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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

Cat wont drink water (help)

51 replies

Suzie1997 · 22/05/2019 22:42

Suzie1997

Okay so I need help
My cats called cheeka he is 2 years old he isn't a fussy eater basically will eat everything and anything i give him..

But the down fall is he doesn't drink water but I leave a bowl of fresh water every day he will drink milk no bother though he also eats 1/3 felix pouches a day and has a bowl of biscuits

What should I do as I'm worried that he isn't drinking water

OP posts:
Whistle73 · 22/05/2019 22:47

My cats don't drink water either - they never have. They get all their moisture from wet food. If this is new then I'd get it checked out but if he's always been like this I wouldn't worry. It's not uncommon.

wowfudge · 22/05/2019 22:47

Cats get most of their water from their food. He may well be drinking from his bowl and you don't know because you don't see it. He is quite likely to be drinking from another source when he's thirsty - a puddle, a container with rainwater in it, etc. Keep providing fresh water for him as he'll know it's there if he wants it.

Whistle73 · 22/05/2019 22:47

You shouldn't be giving him milk though Confused

HappyHammy · 22/05/2019 22:47

There will be water in the felix. Can you dilute the milk with water. If he goes outside he might be drinking from puddles. Have you tried him with running water from the tap or a cat fountain. Maybe he wants bottled mountain spring water or his bowl makes it taste a bit bitter. My cat liked dilute Ribena.

viccat · 22/05/2019 22:52

Cats are not great drinkers in general, that's why it's often said giving them so much dry food is bad. Their natural diet would not be "dry" so they would get most of their water from food. Especially male cats should not be having much cheap bad quality dry food, it can cause urinary issues.

minou123 · 22/05/2019 22:53

If he used to drink water, but has stopped, I get him checked with the vet.

However my cats are not fussy with food, but fussy with water. God forbid they drink water from a bowl, they prefer to drink from water that is flowing! Hmm So I bought an a small pet water drinking fountain. They love it.

skankingpiglet · 22/05/2019 22:53

Our cat never drank from a water bowl either. We've actually given up even providing it now after years of remaining unused. She has 2 wet meals plus a bit of dry food a day, and a bit of cat milk every few weeks.
I have caught her drinking from the pond on more than one occasion though, so she does drink... 🤷🏻‍♀️

madeofstarlight · 22/05/2019 22:56

My cat won't drink water from her bowl either. She accepts only fresh running water from the tap Hmm I can't go for a pee without her running in in front of me and jumping on the sink.

Rhiannon87 · 22/05/2019 22:57

I run the sink tap for my girls when they follow me to the loo. They have a giant bowl of water in their room tho...
I also read the other that cats don't like their food and water close together. So that might be it.

Ihatesundays · 22/05/2019 22:57

Mine drinks a lot but only filthy water from outside or from the bathroom tap.

madeofstarlight · 22/05/2019 22:58

My old family cat was the same. I remember thinking how odd it was that I'd never seen her drink until one day I looked out into the garden and seen her enthusiastically lapping rain water from the dented wheelie bin lid! Strange creatures.

MrsBertBibby · 22/05/2019 22:59

Are you giving him cows milk? That's very very bad for cats.

Original poster
Suzie1997 · 22/05/2019 23:03

Thanks for the advice he hasn't really bothered with his fresh water during the day well from what I have seen I'm going to mix a bit more water with his wet food just incase he is an inside cat aswell so just want to make sure he is getting what he needs
Thank you

OP posts:
Original poster
Suzie1997 · 22/05/2019 23:04

No km giving him normal milk

OP posts:
thankyourforthemusic · 22/05/2019 23:05

My cat will only drink milk. I get cat milk for her , she refuses water so I gave up.

Toddlerteaplease · 22/05/2019 23:06

Mine drink ok from a bowl. But they love drinking from human cups and glasses. I have several dotted around the house for them. Definitely worth a try!

YesQueen · 22/05/2019 23:06

Some cats don't. My neighbours cat drinks puddles Confused
My cat is a weirdo and happily drinks bowl after bowl of water daily Hmm

Toddlerteaplease · 22/05/2019 23:07

One of mine used to drink the dregs if my decaf tea, and my parents car drinks from a tap.

heymammy · 22/05/2019 23:08

Neither of my cats will drink from a water bowl so I keep a pint glass filled with water tucked in the hallway where it can't get knocked over. They use that regularly now Hmm . I was also told to keep their water in a separate place from their food but I can't remember the reason why!

petrasolano · 22/05/2019 23:09

What is normal milk?

Hawkmoth · 22/05/2019 23:09

Our cat has trained people to leave the tap running just a trickle when they go to the toilet.

Original poster
Suzie1997 · 22/05/2019 23:10

Yeah I'm gonna put more water in his wet food and I will keep putting fresh water out but i might try the water in cups or ice cubes see if it works

OP posts:
ipswichwitch · 22/05/2019 23:11

Try a cat water fountain - lots of cats like to drink running water. Most of mine like licking water from the bottom of the bath/sink. Cows milk is not good for cats as they are lactose intolerant so I’d be stopping that right away.

Original poster
Suzie1997 · 22/05/2019 23:11

I normally give cheeka semi skimmed milk just a wee drop though

OP posts:
madeofstarlight · 22/05/2019 23:11

@heymammy I've turned round many a time to find my cat with her head stuffed in my glass of water! Don't see how it's any different to a bowl?! Also I'm sure I read it's because in the wild they would hunt their food and don't want their water contaminated with blood etc.