{"id":1151,"date":"2020-10-20T08:05:16","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T08:05:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/?p=1151"},"modified":"2021-03-04T20:49:09","modified_gmt":"2021-03-04T20:49:09","slug":"how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/","title":{"rendered":"How can you tell when a cat is dehydrated?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>By nature, cats don\u2019t habitually drink water as much as they probably should.&nbsp; This makes them prone to dehydration.&nbsp; Dehydration can be a bit severe in cats.&nbsp; Without enough water in their systems, there could be severe health issues.&nbsp; Here are the things you should be on the lookout for to see if your cat needs to have a drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#How_to_tell_if_cat_is_dehydrated\" title=\"How&nbsp;to&nbsp;tell&nbsp;if&nbsp;cat is dehydrated\">How&nbsp;to&nbsp;tell&nbsp;if&nbsp;cat is dehydrated<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#Signs_that_your_cat_is_dehydrated\" title=\"Signs that your cat is dehydrated\">Signs that your cat is dehydrated<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#What_do_I_do_with_my_dehydrated_cat\" title=\"What do I do with my dehydrated cat?\">What do I do with my dehydrated cat?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#How_do_I_keep_my_cat_hydrated_and_avoid_dehydration_in_the_future\" title=\"How do I keep my cat hydrated and avoid dehydration in the future?\">How do I keep my cat hydrated and avoid dehydration in the future?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#Common_questions_about_cats_relationship_with_water\" title=\"Common questions about cats\u2019 relationship with water\">Common questions about cats\u2019 relationship with water<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#Why_do_cats_hate_water\" title=\"Why do cats hate water?\">Why do cats hate water?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#Should_cat_food_and_water_be_together\" title=\"Should cat food and water be together?\">Should cat food and water be together?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#What_water_temperature_do_cats_prefer\" title=\"What water temperature do cats prefer?\">What water temperature do cats prefer?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#How_do_you_rehydrate_a_cat\" title=\"How do you rehydrate a cat?\">How do you rehydrate a cat?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#How_much_water_should_a_cat_drink_in_24_hours\" title=\"How much water should a cat drink in 24 hours?\">How much water should a cat drink in 24 hours?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/how-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_tell_if_cat_is_dehydrated\"><\/span>How&nbsp;<strong>to<\/strong>&nbsp;tell&nbsp;<strong>if<\/strong>&nbsp;cat is dehydrated<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you want to check if your cat isn&#8217;t dehydrated, there is four signs to look after. First look for the skin elasticity. Take a look at their eyes. Check if their cum is moist and last but not least their poop tells the story about if they are dehydrated. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Signs_that_your_cat_is_dehydrated\"><\/span><strong>Signs that your cat is dehydrated<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol type=\"1\"><li><strong>Skin elasticity. <\/strong>&nbsp;Water keeps your cat\u2019s skin elastic and supple.&nbsp; Pinch the skin between their shoulder blades.&nbsp; As soon as you let go, the skin should go back to their normal position quickly.&nbsp; If their skin doesn\u2019t snap back within one second, your cat needs a drink.<\/li><li><strong>It\u2019s in their eyes.<\/strong>&nbsp; If your cat\u2019s eyes look a bit sunken and dull, get your cat some water.<\/li><li><strong>Gum check.<\/strong>&nbsp; Healthy cats have pink moist gums.&nbsp; Dehydrated cats have sticky gums.<\/li><li><strong>Their poop says it all.<\/strong>&nbsp; Does your cat take longer than normal to go poop?&nbsp; Are their poops smaller and harder than usual?&nbsp; If so, your cat will have to up their water game.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_I_do_with_my_dehydrated_cat\"><\/span><strong>What do I do with my dehydrated cat?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing you do once you notice that your cat is dehydrated is to rehydrate them.&nbsp; If they are able, give them something to drink.&nbsp; Keep them in a cool quiet place while they drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One reason as to why your cat is dehydrated could be that they didn\u2019t like drinking from their water bowl.&nbsp; For now, encourage them by letting them drink using a water fountain specifically built for cats.&nbsp; If that\u2019s unavailable, put a bit of juice from canned tuna or salmon in their water.&nbsp; The smell and taste of the meat could entice them.&nbsp; It would also help greatly if you add in an electrolyte supplement bought from a pet store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your cat refuses or cannot drink, visit your vet as soon as possible so they can give your cats fluids from under their skin.&nbsp; If you are not familiar with how to do this, DO NOT ATTEMPT.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_keep_my_cat_hydrated_and_avoid_dehydration_in_the_future\"><\/span><strong>How do I keep my cat hydrated and avoid dehydration in the future?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a healthy amount of fluids in your cat\u2019s body is severely important to their health and well-being.&nbsp; Water helps them keep their organs healthy, flush toxins out of their bodies and to prevent other urinary problems.