Why do cats not like to drink water?

As a cat owner, do you find that cats don’t drink much water at ordinary times? The water they put in in the morning is still so much at night, and there is no change. Unlike dogs, they can drink a lot of water a day, so why do cats not like to drink water?

It’s not that the cat doesn’t like drinking water, it may just be drinking water from the water bowl, kitchen sink, etc. When you are not around. Do you have any doubts that you put clean water into its bowl. But it just doesn’t drink it and likes to take an unusual path? Is it that as long as it’s not your own water bowl, the water is very sweet!

Cats don’t like to drink from their bowls, and there’s a reason cats don’t like to drink from their own bowls.

Here’s why cats can be so odd about drinking water, and how to ensure your cat gets enough drinking water.

1. Cats like active water

If you put a clean bowl of fresh water in front of the cat, and it sits there without moving but turns on the tap, it will drink the water that drips from the tap.

Cats are less likely to drink still water for a variety of reasons:

Cats are instinctively skeptical of still water and recognize that standing water isn’t always safe. Their wild instincts tell them there is still a polluted water source, so they know running water is safer.

A still water bowl can stress a cat. And when it bends down to drink water, it will present its entire back to unknown dangers, so cats would rather be thirsty than bear the danger in many cases.

If a cat’s trusted owner is squatting next to a water bowl, the cat may immediately run to the water because it trusts its owner to protect it.

Therefore, if possible, prepare drinking water equipment for cats with a continuous flow of water, such as Degao‘s cat automatic circulation water dispenser, etc.

2. The position of the water bowl and food plate is very important

Is your cat’s water bowl placed next to the food plate?

If so, they are less likely to touch the water. This is due to the clean nature of cats. Because when a cat catches prey in the wild. It will stay away from the water source to keep the water source free from bacteria and other possible contamination. And if the food is in close contact with the water source when eating, it may cause food residues to fall into the water. Cats have a very sensitive sense of smell, and they can easily smell the smell of food left in the cat’s water bowl instead of drinking water from the cat’s water bowl.

3. Cats don’t like “old” water

Cats are very sensitive to smells. Be sure to change the water in the cat’s water bowl every day, otherwise, the cat’s keen taste buds will be able to detect it immediately. Because cats will drop part of the food residue and dirt into the water when they drink water, the drinking water mixed with many substances not only tastes bad but also is full of bacteria. Some cats dip their paws into the water, wet them, and then lick them clean. Water is synonymous with bacteria. You know, cats use this paw to plan cat litter every day.

It is best to use a mild detergent to clean the cat’s food plate and water basin every day. Make sure to rinse it off thoroughly, as leftover dish soap not only smells bad, it may even hurt your cat’s taste buds.

4. Cat food

Cats evolved from ancestors that lived in the deserts of Africa, so their water needs were low. Cats are much less sensitive to thirst than dogs, so they don’t drink water as voluntarily as dogs. But cats are not, they can bear it for a while longer. Because of this, cats do not consume enough drinking water to produce very concentrated urine. Therefore, the proportion of urinary system diseases in cats far exceeds that in dogs.

It is necessary to find a way to let the cat take in as much water as possible, which can greatly reduce the cat’s kidney system and urinary system diseases. This problem can be prevented by feeding your cat some canned food.

Cats in the wild, because they can catch mice and other prey to obtain water, because mice are composed of 70% water, so cats can absorb enough water, but domestic cats are usually fed cat food, The water content of the cat may be less than 10%, which is far below the minimum water required to maintain the health of a cat. Therefore, adding water to cats is the most important thing, and most of the canned food currently on the market has a water content of more than 75%. Therefore, providing cats with a high-quality canned cat food can not only maintain the water in the cat’s body, but also provide nutrition.

At the same time, cats fed wet foods such as high-quality canned cats have a higher risk of hyperthyroidism, diabetes, constipation, and obesity.

5. The size and shape of the water bowl are important

Cats may have a special preference for water bowls. Because cats’ tentacles are very sensitive, the size, depth, and shape of the bowl will affect the factors that cats drink water. You need to try cat bowls of different materials, sizes, and shapes to see which type the cat likes. cat drinking water from the bowl

6. Put more water bowls for cats

The memory of cats is not good, and cats have a certain tolerance for thirst, so they often can’t drink enough water, so you can try to put water bowls in several different places in the house, and put these water bowls on the In the middle of nowhere or where it likes to stay for long periods of time. And make sure the bowl is always filled with clean, fresh water.

Why put it in a remote place? Because the cat can drink water safely in the corner, it only needs to pay attention to the narrow space. After all, the cat is always vigilant, even at home.

7. Check the water level

Make sure the water in the cat’s bowl is not too low or too high. Cats are habitual animals. You will see that cats will go there tomorrow after eating cat food here today. The same is true for drinking water. They don’t like changes. This change not only includes the position of the water bowl, but also Including the water level in the bowl. Cats like to be consistent from day to day. Some cats like to dip their paws in the water before drinking. Because they want to make sure their water bowl is the same as before. If the water bowl is filled to the brim one day and only half or a little filled the next day, the water level in the bowl will vary from day to day, so cats will not like to drink from their cat bowls.

Keep the water in the cat bowl basically consistent every day, without any food residue and with fresh and clean water.