Is It Normal For My Cat To Drink A Lot Of Water?

In general, cats are animals that tend to drink little water. This is one reason why we must take special care when it comes to keeping it well hydrated since, in addition, these cats are quite special when it comes to deciding where they ingest liquid from.

A cat must drink a day about 50 and 100 milliliters of water for every kilo of weight. If the animal drinks less water than the specified amount, it could become dehydrated. Likewise, a higher intake could indicate the presence of conditions in the urinary system, or other problems that we will explain later.

In this article we talk more in depth about how much water a cat should drink.

Normal factors that influence water intake

• warm temperature. In times of the year with warmer temperatures, it is normal for the cat to drink more water.
• Food. Feeding can also influence the fluid levels the animal needs. Taking into account that certain foods provide water, those cats that eat wet food are already satisfying part of their daily water intake. On the contrary, dry feed requires a higher consumption of liquid.
• Physical activity. A more restless cat will expel more liquids and, consequently, will drink more water. However, we must not forget that a cat with a calm temperament should drink the necessary amount of water even if his physical activity is less.

Diseases for which a cat drinks a lot of water

Increased water intake is known as polyuria, while polydipsia is an increase in the frequency with which you urinate. Both can be caused by the following conditions:

• Kidney failure. In this case the cat drinks more water than normal because there is a damage to your kidneys by which harmful substances are not filtered correctly. Also known as kidney failure, it is one of the most common diseases in cats. To diagnose this disease it is necessary to go to the veterinarian to carry out the necessary tests.
• Diabetes. The pancreas does not produce enough insulin, a substance responsible for transporting glucose to the cells. There are two types of diabetes that affect cats: type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In the first, the pancreas suffers from a shortage of insulin and, as a consequence, the body does not have the necessary glucose levels. The second is more common in cats and occurs when the body is immune to the effects of insulin. In this article we explain how to know if a cat has diabetes.
• hyperthyroidism. As in humans, excess thyroid hormone is produced in the body, which generally makes the animal hungrier. This disease is more common in older cats.

Taking into account the previous point, a cat that drinks a lot of water could be losing more fluids than normal. As a consequence, the animal tries to ingest more liquids in order to recover normal levels. Thus, we can say that a cat that drinks more water than normal due to factors such as diet, activity or temperature, is just trying to hydrate itself. However, when the animal ingests large amounts of liquid for a long time and, in addition, also increases the frequency with which it urinates, it is possible that it suffers from some disease.

To get the cat to drink the water it needs, the first thing we must do is take him to the vet. Under no circumstances deprive the cat of having access to water, since you could make it completely dehydrated.

On the other hand, there are a series of general guidelines that facilitate the daily consumption of normal water for the cat:

• Change the water frequently. Cats are quite special when it comes to choosing the place they drink water from. Whether it is because they do not like stagnant water or that it is in a container of a certain material, we must change the water frequently. Many cats are attracted to tap water, this could be precisely because they feel a certain rejection towards stagnant water. Make sure you offer fresh water in a clean container and change it from time to time.
• Running water. As we said, cats love running water. For this reason, a good option is to buy a fountain with a closed circuit that constantly moves the water. These drinkers are usually not very expensive and work very well. Now, each cat is a world.
• The right container. In general, plastic is the material that adds the most flavor to the water. For this reason, it is advisable to use a stainless steel bowl that also keeps the water fresh for longer.
• wet feed. Wet feed is perfect to ensure that the feline ingests part of its necessary daily amount of water.

If we detect that the cat drinks less water than normal or, on the contrary, its intake is excessive, remember to visit the veterinarian.

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