Does your cat need to drink more water?
Posted by Stefanie Woodruff on Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Under: Cats
If you could do only ONE
thing to make your cat healthier, it should be getting him to drink more
water. Water is essential for life. Next to oxygen, water is the most
important nutrient in your cat's body. It helps digest food, absorb
nutrients, flush waste and control body temperature.
Cats can go for days without food. They can lose up to 40 percent of their body weight and survive. But with only a 10 percent water loss, bodily functions shut down causing serious illness. A 15 percent loss of water will kill a cat.
Most cats don't drink enough water. And getting them to drink more isn't easy. We all know how hard it is to get cats to do something they don't want to do. But it can be done ... if you get creative!
Nutritionists get sick cats to eat by making the activity more appealing. To find out what the cat likes most, they try three things - different foods, different bowls and different feeding locations.
That makes sense. It's definitely true for people.
Wouldn't you rather have an icy cold soda with lots of "fizz" instead of one that's flat, warm and watered down? It TASTES better.
Do you like to use your favorite coffee mug because of its shape and size?
Would you rather eat in front of the TV than at the dinner table? We all have our own preferences, and so does your cat.
Find out what kind of "drinkware" your cat prefers. Would he rather use a bowl or a plate? What size works best? What texture does he like ... ceramic, plastic or stainless steel?
Next, find a way to make the whole "water drinking" experience more fun. Turn it into a game. Put out multiple bowls of water throughout the house for your cat to find. Make sure to put some in his favorite places.
Finally, make the water taste as good as possible. (Remember, nobody wants a warm flat soda.) Your cat's water should always be fresh and cool. Change the water in each bowl several times a day. Try refreshing between refills with an ice cube. Try filtered water. Removing impurities from the water improves the taste.
A pet fountain is a great way to make your cat's water taste better. It filters the water to cool it and remove impurities. And since the water is constantly moving, it stays fresh.
As a rule, cats need about one ounce of water a day for every pound of body weight. That means a 9-pound cat needs 9 ounces of water a day (about two quarts per week) to stay healthy.
Unfortunately most cats don't drink enough water, which can lead to health problems. So get your cat to drink more water by making it more appealing. It will help keep your cat healthy.
Cats can go for days without food. They can lose up to 40 percent of their body weight and survive. But with only a 10 percent water loss, bodily functions shut down causing serious illness. A 15 percent loss of water will kill a cat.
Most cats don't drink enough water. And getting them to drink more isn't easy. We all know how hard it is to get cats to do something they don't want to do. But it can be done ... if you get creative!
Nutritionists get sick cats to eat by making the activity more appealing. To find out what the cat likes most, they try three things - different foods, different bowls and different feeding locations.
That makes sense. It's definitely true for people.
Wouldn't you rather have an icy cold soda with lots of "fizz" instead of one that's flat, warm and watered down? It TASTES better.
Do you like to use your favorite coffee mug because of its shape and size?
Would you rather eat in front of the TV than at the dinner table? We all have our own preferences, and so does your cat.
Find out what kind of "drinkware" your cat prefers. Would he rather use a bowl or a plate? What size works best? What texture does he like ... ceramic, plastic or stainless steel?
Next, find a way to make the whole "water drinking" experience more fun. Turn it into a game. Put out multiple bowls of water throughout the house for your cat to find. Make sure to put some in his favorite places.
Finally, make the water taste as good as possible. (Remember, nobody wants a warm flat soda.) Your cat's water should always be fresh and cool. Change the water in each bowl several times a day. Try refreshing between refills with an ice cube. Try filtered water. Removing impurities from the water improves the taste.
A pet fountain is a great way to make your cat's water taste better. It filters the water to cool it and remove impurities. And since the water is constantly moving, it stays fresh.
As a rule, cats need about one ounce of water a day for every pound of body weight. That means a 9-pound cat needs 9 ounces of water a day (about two quarts per week) to stay healthy.
Unfortunately most cats don't drink enough water, which can lead to health problems. So get your cat to drink more water by making it more appealing. It will help keep your cat healthy.
In : Cats
