How to increase your cat’s water intake?
Cats require fresh drinking water daily for optimal health as water helps keep the whole body functioning properly. Besides this, proper hydration can also help to prevent diseases like UTI which is fairly common in cats.
As the hottest season of the year, summer, hits most countries in the world, July is marked as National Pet Hydration Awareness Month. In Singapore, it’s practically summer all year round which means that ensuring our cats have sufficient fluid intake is of utmost daily importance.
With that said, most cat owners would know that finicky cats do not only apply to food but extends to water consumption as well. Also, cats were primitively desert animals and did not develop the same thirst drive as we have. They hardly ever drank water as their fresh food diet consisted of a high 70-80% moisture content (which is very different compared to current domestic cat’s diet).
To help fellow meowmies, we have put together a few tips in this article on how you can help boost your cat’s hydration levels and get them to drink as much water as possible!
They Like It Fresh
Cats have a thing for fresh and clean water and will reject anything lesser.
So, make sure to change the water and clean their bowl regularly to remove any odours and unpleasant taste that may deter our cats from drinking it.
The More The Merrier
Place as many water bowls as you can throughout the house, especially at places where your cat spends most of his time at.
However, the placement of bowl is pretty important too! Refrain from placing your cat’s water bowl near a noisy environment like a heavily used door and places where you will find it unhygienic like next to his litter box. (you wouldn’t want to drink near your toilet bowl either)
Purr-sonal Preferences
Try out the different types of bowl material and find out which one your cat prefers! From plastic to ceramic, glass and stainless steel, there’s so many to choose from.
Also, make sure that it has a whisker-friendly design with a wide diameter as whisker-fatigue can discourage cats from drinking water from their bowl as well!
Frozen Treats
Just like humans, some cats may prefer cold water better than room temperature water.
Consider adding frozen treats in your cat’s water like ice cubes. Some other recommendations include frozen broth cubes and even frozen food cubes!
Moving Water
Consider investing in pet water fountains because cats find moving water more interesting and safer to drink. Their wild DNA instinctively tells them to be more cautious of stagnant water as it might be contaminated and get them sick.
But, make sure to clean the water fountain weekly and change the filter when needed to maintain the water freshness.
Shop pet water fountains here.
Make Water More Palatable
Add flavours to their water and make it more palatable for your cats! Water additives like Francodex Fresh Dent offers extra dental benefits for our kitties besides the added flavour.
Another way is to provide pet broths for your cat as an occasional treat or add a suitable amount of the broth into your cat’s drinking water (for budget-friendly ways, replace broth with a few drops of wet can food tuna oil).
Get your pet broth here!
Cat Food Soup
The easiest and pocket-friendly way to increase your cat’s water intake, simply add water to your cat’s food!
Wet Food
If your cat is solely on dry food, consider complimenting it with wet food that contains high water content like Akane! Furthermore, the irresistible recipe of Akane wet food is made to suit even the finickiest of cats so you need not worry about your cat rejecting it.
Filtered Water
Cats have an excellent sense of smell and the smell of chlorine or chemicals from tap water may deter your cat from drinking her water. Instead, provide your kitty with filtered water!
As cats are sensitive creatures, they do not fancy the idea of sudden changes. Remember to start with the changes gradually and be persistent with it!