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Encouraging to drink water?

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Newbie - 25 Jul 2005 06:47 GMT
My cat seems to have zero interest in drinking any water I put out. I
mostly feed her canned food, which is supposed to have "enough water
for processing". However, there are times when I have to leave dry food
around.

In any event I'd feel better if I saw her drink water regularly. With
food, I can vary the taste, smell, texture until I find something she
likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?
Snittens - 25 Jul 2005 07:28 GMT
> My cat seems to have zero interest in drinking any water I put out. I
> mostly feed her canned food, which is supposed to have "enough water
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
> find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?

Sometimes if you put different shaped bowls or even some wide drinking
glasses around the house in various places, it will encourage cats to drink
more.  They instinctually want to test the new sources of water to make sure
they are good.  Some cats like running water, so you might want to try one
of those pet fountains.  I have one, and my cats love it.  Only problem I
have with it is it can be a PITA to clean.
Also try ice cubes in the water dish.
If your cat is eating mostly canned though, she is probably getting most of
the water she needs from that.

-Kelly
Phil P. - 25 Jul 2005 07:57 GMT
> My cat seems to have zero interest in drinking any water I put out. I
> mostly feed her canned food, which is supposed to have "enough water
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
> find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?

Cats have a relatively weak thirst drive, to begin with, because they
evolved to obtain almost all of their water needs directly from their food
(live prey).

Cats fed canned food that contains ~78% moisture need to drink very little
water.  A 5.5 oz. can contains about 4-5 oz. of water.  The cat's daily
water requirement is about 1 ml/kcal or about an ounce/lb.  So: although
your cat may seem like she's not getting enough water, she probably is.

If you want to increase her water intake, you can give her the water from a
can of tuna packed in water (not oil).  You can even add a little more water
to the tuna water to increase her water intake a little more- although she
probably doesn't need it.

You can get a rough idea of a cat's hydration status by pinching the skin
behind her neck.  A well-hydrated cat's skin should snap right back, a
dehydrated cat's skin won't.

Phil.
M.C. Mullen - 25 Jul 2005 11:24 GMT
: If you want to increase her water intake, you can give her the water from a
: can of tuna packed in water (not oil).  You can even add a little more water
: to the tuna water to increase her water intake a little more- although she
: probably doesn't need it.

My lot really love the juice of mozzarella cheese in bags.

Carola
Newbie - 25 Jul 2005 18:34 GMT
: ...
: So: although your cat may seem like she's not getting enough
: water, she probably is...

Thanks. I will be less anxious now as I try to interest her in drinking.
Beth - 25 Jul 2005 15:50 GMT
> My cat seems to have zero interest in drinking any water I put out. I
> mostly feed her canned food, which is supposed to have "enough water
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
> find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?

My cat loves to drink from whatever I'm drinking from.  She tries to stick
her little nose in everything.  I also noticed she's not drinking much
water.  Some days, her bowl doesn't appear to have been touched.  So, I put
a little coffee mug of water in the living room, right by the kitchen and
near other water.  She drank out of that but she can't get very much from it
because her little face can't go in the mug very far.  So I upgraded her by
putting one of those large "cups" that are really bowl size in the mug's
place.  It's the kind that looks like a really big mug.  So she drinks out
of that one now and seems to like it better.  She goes back and forth and
whenever I refill either of her water dishes she tests them both.  I'd say
just try something new to get her interested.  I did that weeks ago and she
still likes it.

Beth
? - 25 Jul 2005 17:22 GMT
> My cat seems to have zero interest in drinking any water I put out. I
> mostly feed her canned food, which is supposed to have "enough water
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
> find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?

Try getting a small pump driven fountain near one of the cat's haunts.
I've yet to meet a cat that didn't like lapping at the flowing water.
Be warned that if you have a large open resevoir and a pukie cat (Or it's
hairball season), you might occasionally have a mess to clean up.

My monster seems to enjoy water in the quart size plastic fast food cups
as well.
Signature

Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

thieu - 25 Jul 2005 18:01 GMT
I may help to put the water not too close to the dry fooed (it heped with my
cats).
Also cats like natural water (rainwater). Try collecting that for a change.

> My cat seems to have zero interest in drinking any water I put out. I
> mostly feed her canned food, which is supposed to have "enough water
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
> find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?
Newbie - 25 Jul 2005 18:31 GMT
: I may help to put the water not too close to the dry fooed (it heped
: with my cats).

I'll try that. I have tended to place  then side by side, inches away
from each other.

: Also cats like natural water (rainwater). Try collecting that for a change.

