How Can I Know If My Cats Drink Enough: Signs of Dehydration in Cats

Do you drink enough water every day? Yes, you are. Do your cats drink enough water every day? Umm, you’re not sure, so either does your little felines.

We all care about cats’ hydration for a reason. Cats are particular about the water quality and are not into drinking water in their blood.

So we add water to their food and try to replace the water often. However, even with careful hydration steps, cats can still become dehydrated due to various factors. So professional cat drinking tips are what you really need:

Cat Not Drinking Enough Water for These Reasons

Most dehydration is caused by your cat not having enough water, and less adequate water intake may be caused by these factors:

• Come from their blood

Cats are desert animals back to their ancestors, and our domestic feline still carry that blood. Cats have a low thirst drive than other pets, they don't have a huge power driven by to drink plenty of water. Besides, cats own high standards of water quality and pattern, which means cats do not access water easily.

• Man does not care

Cat moms or dads do not take hydration in cats seriously. Some pet parents fail to provide enough fresh water timely and regularly for some reasons, that may cut out the water sources from the beginning. If enough water not provided, cats can't have their thirst be fulfilled, so there is no way to talk about keep them hydrated.

Apart from that, delay of prompt treatments once dehydration shown up, can lead to traumatic outcomes. Some cat mommies or daddies do not pay much attention to cats’ water intake, their drinking frequency, and to supervise cat's drinking behavior and changes before and after water drinkings, so they're unable to encourage cats to have more water.

• Heat makes it hard

High temperature is another culprit for cat's less sufficient water consumption, especially in hot months. Like humans, cats feel exhausted easily on hot weathers, but cats may not be as active as humans that to find themselves liquid to fulfill the thirst. Cats tend to lie on the shades still instead of seeking for water all-around the house. If they do, they might already have a high level of thirst.

• Health issues effects

• Illness

Health issues make cats weak and lack of desire to drink, and some diseases, like vomiting and diabetes, may increase the loss of water. When cats suffered from illness, water intake may not make up the amount of water loss, thus, cats face a huge potential of not having enough water.

• Aging

 Age does make a big difference to cat's consumption. Sure, elderly cats are susceptible to physical disease, and dehydration is one of the consequences, that their ingestion fail to meet the excessive loss. Moreover, old cats usually have trouble with eating and drinking, the two sources cats get their water from. That speaks to how will an elderly cat drink less water as he ages.

• Activity level

How strong activities cats are having effects their water loss. Cats who are likely to engage in aggressive activities sweat more than usual, which cause a certain amount of moisture loss on their body and paws than other cats. If a high activity level happens, while water isn't correctly provided, so that cats not having enough water to keep hydrated. 

Signs of Dehydration in Cats

• Panting

Unlike dogs, panting is typically not a normal sign in cats. When cats breathe hard with their mouths open, they may be considered dehydrated.

• Sunken eyes

Your cats’ eyes may look sunken back when they don’t have enough water in their bodies.

• Dry mouth and thick saliva

These signs are quite understandable. Lack of water can turn their moist mouth really dry and their saliva appears thick. If you notice any of these, your cats may not keep hydrated.

• Lethargy

Cats typically are calm and less active. But when your cat seems to be down and won’t be up for anything, especially during the summer days. Activity level changing is a sign to warn.

• Increased heart rate

The average heart rate for a feline is roughly 140-220 bpm (beats per minute, this will vary based on level of activity, age and fitness). Your kittens’ heart rate may increase when they lack water.

• Loss of skin elasticity

You pinch a bit of skin at the back of their neck to 3-5CM, if their skin stays peaked or slowly returns to normal, that may suggest your cats are dehydrated and need to drink enough water immediately.

How to Prevent Cat's Dehydration In Advance

A few steps you can do to prevent your cats’ dehydration, including:

• Choose wet food

• Provide enough fresh water

• Provide water bowls everywhere around the house

• Clean the cat water bowl regularly

• Use a pet water fountain to entice them to drink more

If your cat seems hesitant to drink or appears to be hydrated, visit your vet as soon as possible. As dehydration in cats hit high possibilities of triggering severe health issues, which worthy our attention and actions to be taken.