# getting cats to drink more water



## stevescott213 (Nov 14, 2008)

What has worked for you guys as far as getting your cats to drink more water. I had to take Bodhi to the vet this morning because he was urinating outside of his litterbox. They checked and said he had crystals in his urine (no infection). They put him on a special diet of food for urinary tract health and some anti-inflammatories for a few weeks. I just thought I would see if anyone here had any tricks for getting cats to drink more. I'll start by telling you what I already do as far as water. I change is several times a day, sometimes even putting ice cubes in it...he seems to enjoy those for some reason. I have several water bowls for him...one on each floor of the house. He likes running faucets so I try and do that as much as possible. I was thinking about maybe getting one of those cat fountains? He loves playing in water....If I'm drinking a glass of water he always has to stick a paw in it as soon as I've taken a few sips myself....He tips his water dish over alot also....I guess he must enjoy the reflection of moving water...any more suggestions would be welcome

Steve


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## Xanti (Nov 4, 2008)

Does he eat wet food? If so, put in a spoon of water at every feeding


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

if your cat enjoys running water from a faucet, I expect a pet fountain would be a great purchase for him, as well. 

Two strategies work beautifully in my household to increase water intake in the cats. The first is to feed "canned food soup" (canned food mixed with hot water). I mix it about 1/2 and 1/2, depending on the water content of the canned food. Canned food is definitely the way to go with a cat who is prone to urinary crystals. Dry kibble will do nothing but pull water out of his system, leaving him chronically dehydrated and prone to crystal formation.

The second strategy is to place a wide-mouth, 2 gallon fish bowl with a couple of feeder goldfish in it on a cat-accessible table. The cats LOVE to drink out of the fish bowl, and the fish don't mind a bit.

It's also very important to keep your litterboxes immaculately clean. You don't want to give your boy any reason to delay or avoid using the litterbox. If he holds his urine instead of eliminating it, that'll give crystals more time to form and clump together.

I'm concerned that your vet has put your boy on anti-inflammatories. There is no safe anti-inflammatory for use in cats, though many vets prescribe Metacam. Unfortunately, Metacam and all other anti-inflammatories are known to potentially cause serious and irreversible kidney and/or liver damage in cats. I won't use anti-inflammatories in my cats for that reason. They're just too risky. This is something you should consider seriously discussing with your vet.

I hope your boy recovers quickly and suffers no more problems with crystals.

Laurie


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## stevescott213 (Nov 14, 2008)

Thanks you guys....excellent ideas.......I know he would love the goldfish idea...I showed him the tank they have at the vets while I was waiting today and he was very interested in checking out the fish....The added water to wet food makes sense too......I'll ask the vet about the anti inflammatories it sounds like taking those is similiar to a human taking them.....alot of unwanted side effects that they don't tell you about.......He loves his new food...which surprises me...I figured I would have trouble getting him to even try it..He is usually kind of picky with new foods....I definitely think I will feed home more wet food....I was in the process of gradually switching him over to half wet half dry when this happened....I'll ask the vet if they make the urinary tract health in wet food too...I'm sure they probably do...

steve


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Wet food, wet food, wet food!

Once the crystals are dissolved, I believe you can go to any wet food. Cats need a diet that is 70% water (the amount in their natural prey). Dry food only has 10%, to make up the difference, a cat needs to drink 1.25 cups of water for every cup of dry food consumed. The vast majority of cats don't drink nearly enough and end up in a state of perpetual dehydration. The minerals that form crystals do not get flushed out properly and build up. Cats that have a tendency to form crystals, then need even more water in their system than usual. The only way to really get it there is to feed wet food that has water added to it and avoiding dry food.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Just one thought, other than switching to wet food which seems to be the most important thing . . . When I want to encourage Murphy to eat or drink, I just park myself at his bowl, don't move an inch, and watch him do it. I know he would follow me out of the room if I left, so parking msyelf at the bowl is the only good way to make sure he'll stay and do it.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Another question .... you guys are saying the kitty would drink out of a fishbowl but not kill the fish?


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I'm sure if the cat had the chance, he'd kill the fish! I bet it is the lure of the fish that encourages them to drink more; bite at fish (fish swims lower) and get water in mouth instead. Stick paw in to catch fish (fish swims lower) and have to shake/lick paw. Try to drink the water lower (fish still swims lower and people add water) cat just can't win!


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## Luvkitties (Jan 22, 2009)

My cats love to drink from the faucet too and I got them a fountain, it's working really well here for my two cats! I use this one : http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2751805

They drink a lot more than before so that may be worth a try for you too!


