to wet food, you can add water to the kibble. The dry kibble would absorb a generous amount of water and soften up. However, it’s important to not go overboard. Cats are the greatest conservatives who hate change. They wouldn’t take too kindly if their kibble suddenly turned mushy. Instead, you need to start low and add a bit more water each day to make your cat used to the gradual change.
- Keep the water bowl next to the feeding bowl – Sometimes, you don’t even need to go through extra steps to increase your cat’s water intake. If your cat doesn’t like water added to its kibble or canned food, try placing a water bowl next to the cat food.
Your cat is more likely to drink water while feeding and when it’s conveniently placed next to the food. Some pet owners also use time feeders. They place a water bowl next to the timed feeder and as the cat waits for the food, it is more likely to drink the water in front of it.
- Water fountains – Filtered water fountains are highly likely to increase the interest of your cat in drinking water. Cats are very curious and like flowing water. They may be inclined to play with the flowing water and even drink some of it after chasing invisible enemies on the stream. That’s why a filter is necessary. The filter keeps the water fresh and safe for your kitty to drink. Make sure to clean out the filter every week and prevent pathogens and bacteria from building up.
Conclusion
Matt Davies Harmony Communities suggests that you use the above-mentioned tips to make your cat drink more water and take care of its hydration needs. When your cat doesn’t drink enough water, it is exposed to the risks of kidney diseases and bladder stones.
