Is Your Cat Not Drinking Water? 10 Ways to Get Your Cat to Drink More Water
Most cats don’t drink enough water. Because cats are so self-sufficient, we assume they know what’s best for their health, and many times they do. But I learned the importance of getting a cat to drink more water — with a medical scare that involved a dehydrated cat. So, is your cat not drinking water or is your cat not drinking enough water? We’ve outlined what you need to know about cats drinking water, how to get your cat to drink water and more:
The cautionary tale of one dehydrated cat
A cat not drinking water could make for a dehydrated cat. Photography by Phant / Shutterstock.
A cat not drinking water could lead to serious complications. A couple of years ago, my cat Pugsley was spending a lot of time in the litter box, straining to pee. Nothing was coming out. Something told me this was not good. When I picked him up around his middle and he cried out in pain, I knew he was in trouble. It was Friday night at 10 (of course) and I rushed him to the emergency vet. Thank goodness I did.
Pugsley’s urethra was clogged with urinary stones — one of the side effects of a cat not drinking water, or a cat not drinking enough water. They are like a “plug” of soft, compressible material consisting of minerals, cells and mucus-like protein. Urine backs up and the kidneys can’t remove toxins from the blood or keep fluids and electrolytes in balance. This can lead to death within 24 to 48 hours if not treated immediately.
Thankfully, Pugsley was treated in time, but the vet told me the No. 1 way to prevent him from reblocking and possibly requiring surgery was to keep him hydrated. You better believe I started looking into ways to get my cats to drink more water.
But a blocked urethra isn’t the only medical issue that results from a cat not drinking water. Just as with humans, cats’ urinary health is tied directly to water consumption, so things like urinary tract infections and crystals are less likely in a well-hydrated cat. Digestive health also benefits from increased water intake. I’ve made it a priority to try everything I can to get my cats to drink more water.
Is your cat not drinking water, or not drinking enough water? Avoid having a dehydrated cat by getting your cat to drink more water:
1. Switch to a mostly wet-food diet
Canned food simply has more moisture. According to my vet, this is the easiest way to get your cat to drink more water and avoid a dehydrated cat.
If your cat won’t eat wet food, add water or broth to dry food and see if he’ll eat that. If your cat digs canned food, add water or broth to it to make it even wetter. Some cats love the soupy consistency this creates.
2. Try ice cubes in your cat’s food
It adds moisture and it’s like a little treat for the cat. The cube takes on the food’s flavor, and while your cat’s licking the cube, he’s getting more water, too. Ice cubes in your cat’s water bowl might work with a cat not drinking water, too. Some cats prefer icy-cold water, just like some humans do.
3. Serve smaller, more frequent meals
Eating prompts thirst, so a cat not drinking water might drink more water if he gets food more often.
4. Place water bowls throughout the house
Make it super easy for your cat to get himself a drink by offering multiple agua stations throughout the house. A cat not drinking water might have trouble accessing the water in question. My cat Romeo loves drinking water out of my cups. Leaving a few strategically placed drinking glasses around might entice your cat to drink more water, too.
5. Be aware of the water bowl’s location
A cat not drinking water might not like his water bowl’s location. Keep your cat’s water bowl away from his litter box. Would you want to drink near your toilet?
6. Make sure the bowls are refilled regularly
Cats like fresh water — and who can blame them? Make sure to change the water at least once a day and wash out the bowl completely with soap and water regularly to keep it from getting slimy and gross.
7. Tap into the faucet
If your cat is attracted to running water, use this as a great opportunity to get him to drink more! A cat not drinking water might just need you to turn drinking water into a fun game. Try running the faucet a few minutes several times a day. Build it into your morning and evening routine, for example, and create some good bonding time … over a long, cold drink of water!
8. Flavor the water
A cat not drinking water might drink flavored water! You can try to make your cats drink more water by flavoring it with a bit of tuna juice or chicken broth.
9. Use cat fountains
Many cats like drinking out of fountains. It might take a while for them to get the hang of it, but once they do, they’ll love it! Fountains are attractive because the moving water is interesting to the cat and it stays fresh. This definitely helps if you forget to change your cat’s bowl every day.
10. Experiment with different types of cat bowls
Cats are finicky about just about everything (big shocker!), and you can go ahead and add drinking bowls to that list. Test a few out (glass, stainless steel, ceramic or plastic) and you might discover your cat has a definite preference.
The bottom line on what to know about a cat not drinking water
We can all stand to drink more water, and your cat is no exception. Helping your cat to drink more water has many benefits and helps you avoid the dangerous health issues of a dehydrated cat. More water = more peeing = healthier kitty = happier everybody!
