Tips to Encourage Cat to Drink

[MrsChollySawcutt]

I have 3 cats, two girls that are just a year old and eat mostly biscuits (royal canin) and drink plenty of water.

The third cat is 7 years old, a very large Siamese with an unusually thick double coat thanks to his Balinese (long haired Siamese) Mum. He will not touch dry food at all. I feed him Natures Menu pouches and I rarely (if ever) see him drink from the water bowl.

He is finding this hot weather trying, last night he flopped on the floor and lay there legs akimbo, trying to cool down. He looks grumpy and out of sorts.

I know the girls will of course drink more because of their primarily dry diet but I'm worried that the boy is not drinking enough. Is there anything clever I can do to encourage him to take some fluid.

I've given him a couple of applaws trays because they seem quite wet and he will drink the extra fluid from these without realising!

Try human drinking vessels. Mine drink really well out of cups and beakers left lying around for them.

Make ice cubes with a mix of the water from tuna (in spring water) and fresh water. Mix some tuna in as well if you like.

Pet drinking fountain. My mates cat has one and does use it even though she was advised to feed a wet diet 'cause he didn't drink much. That cat does the biggest wees I've ever seen!

Always make sure the water is away from the food bowls.

As a pp suggested, one of my cats used to like drinking from my cup of water next to my bed. Took me a while to find out but she preferred it I'd make sure there are a few sources of water dotted around and that they are refreshed often.

I've tried drinking fountains. Bowls of water around the house. Ice left in bowls so it's as fresh and cold as possible, suffering bieght and shake bowls. They just don't and I'm so worried.

So I've taken to giving a watered down bowl of Asda's cat milk to each every day in this hot weather, better than nothing. They only eat 2 wet pouches a day and a couple biscuits a day each as elderly.

Cats usually prefer fresh flowing water so a cat fountain may be useful. Mine used to dunk his paw in it and lick it off rather than drink direct . Ice cubes in water work well as well as he will get his paws wet if he plays with them. Failing that a bit of cat milk watered down but be careful how much you give as if they drink too much water that can also cause problems

*suffering beight meaning different height 🧐

I have a lovely drinking fountain. It's in its packaging because he completely ignored it - gave a wide berth in fact.

The girls love drinking out of glasses and cups. DC have found their water glasses with a cat head in it many times. But not big boy cat, ever.

I will try the tuna water, although I may get stampeded by the girls.

Oh and agree about the ice cubes in water. Again the girls l be this but not big boy cat.

He's such a curmudgeon, but he love him.