Cats have a tendency to suffer from dehydration, especially during summer, because they don’t like drinking water. Some of the symptoms of dehydration in cats are dry/sticky gums, reduced skin elasticity (skin tenting), lethargy, sunken eyes, and lack of interest in eating.
The key is to find ways to keep them hydrated. Some solutions may be feeding fresh cat food with high moisture content daily, adding hydrating toppers like bone broths to their meals, increasing the number of water bowls in the house, getting a cat water fountain, etc.
Why don’t cats drink enough water?
Most cats have coats that do not repel water. So, when they get wet, it takes them longer to dry off and dysregulates their body temperature. That creates a general dislike for water. However, evolution may have a part to play if your cat doesn’t like drinking water.
Today’s house cats are descendents of the desert-dwelling wildcats. Their ancestors were the Felis silvestris lybica (African wildcat), which lived in the arid areas of Southwest Asia, Northeast and North Africa. The moisture that they needed would generally come from the body of the prey they would hunt. Many believe this trait has trickled down to our domestic cats. So, cats like eating their water rather than drinking it.
Other reasons may be because the water given to them is unclean, they are suffering from heatstroke or fever, or they may be drinking from outside the home if they’re an outside cat.
What are the symptoms of dehydration in cats?
Symptoms of dehydration in cats can be easily missed. Many times, pet parents don’t notice the signs till dehydration becomes severe. So, if you see any of these signs, you’ll have to act quickly.
-
Loss of skin elasticity: If you gently pinch your healthy cat between the shoulder blades or on their head, pull it back and then let go, the skin should snap back into place within a second. If the skin keeps tenting instead of snapping back, it is a sign that your cat is dehydrated.
-
Dry/sticky gums: Dehydration often causes cat’s saliva to become thick and sticky and their gums to become sticky or dry. Here’s a simple test: Put your finger on their gum, apply light pressure and then let go. The gum should turn from white to pink in 2 seconds. If it takes longer, if the gum is cherry red, if it’s sticky or dry, then these are the signs of dehydration.
-
Lack of appetite: Dehydration causes a lot of fatigue, which naturally reduces cats’ desire to eat. Plus, they may feel nausea and a nagging feeling of illness, leading to rejection of food. Because of the lack of water in the body, their saliva gets thicker, which also makes things harder to swallow, therefore creating a lack of appetite.
-
Sunken eyes: In case your cat is dehydrated, their eyes will appear sunken into their skull. This happens in case of moderate to severe dehydration.
-
Constipation: The colon drags water out of the stool and rehydrates the body. When a cat is facing dehydration, all the moisture is drained out of the feces and put back into the body. This causes cat stool to become like hard fecal balls. That’s why dehydration is often accompanied by constipation.
-
Lethargy: Dehydration doesn’t just cause loss of water in a cat’s body, it also causes a loss of essential nutrients, such as potassium, sodium, and chloride. It also lowers blood pressure and thickens the blood. Therefore, energy becomes low, there’s a lack of instinct to play and cats tend to sleep a lot more.
What are the causes of dehydration in cats?
There can actually be a range of reasons why dehydration happens in cats. Some of the major ones are:
-
Not drinking enough water: Since cats have a low thirst drive, they may end up just not drinking enough water. This can quickly compound and cause dehydration. Sometimes, unclean water bowls may also make cats avoid drinking water.
-
Severe vomiting/diarrhea: If a cat is suffering from prolonged vomiting and diarrhea, the body loses excess water, without it getting replenished. This can then lead to dehydration.
-
Overexposure to heat: While cats are resilient in the face of heat, prolonged exposure to heat and sun, severe heat waves or overheating due to excess physical activity may also cause dehydration in cats.
-
Underlying health issues: Underlying illnesses, such as chronic stomach issues, kidney diseases, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc., may put your cat at greater risk of getting dehydration. Cats who are facing such issues need to be closely monitored to check their water consumption.
-
Only dry food diet: Cats that are on a dry food diet need to drink more water, because dry food usually contains less than 10% moisture. In such cases, if cats don’t drink enough water to create a balance, they may get dehydrated.
How much water do cats need to drink daily?
While factors like the climate, the level of physical activity and even seasons may affect how much water is needed by cats, the rule of thumb is that adult cats need about 50ml of water per kg of body weight per day. Now, let’s do a simple calculation.
Let’s take 100gm of dry cat food and 100gm of fresh cat food, such as BLEP cat food.
Dry food on average contains about 10% of moisture. BLEP cat food, on average, contains about 60% of moisture.
So, an average adult cat on a dry food diet will need about 47.5ml of water per kg of body weight per day, while an average adult cat on BLEP cat food will need about 35ml of water per kg of body weight daily.
Cats on a fresh food diet will get a lot of their moisture needs met by their meal, just like in nature. Therefore, they will need to drink less water separately to stay hydrated. Cats that are more physically active will need more water.
How to prevent dehydration in cats?
If you think your cat is not drinking enough water, you’ll have to find ways to get their body’s moisture levels up. Here are some things you can try:
-
Feed fresh food: Fresh food contains a lot more moisture than dry food. That’s why cats who are at risk of dehydration or who already have dehydration should be fed fresh food to get some moisture into their bodies. Fresh food like BLEP cat food contains more than 60% moisture and high-quality meat. It will help with hydration as well as energy.