Tell us: Is your cat not drinking water? What methods have you tried to get your cats to drink more water? Let us know in the comments!
Do you have the opposite problem? Concerned your cat is drinking too much water? Here’s what to do >>
Thumbnail: Photography by MaraZe / Shutterstock.
This piece was originally published in 2012.
67 comments on “Is Your Cat Not Drinking Water? 10 Ways to Get Your Cat to Drink More Water”
I adopted Usrula about 14 months ago and realized she was not drinking any water from the water bowl. She was getting all her liquid from canned cat food. Fortunately I had a cat fountain which I had bought for her predecessor when she was in declining health and stopped drinking. I’ve put out water bowls at times since, but she’s never drunk from them. She also doesn’t much like any canned food So the fountain is her one and only source. She’s not dehydrated but doesn’t produce as much urine as my previous cats.
She also rejects moistened versions of her dry food.
What’s a cat fountain, and how much are they?
I have to add some brita water to his food!
I was adopted by a feral cat that has been wandering around the neighborhood for a few years. She is very everybody loves her – especially the children. One of my neighbors fed her regularly and she sorta adopted them. But when they moved she took up her perch on my front porch chairs; I started feeding her and in a few weeks she wandered inside. she always had access to outside, and occasionally brought me a dvd rat as a reward for taking such good care of her. Eventually she took up sleeping next to me, purring softly as I’d stroke her. In the morning as soon as I stirred she’d climb on top of me an nip at my chin: “Wake up, its food time!” She’s definitely a foundling that I dearly love.
She has a water bowl that I keep immaculately clean, and she drinks from it. But her favorite water source is the three fish bowls on my dresser. In fact its just one of the three. I have one beautiful Beta in each bowl, and she loves playing with them. Now I have to keep that bowl filled – she is definitely drinking a lot from it.
After a good food and fish game, she will climb up on my desk while I’m writing on my computer. If she doesn’t get enough attention she’ll lay across my keyboard to get some brushing, and scratching.
Aren’t cats wonderful?
My cat will only drink water if I’m holding it. . . ❤️
I have two cats, brother and sister, Bud and Pete. First off, I give them both canned and dry food, as a matter of course. As for independent water intake, Bud drinks easily from the bowls I provide; but Pete is more reserved in her drinking habits. For her, I add Swanson’s Unsalted Chicken Cooking Stock to her canned meals. Not only does it insure she gets adequate hydration, but it also adds extra nutrition and flavor to her meals. She never turns it down. As others have mentioned, always unsalted.
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I moved the water bowl away from the food bowl and use a raised stand. They always loved drinking from the big dog’s elevated bowl, so I tried this and it made a big difference.
Me and my boyfriend just rescued a stray kitten and weve been trying to get her to drink water but she wont. we feed her wet food and she loves it. please help me i just want my baby to be healthy i tried cold water and it didnt help at all we tried different water bowls nothing. what else can i do?
You can try adding water to the wet food. I’ve found that works with my cats.
My friend’s stray cat prefers to drink water out of a mug while someone is holding it. You may have to drink out of the mug first. My cats prefer Evian water.
Try giving her very warm water. In the wild when cats kill & eat their prey the dead animals fluids arent cold but warm. Since i heard about that tip i’ve been giving my cat warm water and he loves it.
My 8 year old Tuxedo rescue baby, Sebastian, loves the cold spring water from our water cooler. I change his water and dish twice each day. I have duplicate bowls to use for the water exchange. If the temperature in the house feels a bit warm I place a few ice cubes in the water. He’s fascinated by the cubes floating about in the bowl. He also loves Rachel Ray’s broth. For breakfast he gets fresh water and a pouch of the chicken and broth in a separate dish. He also loves a few splashes of cold lactose free milk. He gets the same for supper. In between I have set out water and approximately 1 cup of Rachel Ray’s dry cat food.
My 20 year old cat has been sick a lot lately. (He has been to to the vet 3 times in 3 weeks.) Before he got sick he drank a lot of water. Now he won’t drink any of it plain. He has been eating well. I have been turning his food into a mousse-like consistency by adding water to the can in my blender. He seems to like it that way and he is getting a lot of extra water.
