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A cat needs 50 to 70 ml of water per kilogram of body weight per day. When dry food is the main diet, she needs to drink almost all of this herself. Cats naturally drink little, and drinking too little leads to kidney problems in the long run.
When I ask cat owners if their cat drinks enough, everyone immediately says "yes of course". But when I ask when they last saw her drink, silence falls. Cats drink little and do so very discreetly. Yet sufficient water is one of the most important things for a healthy cat, especially if she mainly eats dry food.
Cats are originally desert animals. They got most of their fluid intake from their prey. Now that we give them dry food, they need to supplement that fluid themselves via their water bowl. The problem: their instinct tells them to drink little. The consequence of this combination shows up in kidney problems, the most common chronic disease in cats.
The rule of thumb: 50 to 70 ml per kilogram of body weight per day. A 4 kg cat therefore needs 200 to 280 ml of water. That sounds like little, but with dry food she really has to drink it herself. With wet food (which consists of 70 to 80% water) you already take in a large part through the food.
| Cat weight | Daily requirement (dry food) | Extra with wet food |
|---|---|---|
| 3 kg | 150 to 210 ml | 60 to 90 ml |
| 4 kg | 200 to 280 ml | 60 to 100 ml |
| 5 kg | 250 to 350 ml | 70 to 110 ml |
| 6 kg | 300 to 420 ml | 80 to 120 ml |
The easiest way to check whether your cat is drinking enough: look at the colour of her urine in the litter tray. Light yellow is good. Dark yellow or strongly smelling means: too little water.
Watch out for these signs of too little water: dry nose, dark and strongly smelling urine, less appetite, lethargy or sunken flanks. Contact your vet if you see several symptoms at the same time.
In the wild, a cat hunted prey that consisted of 70% water. The need to actively drink was therefore small. That instinct is still in every domestic cat, even if she now lives on dry food. She drinks only when she is really thirsty, and that is often too late to keep up with the daily requirement.
In addition, cats instinctively avoid stagnant water. In the wild, stagnant water was a signal for bacteria and danger. Running water was safe. That explains why so many cats prefer to drink from the tap rather than from their water bowl.
A water fountain solves the running-water problem and simultaneously keeps the water cleaner via an integrated filter. For most cats, this is the easiest adjustment with the greatest effect. Most cats get used to it within a week.
The simplest step you can take for your cat's health is making sure she always has enough fresh, running water. A water fountain is the easiest solution: it requires little maintenance, is quiet and even wins over the most selective drinkers.
Already have a water fountain and does your cat eat dry food? Then also look at the feeder options at Prime AnimalZ feeders. A fixed schedule via an automatic feeder helps your cat build a healthy rhythm with eating too.
Fixed meal times via the app, always fresh water available via the fountain. Together they give your cat the structure she needs.
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