Ideas for getting cat to drink water?

Question

My 8 1/2 yr old female has lost 8 lbs over 2 mos. Vet has tested for everything and she goes for ultrasound this week. She has recently stopped drinking. I am currently forcing water with syringe. She actually clamps her mouth shut and water runs down her onto floor. She gets some fluid with moist food but won't eat if I add water to the food. She's never liked moist food before this and still eats her dry. I am trying other food with more gravy content. Anyone have ideas? She used to drink only from running faucet or by tipping the water bowl. No other signs of illness other than weight loss.

Answer 1

Try using a water fountain style water bowl. They are available either plugged in to the wall outlet or battery operated. Most cats really prefer running water. Also, try using only distilled water rather than tap water.

Good luck. I hope she gets better soon.

Answer 2

HI there...although everyone's intentions are well meaning here, some however could be outright harmful to your kitty. Milk and Tuna are toxic and these shouldn't be given to an ill feline. Your vet must have suggested the best nutritional options which is best for your kitty. If you are willing to consider the groups ideas would you please get the vet's approval to be sure it won't injure her further?

I will do my best to to describe how to do syringe feeding:

1) To syringe feed a cat you first lay her on the side facing away from you (her back will be nearest your stomach) on a table about waist high.

2) Place your hand on over the side of her head and push it down like you want her to rest/sleep.

3) Next grab the top of her head like a softball around the with your fingers around one side of the just below the left eye and the thumb just below the right eye. The mouth and nose should be resting under the arch of your palm between your thumb and index finger.

4) You're going to rotate her head slowly towards you, but stopping when her nose facing straight/upwards to the ceiling.

5) Gently insert the tip of the syringe at the very corner of her upper and lower lips by the side with your fingers (not the thumb side). The tip of the syringe will cause the cat to open her mouth...quickly squirt just a tiny amount (just a drops) of water and then give her a break but still holding her head straight up towards the ceiling to squirt a little more and then wait and then a little more.

6) Give her a rest as this is stressful and then try the whole thing again in a half hour.

Just have a little patience if you are still having a bit of difficulty because she is struggling.

Because she's not interested in the canned food and she's not willing to take in water on her own ask your vet if they would be willing to teach you how to give her subcutaneous fluids (also known as SubQ). This is similar to IV fluids, but the needle is administered under the skin (not into the muscle) where you would scruff a cat. Many vets teach their clients to do this when a cat is dehydrated and cannot or will not drink enough fluids. Without fluids she will become dehydrated and her kidneys will fail.

I hope she recovers soon!

Answer 3

I would worry more about the weight loss than the drinking. Are her kidneys working properly? Check urea and cretinine levels in her blood. It is good to drink water, but keep in mind that cats are desert animals and they don't normally drink any water if they are eating wet food. My cat is the same for a long time. However, I force him to drink, because he had a urinary problem and it is good for him. I use a small syringe(without needle), and put it on the side of the mouth. The teeth are not so closed there and I introduce the end of the syringe, and then press the water in. He can't really avoid it, once you get the hang of how to do it.

By the way, if she has an appetite, it doesn't sound like she's dying, as someone wrote. The weight loss could be due to the summer, also, they tend not to eat as much.

Also check: urine PH (it should be between 6-6,5), blood in the urine, and if she pees normally. A urinary infection or high PH can be causing her discomfort and are easily curable. You can collect a sample of urine by putting a cup under her tail when she pees. Often cats form urine stones, which can cause blockage to male cats usually, but rarely to females.
You might also want to know that drinking too much can be an indication to health problems (kidneys, diabetes). Not drinking could be due to health problem but also could be normal.

Answer 4

OH MY! The average healthy weight for a cat is 10-12 pounds max! If your cat lost 8 pounds, she must have been seriously obese. Nevertheless, losing weight that quickly is not good. I'm glad you're getting her veterinary care. Somethign is clearly wrong. You must hydrate her, however. Honestly if she doesn't want to drink you are going to need to have someone (or get trained yourself) administer subcutaneous fluids under the skin. The vet may have already done this for you, but dehydration is a killer. Sometimes, the fluids make the cat feel well enough to start drinking on its own. I really hope you find out what's wrong. You don't say what your cat's current weight it but unless you've got a Maine Coon, your cat should not weigh much more than 12 pounds.

P.S. Try chicken baby food. It's very palatable and has a high water content.

Answer 5

Let the sink drip.

Mine also likes the water in the dirty dishes?? Maybe have a plate that you served meat on in the sink with water on it.

Be sure her gums do not turn Gray that is a sign of dehydration.

When you take her for her sonogram I would ask for fluids and have them show you how to put the needle under her skin. It sounds like you may need to do this in the near future. There is a way if she doesn't get completely dehydrated that you can insert the needle squeeze the fluids into her and be done instead of her sitting on an iv. This is kind of icky cause the skin often balloons up with the water bubble but it will go down once the fluids start spreading throughout the body

Answer 6

Most cats like moving water. Check out the watering supplies at a large pet food store. I do not remember the name but there is a gizmo that sucks the water up and it flows down over a dome so it is continually moving.

Answer 7

Research a raw diet. Lots of moisture.

Otherwise feed nothing butt canned food and add water to it.

Dry Cat Food Crisis
http://www.felinefuture.com/nutrition/

Feeding Your Cat by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM
http://www.catinfo.org/index.htm

Answer 8

If you add some water to the dry and let it soak in completely, she might eat that. Try using some salt-free chicken or beef boullion to flavor her water. Drain some water from a can of tuna and offer it to her. See if she will lick water from or off of your hand. Since she is still eating, that's a good sign. I finally had to give my dog fluids subcutaneously. The vet gave us the sterile supplies. Two of my dogs have done this, and they both had kidney disease. See if he tested for that. Maybe even get an opinion from a different vet.

Answer 9

Ok three ideas...put some water to her lips and maybe she'll stat drinking it.

If not...put milk in her bowl. If she drinks that then mix a little bit of milk with a lot of water and she'll drink it.

Get a dropper and drop water in it's mouth

I had to do the same thing for my dog...

Answer 10

I don't know how long she has been going for but, if she really wants something to drink she is going to let you know. Like a child you can't force her to eat or drink. The longer she goes with out though you may have to assume the worst if the Vet doesn't find anything wrong.