You already know that when it’s hot out, it’s important for you to drink plenty of water and to stay hydrated. But did you know it’s important for your cat, too? Drinking enough water is essential for your cat’s health and well-being so on hot days, make sure they are keeping hydrated!
Here’s some advice on how to encourage your cat to drink enough water so they can beat the heat:
Make sure their water bowls have cool, fresh water in them. Ideally, change the water twice a day. The water shouldn’t be ice cold, but also not too warm.
Have more than one water bowl. Especially if you have more than one cat, multiple water bowls are essential. Some cats don’t like to share resources.
Make sure the bowl is big enough for your cat. Cats don’t like when their whiskers touch the sides of their bowls. Use a bowl that is wide enough for your cat to comfortably drink from.
The water bowl shouldn’t be too close to the food bowl or the litter box. In nature, cats prefer to keep their food, water, and bathroom areas at a distance so you should try to recreate that in your home.
Try using a pet water fountain. This keeps things interesting and can make the water more appealing. If your cat enjoys running water, like when you run a bath or wash the dishes, they may appreciate a fountain.
Offer them ice cubes! Cats may like to play with the cubes and bite or lick them as they melt. Add them to their water bowl or just toss a couple onto the kitchen floor and see if they start to play. You can also flavor the ice cubes with tuna juice or bone broth.
Wet food provides cats with added hydration since it has a lot of moisture. Offer your cat wet food twice a day to help increase their water intake. If your cat prefers dry food, mix it with some water or wet food. Since cats evolved from desert animals, they don’t typically drink a lot of water. Wild cats get most of their hydration from the prey that they catch. So it’s very important that they are getting high-quality wet food to keep them hydrated.
Since most cats are quite furry, they can get overheated quickly. If they get dehydrated, they can easily fall ill and need an emergency vet visit. To prevent this, do your best to keep your cat hydrated so they can stay cool and enjoy their summer!
Love, Nala
