Earlier, we talked about the possible actions to take if your cat does not drink enough water, as well as how to avoid and treat dehydration in cats. A less common (but still dangerous) situation occurs when a cat begins to drink more water, but this additional drinking goes unnoticed by the cat’s owner. Do YOU know how much water your cat drinks?
Do you think your cat drinks too much water? In this article, you will find possible explanations for why this happens. We also want to encourage fellow cat lovers to pay attention to their cats’ water intake habits.
Possible health concerns when a cat drinks too much
IMPORTANT: If you notice your cat drinking more water than usual, visit your veterinarian as soon as possible.
In the medical field, drinking excessive amounts of water is known as polydipsia. There is a link between polydipsia numerous diseases. Some of the most common are:
- Diabetes. Excessive thirst is one of the early signs of diabetes in cats, and it is usually accompanied by sudden weight loss, which is soon replaced by weight gain. It’s a very specific pattern. Even if other diabetes symptoms, such as excessive urination and increased appetite, are not present, a vet visit is mandatory.
- Renal Failure. Other signs that may be present are diarrhea and vomiting. Symptoms include defecating and vomiting blood, lethargy, anorexia, and a few more.
- Hyperthyroidism. This is very common in cats. Additional signs to look for are weight loss, increased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, poor body condition, and an enlarged thyroid gland.
There may be other health conditions related to increased water consumption in cats, and in dogs, too. But it isn’t relevant. The most important point to note is this: if your cat drinks too much, take him or her to the veterinarian immediately.
Any of diseases mentioned above can be efficiently managed or treated if they are diagnosed early.
How do you know if your cat drinks too much
Next comes the question of whether your beloved cat is drinking too much. How do you know if your cat drinks too much?
First, of course, you have to monitor how much water your cat drinks. Don’t just replace and add water to your cat’s bowl, but measure how much water the bowl contains and pay attention to how much it reduces during the day. NOTE: If your house has dry air, you should keep in mind that some of the water, maybe even a large amount, may evaporate.
But how much water should a cat drink, and how much is too much? “The 5-minute veterinary consult” states that polydipsia is the greater-than-normal consumption of water; that is, more than 45 ml per kg daily. NOTE: This also includes water the cat receives in food.
Example: If a cat weighs 5 kg (an average body), its daily water need is 225 ml (7.6 fl oz). As mentioned before, this also includes water that your cat receives in food. Most dry food contains no more than 10% moisture, while canned diets may consist of more than 80% water; therefore, a cat’s diet can significantly alter how much he or she should drink.
How much water should a cat drink
Here are approximate amounts of water provided by daily amounts of dry and wet food:
- 50 g of dry food provides 5 ml of water: This means that our example cat must drink an additional 220 ml of water. That is almost a full cup.
- 240 g of wet food provides 192 ml of water: Therefore, a cat should drink only 33 ml of water per day. That is slightly more than 2 tablespoons, which is very, very little.
Don’t lose yourself in calculations. It is best if you can look after your cat’s water consumption habits (and other habits of your cat) in the long run, and be alert if they begin to change. You can learn more about your cat’s water needs here.
In case you notice that your cat is drinking more water than usual lately, visit a veterinarian. Early response gets you many steps ahead of the starting line when you need to battle for your cat’s health. The same rule goes for your dog, if you have one.