Why Don't Cats Like To Drink Water!

Tags: Cat BehaviorUpdated on Jun 14, 2022

Does your cat like to drink water? Most cats don't like to drink water!

According to scientific research, the ancestors of cats were carnivores, and they lived in dry and desert areas lack of rain at first, and their main way of obtaining water was from the water in their prey. The influence of environmental factors has caused cats’ ancestors to be rarely exposed to water, and cats formed the habit of not like drinking water since ancient times, which has been passed on to their descendants.

However, you may also notice some strange behaviors. Many cats do not drink the water prepared by the owner, but instead drink the water from the fish tank, the water in the owner's cup, and even the toilets water, which makes people speechless!

Keep reading for reasons your cat does not like drinking water and what you can do to help them.

1. Fresh water

Cats don't like 'old' water, especially since they have a keen sense of smell and can smell old or stale water as soon as it gets old.

Changing a cat's water several times a day is not always possible with day-to-day activities, but you can take other measures to keep it clean. For one, you can add cat fluoride to their water. This will keep your cats' teeth healthy and help prevent bacteria from changing the smell and taste of the water.

2. The water bowls

If you find that your cat does not like drinking water from its water bowl, there is a potential that they dislike the shape, size, or even the color of the bowl.

Most cats find moving water intriguing and the sound is nature's sign of fresh water nearby. When your cat does not drink water, you can get a cat water fountain bowl for their interest and encourage them to hear the sound of the freshwater.

3. The location of the water

Cats don't like their water being too close to their food bowls. Felines' dislike for their food and water being right next to each other is likely because they do not want pieces of food to fall into it, but that is just a theory. There could be many reasons. Keeping an excellent distance between the food and the water bowl will help them feel more comfortable drinking it.

4. When nothing is working

The easiest way for our felines to communicate is to show us something is wrong. Cats with mouth or gut pain will not drink water because it is painful, and they want to avoid it.

When you have tried everything, and nothing encourages your feline to drink after 24 hours, give or take, then you need to get your vet involved to make sure your feline is healthy and not try to tell you they are ill.

What's wrong with cats drinking less water?

Drinking less water for a long time is very harmful, such as urinary retention, kidney stones, constipation, etc., which are all very serious problems.

A real case from a cat owner:

This owner raised a cat for the first time, gave the cat dry food for a long time, and did not pay attention to replenishing the cat's water. As a result, the cat suffered from urinary retention and blood in the urine. The cat was in severe pain and could not urinate at all, so the next day the owner rushed to the hospital to perform stone surgery on the cat. The hospital found that the protein content was too high. If the cat could not urinate one day later, the cat would die of renal failure.

Fortunately, surgery to remove the stone in time saved the cat's life. Since then, the cat has never eaten dry cat food, and every meal is canned cat food with water, and it has not had similar symptoms again after several years.

Therefore, owners must pay attention to the problem of cats drinking water, change the water in time, and try to brush the water bowl once a day. It is recommended to use a cat drinking fountain, which can also avoid water pollution. Cats are also more willing to lick water.

Conditional owners can feed more canned and raw meat, goat milk powder, or lactose-free milk, which can supplement the cat's water. Make your cat healthier!

Conclusion

Cats are unique creatures, and they are immaculate and orderly. If something is not to their liking, then they will not use it, and drinking water is just one of those things that they need to have just so.

If you find your cat avoiding drinking water, then make sure the water is fresh, in a clean area away from their food, and the water bowl is to their liking. Any sudden change in the water routine will deter them from drinking their water.

Keep in mind that sometimes, there is nothing wrong with the water, and your cat not drinking water is their way of saying "something is wrong" and you should seek out the help of a vet to make sure your feline is healthy.