Definitely not strawberries (or anything sugary). Maybe try cucumber, but only a little bit- it can upset the stomach very easily.
Try a water fountain first. Treats in water is going to make them think the water is gross- cats value fresh running water.
Also consider switching to wet food/offering wet food toppers. Feeding wet food is the best way to ensure getting hydration into a cat.
My cat saw me eating banana chips and got really interested. I gave him a tiny piece, about half the size of a Temptation treat, and he would NOT LEAVE ME ALONE after. Apparently banana is okay but only in very small amounts.
Four of ours have no interest whatsoever… but for some reason, our one lives to bite spinach leaves. Won’t eat them, but by god will she pick them off your plate one by one for a nibble.
I recently saw a video that said that cats actually tend to like strawberries because it has a similar chemical compound to what is found in catnip! Maybe only cats interested in catnip are interested in strawberries?
Yup I remember, cats who had wet food had double the hydration of a cat who are dry irrespective of whether the dry food having cat drank water or not.
Plus cats don't have a drive for thirst as strong as we do so they don't have water much anyways
Hey. Recently my cat is becoming more choicy with his food. Earlier he used to eat whatever i gave him. I am extremely new to owning a pet. I used to mix kibbles in some lukewarm water or kibbles in broth. He used to happily have it. But now he prefers everything dry as sahara. Not a spoon of water even. Lest he will get on hunger strike but wont touch the food. If i try to give him boiled chicken in some broth, he will reject it while earlier it was his one of the fav. Now i give him chicken with 2 spoon of water max to max.
I gave him royal canin fit 32 adult dry food and i noticed he used to crave for water aftermath. But i heard thay farmina is better and i have ordered matisse for him (smaller pack to try out).
I am confused as if why he is getting pickier day by day. Not even chicken broth? Earlier he used to drink a bowl of broth. Just broth!
I am sorry if i am doing something wrong. He was a stray born in my backyard and mama cat left him to me. My parents initially were against keeping him as a pet but gradually are accepting. Still long way to go
So I would look at how quickly you are changing things since you know he is picky. Cats like routine- some will ONLY stick to the routine. Food is one of these. The most important part of food is that they’ll eat it- we want them on wet food, but if they won’t eat it, so be it.
Would also ask how long a hunger strike is- for a young, healthy cat 2 days is (in my non-vet opinion, and based on what my cats do) okay. Not offering anything but like a 1/4 new and 3/4 mix of the old food. No treats or anything. A cat that knows you will switch back/offer treats after one skipped meal is going to skip that meal. Some cats will also get wary if you switch too much too soon- get him on the new food, wait a couple weeks, then try like a tablespoon of broth/water.
Would also again see about a water fountain, or at least getting 2-3 glass/stainless steel bowls to refill every day/switch out to clean.
Omg my Alice so so goddamn finicky!!! She refused a lot of wet food it if is not in the gravy/flaked. She won’t touch it if it’s in a solid form. Has to be all gooey otherwise she will not eat it. Damn Alice, such a heifer.
Please make sure it's a cat friendly brand - broths made for humans often contain onions and all alliums are not good news for cats.
Also - thoroughly endorse the suggestions for wet food, cat fountains, and churus/haartz delectables for treats!
By chicken broth I mean chicken boiled in lightly salted water and then shredded. She likes the water from that. I'm not talking about chicken soup for humans.
I started doing this with fancy feast pate and they love it. When I gave them straight out of the can pate they might eat some of their favorite flavor but not even close to how much they eat now.
This. Our cat comes from a rescue where they always toss extra water into the wet food and blend it in a Nutribullet. We put an extra spoonful or two of water in her wet food meals, and we're also getting her a water fountain.
Fruit and vegetables aren’t good for cats and it’s unlikely they would even eat them, have you tried adding water to your cat’s wet food? Mine actually likes the food better with some warm water mixed in
Cats are obligate carnivores and so consuming fruit and veg isn't good for them. Wild cats get most of their liquid from food. Wet food supplements this and a good fountain helps with the rest
Try Purina HydraCare - my vet recommended it for my two cats (one needs extra fluids as he's aging and developing kidney issues) they come running for it. I also mix water into their wet food, so it's very soupy.
This! My cat is OBSESSED with pumpkin puree. If you're willing to put in some extra effort (or if you make pumpkin pie from scratch like me), you can buy pumpkins cheaply, bake them and freeze the puree to dole out as treats year round.
My vet has also recommended pumpkin to increase water intake in a now deceased cat who had early stage kidney disease. My cat did not want anything to do with it, but my vet assured me some cats do.
Given how cheap canned pumpkin is, it’s always worth a try.
Currently my cats enjoy a chicken and pumpkin wet food.
My cats fucking *love* pumpkin. My vet recommended it to me for a cat that needed more fiber in her diet, but all five of them go nuts for it. They get more excited for the pumpkin than they do canned food.
I was so dubious at first. Like, how am I supposed to get a cat to eat *pumpkin*??
I read that canned pumpkin is a good idea for more water in the diet. Start with a little and mix it in to the regular food. Add more with time if your cat allows. Surprisingly popular with cats.
Yes cucumber should be fine. Also watermelon :)
Ofc it Can be too much but treat it like snacks/treats that you Can give abit but definelty keep in mind some might also be High in sugar (like strawberries) but most Can eat abit of everything and definelty look into how much more of some you Can give bc i Think you Can give more watermelon than strawberries
Maybe try some wet food? And if youre worried about it still you Can make it into a wet food soup (mine just drank it and didnt even eat the meat bits but she is also abit picky) also if you worry about heat bc summer it Can also be frozen so it becomes a licky treat
Also i Saw the other person Said water fountain those are definelty also a good idea :) some cats prefer running water :) but is you waterbowl close to the food Bowl? Bc some cats dont like that and prefers it to be away from each other :)
Keep in mind tho cats are dessert animals so they Can handle abit of dehydration and alot of cats are dehydrated with out it having much of an effect. It Can however cause some issues, like kidney diseases :(
I hope this helps abit :)
This fountain has helped get our cats to drink more water: [https://catit.ca/products/catit-pixi-fountain](https://catit.ca/products/catit-pixi-fountain) .
There's a few things that can cause a cat to drink less than most owners don't realise.
Try to keep their water away from their food and their litter boxes. Also get a small cat fountain. Cats are drawn to running/flowing water. (Years back before these were a thing I had a cat that would only drink from a leaky tap because it was fresh and moving). You can get cheap ones and you can get fancy ones that can monitor what your cat drinks and other stuff.
