# My ferals do not drink water



## Blumpy710 (Feb 24, 2014)

I leave fresh water out everyday and lock them in the garage at night to sleep. I spend a lot of time with them and I have never seen them drink any water. Anyone else have this problem? I do give them mostly wet food because of it.


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## NOLAKitties (May 30, 2013)

One of my indoor cats had urinary issues before. That's the reason they all (incl feral) are on wet diet now. I just don't want to create similar issues. I still provide clean water everyday. In case they need it, it's there for them.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Funny you should ask Blumpy...I was wondering something similar. My stray gets wet and dry, and I used to see him drink pretty regularly. Since I moved last September though, I don't think I've seen drink any water, even once. I did start adding some water to his wet food - I don't know if that's the reason, or if it's because I changed his water bowl, or something else. 

I know a lot of people don't worry about water intake if the cats are eating wet food, like NOLAKitties said. I worry a little because Mr. Casper does eat a lot of dry as well.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Are you sure they are not drinking water from somewhere else?? Maybe your tap water is not as tasty as that rainwater puddle down the street? I had a cat years ago that would only drink from the toilet!! Try putting an old plugged up toilet in the garage. 
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Just kidding!


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## Blumpy710 (Feb 24, 2014)

I'm pretty sure they are not getting water anywhere else. I even give them spring water because if I don't drink my well water why should they?


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## tonyd4life (Nov 20, 2013)

I've had the same issue with my ferals. I have noticed they sometimes drink from puddles though.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Yep, I've seen my stray drink from puddles before, but I think he preferred the water in his bowl once he started coming around regularly.

tonyd, do your ferals get wet food or dry?


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## Blumpy710 (Feb 24, 2014)

I hung out with my feral Chip for an hour tonight in my basement and finally saw him drink water! It was pretty exciting, more for me than him. I think it's the antibiotics or painkillers that are making him thirsty but I'm thrilled.


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## Mandy and Ellie (Oct 22, 2013)

Maybe try a cat fountain? I just got the CatIt Fresh & Clear fountain with the food dish for Ellie on clearance at HomeGoods for $20 and she absolutely loves it! She was an okay water drinker before but now makes many trips to the water fountain and enjoys it. I feel like many cats enjoy the moving or trickling water more, and it seems to keep it colder and fresher.


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## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

My cats detest bottled spring water and turn their nose up so I have to do a mix of tap and bottled in both the fountain and the bowl. If I don't they will only drink from the faucet.


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## tonyd4life (Nov 20, 2013)

spirite said:


> Yep, I've seen my stray drink from puddles before, but I think he preferred the water in his bowl once he started coming around regularly.
> 
> tonyd, do your ferals get wet food or dry?


 They get both wet and dry.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

My stray does too, so I guess the water in the wet food is enough for some cats. My girls drink a lot of water and always have, so it seems odd to me.

Jenny, I keep a large Pyrex dish of tap water and a bowl of Brita-filtered water. Often, my girls prefer the tap water - unless they've just put chlorine in it. Even I can smell that.


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## deanna79 (Aug 13, 2014)

i see them drink water, but not much. I just soak the dry cat food in warm water half an hour or overnight before I feed them.


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

Most of my cats don't drink much water, at least I don't see them drink it, but my cats eat only wet food, and I even mix a little water into their food. It is not uncommon for cats that eat wet food to not drink much water. I would not do as someone suggested and soak dry food and leave it out overnight, that is dangerous. I have heard that bacteria can multiply very quickly in dry food that is soaked in water and left out. 

I have a feral that I feed every day, and I give her fresh water every day, and I rarely see her touch the bowl. Sometimes she does. I believe one of my other neighbors feeds her too, so I know she has other places she is probably getting water too.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

My semi-feral is outdoors most of the time in nice weather and she prefers the water I catch for the garden (very eco friendly here!!LOL!) to tap water in her bowl.


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## deanna79 (Aug 13, 2014)

i soak the food and feed them in the morning and evening when they come and there are no food left over, they all licked their plates clean. the soaked food are not left out overnight or during the day. The ferals know when to come to eat.


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