Why does my cat drink so much water

Water is the source of life, and cats are no exception. The water content in a cat’s body accounts for 70% of its total body weight. Insufficient water intake will affect the normal operation of internal organs. If excessive drinking occurs suddenly, it indicates to the owner that the cat may be at risk of disease.

What is abnormal drinking in cats?

In short, a cat’s abnormal drinking water is a situation where a cat suddenly drinks a lot of water or reduces the amount of water it drinks. Some owners may not pay too much attention to the cat’s daily water intake, thinking that it is only determined by the cat’s thirst. , so we didn’t delve into the reasons. In fact, once cats drink water abnormally, owners should be more vigilant!
Cats are animals that do not drink a lot of water. If they eat canned food, they will drink less water. Therefore, if you find that the water in the water basin is significantly reduced, or the cat squats in front of the water basin for a longer time, you must pay special attention. The cat may be suffering from a urinary tract disease.

Why do cats drink abnormally?

Drink plenty of water

Dehydration is one of the reasons why cats drink a lot of water. Dehydration in cats is very dangerous and can even be life-threatening in severe cases. How to judge whether a cat is dehydrated? Owners can judge by grabbing the fur on the back of the cat’s neck and then letting go. If the fur flattens and returns to its original position, it means the skin is more elastic, and the cat may not be dehydrated. Otherwise, the cat may be dehydrated. In addition, dry nose, sunken eyeballs, listlessness, loss of appetite, cold body, and reluctance to move are all symptoms of dehydration.
When cats have a fever and their body temperature rises, they will want to drink water to lower the temperature, so they will increase the amount of water they drink. The owner can touch the cat’s nose, ears, abdomen and other parts with less hair to judge. If they feel that it is If there are symptoms of fever, it is best to measure with a thermometer to determine whether the cat’s body temperature is normal. (Normal range: 38.0 ℃ ~ 39.5 ℃).

Chronic renal insufficiency:

Cats were first born in the desert. In order to inhibit the loss of water, they excrete waste from their bodies through concentrated urine. Although they have a strong concentration ability, they also increase the burden on the kidneys. The function of the kidneys that filter waste from the body declines, and water cannot be reabsorbed for use by the body, so the amount of urine increases; the amount of urine increases, which also causes the cat to drink more water.

Diabetes:

Obese cats are more likely to develop diabetes. Too much sugar in the blood will cause cell dehydration, which will increase urine excretion; and the thickening of the blood will also cause the cat to drink more water.

Pyometra:

The uterus is filled with pus-like secretions, which will cause the cat to have a fever, and the effect of bacterial endotoxin will cause the cat to drink more and urinate more.

Endocrine diseases:

For example, hyperadrenocortical function may also cause cats to drink more and urinate more.

Excessive salt intake in the diet is also one of the common reasons for increasing their water intake.

Ingesting too much salty food will cause cats to become thirsty, which can only be relieved by drinking water continuously.
In fact, just like humans, cats will drink more water than usual when the weather is too hot, especially when the temperature is high in summer. At this time, the owner needs to consider whether the cat is drinking a lot of water due to being too hot. You can appropriately lower the temperature of your home by turning on the air conditioner or electric fan to reduce the cat’s loss of a large amount of body moisture due to overheating.
It is also abnormal for cats to drink too little water. If the cat’s drinking water suddenly decreases in daily life, owners should also pay attention. It may be that the water source is not fresh enough, or there is an abnormality in the body that causes the cat to drink less water.

What should we do when a cat drinks water abnormally?

1. We should find the specific reason why the cat drinks abnormally, such as the occurrence of fever or other diseases, and we should take the cat to the hospital for treatment in time.
2. At the same time, we should also pay attention to the choice of cat food. The salt content should not be too high. It is best to choose low-salt formulas for cat food and snacks. In addition, environmental issues should also be paid attention to. Owners in hot weather, especially in hot weather, should choose low-salt formulas. In summer, create a cool and comfortable environment for cats.
3. For cats who don’t like to drink water, we must ensure that the water bowl is cleaned frequently, keep the water in the water bowl fresh, and ensure that the water bowl is replaced frequently. When changing the water, we can specifically attract the cat’s attention.
4. Use running water as much as possible. Cats will think that running water is clean. Water fountains with automatic filtration and circulation and automatic water dispensers are both good choices.
5. Find the cat’s favorite water bowl and drinking location, enrich the cat’s diet, increase water intake, appropriately increase the cat’s amount of exercise, and use a syringe to feed the cat water are all ways to increase the cat’s water intake. .