&nbsp; To avoid future dehydration issues, it\u2019s best to set up preventive measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How much water your cat should drink largely depends on how much they weigh, what time of year it is, and how active they are.&nbsp; Generally, for every kilo, they should drink 60ml of water every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Observe your cat\u2019s drinking habits.\u00a0 Some cats are actually very picky about the taste of their water. Replace your cat\u2019s water regularly and clean their water bowls with soap and water.\u00a0 Make sure you get rid of the soap residue.\u00a0 Cats don\u2019t like the taste of stale water. If you notice that your cat prefers tap water and barely touches the water from their water bowl, invest in a cat water fountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your cat won&#8217;t eat read this: <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-can-i-feed-a-sick-cat-that-wont-eat\/\">How to get a sick cat to eat<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_questions_about_cats_relationship_with_water\"><\/span><strong>Common questions about cats\u2019 relationship with water<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_cats_hate_water\"><\/span><strong>Why do cats hate water?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cats have a very complicated relationship with water.&nbsp; They love drinking from the tap on the sink, but they will put up a fight, tooth and claw, whenever you give them a bath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason why most cats would rather not swim on a hot day would be because they never really evolved to go swimming.&nbsp; While they can swim \u2013 in their eyes, there\u2019s no real advantage to doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another reason could be that they\u2019re just not used to it.&nbsp; Cats are creatures of habit and they HATE surprises.&nbsp; If they\u2019re not used to getting baths, or have had negative experiences around bathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lastly, cats take their time to groom themselves thoroughly every day.&nbsp; When they get wet, it only means they have more grooming to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_cat_food_and_water_be_together\"><\/span><strong>Should cat food and water be together?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll often see dual bowls meant to be used for food and water in pet stores.&nbsp; These things are better for dogs than for cats.&nbsp; Cats like to keep their food and water away from each other.&nbsp; Cats are very picky when it comes to how their water tastes.&nbsp; They evolved this way because in the wild, they needed to make sure that the water they were drinking were safe and clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That being said, cat food and water bowls should be kept away from their litter boxes for the same reason.&nbsp; If cats don\u2019t think the water on their bowls are good enough, they\u2019ll resort to drinking water somewhere else (like the toilet) or none at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_water_temperature_do_cats_prefer\"><\/span><strong>What water temperature do cats prefer?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve considered everything from how \u201cfresh\u201d their water is, to the type of water bowl they use, to where your cat\u2019s water bowl is in relation to their food bowl and litter box, yet they still won\u2019t drink nearly as much as they should, consider the temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How hot or cold their water is would really depend on their individual preference, but as a good rule of thumb, on hot days, give them cold water \u2013 add some ice cubes for extra coolness.&nbsp; In colder days, give them room temperature to slightly warm water (but never hot).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_rehydrate_a_cat\"><\/span>How do you rehydrate a cat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing to try out, when you want to rehydrate your cat and make it drink more, is to cool down the water a little. Add one ice cube to their water bowl. You can also add a little flavor to the water. That could be tuna or clam juice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_water_should_a_cat_drink_in_24_hours\"><\/span>How much water should a cat drink in 24 hours?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>How much water a cat should drink depends of it size. In average cats needs 60 mls. of water per kg they weigth. So a 4 kg cat should drink 240 mls in 24 hours for its body to be well hydrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Water intake is very important in cats.&nbsp; Make sure to check how much water they\u2019re drinking every day, and check how they are doing: do they look a bit duller and weaker than normal?&nbsp; Are their poops more solid?&nbsp; If so, increase your efforts in hydrating your cat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/How-can-you-tell-when-a-cat-is-dehydrated-2-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1154\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By nature, cats don\u2019t habitually drink water as much as they probably should.&nbsp; This makes them prone to dehydration.&nbsp; Dehydration can be a bit severe in cats.&nbsp; Without enough water<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1152,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[28,8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How can you tell when a cat is dehydrated? 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