Even if you don't think your cat needs to drink a lot of water, it's important for a pet cat that eats commercial cat food to stay hydrated. Preventing dehydration is also important if your cat has kidney or bladder problems. Fortunately, there are ways you can encourage your cat to drink more water. Provide plenty of fresh, clean water and encourage your pet to drink by learning the ways the cat prefers to drink.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Providing Fresh Water
Step 1. Offer different types of bowls and glasses
Your cat may just be picky and have their own cup or bowl preference. The animal may want a bowl or glass made of steel, ordinary ceramic, or plastic. To find out what your cat likes, place different types of drinking containers to see if one is more appealing to your cat.
You can also experiment with the depth of the bowl. Your cat may prefer a deep or shallow bowl. Just a matter of personal taste
Step 2. Place drinking bowls all over the house
Avoid placing the drinking bowl in only one place as this can discourage your cat from drinking. Instead, place the drinking bowls near the sink, on the kitchen counter, near your bed, in the bathroom, or simply place them throughout the house. This will encourage your cat to explore and remind him to drink water.
- Make sure the bowls are located in areas your cat is likely to visit. For example, if your cat sleeps for hours by the window, place a cup of water next to her bed.
- You can also place a bowl of drinking water near the tub to see if your cat is interested in drinking it.
Step 3. Keep the bowl and drinking water clean
Wash the drinking bowls with soap and water every other day, rinsing everything thoroughly. Once a week, wash the bowls in the dishwasher to make them sterile. Change the water at least once or twice a day and check to make sure nothing has gotten into the bowl throughout the day, especially if the bowl is near the kitchen.
Your cat may not drink much water if the bowl is dirty. Some cats can be very picky about drinking only clean water and will show their distaste by not drinking
Step 4. Pay attention to where your cat drinks
The water bowls should be in an attractive place, away from places to eat or go to the bathroom. While some cats don't care if their drinking water is near their toilets or food bowls, others don't particularly like having their drinking water close to these places.
Make sure your cat can see you moving his drinking water to a new place, away from his food or litter box. This way, the cat won't be afraid to think its drinking water has been removed
Step 5. Turn on the tap water
While this isn't the most water-efficient approach, some cats like to drink from a stream of tap water. Your cat may become excited and curious about the motion of the water, making him want to drink. If the cat doesn't seem immediately interested, you can move him up to the sink and show him how fun it is to drink from the tap.
Since you probably don't want to turn on loud all the time, make this a routine in the morning or evening so your cat knows and looks forward to it at those times
Step 6. Consider using a ready-to-drink fountain
If you know that your cat likes running water, buy a drinking fountain. This tool will keep the water flowing throughout the day, making it more attractive. Your cat may like to stare, play and drink from the fountain. Don't throw away a regular water bottle when you introduce your cat to the fountain. Keep them both so your cat can determine which drink she prefers.
Water fountain kits for cats can be a bit pricey, most costing upwards of $50 (approximately IDR 650,000, -). However, if you're concerned that your cat may be dehydrated, it's a good buy
Part 2 of 2: Encouraging Your Cat to Drink
Step 1. Add flavor to the water
Pour a little tuna or chicken stock into your cat's drinking water. You can also add a little juice from wet cat food. Just a spoonful or two full of flavorings mixed into the water is enough to trick your cat into drinking the water, especially if your cat usually likes wet cat food. However, be aware that not all cats like flavored water.
You can also trick your cat into drinking water by crushing catnip in the water bowl. Let the cat watch you crush a bit of catnip at the bottom of the water tank so your cat knows that catnip is there
Step 2. Offer bottled water
Purchase bottled fresh water and see if your cat prefers it to tap water. Your cat may not like tap water because of the excess chlorine and minerals in it.
Try offering room temperature bottled water as well as cold bottled water to find out what water temperature your cat prefers
Step 3. Give your cat more wet food
Although more nutritious and expensive, wet food contains more water than dry cat food. If you're concerned that your cat isn't drinking enough, change her entire diet to wet food or mix some of the wet food in her usual dry diet. Check with your veterinarian before making any food changes.
Don't add water to your cat's dry food in an attempt to get him to drink water. In addition to making the food look unappealing and wet, water can also make the dry food rotten and make your cat sick
Step 4. Add ice cubes to the water
Some cats really like cold water and ice cubes are also something they can play with. First, just add an ice cube or two to each bowl. This way, the cat won't be surprised by changes in water temperature. If your pet likes the taste, freeze the broth into ice cubes and put it in a bowl of water.
You may need to make your cat watch you put an ice cube in his drinking water. Later, the cat may become more excited and mentally stimulated to drink water
Step 5. Serve food in smaller quantities and more often
Many cats tend to drink after eating, just like humans, so try to feed your cat more than once or twice a day. Break up these foods into several smaller meals to encourage your cat to drink more water throughout the day. It may take your cat a while to get used to the new feeding schedule, but this step can help keep your cat hydrated.
