Lack of water intake. Should I be concerned?

2 Maine Coons age just under 3 yrs old.

Water bowl: Drinkwell water fountain for dogs/cats and it is filled with filtered water.

We cleaned the fountain and replaced the filter last Saturday and last night (Weds) my wife noticed that the cats have barely touched the fountain and she became really concerned.

I agreed that the water level hadn't really moved all that much . I suggested that perhaps they haven't been as thirsty because: #1 We feed them wet/dry mix.  #2 I gave them a larger than normal portion of wet food a couple of days ago.  #3 They urinated a lot on Tuesday.  #4 It hasn't been all that dry in the house (AC hasn't been running as much). 

We then performed the skin elasticity test on both cats by pulling the skin on the back of their shoulder/neck and both of them had good 'snap-back' if that makes any sense.

Should I be concerned about the perceived lack of water intake?

I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as the cats pass the skin hydration test and are peeing normally. You can add water to the canned food to ensure good hydration. Most cats are fine with some water added to the canned food. A spoonful or two is enough but some cats will happily lap up soupy food.

Hi JClark.Cats originating from the desert a long time ago drank very little water Thus the reason they concentrate their urine so well.The next lizard etc that fluid in that animals was used to hydrate cats.Until they actually found a pool of water.We can as humans never get enough water into cats.I have many times with the groups i belong to seen Many M.Coons with constipation issues.I don't know why.Also the Siberians.I thought tht relation was long hair but its not.If you can add small amounts of bottled water room temp to their food they will be better for it.Also dry if you can ever get them on all meat you will find you will have less renal issues,FLUTD issues as all this moisture in canned keeps their bladders & urinary tracts flushed.Dry catfood was not designed for cats although we think so.It is for convenience only.So you can say here honey.here's your bowl Momma is going to work now ,bye.A great link and huge read is www.catinfo.org  Any canned meat being better than the top brand of any dry product.She also  talks of water fountains.Ice cubes.I've seen ice balls made with water ballons filled with water then frozen.After frozen you literally just touch the balloon & is removes itself and you put it in like a flat container & as it unthaws kitties are amused by it rolling & does entice some to drink.All kinds of things on that link.The key being not too much water that your kitties look up at you as if to  say"Where's the beef" LOL.HTH C.

Thanks all.  I made an error with regard to #2. Instead of saying Canned I should've said Raw.  They're eating well so I'm not overly concerned. I'll see what they've left in the litterbox when I get home this afternoon. 

Hi JClark.

I have dealt with many people on all raw diets.Some store bought diets contain fiber.Some don't.Fiber is needed to feed good gut bacteria in a cat.I recommend 1/8 tsp of 100% canned pumpkin.Not pie filling.You can freeze it in ice cube trays covered in saran.When frozen put into a freezer bag & keep in the freezer.Or babyfood butternut squash.Same thing you can freeze it in cubes.Only take out on a plate enough that will be gone in two days as it goes bad.Chuck whatever is left over.To give it to them some kitties will take to it & eat while others may need small amounts of chicken bayfood(no onions or garlic) also freezable in cubes.Here is a link to a friend of mine who made it her destiny to learn the cat's gut.What can go wrong.Probiotics etc.People say why fiber??? In the wild raw diets are mimicking that.A bird will eat grass,grains etc.All fiber.The bird or mouse is eaten & that is the cat's fiber intake.Too much & it works the other way for diarrhea. Her link is www.felineconstipation.org. BTW any poo that has been in kitty litter for even a short time becomes dryed out.The key when you hear digging to go & examine first hand what you are truly getting.You'll know there's poos in there but what were they like upon pushing them out is key to keeping an eye out for constipation that leads to chronic constipation which leads to Mega Colon or IBD.We as humans tend to pay more attention to the bowl being empty & not what we really are receiving in the way of BM's & just how lge or small the pee balls are.Small pee balls are not good.HTH C.

I feed my cats raw food. One will drink from the water bowl and the other one rarely ever does.  Litter box use is good and normal.

Pumpkin is usually given to cats who have constipation which doesn't seem to be the case with your cats. You can give it as a treat if you wish.

My cats eat all wet food. (mostly canned, with occasional homemade or commercial raw thrown in)

I regularly change their water but I hardly ever see them touch their water bowls. But I scoop lots of clumps out of the litterbox. So I assume that they're hydrated.

If you're concerned about their intake, add a couple of teaspoons of water to their wet food until it's the consistency of thick oatmeal.  I feed my kitties mainly wet food and supplement with dry and I always add water to their wet food.  Some I see drinking water more than others.

Hi. Cats are always well until they are not.Having 8 at one time i learnt the hard way many yrs ago.It is good you are on a moist diet.With multi cat households even having only two or even one for that matter we all assume things are alright by cleaning the elitterbox.only until one of our cats begins vomiting & possibly pooping or peeing outside  the liter box Now we notice something may be wrong.I had  3 mega colon cats in my life.Always cleaning litter boxes & providing fresh water.In an all raw diet if you do not supplement fiber you will long term have cat poo or no poo issues for that matter.If your raw food is store bought & contains a form of fiber in you"ll do fine.Because I have had to learn what I receive in the litterbpx has truly opened my eyes when there was time very long ago i thought kitties don't have that problem.Never heard of it.Hear of it as it it very real.The same going with UTI's & FLUTD period.That group having over 200 posts per week of a kitty with crystals.or blocked etc.It is only until it touches you do you realize heah I better pay more attention.I had assumptions too and my Kitties paid the price.Pumpkin is not just for constipated kitties.that is a fallacy.Unless you can actually on a daily basis observe every stool your kitty is giving you right at the time.You will have absolutely no idea if your kitty strained or if that poo was too dry.Till they begin to say heah Mom now I'm really sick & gonna show you more symptology.Cats originating from the desert drink very little water.Hydration as per kitty should not be assumed.You check them for hydration.These ailments as well as many feline ailments seem to creep up on our babes in our busy working lives.Only to come back & bite us and they become very seriously ill.Assumptions don't work.I wish.C.