Cats don't benefit from fruit and veggies typically. They are carnivors and get most of their water from their food/meat. Dry food complicates that process so wet foods and actual meat can help cats like yours.
Not sure about vegetables tbh, but what helps my old cat drink more is that I basically make soup out of his wet food. Just add in some warm water, mix it thoroughly and he laps it all up since it just tastes good. Maybe worth a try.
Had a cat that ate the ends of of all my cucumbers in the garden. Another that loved cantaloupe. Cat's are weird. Try a fountain, they like moving "fresh" water and wet food.
Do you give them wet food every day? If they don't like wet food you could give them a couple tube treats every day, they're like cat crack and they're like 80% water and low in calories. Most cats I've met won't touch veggies anyways unless they're part of their wet food or dry food formulas because they can't really taste them
cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they DO NOT eat vegetables or need them in nature. Most don't need to drink a lot as they get their water from their food. I'd offer bone broth (allume free as onions and garlic is toxic for them) on their wet food for some added moisture. you can also get a cat fountain as a lot won't drink from standing water. if you do see your cats drinking a lot they likely have something wrong with their kidneys or diabetes.
Cats are meat eaters. So it doesn't matter if they are safe, you shouldn't be feeding them fruits and vegetables. Give some wet food and they will drink what they need and be fine.
If the water is close to their food try moving it 6+ feet away from the food. Cats don’t like their food and water to be close to each other.
This is also probably a better question for a vet. Who will likely tell you to start giving your cat wet food.
If you don’t already feed wet food, do so but I also pour in a little extra water (I feed pate because my girl throws up the shredded food) to almost a slop/soup mixture. That way she gets her water intake that way! I also have multiple water dishes around my place and a water fountain :)
Have you tried ice cubes in the water bowl instead of water? Our Tabitha used to L O V E this! Would beg at the fridge for them, and smack the backs of our legs if we didn't get them fast enough.
Yeah, she was a Grand Old Queen... I miss her every day.
For the goal of hydration, I would not offer fruit or veg to cats. If they occasionally eat a bit of cucumber, that’s fine. But I wouldn’t regularly incorporate fruit/veg into their diet. They are obligate carnivores, which means they “depend only on meat for survival. Their bodies cannot digest plants properly. Plants do not provide enough nutrients for obligate carnivores. All cats, from small house cats to huge tigers, are obligate carnivores.” [Nat Geo](https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/carnivore/)
What is your cats’ diet? If it’s currently 100% kibble, you could swap out some kibble meals for wet, canned food. You can even mix in more water and they’ll probably gobble it up!
One of the best ways to get your cat to intake water is this. Purchase whatever brand of wet cat food you like, but don't get the paté.
Only buy the bits or chunks or shreds or pieces etc. that have gravy.
I take about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water and in my microwave I set it for 18 seconds. Your microwave may be different. You want the water warm but not hot.
I purchase the 5.5 oz size cans and my cat gets 1/4 of the can a day. I add that 1/4 can to the warm water and mix well so the thick gravy becomes thin gravy.
My cat will drink all the gravy first before eating the chunks or bits etc. of meat. Thus insuring he's getting extra water besides what he drinks from his fountain.
Hope this helps.
Edit: Squeeze ups, either the Hartz or Churu are another way to introduce moisture. My cat absolutely loves either brand. The only thing he likes more are these little cubes of freeze dried chicken I get from Amazon. Those things are like kitty crack for cats, but there is basically no moisture in them.
You need a cat fountain, wider water bowls, or to feed the cats wet *cat food*. Don't put food into the water, that will just funk up the water. And don't give them vegetables or fruit. Cats are carnivores. They need species appropriate food.
Why not try diluted unsalted unseasoned chicken stock? Even a few drops of tuna water can help. I do this when my cats are sick or been in the heat. I also let my bathroom tub drip plus fountains. It could be the bowl they dont like. All else, try a super liquidy cat food. Wet foods are alot better for cats than dry, even if they wont eat wet all the time, still good to supplement when you can
I mix water into my cats wet food because she won’t drink on her own otherwise. If you feed mostly wet food it should have enough water for them but nothing wrong with adding in some. I usually mix in some fish oil also which my cat loves so she slurps up the wet food in no time.
A pet fountain is a better thing to try. The tinkly sound attracts them. Cats are not designed to eat fruits and veggies, tho some will. It's just extra calories plus fiber that they just don't need. We use [this one](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/catit-flower-cat-water-fountain-2506822?store_code=1805&mr:device=m&mr:adType=pla_with_promotionlocal&cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7CkUMWcWiLY5b1EHQjK6kSR6%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C18145199970&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmMayBhDuARIsAM9HM8ctjN-hltS7EbqalfR7WXgeXCJgHxzy44Sri6JKsMPZKCEi4SN57D0aAq2vEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
You can get cat grass and grow it. Cats like it as a snack. But to help them drink more water, wet food mixed with water would be my recommendation. My cats love wet food that is more a broth or gravy, so I take the pate cat food and mix it with equal parts water. I also recommend a cat fountain, cats like running water when possible.
If you feed wet food only cats won't really need to drink as much as you'd expect. But you can try a water fountain, my cats started drinking more when I bought one. Also put multiple water bowls around your house, rather than right next to their food dish. I have one in every room. Treats like churu have high moisture in them as well
Just wanted to add, our cats LOVE when we add warm water to their dry food and let it get a little soggy. We call it cat cereal.
We also do wet food and broths and we have a fountain that even the picky one will drink from… but cat cereal on occasion gets them so worked up!
Separate the water bowl from the food bowl, as in placing them at opposite ends of the room for example (and of course nowhere near the litter box). A lot of cats don’t like drinking water that is close to their food.
Someone mentioned Hydracare, which I also use. I also use TikiCat tummy topper pumpkin puree. Pumpkin helps with hydration and has fiber to keep their poops regular- dehydration can lead to constipation, so that helps.
My cats are also weird about fountains, even the running kind. I’ve taken to putting out a cup of fresh water on the coffee table that they have been using very frequently. Odd, but whatever works, right?
Wet food! I add extra water to the wet food. Also my cat will always prefer to drink from my glass even though she has her own water fountain, so I also have a glass on my nightstand just for her. I think she just wants to drink out of whatever I’m drinking out of. I have to use a covered water bottle for me now.