I found a kitten that looks to be about 7 weeks old alone at a gas station a few days ago. (Or should I say the kitten found me.) I couldn’t locate the mother and after seeing a dead kitten of the same size and markings a block away in the road. I didnt second guess it, it was coming home with me. I was traveling 1000 miles back home and I wouldn’t be able to come back and see if a mother did turn up. Besides the fact it doesn’t seem to understand why I keep setting it down in the litter box and I have yet to see it drink water the little one is adjusting quite nicely. I’ve been feeding it wet food and it loves the juice but I am still worried it’s not getting enough fluids. So I’ve been sitting with it and dipping my finger in water and letting the kitten lick the drops off. A very slow method but I hoping it will get the kitten to like water and maybe start drinking on it’s own. I’ve been dying to have a cat but with two dogs already and being a military spouse I’ve told myself I would only take on the responsibility if I found a stray. It only took it a day to make friends with my pugs which is amazing seeing as to how the are still young and alot of energy for anyone to handle. We’ve gotten rid of the flies and ear mites and just started deworming it. I’ve never had a problem with a cat not drinking and I’ve grown up with and raised several cats in my 21 years. This thing has stolen my heart so it better get ready for a LONG comfortable and happy life. *fingers crossed*
Thank you so much for rescuing this baby.
Cats are evolved to get their moisture from the blood of their prey. That’s why it’s hard to get them to drink water. Best thing is to try and introduce moisture in their food.
My cats have all had a history of UTIs. I have a very hard time encouraging them to drink and one way that works pretty well is sprinkling their water with really fine catnip! I have tried literally everything else out there and I eventually had to resort to syringe feeding them water because they had gotten so bad.. syringe feeding was the absolute last resort and it’s stressful both on the cats as well as me because I don’t like to see my cats on Happy and I just looked at the catnip and figured why not try that because it worked when I was introducing them to new food and they refused to eat it so I figured why not… I highly recommend trying this! That is if your cat doesn’t get destructive and aggressive when ingesting catnip! But I put it in all the water dishes and the water fountains as well as Philip the bathroom sink every morning, afternoon, and evening for them and put a little sprinkle for them in there and so far it’s proven to work really well as well as placing a couple ice cubes in there for them so they have nice cool water and it’s been a lifesaver!
Why is your bathroom sink called Philip?
LOL! Read your message! Thanks for giving me a laugh! We all make mistakes. Me included!
Best wishes
I started feeding my boy rehydrated freeze dried food. I add a lot more water to it than it calls for, and make him a kitty soup. He absolutely loves it. He laps up the liquid first, then comes back to eat the patè consistency. It’s a great way to get him consuming more water than the traditional water bowl or fountain that he has access to 24/7.
Our 13 year old Cali hasn’t been drinking water lately.
A few weeks ago I changed the ceramic dish she usually drank water from on a regular basis. I now know that was a mistake.
Put the bowl back. Nope. Not drinking.
I have plastic bowl, stainless steel bowl, a duplicate ceramic bowl, and a Tupperware dish scattered around for her. Nope. Not drinking.
I got a new fountain that I put in the livingroom. She hissed at it. I’ll say it again…she hissed at it.
We have had a fountain in the kitchen. She would drink out of that occasionally. Not good enough anymore. (It was just cleaned and filter was just changed.)
We went to my parents this weekend and the vet set me up with stuff to give her 150 ml of fluids. She does fine with that.
This cat would rather have an IV than drink water.
Blood work is good. She eats. She pees. She poops.
Doesn’t like chicken broth in water. I’m at a loss.
I was having the same issue, Finally i found he likes the ice cubes in water i keep in the fridge to get it nice and cold and i have to wash and rinse the bowl very very well every day. He is picky over smells, so i use a stainless steel bowl and i use seventh generation clear dish soap so it doesn’t leave a smell. If i have on any lotion or hand sanitizer i have to fully wash it off before i even touch his bowl, he will smell it otherwise and refuse to drink. He does have sensitivity to smells, if i go near him with a smell he never smelled before he gags and then vomits from the nervousness. He is not afraid of me, only smells or items coming near him he never has had before. hes so very nervous,poor kitty. I try to introduce things slowly . Hes a very loving kitty and im happy to do these things for him, he brings me such pleasure being my companion.
My cats are not interested in a water bowl. They prefer to drink out of the watering can. The can is years old, has never been cleaned, often had water drained from the dehumidifier and was sometimes outdoors. I gave up on the water bowl and make sure the watering can has enough water in it that they can drink easily. I put the same amount of wateri n it every two days so I know they ae drinking the same amount.
Try salting the food. I always drink lots more with salty food.
you are not a cat giving a cat too much salt can kill them do NOT salt their water.
or food**
No that’s dangerous for them… NO ADDED SALT
This is great!
thanks for the information
Great article!
