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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Please - is anyone up? Cat can’t drink and is distressed

21 replies

ToothTrauma · 21/07/2018 00:56

My little girl cat is running from water bowl to water bowl, clearly very thirsty, but just cries and scratches when she gets there. I’ve tried different bowls, refilled them all multiple times. I don’t know what to do. She is crying and crying for a drink but doesn’t seem to be able to. I don’t know what to do.

OP posts:
BackToTheFuschia7 · 21/07/2018 00:58

If she’s in distress take to emergency vets.

Original poster
ToothTrauma · 21/07/2018 00:58

She is eating and otherwise fine in herself but can’t seem to drink.

OP posts:
OliviaStabler · 21/07/2018 00:58

Has she any other symptoms? Has she been eating well?

trackrBird · 21/07/2018 01:00

Ring your emergency vet, ask for advice. They will probably suggest you bring her in.

elephantoverthehill · 21/07/2018 01:03

Boiled, cooled water instead of tap water? Does your cat normally drink water in the house? None of mine ever did. Even in this weather Elephantcat will not drink water, I have put down but she does have wet food. Have you got a calpol type syringe? It might be the way to go.

POPholditdown · 21/07/2018 01:03

Can she eat? Wet food provides them with moisture. Can you put a bit of the gravy or jelly on your finger and see if she’ll lick it up?

Does she look normal? Swollen?

I may be wrong but as far as I’m aware, running around isn’t normally a sign of something being wrong, they’re more likely to withdraw.

However, if she is so distressed you should probably contact an OOH vet.

Ofthread · 21/07/2018 01:05

Things to try, non expert here...

Wet food.
Dip her paws in a bowl so she licks it off.
Try a glass and ceramic bowl.
Running a tap.
Emergency vet.

Original poster
ToothTrauma · 21/07/2018 01:05

Thanks everyone. Yes she does usually drink in the house. We have seven water bowls! Some shared with the dog - but none of the ones she’s currently running between.

Have given her a wet pouch and she’s wolfing that down. Still going to ring emergency vet though. Thanks everyone Flowers

OP posts:
T1M2N3T4 · 21/07/2018 01:06

Some cats like to drink from running water only. Try running the tap for her

Original poster
ToothTrauma · 21/07/2018 01:07

Her bowls are all ceramic and she has a glass. She also wouldn’t drink from the shower tray which she normally loves if we let her Blush

I have noticed a small cut by her whiskers so maybe that’s hurting her? Ringing vet now.

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 21/07/2018 01:12

Have you got any syringes?

Emergency vet is definitely the right call

LanguidLobster · 21/07/2018 01:14

Hope it goes ok Tooth, it's horrible when you don't know what the matter is.

Seems like it might be an injury. If she doesn't calm down hope she can go to vets. How old is she?

ThisIsHistory · 21/07/2018 01:16

Good luck at vets. Fingers crossed for you.

Itsmeaga1n · 21/07/2018 01:17

If I need to get water into my cats in an emergency (boy cat had a tendency to urine problems) I use a syringe without needle obviously and syringe it into his mouth, tipping his head back.

Lindy2 · 21/07/2018 01:18

You can get those little pouches that are like smoothies treats or soup for cats. They are mostly liquid. When my cat was unwell she did manage to lick some of those to keep hydrated.

Original poster
ToothTrauma · 21/07/2018 01:26

Thanks for all the great advice. She is 11 months old and has never done this before.

She finished the pouch, went to her bed, washed her face and fell asleep while I was waiting for the vet to call back Hmm

They said if she’s had the pouch and gone to sleep to leave her, but if she wakes up and starts again or isn’t drinking first thing tomorrow, to take her straight in so that’s what I’ll do. Sleepless night for me ahead!

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 21/07/2018 01:33

Poor fur baby Sad

Hope you both manage to get some sleep

Original poster
ToothTrauma · 21/07/2018 08:31

Well this morning she’s been on another tour of the water bowls but this time she drank from all of them Confused so apparently she just wanted to cause me a total panic in the middle of the night.

She’s got a couple of little cuts on her face, I can see now, not just one (she is a hunter and scrapper, unfortunately) so I do wonder if it was that. I shall be keeping a very close eye, and if it happens again, straight to the vet.

OP posts:
3boys3dogshelp · 21/07/2018 08:35

If she has a couple of cuts on the outside of her mouth she might also have a wound inside her mouth which made it painful to drink. Cats very quickly associate pain with an object (eg cat with dental pain won’t eat out of usual food bowl) so she was probably trying to drink, it hurt her and she associated the pain with the water bowl and tried a different one. I’d suggest getting her mouth checked today while the vets are open.

viccat · 21/07/2018 09:29

I would go to the vet's too just in case if she has cuts on her face.
Young cats that eat wet food rarely drink a lot and it's worth asking about that too if she is drinking a significant amount usually.

Original poster
ToothTrauma · 21/07/2018 09:31

She doesn’t normally eat wet food. I keep some pouches around and so was able to give her one last night Smile

She seems absolutely fine this morning but if I see any hint of another problem I will take her to the vet. Thanks again everyone for all the advice Flowers

OP posts:
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