Have you ever watched a dog run into the ocean with not a care in the world? I know my heart swells when I see my dog dive into any water and the pure joy that radiates from her. Now I know from experience that that is not my cat’s reaction to water. I have had the unfortunate opportunity of having to bath my cat after he had incapacitated an intruder from the garden (poor field mouse), and it is not an experience I would like to have again.
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Content:
- Why Don't Cats Like Water
- How Can I Tell If My Cat Is Dehydrated
- How to Get a Cat to Drink Water
- Conclusion
Why Don't Cats Like Water
There are a few theories as to why cats aren’t generally fond of water, the most popular being that the domesticated cat’s ancestors evolved in desert areas where water was scarce. Certain breeds of domesticated cat are known to love a paddle in the water such as Turkish Van cats. Large felines such as tigers love cooling down in water. There are rare occasions where a normal domestic cat (no specific breed) is known to love a dip in the water with their parent.
If you are worried that your cat is not drinking water regularly enough and you are not home to monitor then I would recommend investing in a pet camera so that you can check in on your cat when you are away. Position the water bowls and camera in such a way that you can see it clearly.
Mr Driscoll said in his article on The Evolution of House Cats: “A third of American households have feline members, and more than 600 million cats live among humans worldwide. Yet as familiar as these creatures are, a complete understanding of their origins has proved elusive. Whereas other once wild animals were domesticated for their milk, meat, wool or servile labour, cats contribute virtually nothing in the way of sustenance or work to human endeavour.”
How Can I Tell If My Cat Is Dehydrated
When pinching and lifting the skin between the shoulder blades you create a ‘tent’, if the skin snaps back almost instantly then your pet is well hydrated, if the ‘tent’ takes longer than 2 seconds to go down then he is partially dehydrated. If it stays up for longer than 5 seconds, then he is dehydrated and should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
How to Get a Cat to Drink Water
Have you ever seen your cat drinking from the faucet? Or trying to catch the last few drops coming out of the tap? I have heard of pet parents leaving their taps to drip just because cats prefer to drink from running water. There is an easier and more environmentally friendly solution to this! A water fountain provides that running water that cats love and some even filter the water ensuring your cat is always drinking water that is safe.
We always recommend water fountains to all of our cat parents, and even more so for cats with bladder problems or that are prone to cystitis.
Conclusion
Cat’s are special in that they don’t always drink as much water as their body requires, that is why I recommend investing in a water fountain.
Dr Grant’s article said: “Increasing water intake and decreasing urine concentration are recommended for cats with urolithiasis and with idiopathic cystitis. Fountains are advocated to encourage drinking.”