-
Add bone broth to their diet: Bone broths are a great way to get moisture into a cat’s system. You can add them to their food, serve as a drink or freeze broths into cubes and give as a crunchy, cool snack. However, make sure the broths are pet safe, like BLEP Bone Broths. These are made specifically without any salt or spices so that they don’t harm your cat.
-
Keep multiple water bowls: Cats should always have a source of fresh, clean water at home. In case your cat has a tendency towards dehydration, keep a bowl of water in every room so that they can find a source of water whenever they need.
-
Change the material of their water bowl: Cats are very particular about their likes and dislikes. So, even their water bowl itself may keep them from drinking water. For example, water bowls that are too small may touch their whiskers and make them uncomfortable while drinking. Or even the material of the cat bowl may affect their habit. Ceramic or stainless steel bowls may be better than plastic ones.
-
Keep their water bowl and area clean: Cats are freakishly clean. A dirty bowl with food, bacteria, dust, or other contaminants discourage them from drinking water. So, cleaning their water bowls every day and refilling them with fresh water is a must. The areas where they frequent the most should also be kept neat and clean, including the area where their water bowls are kept.
-
Get a cat water fountain: Some cats prefer a running source of water. Therefore, one way to encourage them to drink more water is to install a water fountain. The flowing water attracts cats and that may make them inclined to drink it more often.
What happens if a cat is dehydrated?
Water makes up about 60% to 70% of a cat’s body and helps regulate several bodily functions, such as digestion, circulation, and body temperature control. Here’s what happens if a cat is dehydrated:
-
Cat urine is concentrated to begin with. With dehydration, it gets even more concentrated, creating pressure on the kidneys. This can potentially lead to various urinary system issues and even kidney disease.
-
Dehydration causes an electrolyte imbalance of sodium, calcium, and potassium in cats. The balance of the right electrolytes is very important for the proper functioning of a cat’s organs and tissues.
-
A cat’s body temperature regulation is disrupted due to dehydration. They are unable to sweat or pant sufficiently, leading to an increase of core body temperature. This can then lead to overheating, tachycardia, and potentially, heatstroke.
What to do if your cat is dehydrated?
In case your cat is showing mild signs of dehydration, start feeding them more fresh cat food. Serving them bone broths for cats is also a good way of getting them to drink more fluid if they are rejecting water. Putting some ice into their water bowl or getting a water fountain if they like running water may also work.
However, if your cat is showing severe signs of dehydration, such as sunken eyes or lethargy, contact a vet immediately. They may need subcutaneous fluids. This way, hydration is pushed directly into their veins through a catheter, which rehydrates your cat within hours or days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the early signs of dehydration in cats?
The early signs of dehydration in cats are loss of skin elasticity, thick saliva, sticky gums, lack of appetite, lethargy, constipation, etc.
How much water should a cat drink daily?
A cat should drink about 50ml of water per kg of body weight per day. However, cats eating a dry food diet need to drink more water, whereas those eating a fresh food diet may drink a little less.
Can dry food cause dehydration in cats?
If cats on a dry food diet do not drink enough water, it may lead to dehydration. Dry cat food typically contains about 10% moisture. Therefore, cats can’t derive much moisture from their food if they are on a dry food diet. For such cats, drinking water is essential.
What are the main causes of dehydration in cats?
The main cause of dehydration in cats is not drinking enough water. This is because they have a low thirst drive, so they may neglect drinking enough water. However, other reasons include severe vomiting or diarrhea, over-exposure to heat, underlying health issues, etc.
How do you treat dehydration in cats at home?
The first thing to do if you suspect that your cat has dehydration is to change their diet to fresh cat food. You can add some bone broth to their food. You should also contact your vet and follow their advice in parallel.
When should I take my dehydrated cat to the vet?
Ideally, if you see any signs of dehydration, you should contact your vet. But if you see more severe signs like sunken eyes or weakness, take your cat to the vet as soon as possible because they may need subcutaneous fluids.
What happens if a cat stays dehydrated for too long?
Prolonged dehydration can cause organ dysfunction, kidney failure, and ultimately be fatal in cats. That’s why picking up on the signs of dehydration is very important.
How can I get my cat to drink more water?
Placing water bowls in every room; cleaning their water bowls daily and filling it up with clean, fresh water; getting a cat fountain to give them running water; and adding bone broths to their water can help your cats drink more.
Looking to explore more tips on how to look after your furry friend? Check out our other guides like Can Dogs Eat Apples?, Can Dogs Eat Blueberries?, Dog Food for Weight Loss, Raw v/s cooked meat for dogs, Home Remedies to cure tick fever, Finding Good Dog Food in India, How many times should I feed my dog?, Things you should do to keep your pet healthy, Types of Dog Food, How Prebiotics and Probiotics can improve your dog's digestion, Essential Tips for a New Dog Parent, and others. Each guide is designed to help you make better food and care choices for your dog, to keep them happy, healthy, and thriving.
References:
https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/dehydration-cats
https://www.petmd.com/cat/symptoms/is-my-cat-dehydrated
https://www.bostonveterinary.com/web-tails/cat-dehydration/
https://www.northeast-vet.com/site/pet-care-blog-plains-vet/2024/02/15/my-cat-wont-drink-water
https://southcentralvet.com/blog/signs-to-tell-if-cat-is-dehydrated/
https://partnersvetavl.com/why-dehydration-is-so-common-in-cats/
https://www.petmd.com/cat/symptoms/why-your-cat-wont-drink-water-and-what-do
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/african-wildcat
