It’s important to know how to keep your cat hydrated, especially when you’re out adventuring with them in the warmer, summer months. Dehydration is no joke, so it is best to be proactive and stay on top of both your and your cat’s hydration.
Keep reading to learn more about how to hydrate your cat, both on-the-go and at home.
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps us to continue creating helpful content. Don’t worry – we would never recommend something we don’t like or use ourselves!
I also received the Catit PIXI Fountain and Catit Creamies free of charge from Catit. This did not influence my opinions in any way. We really do use these products every day at home.
7 Ways to Keep Your Cat Hydrated
There are several easy ways to keep your cat hydrated, whether you’re hanging at home or going out for an adventure:
1. Provide water.
Providing water for your cat should be pretty obvious. The trick is actually getting your cat to drink it since cats are notorious for not drinking enough water. Even if your cat might not be inclined to drink, you should still frequently offer it to them when you’re out on your adventures. You can use a collapsible water bowl or special pet water bottle for this.
2. Wet your cat’s lips.
As mentioned, cats aren’t as inclined to drink water as we humans or even dogs are. If your cat won’t drink from their collapsible bowl or water bottle, you’re probably curious as to how to get your cat to drink water.
Try this: dip your finger in the water and then lightly wet your cat’s lips. Doing this will encourage them to lick it off, “forcing” your cat to drink.
3. Feed treats high in water content.
Another way you can ensure your cat stays hydrated is by giving them treats that are high in water content. Those squeezable puree cat treats are perfect for this. My cats’ favorite kind are Catit Creamies.
Not only are squeezie treats great for keeping your cat hydrated, they are an excellent snack for on-the-go. They also enhance the adventuring experiencing by helping your cat to associate your adventures with positive things.
If you’re in a DIY mood, check out my recipe for homemade puree cat treats!
4. Try flavored liquids.
If your cat isn’t into drinking water, you can use flavored liquids instead. You can use bone broth (just make sure it’s low in sodium), or special broth made specifically for cats, such as:
- Solid Gold Bone Broth Cat Food Topper
- Caru Daily Dish Chicken Broth Meal Topper
- KittyRade – prebiotic, isotonic drink with electrolytes
If you’re looking for a way to both hydrate AND cool your cat down, you can pour any of these flavored liquids into an ice cube tray to make frozen cat treats.
5. Don’t stay out too long.
If it’s hot out, you should limit your cat’s outdoor adventure time. The longer you’re out, the higher your cat’s risk is for dehydration and even heat stroke. Take frequent breaks, keep to the shade, and don’t stay out too long.
6. Use a water fountain.
While you can’t bring a water fountain along with you on your adventures, you can set one up at home to encourage your cat to drink more water. Cats are much more likely to drink if it comes from a fresh, moving water source. Keeping your cat hydrated at all times at home will preemptively help keep them from becoming dehydrated when on-the-go.
Our favorite cat water fountain is the Catit PIXI Fountain.
7. Feed a moisture-rich diet.
Just as with the previous tip, feeding a diet high in moisture content is an all-the-time preventative step you can take at home. Dry cat food tends to naturally dehydrate your cat (one of the many downsides). If you switch to feeding your cat wet food instead, their overall hydration level will increase, which will help to stave off dehydration when you’re out on your adventures. After all, wet cat food is made up of up to 80% water!
That’s not to say that if you feed a wet food diet to your cat that you don’t need to take any other steps to make sure they’re hydrated when out adventuring. Regardless of what you feed your cat, you should always provide water and other means of hydration for them on your outings. Keeping them hydrated at home just helps too.
The more hydrated your cat is in general, the healthier and better off they are!
Signs of Dehydration
No matter how much water you are providing your cat, you should always keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t get overheated or dehydrated – especially in hotter weather.
Signs of dehydration in cats include:
- Lethargy
- Panting
- Weakness
- Poor appetite
- Dry gums
- Sunken eyes (in severe cases)
If you notice any of the above symptoms, you should end your adventure and do whatever you can to hydrate your cat. If they won’t drink water, the fastest way to rehydrate them is with the flavored liquid options mentioned earlier. If your cat is severely dehydrated, you need to get them to your veterinarian ASAP.
Ensuring proper cat hydration is crucial for maintaining their overall health and well-being. By understanding the importance of water intake and implementing simple strategies, we can keep our feline adventure companions hydrated both at home and on-the-go. Remember, a well-hydrated cat is a happy and healthy one, and by following these tips on how to keep your cat hydrated, you are doing what is necessary to make your adventures safe and enjoyable.
If you’re looking for other ways to keep your cat safe when adventuring in warmer weather, read this post – Cats in the Heat: 10 Ways to Keep Your Cat Cool
About the Author
Emily Hall is a cat trainer and cat adventure enthusiast. As “mom” to seven cats, one dog, and two sugar gliders, she has been writing in the pet industry for 10 years, with a focus on traveling and adventuring with cats. Emily and her husband enjoy hiking, road-tripping, camping, and canoeing with their three cat adventurers. Read more about her here.
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