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## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

Please don't torture another living creature just because it may get your cat to drink a little more water. Fish bowls are terribly cruel to fish in so many ways.  Fish can be great entertainment for cats, although only one of my three actually notices the fish are there - the other 2 couldn't care less. If you want to go that route, a small (10-20 gal) tank would be much better if you're up to the responsibility of caring for it.

I think more wet food is probably the best way to get your cat to consume more water, with a water fountain being your next best choice.


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## stevescott213 (Nov 14, 2008)

Thanks for the petsmart link....I'll check that out...I think there is a petsmart in Madison...

Yes....Thinking back.....My first cat used to drink out of a ten gallon tank I had at the time, roughly 1994....I would just close the lid and latch it if I wasn't around to watch her....I never lost any fish....at least not from anything she did...She did that up until I had to put her to sleep at 20 years old......I'm not out to torture anything here...heck I don't even kill spiders I find in my house give me some credit here...LOL....I think I still have the tank someplace packed away....I would use that instead of a bowl.......gives the fish more room and a better environment too...They didn't even notice Tigger when she was there as I remember.

I checked with the vet on the anti-inflammatory it's not a true anti-inflammatory....its called cosequin.....apparently it has anti inflammatory PROPERTIES....and studies have shown it can help a cats bladder....the equivalent of glucosamine chondroitin (spelling..lol) that humans take....helps your joints..connective tissue..etc..etc....harmless basically...for humans and cats..


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## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

Ah, another Wisconsinite I assume? There are two Petsmarts in Madison, one by East Towne and one over by West Towne. Last I checked, they still price matched in store their own on line prices and others, so if you print the item page with the price off their website, they'll give you that price instead of their higher in-store price.
And just so you know, the fish in the bowl comment wasn't really directed specifically at you, but more of a plea to everyone who may not realize what they're doing to the fish by keeping it in a bowl. I go by the idea that if you decide to have an animal as a pet, or even as a decoration, whether it be cat, rodent, fish or other, that you've taken on the responsibility of providing it with a suitable environment and caring for it properly...

You may find wet foods specifically labeled for urinary tract health, but really any good wet food is good for urinary tract health probably more so than any dry food designed for the purpose. Usually, the best kind of food for cats with a history of urinary problems have few grains, are low in carbohydrates and have a higher protein content. Innova EVO is the first that usually comes to my mind when thinking of a food that fits that criteria because it has a very low carb content and high protein, but there are many others as well.


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## JadeHeart (Feb 12, 2009)

I must be nuts, I don't have a cat, my grandaughters (3) now have two rescued cats that I hear they just love and luckily the cats sound good natured and have fit into the family. To get to your question about water. I just bought and will bring to them a "Ultra Bubbler." Uses an aquariim type pump put to keep the water bubbling, thus will keep it fresh. I'll let you know how successful it is. Decided against the fountain style because a co-worker's cat refuses to drink from it. She thought the plastic was holding an odor or something. I know cats like fresh water and feeding only dry food requires cats to drink more. My daughter says she has no time to research so I get the job. Thank God for the internet, I've been researching.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Anything called a bubbler for a Wisconsin person sounds perfect!  My Mom grew up in Milwaukee, so I know full well what a bubbler is.

(In Milwaukee, they're not water fountains, they're bubblers. To this day I call them that.)


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## Auntie Crazy (Dec 10, 2006)

Something I've noticed ('though I heartily second the encouragement to get rid of the dry food!) - I often see my cats drinking out of a bowl I put on one of their cat trees, but seldom see them drinking out of the main bowl in the kitchen. I'm assuming it's because their thirst drive is too low to send them into another room for a drink, but don't mind pausing for two seconds in their play to get a sip. Now, I have bowls scattered all over the house.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Same with me. I keep a bowl upstairs under his window perch, and he drinks from that pretty consistently. The bowl in the kitchen with his food, hardly at all.


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## Jack&Harley (Nov 2, 2008)

I keep a bowl in the upstairs bathroom and it gets much more usage than the one in the kitchen--they play upstairs more than downstairs so I think its convenient for them.

Leslie


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## nes (Feb 12, 2009)

My cats also LOVE to drink out my aquarium, I really need to get a better lid, however *it`s not good for your cats to drink out of the tank water*. Especially if he`s got urinary problems, but in a fish bowl you`re going to have a very high ammonium build up from fish poo because you don`t have a filter - and that`s not going to be good for your ailing kitty!

I would actually suggest a cold glass of bottled water! Our water is very hard and sneaking my drinking water when they think I`m sleeping is one of my cats favourite things to do! 

Of course they wake me up as soon as they spill it all over the floor...


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## mynameis (Feb 14, 2009)

I rarely see Coco drinking water, and I'm also getting worried. Thanks for the canned food soup idea, and the ice cubes idea. I'm sure curious Coco would love the ice cubes. Thanks!


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