Water is essential for your cat. Their needs are regulated by their activity, body temperature, outside temperature, and food. All of these parameters determine the amount of water to ingest daily.
It can vary from day today. Nevertheless, there must always be a minimum so that dehydration does not threaten it.
What is the water for?
As in humans, water helps your cat to regulate its body temperature. It thus maintains the proper functioning of all vital organs. It also allows your feline to better digest his food but also the good distribution of mineral salts within his body.
Water intake is essential and helps fight against diseases that could appear in the event of a lack of water (diabetes, kidney failure for example).
How much to offer him?
The water bowl must be filled at all times. Your cat should drink as it likes, whenever it wants. As a general rule, your cat will drink a quarter of a liter of water if it ingests 100 grams of food (this is referred to as 40 to 60 mL of water per kg of its weight). This is particularly the case with kibble, which is dry and promotes dehydration. If it is fed with mash, the food itself already provides water.
It is not easy to calculate with precision the amount of water ingested by your feline. However, you must have an eye on his bowl.
External factors inevitably affect its water consumption. So if it’s really hot, your feline will need to drink more. At times, water consumption can double or even triple. This is especially the case after heavy exercise or breastfeeding in the cat.
A quality to be preserved
Water must be clean in order to be safe to drink. In principle, tap water is not a problem, unless there is too much limescale. In this case, bottled water is suitable.
Be careful, remember to clean your cat’s water bowl thoroughly. There’s no point in giving him clean water in a dirty container. This will only increase the risk of diseases like giardiasis.
We also recommend that you give it fairly cool water when the outside temperatures are warm, and more temperate water in winter.
How to check that my cat is drinking enough?
The fold test is used to check that your cat is not suffering from dehydration. In fact, you are checking the elasticity of her epidermis. Grab it by the skin of the neck.
When you release it, the skin should return to its original position. If not, then your cat is not drinking enough water. In case of dehydration, you must consult your veterinarian very quickly.
What if he refuses to drink?
There can be several reasons for your cat’s refusal to drink. The latter may not appreciate the water offered. He prefers to drink directly from the tap. His water bowl does not satisfy him.
In the latter case, it is advisable to change it and opt for a transparent bowl. Don’t hesitate to change the water more regularly to encourage your feline to come and taste it.
In summary
Your choice is to drink around 40 to 60 mL per kilogram per day. This is about a quarter of a liter of water for a 5 kg cat. Water is essential and its contribution should not be underestimated.
It guarantees the proper functioning of the feline organs as well as the distribution of mineral salts. The slightest dehydration can seriously damage his body, deteriorating it. Water must be continuously available.
