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Encouraging Your Cat To Drink More Water

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Water is very important for cats. Cats need water just like humans. Cats need water for digestion, growing fur and claws, movement and thinking. Cats can survive a week or two without food. However, cats can only survive a few days without water.

Cats can be fussy about water. This is probably due to evolution. As cats evolved, they had to learn to avoid bad water sources that might make them sick or even kill them.

Ensuring your cat gets enough water

There are several ways you can help ensure your cat gets enough water. They include: keeping the water bowl clean, proper bowl height, proper bowl placement, the composition of the water bowl (metal vs. plastic vs. ceramic) and having bowls in more than one location. Gravity-fed water bowls and electronic (flowing) options may also be useful for your cat.

Keep the water bowl clean

Cats have a very good sense of smell. Before cats drink water, they will sniff it. If your cat smells anything bad, it will not drink the water. You should keep your cat’s water bowl clean by cleaning it regularly. You can use a mild dish detergent and a soft scrubber to clean the bowl. Rinse the bowl thoroughly. If your cat smells dish detergent, he or she will not drink the water.

Provide fresh water regularly

Cats like fresh water. Old water becomes stale. Old water also grows bacteria. You should change your cat’s water at least every other day. However, this is not necessary if you have a gravity fed bowl or electronic (flowing) option. These options often have filters that clean the water.

Bowl height

Bowl height is important. If a bowl is too low, it will be hard for your cat to drink water. If a bowl is too high, it will also be hard for your cat to drink. The proper height is at about 3 to 5 inches. This height allows your cat to crouch over the bowl and drink. Cats do not eat or drink standing up, they crouch.

Bowl height is especially important for older cats, who sometimes develop arthritis, and need higher bowls to reach their water.

Bowl placement

Your cat’s water bowl should be placed away from its food. Cats do not like to drink water near their food, because the smell of food interferes with their water. Also, cats have evolved to eat food and drink water separately. Food may also get into the water and affect the water’s taste.

A water bowl should be placed in the same area as the food, but at least a few feet from the food. This will ensure that your cat knows where the water is, but will keep food and water separate.

Bowl composition: metal vs. plastic vs. ceramic

Generally, stainless steel water bowls are best for your cat. These bowls are easy to keep clean. Also, stainless steel helps prevent the growth of bacteria on the bowl. Ceramic bowls are also an option. Ceramic bowls may keep your cat’s water more cool. However, if you purchase a ceramic bowl make sure ensure that it does not contain lead paint. Look for a ceramic bowl that specifically identifies itself as “lead free.” If in doubt, stainless steel is best.

Although cheapest, plastic bowls are not recommended. A cat’s sense of smell can smell the chemicals in plastic. These plastic chemicals may also leak into the water. Plastic is made of chemicals that are not healthy for a cat.

Water bowls in more than one location

You should consider keeping bowls in more than one location. Consider placing an additional water bowl in any room your cat spends a lot of time in, such as in the living room or bedroom. This may help encourage your cat to drink water.

Gravity-fed water bowls

Gravity water bowls, or “gravity-fed” water bowls are becoming popular. Gravity water bowls contain a large reservoir of water that trickles down into a bowl as the water is consumed or evaporates. Gravity water bowls are good options for those individuals that might need to leave their cats alone for a day or more.

You should look for a gravity water bowl that uses a stainless steel bowl. Also, some gravity bowls include a carbon filter meant to keep the water clean and fresh. Some cats may not like the taste of the water after it uses this filter. If your cat does not drink out of your gravity bowl, consider removing the filter.

Fountain water bowls (electronic)

Fountain water bowls are becoming more popular. They are electronic water bowls are require a power outlet. They simulate running water by using a pump to circulate the water.

There are advantages and disadvantages to fountain water bowls. The main advantage is that fountain water bowls may encourage your cat to drink more water. In the wild, cats are attracted to running water and evolved to drink water from streams. Your cat may be attracted to the flowing water that a fountain water bowl provides. Another advantage is that fountain water bowls typically have a greater capacity than a single bowl can provide. If you have a finicky cat that does not appear to drink enough water, you should consider a fountain water bowl.

There are some disadvantages to fountain water bowls. One disadvantage is that they require electricity. Another common concern is safety. If you purchase a fountain water bowl, ensure that the pump is UL-listed.

Fountain water bowls (tips)

If you purchase a fountain water bowl, ensure that the pump is UL-listed. Also, try to select a bowl with a removable stainless steel bowl. A removable stainless steel bowl will allow you to clean the bowl regularly. Try to avoid fountain water bowls with too many plastic components. Plastic components are harder to clean. Cats may also dislike the smell of plastic chemicals that may leach into the water.

Make sure your water bowl is quiet. Your cat may not like drinking out of a water bowl with a loud pump.