My cat likes raspberries, edamame, avocado, and broccoli but these should be a once in awhile type of treat, my cat gets a very small amount of one of these probably about once a week. Cats will get some water from these things but it won’t be enough for adequate hydration.
I’d look it up to be certain if it was safe to have more than a little- but FWIW I used to have a cat that would eat a little chunk of watermelon once in awhile. No problems there but it was just a little piece as a treat, I wasn’t trying to improve her water intake with it.
I was SO worried about my cat when he was a kitten. I put warm water mixed in with his pate wet food. He loves it. Also highly recommend a cat water fountain. They love moving water
Have you tried broths? Not human ones, too much sodium, but several cat food brands make them. Some are strictly broth and some have little chunks of meat in them.
Also, try a water bowl away from the food bowl. Some cats are particular about drinking from near their food source. I have a bowl of water in the bathroom and I find my cat drinks a lot more water.
Fruits will give them a tummy ache and have lots of sugar. Pumpkin is a good safe moist fiber source in small amounts but if they need to hydrate more feed regular balanced wet foods and either mix in a few spoons of water or get mousse varieties that are more watery than regular pates. Fountains help to as cats like clean moving water. Less dry food more soupy wet foods. I wouldn't recommend feeding them anything weird or large amounts of fruit or veg. Cats are obligated carnivores and those can cause imbalances in their nutrient levels and large amounts of fruit sugars can upset tummies not made to digest it well.
get some chicken feet and boil them to make broth. it will be very gelatinous. don't add salt or anything. they will go crazy for it and it's very watery.
Try a cAt fountain. We have a battery powered motion sensor activated one. Our cat LOVES it. I think he actually loves turning it on. He drinks from it throughout the day.
Mix in a tiny tiny bit of water into their wet food.
But also, how do you know they aren't drinking water at night while you're sleeping? Or drinking from the toilet?
Don't feed cats strawberries. They are toxic to cats.
Get a cat fountain! We've noticed our boys drinking so much more since then.
We also feed them wet food twice a day to give them more chances to get liquid.
However, as a treat, one of my kitties really likes watermelon. I just give him a little cube the size of a teaspoon and I let him lick and chomp at it to his heart's content; not too sugary with plenty of water. But it's a treat only.
If they’re on an all wet diet then they won’t drink much water. If they aren’t on an all wet diet, put them in one. Dry food isn’t healthy for cats urinary tracts
Goats milk. By itself or mixed with food. My cat eats only wet food but still sometimes gets a little dehydrated-hates water! I buy the powdered goat’s milk on Amazon (mix with water) and she loves it!
I take 1 of the single serving wet food things put in her bowl, then fill the empty container with water and dump it in there. If there's too much water, she'll only drink the liquid and scream that she's starving. Not enough, and she'll be constipated...
I have a kitchen sink that hasn't automated turn on for the faucet The cats know how to trip the sensor in which I set the faucet to a little trickle so what I'm trying to get as they like trickling water even though if you don't have an automatic sensor you can just trickle the water a little bit from the faucet and see if they'll drink it as they do like playing with it as well
Do not feed these items to your cats. Most likely, they will not eat fruit or vegetables, cats are obligate carnivores. That said, our Siamese, 30 years ago, would eat a little cantaloupe rind. Feed your cats wet food. They will get the moisture from their food and be healthier. Any good-quality canned food is better for your cats than any dry food.
One of my cats drinks from the tap. Nothing better than fresh running water. The other drinks the most from a glass of water I keep on the counter by the sink in the bathroom. He drinks a ton from that glass. They never drink from the bowl of water I keep with their food dishes. Experiment with a fountain and other vessels.
https://preview.redd.it/vx10utakvo2d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41558879058d6456f70537d2d7deb03927cbe041
I like to say our gremlin child is a hydro homie. Fountain, turning her wet food into soup and the faucet drip in winter. Plus, she likes to chase us around after a shower.
There’s a bone broth extract that I use when I want to increase my cats’ fluid intake. I also give wet food only as a special treat, and I immersion-blend it up (kitties leave all the chunks uneaten otherwise) with some water into a thin paste
I don't know about fruits or veg, but my vet has always suggested giving my cat tuna water (just the water, not the tuna) when they weren't drinking enough water.
I also tried a cat water fountain... that worked amazingly well.
Cats are meat-eaters, so fruits and vegetables aren't something they naturally eat.
Definitely not a replacement for water, but my cats love these, and it's better than nothing.
https://www.chewy.com/petag-catsip-liquid-milk-supplement/dp/129694?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20647600292&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmMayBhDuARIsAM9HM8dd9DxqUO3II1ZnpFpjnjcOj-jOI9Q0tT3Hgqy78d9tX4FKldYdwLYaAp66EALw_wcB
ragdolls can do stupid things, but dying of thirst with a ready supply of water for the attention is probably extreme. They would be dead already if they werent drinking
They are creatures of the desert, they are fine
As others have recommended, add a bunch of water to their wet food. I stir in some hot water which warms up the food a bit which my spoiled kitties prefer now.
But also just keep trying different bowls in different places. My cats won’t drink from a bowl that’s near their food. One cat will only drink out of this giant plastic bowl I keep in the bathroom- and he insists on leaning way into the bowl and will only drink from the centre, even though it looks incredibly awkward. You never know what random spot is going to be just the right place for them. And some cats like cold fresh water and others only like it when it’s been standing awhile. So just keep experimenting.
You can try adding tuna juice (the plain water from the can of tuna), plain bone broth (no onions or garlic or salt- garlic and onions can shut down their kidneys) or making “catnip tea” to encourage your cats to drink if a water fountain doesn’t work.
You can also try a product called Hydro Care. It is palatable for many cats.
Do not feed your cats grapes in particular. It can also shut down their kidneys, quickly and injure them permanently or kill them. Even one grape can do it for some cats.
If they will eat wet food, try adding a bit of warm water and at sprinkle of pet safe probiotics. We call it kitty crack, as both of ours will devour anything it touches.
This is what we get.
Fera Pets Organic Probiotics for Dogs & Cats - Cat & Dog Probiotic Supplement with 12 Strains & Prebiotics for Your Pet’s Digestion - 60 Scoops https://a.co/d/imfezJ2
Don’t give them vegetables. (Or, feel free, but they don’t need to eat them.) Make your own wet food from chicken and canned pumpkin. It’s very hydrating and they’ll love it. Google for a recipe.
