11.09.2022

Kitten not drinking water? Keep your feline hydrated the right way

You may assume your feline companion knows what’s best for their health, but they don’t. Many cat parents struggle to get their fussy kitties to do something as basic as drinking water or eating wet food.

Staying hydrated is essential for your new, developing kitten. If they don’t make regular trips to the water bowl, it’s time to take action, as dehydration could lead to numerous health complications in a split second.

Here’s what you should do about your kitten not drinking water. Get all the kitten facts you need to raise a happy and healthy furball!

How much water should my kitten drink?

The recommended daily water intake for felines is 50ml per kilo of body weight. It also accounts for the metabolic processes in their body and the moisture they get from food.

Ew… this tastes bland! Can I get some gravy instead, hooman?

Source: rihaij

Why is my kitten not drinking water?

Hydration is crucial for the well-being of all mammals, and cats are no exception, so you need to determine why exactly your kitty refuses to drink water. There could be a few potential reasons:

• Bowl accessibility—If your kitten has trouble accessing the water bowl, they won’t make that extra effort to find and drink from it because felines are not keen on drinking water. Place their bowl in an easily accessible spot to encourage your feline to stay hydrated
• Water cleanliness—Like humans, felines don’t want to drink filthy water. Check their bowl to see whether the water is clear of hair, food, dust bunnies, or debris. Clean the bowl regularly and replace the water at least once a day to ensure it’s clean and fresh
• Location—Kitties are high maintenance, so they might not like the location of their water bowl. Move it away from their food bowl if it’s close, and don’t put it near the litter tray. This might do the trick
• Appearance—Your kitten may find their water bowl unattractive. Yes, they could be that finicky! Add different types of water bowls, like glass, plastic, and stainless steel, to your kitten checklist, and figure out which one your kitty prefers

My kitten won’t drink water—what should I do?

You can get your kitten to stay hydrated by:

1. Placing water bowls around the house
2. Getting a cat fountain
3. Running the faucet
4. Putting ice cubes in your kitty’s food
5. Switching to a wet food diet

Get multiple water bowls

Your kitten’s water source, as well as their litter tray, should be at hand. If you live in a house with more than one floor, make sure you have an easily accessible water bowl on each.

Your kitty probably won’t make that extra effort to look for a bowl far away from their current location, so place them strategically. You can put the bowls near their favourite resting and playing spots, and they won’t go unnoticed.

I must drink water? What’s in it for me?!

Source: rihaij

Get a water fountain

Kitties love water fountains! It may take your feline companion a while to figure out how to use one, but once they do, they will forget about their water bowl.

Running water amuses kitties, and it always stays fresh, so you don’t have to worry about refilling their bowls constantly. It’s also useful in case you are away from home and your kitten craves some water to hydrate!

Run the tap

Take advantage of felines’ obsession with running water! If your kitty is attracted to the tap, it will make them drink more.

You can turn this into a fun game—run the tap several times a day for a few minutes, and make it part of your routine. You and your feline friend can bond over this activity, and they’ll stay hydrated through play.

Give them a treat when they drink some water because it will encourage good behaviour.

Ah, yesss, gimme that running water!

Source: kropekk_pl

Put ice cubes in your feline’s food

Ice cubes add moisture to your kitten’s food and take on its yummy flavour. Your kitty will start licking the ice and get more water that way.

Switch to a wet food diet

If your kitten won’t drink water and is on a dry food diet, you should make the switch to wet delicacies or make a mix of both. Wet food contains much more moisture (70% and up) and is generally more nutritious than cat kibble, which has around 10% moisture.

Dry cat food is typically not good for felines. It contains plenty of carbohydrates, like sugars and grains, which can cause:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Bladder stones
• UTIs
• Gastrointestinal troubles
• Constipation
• Retching

A dry-food-only diet may also make your kitty form unhealthy eating habits, like gorging and overeating and make them crave unhealthy human food, like sausages or cheese. If hooked on biscuits from kittenhood, cats may refuse wet food later in life.

