Friday, April 29, 2011

Water and Cats

By Robert Baker


For the same reason it is important to your body. Just like us a cat's body is made mostly of water. But, where we know how important it is to drink water, cats typically do not drink enough. They will try to sip your beverages like tea, coffee, milk or soda and these can make them very ill.

It is so important for cat owners to encourage their felines to drink. Cats can easily e this does not become dehydrated. While this may not seem like that big of a deal it can actually cause urinary tract infections or kidney and bladder issues.

Encouraging drinking can become frustrating to owners, but it need not be. There are very easy ways to get your cat to enjoy drinking. Here are only a few ideas that will have your cats lining up for water!

Spend a few extra dollars and invest in a pet fountain. Fountains made from steel or ceramic are best. The noise of the water and the movement are irresistible so kitty will have to explore.

Ditch plastic especially for drinking. Plastic bowls are notorious for leaching toxins, they can make water taste strange and they cause feline acne. Switch to glass, ceramic or stainless steel. Let kitty choose what she likes best.

The indulgent cat owner will respond to kitty jumping up onto the sink by turning on the faucet for a few minutes.

Have you ever tried adding ice cubes to the cats water? My cats love to bat the cubes around and drink from their paws. It turns into a great game and gets all of my kitties involved. They are always surprised by the crackling of the ice in the water.

Place water bowls in various locations throughout the house. Sometimes cats simply do not like the placement or are uncomfortable with noises or distractions in certain areas of the house.

Cleanliness is a priority. Bowls easily grow bacteria which can lead to illness for kitty or even you!

Add water to any wet food you feed. Cats love the soupy stuff

Most importantly, if you feel your cat's water intake has changed or diminished, get kitty to the vet for a check up. Cats are notorious for hiding illness. Change in behavior is a key to catching an issue early.




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