Hmmm...later perhaps...if nothing else works. :-)
Karen - 25 Jul 2005 19:34 GMT
I have had most success in putting the water in other rooms than the room
the food is in. The bathroom is a big hit and by the couch, and by the big
window.

> My cat seems to have zero interest in drinking any water I put out. I
> mostly feed her canned food, which is supposed to have "enough water
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
> find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?
claudel - 25 Jul 2005 20:03 GMT
>I have had most success in putting the water in other rooms than the room
>the food is in. The bathroom is a big hit and by the couch, and by the big
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>> likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
>> find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?

Another suggestion is that if your tap water tastes bad to you it
will probably taste bad to your cat as well. I give Bubba filtered
tap water instead of the unfiltered which tastes awful to me and he
seems to drink regularly. I tried giving him the same bottled Arrowhead
spring water I drink but he seems to be OK with the filtered tap water.

Claude
Kitkat - 25 Jul 2005 21:32 GMT
> I have had most success in putting the water in other rooms than the room
> the food is in. The bathroom is a big hit and by the couch, and by the big
> window.

Agreed. Anywhere that is new and exciting! Change it up! Right now Ive
got one in the living room that Luna just LOVES to drink from. She looks
up at me as if she is getting away with something so very sneaky! Ha!
Even Jasper, who cant see, manages to find the newly placed water bowls
and seems to like using them, too.

Of course, the all time favorite is in a glass on your nightstand. What
a joy to wake up to "thp-thp-thp-thp-thp" in the middle of the night!!!
;)

Pam
Karen - 25 Jul 2005 22:11 GMT
Kitkat wrote the following on 7/25/2005 4:32 PM:

> Of course, the all time favorite is in a glass on your nightstand. What
> a joy to wake up to "thp-thp-thp-thp-thp" in the middle of the night!!!

Better than the "plop-splash" as it is knocked over onto the bed...

Karen R, trying to convince her daughter to use sippy seals on her
nightstand.
CatNipped - 25 Jul 2005 23:14 GMT
> > I have had most success in putting the water in other rooms than the room
> > the food is in. The bathroom is a big hit and by the couch, and by the big
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Pam

It's even worse when you hear that noise and wake up to a cat
enthusiastically licking their bum!  ;>

Hugs,

CatNipped
Kitkat - 25 Jul 2005 23:33 GMT
>>>I have had most success in putting the water in other rooms than the
>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
> CatNipped

Better still is when they lick their butt...thpthpthpthpthp...and then
head to the damn water glass beside your bed...thpthpthpthp!

eew!
CatNipped - 25 Jul 2005 23:35 GMT
> >>>I have had most success in putting the water in other rooms than the
> >
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
> eew!

Nope, can't gross me out - Sammy licks my mouth!  I just try not to think
about where that little tongue has been!  ;>

Hugs,

CatNipped
Hannibal - 26 Jul 2005 00:24 GMT
Would 2 large bore IV lines be out of the question?
M.C. Mullen - 26 Jul 2005 06:29 GMT
: > >>Of course, the all time favorite is in a glass on your nightstand. What
: > >>a joy to wake up to "thp-thp-thp-thp-thp" in the middle of the night!!!
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
:
: CatNipped

I woke up to 'smuchsmuchsmuck' at four in the morning. What's that??
There was 3 1/2 month old Elia sucking his half sister's nipples.
(Tiffy is the same age, got her from my neighbour, could not resist her long
hair).
She was lying on her back and didn't mind. It all went on for at least
twenty minutes.

But it's nice to see how well they get on. Now they're chasing each other
around the house.

Tiffy and Elia: http://ch.msnusers.com/MCMullen/shoebox.msnw?Page=2

Carola
CatNipped - 26 Jul 2005 14:52 GMT
> : > >>Of course, the all time favorite is in a glass on your nightstand.
> What
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
>
> Carola

LOL.  Sammy didn't have a sister who would oblige her (and I wouldn't let
her suck on my neck since it was too hard to explain those "hickies" at
work), so she took too sucking her own toe.  She's 15 months old now and she
still plops her 15 pounds on my lap and has a good toe sucking session at
least two or three times a day.

If you turn your computer sound up high you can hear her smacking and
purring in this video:
http://www.possibleplaces.com/CatNipped/Toe_Suck_Movie/

Hugs,

CatNipped
Adam Helberg - 26 Jul 2005 20:31 GMT
> My cat seems to have zero interest in drinking any water I put out. I
> mostly feed her canned food, which is supposed to have "enough water
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> likes. What can I do to make water more attractive? Any scent they'd
> find irresistible? Or should I just not worry about it?

Try the Drinkwell Water Fountain.

Adam
 
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