Our cat had this problem. I took his water and put about 15 pieces of his favorite dry food into it, (kinda of like gravy train, but not that much food.) It flavors the water and he will drink a lot of it.
Please help my kitten will not drink water should take a little bit of kitten substitute milk but just a little bit I try mixing water in tuna I tried mixing chicken broth with the water to putting it in her wet food she will only eat her wet food I think she stopped paying she might be I say a month-and-a-half old I found her outside all her brothers and sisters were killed I brought her inside within a couple of days I was giving her her milk if she was fine she drink that from the substitute pet AG she would bite the nipple so much that you know it would come off and more but now she won’t drink as much as she was trying to drink before and another thing is is that her stomach seems fatter I don’t know maybe it’s because I’ve been feeding her wet food all the time or this could be something else sometimes when I pick her up she cries she cries all the time if I’m with her she doesn’t cry but if I leave her she cries if I put too much water in her Kitty food she will walk away I need help please she’s just a baby.
Sorry I know it’s stupid to reply to my own message but sometimes my phone messes up instead of praying I meant peeing I think she stopped doing that too. If something doesn’t seem right it’s because my phone had mixed up the words it does that a lot.
Hi there Christina,
Thanks for reaching out! Here is an article that provides more information on what to do if your can’t won’t drink water as well as links to other articles about cats and water:
https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-health-care-new-years-resolutions-cats-drink-water
I have never responded to posts like this but I was so dismayed at how disrespectful and cruel the post from Ken was previously. On the other hand, Christina, you sound like a very kind and selfless individual who saved the life of this kitten. Good for you! A very lucky kitten. Yes, I realize that the I did not write a complete sentence.
I have a 10 year old 8.5 lb (she is under weight because of this issue) Brought her to the vet and they can’t find anything that would cause this. maine coon mix and she suddenly won’t drink water…at….all.. I bought the fountain, tried tuna water, tried mixing with catfood, tried catnip in the water, tried ice cubes, tried warmer water, tried cooler water. Nothing seems to work. I have to fill a syringe with 20-30ml of water every hour to get her to drink. She hates it, but doesn’t fight it. Just snarls.
What ended up being the solution for you?
Me too. I tried everything. Maybe not everything. She still doesn’t drink water. I don’t know where is the syringe though. She eat canned food so I tried add water to it. That’s the solution only for me.
I got a tip from a local rescue group and it works like a charm. Find the stinkiest wet food, doesn’t have to be good quality. I take a very small amount of the food (maybe a teaspoon?) and mix it up with about 3 oz of water. A ramekin is the perfect size bowl. Both my cats go crazy for it, even the one that won’t eat wet food.
I’ve also used this method to give her med when she is constipated.
It sounds like those lickable treats should work in place of canned food.
My cat won’t always drink, no matter what. So, I use a pipette & feed him like a baby. He doesn’t seem to mind & he always perks up afterwards. It’s a nice bonding time too. He tells me when he has had enough.
He likes laying in the sun in the day. Not that I like him to since he is white but sometimes he wins the fight. Or close to me at night & I run very hot. Afterwards he is dizzier than normal, so I use this method to pick him back up quickly. He already has health issues I hate this adding to them. So we try all the above. Never tried Ice though so I’ll make some cubes & see how that goes. Thanks for the tip.
I bought an inexpensive cat water fountain from amazon. As most cat owners know. Cats love to drink the running water from the faucet. He loves the Luke warm water I put in it. He really hated his water bowl. Never drank from it. I found this easier for him to get his water.
Mine won’t drink only when she eats dry food. We give them wet>wet>dry>wet food across the day, they always have full water bowls, fresh and on summer days I’m putting ice cubes into the water yet she won’t drink it and then vomits everything.
Our cat can’t eat dry food as it makes her vomit everywhere. She can only eat wet food.
Hi, my cat was the same way. I found any kind of food with the red pieces made her sick. Since I switched to Purina Cat Chow Naturals, the problem has gone away.
possibly a food allergy to something in the wet food-try different kinds of quality foods and see if she can hold it down…
Try an inexpensive cat water fountain. Let him play with the running water from it. I used a touch of warm water to fill it. My cat drinks warmish water as opposed to cold.