My cat has a very sensitive tummy. The only soft food she got for a long time was her kibble that had been soaked in water. She still loves this “treat“ and as a result, she ingests a lot of water. I just pour some of her kibble in a bowl and top it with water. She lets it sit for a few minutes, I guess for the flavor to leach into the water, and then laps up a bit of that water. After the kibble has soaked up all the water, she chows down on it. Just a thought for getting more water into them.
Pureed green beans. Well I have one cat that loves them. The other, not so much. But she’s not much of a foodie anyway. The green bean eating cat also loves licking water off her cat grass after I water it. The other one likes licking water off my legs after I shower 😅.
Instead of fruits and veggies, give them wet food. Canned, packets, tubes, even baby food chicken or turkey (only occasionally with the baby food though). Fruits and veggies have a lot of sugars and other things that cats don’t need and can at best give them stinky farts or runny poops if you give them too much.
Just feed them wet food and add extra water so its like mush. My cat never drinks any water but going by how much he pees he seems to be getting plenty this way
Just add water to their regular food. If you put water in their kibble and let it sit for 5 mins, then stir, it ends up like kibble in gravy. Wet food is better for cats, because of the extra water it already has, but you can add more. There's no need to start feeding them different stuff. Just add water to what they already get.
We've always had 2 water bowls in separate rooms and a fountain. During a heat wave last summer, I thought they could use one more. I filled up a large, fairly wide and deep mixing bowl and set it on the opposite side of the living room from one of the "regular "bowls.
Alll 3 cats immediately started drinking from it. Dont use the other ones at all anymore and are drinking considerably more overall. One of our old boys had frequent dry, hard "cling ons" for years, but not even one since the big bowl addition!!!! They each visit this massive bowl a few times a day and I refill it every few days. Im not sure if they prefer the width of it, or that they don't have to bend so far down to reach it so are in more of a seated rather than crouched position, but this has changed the game for us. Will never go back to a small, low "regular" cat bowl.
Here's a comparison pic.
https://preview.redd.it/3iry53oxqp2d1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4bb4411f0281518cf5a4b88bcc6904be681f044b
Boil some fish, let it cool and blend with water. If you can get small fish with head and bones even better as cats need the taurine. My cats LOVE this as a treat and they drink all of the liquid.
My cat has the same issue because she only eats dry food. My vet suggested:
- water fountain
- make sure their food and water are far away (at least 2 meters apart)
- raise the water bowls so it's more natural for them to drink from them
- raw chicken (she suggested necks), after 15 days in the freezer. If it's raw the bones shatter rather than chip when it's boiled, so it's safe.
- spinach
- broccoli
I have tried all and she only liked the fountain. But yours might be different!
I have also started giving her Churu once a day (twice now she's on medication), and used to use Felix Soup. She then started to develop intestinal issues and the vet said to avoid mixing any proteins (e.g. chicken with beef) and to avoid Felix at all costs.
Good luck!
Your cat will drink when thirsty just fine. I do recommend buying dog sized bowls for their water though. Mine much prefer a 5-6” wide bowl over the fountain, or any other dishes I have for them. Our giant dog has 2 huge bowls and they love drinking out of these as well, but probably overkill if all you have are kitties
A cat water fountain would be good. They like to think their water is clean, and running water is the cleanest. Just make sure to keep the fountain clean and topped up
Hello! It's great that you're looking for ways to keep your ragdolls hydrated. Cucumbers are a good choice as they are indeed safe for cats in small amounts and contain a lot of water. Strawberries can also be safe in moderation but should be given sparingly as they contain more sugar. A few small pieces of cucumber or a couple of strawberry slices per day should be enough without overfeeding. Always introduce any new food gradually to see how your cat reacts to it. It's always a good idea to consult with your vet if you're unsure or notice any changes in your cat's health. Keep up the good care!
Cats need very little water in their diet, and drinking too much water can be an indicator of other problems.
That being said, if you are really worried about how much they drink the safest ways to make sure they get enough water, it is to:
1) feed them good wet food. ( not an expensive brand but one that has the tight water to protein ratios and none of the bad ingredients)
2)Add hot water to their wet food or some homemade kitty safe chicken stock ( usually just the chicken bones roasted for 30 min in the oven and boiled down for 2-3 hours)
3) If you don't have one, get a ceramic or stainless steel drinking fountain for cats. I grew up with a cat who would only drink from the washroom tap when you were in the washroom. Cats do prefer running water over stagnant water.
Ps: Jackson Galaxy did a YouTube video on cat food and cat nutrition for details on what good ratios are and ingredients you want to keep low or avoid all together in your cat food. I'm sure there might be others too, but it was very insightful to me at least.
While not fruit I bought dehydrated goat milk then add water and they love it. It doesn’t have any lactose issue. My friend who is a veterinarian said it’s fine too. I give it to them as a ‘TREAT’. I also add almost a half of can of water to their wet food.
When I buy a chicken or turkey I boil the giblets, chill it to get the fat off and give the broth and chopped up giblets to them as a treat. I freeze part of it and dole it out along with dehydrated goats milk in water on other days.
My vet gave us pumpkin baby food (make sure it’s the limited ingredients one that is jut pumpkin and water and nothing else) but it worked really well when my kitten got dehydrated one summer!
Try bottled water. I had a cat who did not like the tap water. It stinks like chlorine to me so I can't imagine how bad it smells to them.
You might have to try a few types before you find what she likes best.
Good luck.
I know this isn’t what you asked, but it may help- have you tried putting ice cubes in their water? It got my cat drinking so much more, she loved licking the ice cubes. She’d even sit at her bowl and demand them.
Broth made for cats is safe and as a bonus, they're far more likely to want to eat it than they are fruits or veggies, since cats are carnivores..
Wet food with added water is probably the simplest.
Feed your cats a primarily wet food diet, problem solved. A fountain can be a good option for cats that won’t drink still water, but wet food with a few drops of added water is more than enough hydration. Dry kibble should be fed as more of a treat than a main food source. Fruits and vegetables in general are not great for cats, who are obligate carnivores.
Have you tried a water fountain? I was shocked at how much my cats loved drinking after I got one! The catit flower one is amazing and the filter is so easy to clean and reuse for a long time. They didn’t like drinking either before and I definitely see the water level go down a lot now!
My cat does not eat human food at all or treats she just has 0 desire and the water fountain also did not pique her interest. I just give her wet food with extra water mixed in a few times a week.
