Want to prevent kidney problems in cats? There are ways for cats to drink water
Most cats do not like to drink water. Some cats even found out that the situation was serious after they were diagnosed with kidney disease or urinary tract inflammation, so they began to try their best to make them drink more water.
In fact, the fatal injury is that cats do not like to drink water. Not having enough water will weaken the kidney function and lead to diseases such as urethral stones.
There is a reason why cats don’t like drinking water. Cats originally came from desert animals, where there are very few water sources. Cats use the blood of their prey as their water source, so they don’t need to drink a lot of water. But domestic cats mainly eat feed, and the water in the feed is less than 10%. If the water intake is insufficient, the cat will be in a state of dehydration for a long time.
Do cat owners know how much water a cat should drink? How can pet owners induce cat owners to drink more water?
Daily water intake for cats
Cats need different amounts of water according to their body weight. In general, larger cats need more water.
For domestic cats living indoors, it is recommended to consume 40ml of water per kilogram of body weight. The average weight of boys is about 4-5kg, and the average weight of girls is about 3-4kg, that is to say, boys need to take in about 200ml of water every day, while girls need to take in about 160ml of water.
How much water a cat needs to absorb depends on the cat's age and physical condition. For example, cats with kidney disease need more water, and the water absorption should be increased to 50-60ml per kilogram. The cat BB who is in the lactation period needs more water, and needs to absorb 70-80ml of water per kilogram of body weight.
[2023 Cat Drinking Water Strategy] Cats don’t like drinking water? Video introduction of 7 ways to make cats drink water
This time, we have compiled for you 7 methods that can make cats absorb enough water. Owners in need are welcome to read the article in detail to bring more convenience to the daily life of fur children at home.
7 ways to get your cat to drink water
1. Switch to wet food "cans"
Wet food "cans" are very popular now, which can be said to be a good way for cats to take in a lot of water while eating. For example, the water content of a general "can" is 70-80%, so an 80g can of cat "can" contains about 64ml of water; and dry feed is assumed to contain 10% of water, 80g of feed contains only 8ml of water.
If possible, homemade fresh food is also a good method. Fresh food has a high water content and there is no problem of adding preservatives, but the ingredients must pay attention to diversity, and add nutritional supplements in moderation to avoid nutritional imbalance.
Some cats have been accustomed to dry food since they were snacks, and if they are suddenly asked to eat "canned" or fresh food, they will resist and refuse to eat. In the beginning, switch gradually and slowly, don't change completely suddenly!
2. Add water to food
Adding water to "cans" is the most acceptable method for cats. In addition, adding snacks to the water, soaking feed in water, and making homemade salt-free chicken or fish soup are also ways to try.
But this is more effective for cats who are greedy and not picky. If your cat refuses to eat food soaked in water, you can only give up this method.
You can also make ice cubes from the water that has scalded the meat, add one piece to the water bowl every day, and change the drinking water frequently to keep it fresh. It depends on whether the cat can accept it, and the amount of water that can be added will vary.
3. Fresh, clean water
Cats are pickier than dogs, and if the water quality is not clean, you can’t ask them to cheer. In order to serve the cats at home, cat owners must remember to change the water at least once a day (2-3 times is better), and wash the water bowls before filling them with water, so that they can drink.
If your cat is a fussy cat, try rainwater, filtered water, tap water, or boiled water.
4. Flowing water
Anyone who owns a cat knows that cats are always very interested in flowing water, and some cats do prefer to drink flowing water.
For this kind of cat, slowly dripping water into the bowl from the boiling faucet, or a cat fountain drinking fountain will increase the cat's desire to drink water, you can try it.
Hypotheses based on mobile drinking water installations:
- Cats think running water is fresher and safer
- Running water is more likely to attract the cat's attention
- Cats on non-stationary water are better able to recognize the height of the water surface
5. Create freshness with water containers
One of the bad behaviors of cats is that they like to jump on the table and drink other people's water cups secretly. It is really angry and funny.
In this case, you can also try to use different containers or cups to hold water, or add ice cubes to the water in summer to create freshness and attract cats to come to drink water!
Use ceramic or glass containers:
Plastic containers are prone to residual odor and bacteria; stainless steel containers are prone to reflect light, which makes cats not like to approach them.
High water surface and wide mouth: Cats don’t like whiskers touching the container when eating or drinking. It is recommended to always fill up the water and choose a container with a larger bowl.
6. Place the water bowl in different positions
Put a bowl of water at various places in the house, especially at the corner of the cat's daily path, so that the cat can drink water wherever it goes, increasing the convenience of drinking water.
Note that the place where the water bowl is placed should not be too close to the cat litter, and it should not be in a place where family members come in and out frequently or where there are noisy noises.
The water bowl is not placed against the wall
Even modern domestic cats still retain their vigilant nature. Food utensils placed close to the wall will prevent cats from looking around the surrounding garden environment when using them, and then avoid using them.
7. Keep food and water separate
Cats tend to eat and drink in different locations, a behavior that comes from food leftovers contaminating adjacent water sources in the wild.
Note that the place where the water bowl is placed should not be too close to the cat litter, and it should not be in a place where family members come in and out frequently or where there are noisy noises.
Summarize
After all, cats are just like us humans, as they grow older, they will gradually develop many long-term diseases. In addition, they also have a personality that can tolerate pain. Therefore, we must actively help cats to replenish the water they need. share.
Drink plenty of water and be healthy, so that cats can happily accompany us, and we can have one more day and have precious time with them. Changing the habit of cats drinking water is not something that happens overnight. We must have perseverance and patience. Cats are farther away from urinary diseases!