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The pond, a dripping tap or a layer of water in the shower. Your cat seems to drink everywhere except from his water bowl. Cats are known to be bad drinkers. Not surprising, because they are originally desert animals. They therefore have a poorly developed thirst reflex. However, it is important that your cat drinks enough to stay healthy.
Read more about the drinking behavior of cats here.
How much should my cat drink?
A guideline for the amount of fluid your cat needs per day is 50 milliliters per kilogram of body weight. An average domestic cat of 4 kilos, therefore, needs to drink about 200 milliliters. If you feed your cat kibble, he will ingest about 5 milliliters of moisture through the food. This means that the rest of the moisture must come from water.
As mentioned, cats naturally have a bad thirst reflex. They also drink inefficiently. With each movement of the tongue, only a few drops of water enter their mouths. This combination is the reason that many cats are dehydrated.
How do you know if your cat is getting enough water?
You will find the answer in the litter box. On average, a cat urinates 2 to 3 times a day. With lump-forming grit you can also pay attention to the dimensions of the lump. If they are very small, your cat is probably not drinking enough.
The result of a structurally low fluid intake is that your cat's urine stays in the bladder for a long time and becomes very concentrated. This can lead to bladder infections and bladder stones, also known as struvite. In addition, kidney problems are lurking. You can test if your cat is dehydrated by gently pulling up on the scruff of the neck. If the skin does not spring back within a second, your cat has a moisture deficiency. In that case, contact the vet.
Although cats aren't drinkers by nature, you can encourage them to drink more.
We give 5 tips:
- 1. Use a wider drinker
Most cats don't like it when their whiskers touch the edge of the water bowl. You can prevent this with a wider drinking trough. - 2. Move the drinking trough
Is the water for your four-legged friend next to the food? Then put it somewhere else. The instinct of cats is not to drink where they eat. - 3. Set up multiple drinking troughs
Place a bowl of water in various places in the house. If your cat encounters water 'on the way', it is more likely to take a sip. - 4. Add a flavor
Do you cook chicken or other meat for yourself? Do not throw away the cooking water, but let it cool and save it for your cat. Chances are you will like this! - 5. Get a drinking fountain
Some cats are attracted to moving water. Try an automatic drinking fountain to get your cat to drink more.
Does your house tiger only eat chunks?
Then keep an eye on whether he is drinking enough. Measure the water and see how much is left the next day. Do this for a few days to get a good idea of the drinking behavior. Replacing the water with cat milk? Even if your cat likes it so much, that's not a good idea. Cat milk contains a lot of calories, which means that obesity is lurking. A splash in the water or as a snack is of course allowed.
Fokker has developed the Steri-Fit to support the urinary tract. This chunk helps to maintain the pH level of the urine. The Fokker +Fresh Meat and +Fresh Fish also contribute to your cat's good health.
We have an extensive range for adult cats, including food for sterilized, sensitive and picky cats.