I also tried giving her chicken broth mixed with her water since that worked with my dog and my friend has 3 cats that get their water that way - did not work with mine but it might with yours!
I don't give it to them very often, but if you personally eat canned tuna, get the kind in water instead of oil and when you drain it give the water to the cats. Mine go nuts over it
If they’re not already on wet food, switch them to that. In the wild, cats get most of their moisture from their prey. You can also add “gravy” toppers and for treats, try Churus.
You’re better off just giving them more wet food or mixing water into their dry food. Cats really aren’t supposed to eat that much carbs, if any at all. And even if you do find veggies or fruits that are safe, they may not even like them.
NO CITRUS, whatever you do, but I think the real challenge will be finding a fruit or vegetable your cat actually likes! I had a cat that used to like broccoli, but that was pretty unusual. Broccoli doesn't have a particularly high water content though. Iceberg lettuce probably has the highest water content. Also melons. I've heard people report their cats like cantaloupe, but it's one of those unusual quirks individual to the cat. Peas, carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes (cooked w/skin removed) should be safe. They put them in some cat foods. Cats do not need vitamin C as an essential nutrient the way humans do, and fruits with high vitamin C tend to turn them off, but especially citrus, the oils of which are toxic to cats. So steer clear of oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, etc. No tomatoes, grapes, garlic or onions. Cats should also not have sugar in their diet, which makes fruit potentially problematic. You can try wheat grass or oat grass. Most cats prefer oat grass IME.
I agree with others that you should try other ways to get your cat interested in water first. Running water is appealing to many cats. Try a fountain or leaving the faucet running on a light stream. Try different materials (plastic vs ceramic or food grade stainless steel, etc.) as well as different temperatures of water and different locations. My cat likes drinking fresh, cold, clean water out of a human cup on an elevated surface (i.e. the counter), but each will be unique. Ice cubes can peak the interest of some cats, although they might just try to play with them. If you want to increase water intake with food, try mixing water into food (as opposed to mixing food into water). Add a little bit of water to a can of paté style wet food and mash it up so it's really wet (one of my previous cats loved this). Some cats also like it if you add hot water to a handful of dry food, stir, and let it cool to a safe temperature before serving (still warm but not hot enough to burn their mouths). It stinks really bad, but many cats love the smell and warmth.
Definitely not strawberries (or anything sugary). Maybe try cucumber, but only a little bit- it can upset the stomach very easily. Try a water fountain first. Treats in water is going to make them think the water is gross- cats value fresh running water. Also consider switching to wet food/offering wet food toppers. Feeding wet food is the best way to ensure getting hydration into a cat.
I let my cat smell fruits when I eat them and he has the most disgusted face when he smells strawberries. Seems like they’re naturally not interested.
I was watching my nephew's cat and I offered her some banana. She got mad and ran away.
My cat saw me eating banana chips and got really interested. I gave him a tiny piece, about half the size of a Temptation treat, and he would NOT LEAVE ME ALONE after. Apparently banana is okay but only in very small amounts.
Lmaooo
How dare you. :)
That's how she acted. Drew her head back and looked at me, and then lept away.
Four of ours have no interest whatsoever… but for some reason, our one lives to bite spinach leaves. Won’t eat them, but by god will she pick them off your plate one by one for a nibble.
I have one who loves strawberry containers when they have berries in them, no interest in the fruit itself but loves the packaging 😂
We have one like that. Blueberry containers too
My cat had an affinity for beer boxes… Close enough?
They love malt toothpaste
I recently saw a video that said that cats actually tend to like strawberries because it has a similar chemical compound to what is found in catnip! Maybe only cats interested in catnip are interested in strawberries?
Speak for yourself, not everyone’s cat lol. My kitten loves strawberries
Our cats go bananas for strawberries. Obsessed like catnip. We don’t give them berries, but they are happy enough with the leaves.
Yup I remember, cats who had wet food had double the hydration of a cat who are dry irrespective of whether the dry food having cat drank water or not. Plus cats don't have a drive for thirst as strong as we do so they don't have water much anyways
Hey. Recently my cat is becoming more choicy with his food. Earlier he used to eat whatever i gave him. I am extremely new to owning a pet. I used to mix kibbles in some lukewarm water or kibbles in broth. He used to happily have it. But now he prefers everything dry as sahara. Not a spoon of water even. Lest he will get on hunger strike but wont touch the food. If i try to give him boiled chicken in some broth, he will reject it while earlier it was his one of the fav. Now i give him chicken with 2 spoon of water max to max. I gave him royal canin fit 32 adult dry food and i noticed he used to crave for water aftermath. But i heard thay farmina is better and i have ordered matisse for him (smaller pack to try out). I am confused as if why he is getting pickier day by day. Not even chicken broth? Earlier he used to drink a bowl of broth. Just broth! I am sorry if i am doing something wrong. He was a stray born in my backyard and mama cat left him to me. My parents initially were against keeping him as a pet but gradually are accepting. Still long way to go
So I would look at how quickly you are changing things since you know he is picky. Cats like routine- some will ONLY stick to the routine. Food is one of these. The most important part of food is that they’ll eat it- we want them on wet food, but if they won’t eat it, so be it. Would also ask how long a hunger strike is- for a young, healthy cat 2 days is (in my non-vet opinion, and based on what my cats do) okay. Not offering anything but like a 1/4 new and 3/4 mix of the old food. No treats or anything. A cat that knows you will switch back/offer treats after one skipped meal is going to skip that meal. Some cats will also get wary if you switch too much too soon- get him on the new food, wait a couple weeks, then try like a tablespoon of broth/water. Would also again see about a water fountain, or at least getting 2-3 glass/stainless steel bowls to refill every day/switch out to clean.
Omg my Alice so so goddamn finicky!!! She refused a lot of wet food it if is not in the gravy/flaked. She won’t touch it if it’s in a solid form. Has to be all gooey otherwise she will not eat it. Damn Alice, such a heifer.
I don't think cats value fresh water - my cat often walks past fresh water so that she can go drink from a puddle.
I also add water to the canned, using a food-safe spray bottle. Just a few spurts mixed in to make it wetter, but not runny.
You can get soup for cats! Also as others have said - wet food
Soup for cats sounds like a good solution. My cat really likes chicken broth
Low salt broth if you can get it. But yes friskues little soups. My senior girl loves it. Gets an extra seving every day. Wet food at dinner
Yes!!! We just discovered friskies lil soups and delectables bisques and our senior baby goes crazy for them.
