What Cats Can't Drink? | 5 Liquid Shouldn't Share with Cat

Cats are known for their independence and for having their minds. But you may need to supervise everything when it comes to eating, hence there is a list of cats can't have. Cats are often finicky about what they eat and drink, drinks especially. Cats do not feel their thirst that often, so don't rush to feed every liquid to your feline, in case take in something cats can't drink.

What Liquid Cats Can't Have

Normally, it’s recommended that a cat should only drink water, and there are not many things that a cat can drink other than water. And we have a long list of items that you should not offer to your cat. Below is a list of some common items that you simply shouldn’t offer to your cat.

• Carbonated drinks
• Alcohol
• Milk
• Sugary drinks and juices
• Drinks having Caffeine

 What Happens When Cats Drink Milk?

Here is a common myth that milk is necessary for a cat’s health. Almost all pet owners offer milk to their cats. And the fact is that milk contains lactose and cats are lactose intolerant. They have lactase (a lactose digesting enzyme) in their body for a shorter time and that is during the first few days of their life when they were being fed by their mother. So milk can cause digestive issues like abdominal discomfort, colic, diarrhea, vomiting, and a cat may become dehydrated very quickly. Scientists are agreed on the fact that there is no need to give milk to cats. It has more harmful effects than beneficial effects on your cat.

Why Can't Cats Drink Juices

From our knowledge, that juice is known for its rich vitamins that does good to our body. However, it may not work on cats. The thing is that cats are “sweet blind” which means they don’t have receptors to detect sugar. So giving juices is of no use to cats.

What Kind of Water Should I Give the Cat?

Everyone knows that water is the basic element for the survival of every kind of life on earth. It is widely distributed on earth and easily available in most parts of the planet. The type of water you offer to your fluffy friend directly affects her health, as all types of water are not equal. And you may consider that it is an easy job to provide this basic necessity to your cat. But the fact is that there are multiple options available when it comes to offering water to your cat. You may wonder which sort of water is best for your cat, and what kind of water your cat may not like or can’t drink.

• Tap / plain water for cats

Tap water is the most easily available and also the cheapest form of water. And most of the owners find it easier to offer tap water to their cats. But the quality of tap water is not the same in all parts of the world. It may contain certain chemicals and may smell foul, and your cat may not like it.

• Boiled water for cats                                  

Some cat owners believe that it's fine to offer their cats, low-quality water after boiling. They are misguided. During the boiling process, water evaporates and this increases the concentration of salts in the leftover water. It also contains certain particles that can convert freshwater into “heavy water”. Continuous use of boiled water may cause kidney stones in cats.

• Mineral / bottled water for cats

Bottled water can be a comparatively better option for cats. But it must be from a natural, underground source and must be of high quality. If you are not ready to spend money, then don’t consider this option.

• Pure / distilled water for cats

Although, distilled water is clean and does not have any kind of impurities in it. So it can be offered to your cat. However, it can’t be offered for a longer period. As the scientists themselves are not on a single page that distilled water should be used continuously for cats or not.

Cat's Water Consumption

The amount of water needed by a cat depends on many factors like

• Age
• Body weight
• Environmental temperature
• Physical activity
• Feeding pups or not
• Type of diet being fed

 Normally, a cat daily needs 50 ml of water per kilogram of body weight, which suggests if a cat's weight is 4-5 kg; it must drink 200 to 250 ml of water daily for optimum functioning of the body. If dry food is offered to the cat, then it needs 2.5 to 3 times more water than the food consumed. This means it must drink at least 250 ml of water for 100 grams of dry feed. Cat owners must provide more than the minimum recommended amount of water. Because if cats can’t drink enough amount of water, they can easily dehydrate, which can be life-threatening.

Best Water for Cats

Now the question arises, what type of water is best for cats? And the answer is, “Tap Water” from a natural source, can be offered to cat. A simple filter should be applied that can remove the impurities from water. After filtration, it is good enough for your cat. It can be used regularly and for the whole life, and it is also a less expensive but safe option. In fact, cats like drinking tap water just because cats feel naturally satisfied while drinking running water, and it is also fortified with oxygen.

How to Encourage Your Cat to Drink More

Now, if your feline friend is drinking less water, how can you encourage him/her to drink enough amount of water? It is important to know that cats prefer drinking running water over still water. The second thing is that cats like to drink from multiple sites. So to encourage your cat to drink enough amount of water, you must

• Use “Running Water Cat Bowl”
• Place water bowls at different places
• Place water bowl away from feeding bowl
• Place multiple bowls
• Use bowls of different sizes
• Replace the water 3 times daily
• Add ice cubes in warm weather
• Clean the bowl daily

“Running Water Cat Bowl” is the best solution, as it fulfills its instinct. To add spice and variety, you can add bone broth to this water occasionally (as a treat). Once Cat starts enjoying drinking, he/she will drink more often, body’s water requirement will be fulfilled and overall health will be improved for sure.