If your kitty doesn’t want to give up biscuits, you can add some soup or broth for moisture.

Yeees, cheeeese!!!

Source: notKaro

What are the benefits of a wet food diet?

Besides hydrating your feline companion, a high-quality wet food diet gives them all the essential nutrients they need. Good wet cat food contains the following nutrient amounts:

This is what your little furball needs to thrive. Vegetables cannot replace animal protein because cats are obligate carnivores whose digestive tracts should only process nutrients from animal tissues. Putting your kitty on a vegan diet will deprive them of vital micronutrients like taurine and vitamins and cause health problems.

Vegetable protein sources, like broccoli, peas, soya, rice, carrots, corn, sweetcorn, or potato, can be fed in tiny amounts in case your furry friend needs fibre, but such cases are rare.

As soon as your kitty leaves their mother and starts eating solids, feed them meals based on the following ingredients:

• Shrimp
• Sardines
• Turkey
• Chicken (cooked, not raw)
• Liver
• Tuna
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Ham, pork, or bacon (on occasion due to their high fat content)

While your furball is still little, it’s crucial to fully understand what, how often, and how much they should eat to remain happy, healthy, and hydrated!

For optimal hydration, try Untamed wet food!

Hydrated and energised with Untamed wet food.

Image (c) Untamed

Untamed’s gravy and jelly delicacies keep your kitty hydrated because they have up to 80% moisture! Our meals are addictively delicious, and even fussy felines love our lip-smacking products since they are:

1. Full of lean meat—We use high-quality ingredients to prepare our delicious food, with each recipe containing 60%–63% whole meat! You won’t find any meat derivatives, sugars, grains, or artificial taste enhancers in our tailor-made cat food
2. Free of known allergens—Does your little furball suffer from food allergies? Untamed uses hypoallergenic ingredients to allow sensitive kitties to enjoy the meals trouble-free
3. Easy to digest—Our gently steamed dishes are soft and palatable, and all nutrients are kept intact because we gently steam the food. Being easy on the stomach, you don’t have to worry about our products causing diarrhoea, vomiting, or regurgitation
4. Made in collaboration with vets—We collaborated with vets to turn our homemade cat food into delicacies with optimal nutrient ratios! With our micronutrient-packed meals, your kitten will thrive at any point in their development

Take our TRY NOW quiz to get a taster pack for your feline and make them happy and hydrated on time!

Untamed changes the cat food game

Untamed high-protein, low-carb, and low-fat cat food is perfect for kittens, adult cats, and senior felines. You don’t have to worry about switching your kitten’s food once they become a full-grown cat if you feed them Untamed!

With the right portions and feeding schedule, our meals can also help obese or malnourished cats reach their ideal weight!

Consuming our delicacies comes with various health benefits—check out our clients’ reviews:

Our yummy delicacies are produced and delivered ethically. We ensure this by:

1. Running a carbon-footprint-neutral business
2. Collaborating with sustainable, cruelty-free suppliers
3. Using dolphin-safe and sustainably caught seafood
4. Delivering our meals in 100% recyclable packaging

Get your Untamed starter pack today!

Getting your kitten’s paws on our perfectly delicious and moist meals couldn’t be easier once you get to our online cat food store:

1. Take the TRY NOW quiz
2. Select the products
3. Place the order

Our monthly cat food subscription comes with the following perks:

• Receiving your order in a single day
• Modifying or cancelling your subscription trouble-free

What are the signs of dehydration in kitties?

Typical symptoms of dehydration in felines are:

• Dry gums
• Sunken eyes
• Loss of appetite
• Intense vocalisation

If you’re worried about your kitty’s symptoms, reach out to your vet. A dehydrated feline who doesn’t make regular trips to the litter box, even if they’re fully trained, might require professional help. Not drinking enough water could lead to urinary tract infections, kidney problems, diabetes, and heart disease, so keep your kitten in check when it comes to hydration!