Why won't your cat drink water?

Answer 1

I'm not a cat expert, but I think that cats can sense whether or not their food and water may make them sick. Cats have a great sense of smell and water from different sources have different odors. Cats may also detect odors better than humans. Therefore, cats maybe sensitive to chemicals in water or water from an unfamiliar source.

ADD:

The first answer is quite right; cats have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, and can easily detect any decomposing proteins in their food or water, so will only often touch fresh, moving water. However, there is a little more to it than cats turning their noses up at water just because they don't like the smell:

Domestic cats, like their wild ancestors and cousins, are designed to get their moisture from their food, so will not often drink water out of a bowl or other water source unless very thirsty. Investing in a water fountain specially designed for cats is an excellent way of enticing a cat to drink, as the water is constantly moving and kept fresh.

Answer 2

Cats are notoriously bad drinkers, even when they are thirsty. This is because they have evolved to get all their needed moisture from their prey (their ancestors were cats that lived in very dry and arid environments where water was hard to come by). It is a trait that has been passed down over the thousands of years.

There are several things you can do to increase how much water your cat is intaking. By far the easiest option is to feed a wet food diet. Canned or pouched food has anywhere between 60 to 80% water. Seeing as in the wild a cat's prey is around 70% water, wet food provides a cat with more than enough water each day.

If you feed dry food, it may be ideal to and incorporate at least some wet food into the cat's diet each day, so your cat gets at least some water.

Another way to increase water intake is to leave a tap on, or purchase a pet water fountain. Many cats are fickle when it comes to water and will only drink fresh moving water. A running tap or fountain keeps water constantly moving and fresh, and both methods are very successful in enticing a cat to drink more water.

If your cat is male, it is especially vital to make sure he is thoroughly hydrated. Male cats are much more susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTI's) which is often caused by not enough water over a period of time.

Answer 3

Try flavoring the water by adding some water from a can of tuna, well diluted.

Some cats will drink running water more readily than from a bowl. Try running a very thin stream in a sink or bathtub and see if the cat responds to it.

More on Cat Hydration:

Cats are notoriously bad drinkers, even when they are thirsty. This is because they have evolved to get all their needed moisture from their prey (their ancestors were cats that lived in very dry and arid environments where water was hard to come by). It is a trait that has been passed down over the thousands of years.

There are several things you can do to increase how much water your cat is intaking. By far the easiest option is to feed a wet food diet. Canned or pouched food has anywhere between 60 to 80% water. Seeing as in the wild a cat's prey is around 70% water, wet food provides a cat with more than enough water each day.

If you feed dry food, it may be a good idea to incorporate at least some wet food into the cat's diet each day, so your cat gets at least some water.

Another way to increase water intake is to leave a tap on, or purchase a pet water fountain. Many cats are fickle when it comes to water and will only drink fresh moving water. A running tap or fountain keeps water constantly moving and fresh, and both methods are very successful in enticing a cat to drink more water.

If your cat is male, it is especially vital to make sure he is thoroughly hydrated. Male cats are much more susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTI's) which is often caused by not enough water over a period of time.

Answer 4

It's an odd thing... My cat was having the same problem until I gave her the water in a glass. This sounds weird but they need to be able to tell there is liquid by seeing the surface of the water (you may see your cat pawing at the water - they are trying to distinguish where it is) so a see-through bowl or a small glass is ideal and you might find this works better.

Another reason is that cats are not natural drinkers. Domestic cats are descendants from cats that live in dry and arid environments where water wasn't readily available - so they have evolved to get all their needed moisture from their prey. Our pet cats today are not all that different - they still need moisture in their food. If fed a wet food diet, a cat will rarely need to drink as the moisture content will provide it with its daily water intake. If fed a dry diet, you must entice the cat to drink. Providing a pet water fountain or leaving a tap on is an effective way of doing this as it keeps the water moving, thus keeping it fresh.

Answer 5

Diabetes or the cat's kidneys are failing. You need to take your cat to the vet immediately as both problems are fatal if not treated quickly

Answer 6

It could be the heat, or it could be diabetes. You might want to have your cat checked by a vet.

Answer 7

Maybe because the cat is not thirsty. Or maybe the cat doesn't like the water, is getting plenty of hydration from elsewhere, or is suffering health problems.