How to Get Your Cat to Drink More Water

1 Why Low Water Intake Is a Problem

Too little water invites urinary tract disease — cystitis, urethritis, bladder stones, and kidney problems among them.

It also leads to ‘heat’ in the body, showing up as bad breath and watery eye discharge.

Hard, dry stools follow, and in severe cases constipation or even megacolon.

2 Why Cats Avoid Water

A cat’s desert ancestors developed exceptionally efficient kidneys that reabsorb water repeatedly from urine and feces. Over generations that thriftiness became the norm, and cats simply do not feel thirsty the way we do.

Wild cats ate prey rich in moisture, so they satisfied most of their need through food and learned to avoid the risk of seeking open water. That instinct carries into the home.

3 Ways to Encourage Drinking

Always offer clean water. Cats are fastidious and will refuse a bowl that smells of hair, dust, or stale food. Refresh it daily and set the bowl somewhere slightly elevated to keep debris out.

Match the bowl to the cat. Try various widths and heights, and keep the bowl full so the water is visible from across the room.

A fountain is worth a try. Most filter the water, and cats generally prefer a moving stream to a still surface — it reads as fresher and sparks curiosity. If bowls fail, a fountain often works.

Add a little temptation. Cats are particular about water as well as food, so a drop of broth, a few ice cubes, or some canned-food liquid uses scent to draw them in.