Why Cats Need Water
How much water should a cat drink? It’s not as simple a question as you may think! Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they must eat meat in order to thrive — or even survive. Cats break down nutrients in meat differently than dogs, for example, and their nutrition needs can be quite unique. Obligate carnivores need high quality foods in their lives, both for kibble and wet foods. This is especially important for promoting water consumption in cats since, besides carbohydrates and other nutrients, cats absorb water from their foods. There are resources online that describe how much water cats should be taking in a day, which varies by weight. Cats don’t just take in water by drinking it. Instead, they also absorb water from their wet foods and kibbles.
Whether you’re adopting your first cat or adding to your clowder,
my Cat Care Guide covers everything you need to know about giving your cat their best life!
Check out my full Cat Care Guide here!
Shop Pet Fountains & Hydrating Cat Foods
How Much Water Should a Cat Drink?
According to the experts at petMD, cats should typically have an ounce of water for every half-ounce of dry food eaten. Described another way, for a typical healthy cat, cats should have about 4 ounces of water for every 5 pounds of body weight. So, if you have a 10 pound cat, by this metric, they should have about 8 ounces (or one cup) of water a day.
Promoting Water Consumption in Cats
Hydration is so important for us humans, so why wouldn’t we want our kitties to be hydrated, too? I’m not a vet, but I am a helicopter humom with my pets, especially since Olivia has a tendency towards urinary tract issues. Because of this, I’ve come up with some tips and tricks to help promote water consumption in our kitties!
Keep Water and Food Bowls Separate
Cats prefer to keep their water and food sources separate. Innate hunting instincts can tell cats to steer clear of water near their food, as this helps cats avoid tainted water supplies. So, if your cat doesn’t seem to drink very much from their bowl by their food, try moving the water to a different area of the house.
Try a Pet Water Fountain
Have you ever noticed that cats seem to love running water? Louis, in particular, loves to drink from the faucet, for example. I got a pet water fountain for our cats a while back and it has made a huge difference. All three cats’ water consumption has increased, which is great, since before I don’t think they were taking in enough hydration from the water bowls. We love our Pet Mate fountain; you can learn more about why this cat fountain works so well for us here.
Go For a High Quality Wet Food
As I mentioned earlier, cats absorb water from their wet and dry foods. Dry foods tend to have around 10% water content whereas dry foods are closer to 80% water content. Because of this, I like to make sure we have high quality wet foods to help supplement our cats’ water intake. Weruva, in particular, creates hydration packed recipes that focus on getting high protein to your little obligate carnivores.
Add Water to Wet Food
In tandem with feeding your cat high quality wet food, you can try adding a bit of water to the wet food itself. This is a great tactic for getting your cat to take in a few more tablespoons of water a day. Plus, it’s an easy way to rehydrate wet food that may have dried out a bit in refrigerator.
Pet Fountains & Hydrating Cat Foods
*This post was originally published in 2019. It was most recently updated on December 17, 2023.
Thanks for reminding us all. Keep up good work.