Consider switching to wet (canned) food

Lastly, if you haven’t already, consider switching to wet (canned) food. Wet food has a lot of water in it. It’s an easy way to increase your cat’s water intake.

See our article, “The best wet food for your cat” for helpful wet food tips.

Ensuring your cats gets enough water (summary)

  • keep the water bowl clean
  • fresh water
  • bowl height (3 to 5 inches)
  • water bowl separate from food bowl
  • bowls in more than one place
  • metal vs plastic
  • gravity fed
  • running water
  • consider wet (canned) food

The Best Wet Food For Your Cat

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Advantages of wet food

Wet food is an excellent food choice for your cat. Because of its high water content, you can rest assured that your cat is getting enough water. Also, wet food is usually free of the grain and corn found in many dry cat foods. As a result, wet food is a more natural food option for your cat.

Individual preferences

All cats are different. Some cats prefer certain flavors over other flavors. Some cats prefer certain textures over other textures. It would be impossible to predict which flavor and texture your cat will prefer. However, we can provide some tips to help you select the best wet food for your cat.

Meat or meat by-product as the first ingredient

You should pick a wet food where the first or second ingredient is meat or “meat by product.” “Meat by product” means that the entire animal is being used in making the food, including skin, organs, fat etc. “Meat by product” is actually good for your cat, because it ensures your cat is getting the vitamins, nutrients, and nourishment of the entire animal, and not just one cut of meat.

Water as one of the primary ingredients

Water as a top ingredients in wet cat food is fine. Water is necessary in processing the food. More importantly, this water content will help ensure that your cat takes in enough water. However, you still want to ensure that your cat has fresh water to drink separately.

Different flavors

Wet food is sold in many different flavors, including fish, beef, chicken, turkey, tuna and shrimp. You should experiment with different flavors for your cat. However, at the same time, you should not allow your cat to become too dependent on just one flavor. Feeding your cat a variety of flavors will help ensure that your cat has the benefit of the different vitamins and minerals available in the different flavors.

Different textures

Perhaps more important than flavors are textures. Cats tend to like many flavors of wet food. However, they often have definite preferences for textures. Wet food is sold in a variety of textures. Common textures including

  • “pate” – a thick meaty paste
  • “shreds” – long narrow strips of meat in gravy
  • “flaked” – thin flakes of meat in gravy
  • “chunky” – large chunks of meat in gravy
  • “bits” – small bits of meat in gravy

A good sign that your cat likes a particular texture is that he or she eats all of their food. Some cats will lick the gravy out of their food, but leave the meat. This is not ideal, because while the gravy is tasty for your cat, the meat is crucial for their health and well being. If your cat eats only the gravy, try switching to a different texture, such as the pate, which dollar-for-dollar probably has the highest meat content of the above flavors.

Tips for picking the best wet food (Summary)

  • “Meat by product” as first or second ingredient
  • Water as a top ingredient is fine
  • Experiment with different textures
  • If your cat just eats the gravy, try other textures
  • Consider “pate” texture

The Best Dry Food For Your Cat

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Individual preferences

All cats are different. Some prefer certain flavors over others. The only way to know what flavor your cat prefers is to try different flavors. However, aside from flavors, you should also ensure the best ingredients for your cat. Here are some tips for picking the best dry food for your cat.

Meat or chicken “by-product” as first ingredient

Regardless of flavor, you should ensure your dry food has “chicken by-product” or “meat by-product” as the first ingredient. Cat food manufacturers are sometimes tempted to include corn or wheat as the first ingredient of their cat food. Corn and wheat are cheaper than meat. However, your cat needs as close as possible to a natural diet as possible. A “natural” diet for a cat is meat. Try to ensure that the first ingredient of your dry food is meat in the form of chicken by-product or meat by-product.

Try different flavors

Many cats enjoy seafood flavors, including shrimp, whitefish and tuna. However, a balanced diet of meat flavors is best for your cats. Try to include a variety of meat flavors, including chicken, turkey, and beef, into your cat’s diet. Otherwise, he or she may become picky and only want to eat one flavor. Eating only one flavor of food is not best for your cat, because it may deprive him or her of the vitamins and minerals found in other flavors.

Graduate up to “grain free”

If possible, try to graduate up to “grain free” dry food. “Grain free” food is food without corn or wheat. Grain free food costs more than cat food containing corn or wheat. However, grain free food will help ensure your cat is getting the nutrition that he or she needs.

The importance of water

Fresh, clean water is crucially important for your cat. A cat can live a week or longer without food, but only a few days without water.

See our article, “Getting your cat to drink more water” for helpful tips.

Tips for picking the best dry food (Summary)

  • “chicken by product” or “meat by product” as first or second ingredient
  • Test with a smaller bag of food before buying a large bag
  • Switch it up with different flavors
  • Consider grain free