There are few things as cute as hearing your feline friend lap up some much-needed water. However, for cats with urinary tract disease, this everyday act often leads to a very unpleasant experience. Once a cat starts to associate their painful bathroom breaks with the water they drink, they may avoid their dish altogether. This can worsen symptoms and also lead to dehydration. After discussing a treatment plan with your veterinarian, it’s a good idea to explore ways to increase their water intake.
How to get your cat with urinary tract disease to drink more water
Make It Easy for Them
The first step to ensuring your little furball is getting enough water is to make it more available. Are they ignoring that single bowl next to their food in the kitchen? Put a second or third in a completely different room. Choose places where they like to lounge or play and add an extra dish where they can get a quick drink. Having multiple water bowls in strategic locations throughout the house can sometimes coax them into the habit of staying hydrated.
If you’re still having trouble getting them to drink, the culprit might just be the temperature of the water. For some cats, cold water is the only thing on the menu. For others, water at room temperature might be more to their tastes. Experiment with different temperatures to learn what they prefer. We all know that cats can be finicky, so this might take a bit of trial and error to figure out.
Hydrate at Every Meal
When your feline friend isn’t busy sleeping, grooming and deciding which of your possessions belong on the floor, they’re probably eating. This makes mealtime the perfect opportunity to get them drinking more water. An easy way to approach this is to introduce semi-moist or wet food to their diet. On average, canned cat foods contain much more moisture than dry kibble and can be a great alternative.
If you notice your cat isn’t embracing this new meal plan, you might need to get creative. As smart as our furry housemates are, you can actually trick them into drinking more water. One way to do this is to mix your cat’s dry food in with wet food. Start with a few handfuls at a time, using less and less each meal until you don’t need to add any.
Using this slow process helps them adapt to wet food’s different taste, smell and texture. It also minimizes digestive upsets that sometimes occur when changing a cat’s diet. If this method fails to impress them, you can also try adding small amounts of water to their dry food to help keep them hydrated.
Keep It Clean
Just like you wouldn’t drink from a dirty glass, cats don’t like drinking from dirty bowls. From food crumbs and hair to granules of litter, water bowls accumulate a lot over the course of a day. Pay close attention to their eating area and make sure their dish stays filled with clean, fresh water. Chances are if it isn’t appealing to you, it won’t be to them either.
A Different Approach
If you find a traditional water bowl isn’t doing the trick, consider tempting your furball with a water fountain. When a cat is thirsty in the wild, their instinct is to seek out places like flowing streams. By comparison, a motionless water bowl presents little challenge to their hunting impulses.
The movement of a fountain can pique a feline’s interest and entice them into taking a sip. As a fountain circulates the water, it reduces the likelihood of bacterial growth. Many designs also feature a built-in filter that removes impurities and unpleasant odors, making each drink taste better.
Even though water fountains are convenient, they still require cleaning and maintenance. Remember to replace the filter regularly, and be sure to remove any built-up hard water deposits.