Drink MORE dangit!

Any ideas on how to get more fluids into a cat?

I have plenty of water fountains.
Add tons of water to his canned food (it used to be loaf style, now it's stew).
Give him syringe doses of water several times a day.


I'm looking for more ideas on how to hydrate my cat (He's got FLUTD).

I've thought about tuna juice...but I don't really like the:
a. Saltiness (I want him hydrated, not bloated)
b. Fishiness (Not something I'd want to do on a regular basis)

I've thought about chicken broth...but that's salty too.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

Originally Posted by Kittys Mom

Any ideas on how to get more fluids into a cat?

I have plenty of water fountains.
Add tons of water to his canned food (it used to be loaf style, now it's stew).
Give him syringe doses of water several times a day.


I'm looking for more ideas on how to hydrate my cat (He's got FLUTD).

I've thought about tuna juice...but I don't really like the:
a. Saltiness (I want him hydrated, not bloated)
b. Fishiness (Not something I'd want to do on a regular basis)

I've thought about chicken broth...but that's salty too.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

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From the sound of it, he should be getting enough water. Out of curiosity, why do you think he needs more?

cats don't really need to drink much water, since they get most of it from their food, especially if their eating wet or raw.
I would say you should be more concerned if kitty starts drinking a lot of water...

But if he's got FLUTD then it's essential to get as much water into him as possible!

Originally Posted by Epona

But if he's got FLUTD then it's essential to get as much water into him as possible!

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But it sounds like she's already getting a lot into him. How much does he need? His urine should be plenty diluted if she's giving him as much water as it sounds like she is.

Make your own chicken broth by boiling chicken in a little water without any salt. Use the chicken for a chicken salad or something else.

Try glasses of water left under a faucet. My CRF cat loved drinking out of glasses over fountains and dishes.

I honestly know nothing about FLUTD other than the need for a lot of fluids. Has your vet recommended sub-q's and is that a possible treatment option?

with the diet given moisture is not looking like an issue...Yes FLUTD cat need moisture but are you also taking into consideration Magnesium Calcium and phosphorus levels of the foods feed>>>???

Sorry, Hadn't checked for a bit after I made the initial post. Let's see, yep, his diet is low in magnesium, ash, and phosphorous (sp?).

He NEVER drinks out the fountains. He DOES eat (and drink) all of his stew. He HATES getting syringefulls of water.

I guess I was hoping that if I could figure out some way to get him drinking during the day, when I wasn't around, on his own, then I could stop syringing him with water.

I may try the homemade chicken broth idea. Although, I've never actually cooked a chicken...even for myself. This may be adventures in cooking here. Or...maybe I could get my mom to do it for me. 31 isn't too old to expect your mother to cook for you...is it?

take chicken put in pot cover with water and boil ( usually about 30 minutes)

Originally Posted by sharky

take chicken put in pot cover with water and boil ( usually about 30 minutes)

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That MIGHT be within the realm of my cooking ability. Hmmm...how do you turn on the stove?? jk

Although, seriously, I almost never cook. This will be fun.

Thanks for the input!

My cats LOVE cold water, straight from the fridge. They drink both distilled and spring water.

They actually started drinking out of my water glasses when they were young over a fountain and their water bowls and since I wanted water to be a big part of what they like, I started giving it to them, just like I drink it and all 5 cats plus my dog all drink PLENTY of water daily.

Is it possible something in your water he doesn't like? Such as pH or hardness levels?

Originally Posted by K.J.

Is it possible something in your water he doesn't like? Such as pH or hardness levels?

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I have really hard water (lots of minerals in there)...so, I drink tap water, the cats get distilled.

Ok, I misunderstood your original question. I thought you were getting lots of water in him already and I was thinking goodness you're going to drown the poor fella LOL! You can try different kinds and sizes of dishes, stainless steel, porcelain, glass....one of your coffee cups. Pami already mentioned cold distilled or spring water (something other than tap because some cats don't like the chlorine taste), your cat may prefer room temperature water (though most prefer cooler water I think). Try putting several dishes in different areas of the house. That's all I can think of at the moment.

I'm sure that he is super-hydrated already...but I'd like to keep him that way. With the FLUTD, he doesn't seem to have any ph problem (i.e. rx foods ain't gonna help much) but he does have a gravity problem (his urine is way too concentrated). So, the only thing I can do about that part is to flush him with as much fluids as I can.

I should have been clearer in my original post...hindsight and all that.