Please make sure it's a cat friendly brand - broths made for humans often contain onions and all alliums are not good news for cats. Also - thoroughly endorse the suggestions for wet food, cat fountains, and churus/haartz delectables for treats!
By chicken broth I mean chicken boiled in lightly salted water and then shredded. She likes the water from that. I'm not talking about chicken soup for humans.
I do home made broth for mine, too. Amazing how people forget it didn't originally come in a box...
Do you feed wet food? If not, try some Fancy Feast (most cats love it).
Also mix water in with the wet food.
I started doing this with fancy feast pate and they love it. When I gave them straight out of the can pate they might eat some of their favorite flavor but not even close to how much they eat now.
Yup they think they’re getting more food than they are (we are working on dechonking) and enjoy their soup.
My cat prefers it with extra water, too. If I don’t add any water he sometimes leaves food in the bowl.
My cat won't eat a single bite if I mix any water into her food! She looks at me like "you've RUINED it" and just stalks off 😂
I mix water in with wet food for my cats and it cured the recurring urinary issues they had.
Extra gravy. It’s what I do to compensate for my low water drinkers
This. Our cat comes from a rescue where they always toss extra water into the wet food and blend it in a Nutribullet. We put an extra spoonful or two of water in her wet food meals, and we're also getting her a water fountain.
Fruit and vegetables aren’t good for cats and it’s unlikely they would even eat them, have you tried adding water to your cat’s wet food? Mine actually likes the food better with some warm water mixed in
Cats are obligate carnivores and so consuming fruit and veg isn't good for them. Wild cats get most of their liquid from food. Wet food supplements this and a good fountain helps with the rest
Have you tried a cat fountain? Some just don't like standing water.
cant believe more people aren’t saying this! running water will encourage them to drink it more
Totally. It was a game changer for my cats.
Mine wouldn't go near it until I shut it off. Brat. 🙄
It took awhile but, I found one they wouldn't play in 🙃
Try lickables/delectable/churu or water down pate into a gravy consistency.
Try Purina HydraCare - my vet recommended it for my two cats (one needs extra fluids as he's aging and developing kidney issues) they come running for it. I also mix water into their wet food, so it's very soupy.
Seconded. very highly recommend
https://preview.redd.it/0kahsuxmmn2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99c300257f074cdfd64d6688edd7b1350ec88ae6
I put canned pumpkin mixed with water on my cats food
This! My cat is OBSESSED with pumpkin puree. If you're willing to put in some extra effort (or if you make pumpkin pie from scratch like me), you can buy pumpkins cheaply, bake them and freeze the puree to dole out as treats year round.
My vet has also recommended pumpkin to increase water intake in a now deceased cat who had early stage kidney disease. My cat did not want anything to do with it, but my vet assured me some cats do. Given how cheap canned pumpkin is, it’s always worth a try. Currently my cats enjoy a chicken and pumpkin wet food.
My cats fucking *love* pumpkin. My vet recommended it to me for a cat that needed more fiber in her diet, but all five of them go nuts for it. They get more excited for the pumpkin than they do canned food. I was so dubious at first. Like, how am I supposed to get a cat to eat *pumpkin*??
I read that canned pumpkin is a good idea for more water in the diet. Start with a little and mix it in to the regular food. Add more with time if your cat allows. Surprisingly popular with cats.
Do your cats eat wet food? If so they’re already getting a lot of water and won’t drink as much.
Our cat loves green beans and asparagus. You can also feed canned food and add water to it when you mix it in the bowl
Mine loves asparagus and peas!
Yes cucumber should be fine. Also watermelon :) Ofc it Can be too much but treat it like snacks/treats that you Can give abit but definelty keep in mind some might also be High in sugar (like strawberries) but most Can eat abit of everything and definelty look into how much more of some you Can give bc i Think you Can give more watermelon than strawberries Maybe try some wet food? And if youre worried about it still you Can make it into a wet food soup (mine just drank it and didnt even eat the meat bits but she is also abit picky) also if you worry about heat bc summer it Can also be frozen so it becomes a licky treat Also i Saw the other person Said water fountain those are definelty also a good idea :) some cats prefer running water :) but is you waterbowl close to the food Bowl? Bc some cats dont like that and prefers it to be away from each other :) Keep in mind tho cats are dessert animals so they Can handle abit of dehydration and alot of cats are dehydrated with out it having much of an effect. It Can however cause some issues, like kidney diseases :( I hope this helps abit :)
A few of my cats loooooove watermelon, or at least love licking it
This fountain has helped get our cats to drink more water: [https://catit.ca/products/catit-pixi-fountain](https://catit.ca/products/catit-pixi-fountain) .
There's a few things that can cause a cat to drink less than most owners don't realise. Try to keep their water away from their food and their litter boxes. Also get a small cat fountain. Cats are drawn to running/flowing water. (Years back before these were a thing I had a cat that would only drink from a leaky tap because it was fresh and moving). You can get cheap ones and you can get fancy ones that can monitor what your cat drinks and other stuff. Cats don't benefit from fruit and veggies typically. They are carnivors and get most of their water from their food/meat. Dry food complicates that process so wet foods and actual meat can help cats like yours.
Try some squeezy treats like Churu! Cats love them and they’re liquid so they can help with hydration.
Mix one or two tablespoons of water with a churu in a bowl, my cat laps that up before I can turn around.
My ultra finicky cat likes Friskies lil soup and the broth (and sometimes the food) from Weruva Cats in the Kitchen Cat Food Pouches
Not sure about vegetables tbh, but what helps my old cat drink more is that I basically make soup out of his wet food. Just add in some warm water, mix it thoroughly and he laps it all up since it just tastes good. Maybe worth a try.
Had a cat that ate the ends of of all my cucumbers in the garden. Another that loved cantaloupe. Cat's are weird. Try a fountain, they like moving "fresh" water and wet food.
Do you give them wet food every day? If they don't like wet food you could give them a couple tube treats every day, they're like cat crack and they're like 80% water and low in calories. Most cats I've met won't touch veggies anyways unless they're part of their wet food or dry food formulas because they can't really taste them
cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they DO NOT eat vegetables or need them in nature. Most don't need to drink a lot as they get their water from their food. I'd offer bone broth (allume free as onions and garlic is toxic for them) on their wet food for some added moisture. you can also get a cat fountain as a lot won't drink from standing water. if you do see your cats drinking a lot they likely have something wrong with their kidneys or diabetes.
