How Much Water Should My Cat Drink Per Day?
It depends. There are many factors which affect how much water your cat should drink per day. First and foremost is a cat’s size and weight. The heavier and larger your feline friend is, the more water they’ll need to consume to stay hydrated. On average, a cat should drink around 3.5 to 4.5 ounces of water per day per 5 pounds of body weight. If you use metric, that’s 99 to 128 ml of water each day per 2.2 kgs of body weight.
Check out this table to get a good idea on how much your cat needs to drinking on a daily basis, according to their weight:
Of course, weight and size alone aren’t the only factors to consider when monitoring your cat’s daily water intake. Activities levels must also be considered. Active cats require more water, while lazy ones need less.
You also need to pay attention to the weather. Hot, humid days will have you cat—especially furry breeds bred for cold climates—sweating profusely. Just like humans, cats lose water when sweating, so it’s crucial for them to drink more when things start to hot up.
Please take note these are only guidelines. Each cat is different. Contact your veterinarian to check if you cat has special requirements.
Why Isn’t My Cat Drinking Their Water?
Most cats don’t drink enough. This comes down to how they evolved. Cats lack the natural instinct to drink lots of water. Their ancestors got most of the moisture from their prey. However, modern house cats rarely catch live prey. Instead, they eat a dry food diet that’s lacking in moisture. Cats naturally avoid seeking out water. However, there are a few other reasons why your cat isn’t drinking their water.