I have two Bengals they love lapping up water from my hand, the weirdos
Hey my kitten is 10 weeks n he drinks water he use to drink milk but I just put cold water down for me n he drink it
I have two rescues that are almost 8 years old. A year and a half ago we were adopted by another male. 3 males. all fixed. “New Cat” is a good boy – not loving but behaves. My two others aren’t thrilled with him becoming a part of the family. Now one of them started peeing in all the wrong places. We had him tested – no crystals, he’s healthy, but a little dehydrated. He peed on my brand new couch cushions :( He’s on meds in case there’s a hidden infection. I have 4 water bowls and a water fountain. I’m at a loss. why after a year and a half is he acting out? They hiss at times but really haven’t fought. When it looks as if they could, I tell them to stop, and just walk away. Walk away. Funny but they turn around and walk away. They are all good boys. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Hi there!
Thanks for reaching out. Here is an article that talks about why cats pee on places they shouldn’t:
https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/does-your-cat-pee-on-the-sofa-or-bed-heres-why
Here is an article to help you when it appears your cats might start fighting:
https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/stop-cats-fighting
Try one of the calming products with pheromones. There are sprays to stop marking and scratching, diffusers for generally calming everyone, and collars for individual cats that need a little extra. I’ve used these when introducing a new cat and it was tremendously helpful.
I bet it’s stress -multicat household. That is why he is peeing in all the wrong places, to get your attention. I love Feliway product to destress a cat. My cat is super stressed and ended up having a urinary problem, not stones, no crystals but some blood and mucuous -stress was the reason, along with gastritis from the meds and stress… Doing better now after using Feliway, changing some wet food brands…minipress which is proxsina, helps the uretha and a lot of love. When my cat was stressed he peed on his bed, on the sofa, outside his box…no more since he has been de-stressing….good luck!
Do you have enough litter boxes? For three cats, there should be 4 boxes, all placed in different locations in the house. This prevents anyone being intimidated from approaching the only box (or multiple boxes if they are all in the same location).
i use these with my cat as she doesn’t drink much. She loves it and licks the bowl dry. I have started adding a few tbsp.’s of water to it and stirring it in. you can buy them at Walmart they are called Hartz Delectables. My cat loves the bisque ones.
I just add water to their wet food. They will not drink water. The only cat i had that drank water died of CKD a few years ago. I did not know his incessant thirst was related to kidney disease.
Tiger boy has had crystals. I’ve tried everything. Water fountains, Ice Cube’s, changing the water once-daily , 95% wet food and he still won’t drink so only thing I’ve been able to do is Shringe with water in his mouth 1xd.
I put ice cubes in Sampson’s water. It really works! please reply if it works for your cats.
i almost lost my baby boy as he had blocked bladder & kidneys almost shut down . he spent a few days at vets [saved his life] 1 moment he was bouncing around like his usual mad self ..& within 24 hrs he could hardly lift his head up. it creeps up on you so unexpectedly .
hes not a big water drinker anyways . i was feeding him 50 /50 dry & wet. vet told me to cut out dry completely and gave him hyprovase tabs to take home.
3 months later its reoccuring again..this time i know what to look out for [less wee in litter tray..for one..cats should wee at least once a day]
thanks for your tips ..ive been out of my mind worrying bout my little fella ..how do i get him to drink water. he just wont at all .
he licks the gravy from wet food [gourmet perle sachets ..as apparantly contains tad more salt than others..thus makes em more thirsty]
i will try the ice cube trick /tip thanks as ive tried everything else & failed .
i have also tried adding a teaspoon of water over his wet food ..its not much but at least its something. not too much as he just screws his nose up at it and walks away .
i swear they are more fussier than trying to get kids to eat their veg lol
Hi,
What is the name of those “Lickable” treats, I would love to try this with my cat!
Thank you
I purchased a cat self water refill jug. They love it and drink more!
My cat, Mr Bear, had 3 episodes of partial urinary blockages due to small stones. My wonderful vet did all the right things and he did just fine. I thought about how to get more fluids in him ( I am an RN and am familiar with the treatments for this stuff in humans-). I bought those new “Lickable” treats. They come in small pouches. I put them in a bowl every single morning, add his glucosamine (thought to aid this problem) and add some water. Mix it up and Mr Bear just loves it! I have two water bowls for him and change the water/clean the bowls every single day. Those Lickable treats smell just awful, like rancid fish, but Bear loves the darn stuff and he gets more water in this way. When I am feeling rich, I give him 2 of these treats a day! I rescued him a bit over two years ago. My vet thinks that stress plays a big role in this urinary problem in many cats. I didnt agree then, but now I do. As Mr Bear has settled in, and seems to finally know that he does have a REAL home, he has had NO further episodes of urinary blockage.
He is one spoiled kitty, and one who has transformed MY life just by being a wonderful, loving, soft cat!