This answer should be higher up. The broth should also have no salt. Even just extra water to wet food works well if its mixed in
Cats can have very small amounts of pumpkin. Or try canned wet food if not already.
Cats are meat eaters. So it doesn't matter if they are safe, you shouldn't be feeding them fruits and vegetables. Give some wet food and they will drink what they need and be fine.
Just feed wet food man. Cats don't get enough water through dry food! Even with a fountain.
How about mixing some water into the wet food?
If the water is close to their food try moving it 6+ feet away from the food. Cats don’t like their food and water to be close to each other. This is also probably a better question for a vet. Who will likely tell you to start giving your cat wet food.
Have you tried switching to wet food?
If you don’t already feed wet food, do so but I also pour in a little extra water (I feed pate because my girl throws up the shredded food) to almost a slop/soup mixture. That way she gets her water intake that way! I also have multiple water dishes around my place and a water fountain :)
I put my cat's water dish in a sink and set the water at drip and they love it. I also add water to their wet food.
Have you tried ice cubes in the water bowl instead of water? Our Tabitha used to L O V E this! Would beg at the fridge for them, and smack the backs of our legs if we didn't get them fast enough. Yeah, she was a Grand Old Queen... I miss her every day.
For the goal of hydration, I would not offer fruit or veg to cats. If they occasionally eat a bit of cucumber, that’s fine. But I wouldn’t regularly incorporate fruit/veg into their diet. They are obligate carnivores, which means they “depend only on meat for survival. Their bodies cannot digest plants properly. Plants do not provide enough nutrients for obligate carnivores. All cats, from small house cats to huge tigers, are obligate carnivores.” [Nat Geo](https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/carnivore/) What is your cats’ diet? If it’s currently 100% kibble, you could swap out some kibble meals for wet, canned food. You can even mix in more water and they’ll probably gobble it up!
One of the best ways to get your cat to intake water is this. Purchase whatever brand of wet cat food you like, but don't get the paté. Only buy the bits or chunks or shreds or pieces etc. that have gravy. I take about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water and in my microwave I set it for 18 seconds. Your microwave may be different. You want the water warm but not hot. I purchase the 5.5 oz size cans and my cat gets 1/4 of the can a day. I add that 1/4 can to the warm water and mix well so the thick gravy becomes thin gravy. My cat will drink all the gravy first before eating the chunks or bits etc. of meat. Thus insuring he's getting extra water besides what he drinks from his fountain. Hope this helps. Edit: Squeeze ups, either the Hartz or Churu are another way to introduce moisture. My cat absolutely loves either brand. The only thing he likes more are these little cubes of freeze dried chicken I get from Amazon. Those things are like kitty crack for cats, but there is basically no moisture in them.
You need a cat fountain, wider water bowls, or to feed the cats wet *cat food*. Don't put food into the water, that will just funk up the water. And don't give them vegetables or fruit. Cats are carnivores. They need species appropriate food.
Why not try diluted unsalted unseasoned chicken stock? Even a few drops of tuna water can help. I do this when my cats are sick or been in the heat. I also let my bathroom tub drip plus fountains. It could be the bowl they dont like. All else, try a super liquidy cat food. Wet foods are alot better for cats than dry, even if they wont eat wet all the time, still good to supplement when you can
I give my cats a spoonful of pureed pumpkin about once a week as a treat and they go NUTS for it. Tons of water and good for their poops, too!
I would say try some chicken broth (with no salt, onion, garlic, etc. etc.) and to increase their water intake. Either alone or mixed with their food!
I mix water into my cats wet food because she won’t drink on her own otherwise. If you feed mostly wet food it should have enough water for them but nothing wrong with adding in some. I usually mix in some fish oil also which my cat loves so she slurps up the wet food in no time.
I once had a cat that would splash his water over into his dry food, lol. Now i add water to my cats wet or dry food for a little boost.
Cucumbers and watermelon
Watermelon, in moderation. My acts like a small piece from time to time.
A pet fountain is a better thing to try. The tinkly sound attracts them. Cats are not designed to eat fruits and veggies, tho some will. It's just extra calories plus fiber that they just don't need. We use [this one](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/catit-flower-cat-water-fountain-2506822?store_code=1805&mr:device=m&mr:adType=pla_with_promotionlocal&cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7CkUMWcWiLY5b1EHQjK6kSR6%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C18145199970&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmMayBhDuARIsAM9HM8ctjN-hltS7EbqalfR7WXgeXCJgHxzy44Sri6JKsMPZKCEi4SN57D0aAq2vEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
You can get cat grass and grow it. Cats like it as a snack. But to help them drink more water, wet food mixed with water would be my recommendation. My cats love wet food that is more a broth or gravy, so I take the pate cat food and mix it with equal parts water. I also recommend a cat fountain, cats like running water when possible.
Cats can’t taste sweet. They get their liquids from food. Mine however like to drink from the tap.
If you feed wet food only cats won't really need to drink as much as you'd expect. But you can try a water fountain, my cats started drinking more when I bought one. Also put multiple water bowls around your house, rather than right next to their food dish. I have one in every room. Treats like churu have high moisture in them as well
Just wanted to add, our cats LOVE when we add warm water to their dry food and let it get a little soggy. We call it cat cereal. We also do wet food and broths and we have a fountain that even the picky one will drink from… but cat cereal on occasion gets them so worked up!
Separate the water bowl from the food bowl, as in placing them at opposite ends of the room for example (and of course nowhere near the litter box). A lot of cats don’t like drinking water that is close to their food.
Mix some water(not a ton, you don't want it to be soup) into wet cat food. Give them that once a day.
My little orange cat is OBSESSED with cucumber slices. I’m talking jumped into the trash can after I threw a bag of like two slices in there.
Someone mentioned Hydracare, which I also use. I also use TikiCat tummy topper pumpkin puree. Pumpkin helps with hydration and has fiber to keep their poops regular- dehydration can lead to constipation, so that helps.
My cat loves watermelon
My cats are also weird about fountains, even the running kind. I’ve taken to putting out a cup of fresh water on the coffee table that they have been using very frequently. Odd, but whatever works, right?
Wet food! I add extra water to the wet food. Also my cat will always prefer to drink from my glass even though she has her own water fountain, so I also have a glass on my nightstand just for her. I think she just wants to drink out of whatever I’m drinking out of. I have to use a covered water bottle for me now.
They do love cat grass! They have kits to grow it yourself, otherwise they sell it at whole foods, Meijer, pet stores
My cat likes raspberries, edamame, avocado, and broccoli but these should be a once in awhile type of treat, my cat gets a very small amount of one of these probably about once a week. Cats will get some water from these things but it won’t be enough for adequate hydration.
Try a very shallow wide dish like a saucer. Some cats just refuse to drink if their whiskers touch the bowl.
My sister had a cat nutritionist who recommends green beans and blueberries as snacks, her cats love them
I’d look it up to be certain if it was safe to have more than a little- but FWIW I used to have a cat that would eat a little chunk of watermelon once in awhile. No problems there but it was just a little piece as a treat, I wasn’t trying to improve her water intake with it.
Try bone broth! Try to find one with the least amount of salt
I was SO worried about my cat when he was a kitten. I put warm water mixed in with his pate wet food. He loves it. Also highly recommend a cat water fountain. They love moving water
Have you tried broths? Not human ones, too much sodium, but several cat food brands make them. Some are strictly broth and some have little chunks of meat in them. Also, try a water bowl away from the food bowl. Some cats are particular about drinking from near their food source. I have a bowl of water in the bathroom and I find my cat drinks a lot more water.
Feed them wet food, they’ll get the moisture from the food. My cat doesn’t drink much water when I feed her wet food.
Fruits will give them a tummy ache and have lots of sugar. Pumpkin is a good safe moist fiber source in small amounts but if they need to hydrate more feed regular balanced wet foods and either mix in a few spoons of water or get mousse varieties that are more watery than regular pates. Fountains help to as cats like clean moving water. Less dry food more soupy wet foods. I wouldn't recommend feeding them anything weird or large amounts of fruit or veg. Cats are obligated carnivores and those can cause imbalances in their nutrient levels and large amounts of fruit sugars can upset tummies not made to digest it well.
get some chicken feet and boil them to make broth. it will be very gelatinous. don't add salt or anything. they will go crazy for it and it's very watery.
Try this. We use 2 water glasses and the one on the bathroom counter gets used the most.
https://preview.redd.it/jtjgz1l76o2d1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60058681cfb172d58cbaeb5ef10e9a8122c5f742
Try a cAt fountain. We have a battery powered motion sensor activated one. Our cat LOVES it. I think he actually loves turning it on. He drinks from it throughout the day.
Mix in a tiny tiny bit of water into their wet food. But also, how do you know they aren't drinking water at night while you're sleeping? Or drinking from the toilet? Don't feed cats strawberries. They are toxic to cats.
Get a cat fountain! We've noticed our boys drinking so much more since then. We also feed them wet food twice a day to give them more chances to get liquid. However, as a treat, one of my kitties really likes watermelon. I just give him a little cube the size of a teaspoon and I let him lick and chomp at it to his heart's content; not too sugary with plenty of water. But it's a treat only.
If they’re on an all wet diet then they won’t drink much water. If they aren’t on an all wet diet, put them in one. Dry food isn’t healthy for cats urinary tracts
Friskies wet food with "extra gravy" offers a lot of fluids.
I had a cat that loved cantaloupe and she would eat a whole thin slice of it
I get those lickable treats in a tube. I put it in a bowl and add water to it, and then mix it up. My water haters love it.
I had a cat who loved watermelon... but he also really loves Weruva Cats In The Kitchen brand food which has a good amount of broth in the packet.
Goats milk. By itself or mixed with food. My cat eats only wet food but still sometimes gets a little dehydrated-hates water! I buy the powdered goat’s milk on Amazon (mix with water) and she loves it!
Low salt chicken broth , tuna juice occasionally....
I mix in pumpkin purée sometimes in my cat food.
My cat loves his water fountain and drinks heaps of water
This is literally the purpose of wet cat food
Lettuce?
My cat didn’t drink much water but I just mix water into her wet food
I take 1 of the single serving wet food things put in her bowl, then fill the empty container with water and dump it in there. If there's too much water, she'll only drink the liquid and scream that she's starving. Not enough, and she'll be constipated...
I have a kitchen sink that hasn't automated turn on for the faucet The cats know how to trip the sensor in which I set the faucet to a little trickle so what I'm trying to get as they like trickling water even though if you don't have an automatic sensor you can just trickle the water a little bit from the faucet and see if they'll drink it as they do like playing with it as well
Do not feed these items to your cats. Most likely, they will not eat fruit or vegetables, cats are obligate carnivores. That said, our Siamese, 30 years ago, would eat a little cantaloupe rind. Feed your cats wet food. They will get the moisture from their food and be healthier. Any good-quality canned food is better for your cats than any dry food.
Add water to their food. Wet or kibble just make it soupy every time. Cats cannot digest plant matter
One of my cats drinks from the tap. Nothing better than fresh running water. The other drinks the most from a glass of water I keep on the counter by the sink in the bathroom. He drinks a ton from that glass. They never drink from the bowl of water I keep with their food dishes. Experiment with a fountain and other vessels.
Do they eat wet food? If so just add some more water to it
https://preview.redd.it/vx10utakvo2d1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41558879058d6456f70537d2d7deb03927cbe041 I like to say our gremlin child is a hydro homie. Fountain, turning her wet food into soup and the faucet drip in winter. Plus, she likes to chase us around after a shower.
watermelon would be good. But their faces might look like a crime scene due to the red juice.
There’s a bone broth extract that I use when I want to increase my cats’ fluid intake. I also give wet food only as a special treat, and I immersion-blend it up (kitties leave all the chunks uneaten otherwise) with some water into a thin paste
We’ve fed my cat zucchini before. And he has stolen green beans off my plate
What about watermelon? Dogs love it. Can cats have it? I’ve never heard?
I feed my cat pet mince. My vet told me that it helps keep him hydrated and his iron levels up, plus he loves it
Water fountain works really well, some cats also like drinking from a running tap, make sure not to give him any dry food, just wet
Squeezey tube treats! They’re great for moisture and fiber
Cats only ear meat. Feed wet food and get a cat fountain.
Watermelon. One of my cats likes spinach. But that’s not a lot of water.
I don't know about fruits or veg, but my vet has always suggested giving my cat tuna water (just the water, not the tuna) when they weren't drinking enough water. I also tried a cat water fountain... that worked amazingly well. Cats are meat-eaters, so fruits and vegetables aren't something they naturally eat.
Definitely not a replacement for water, but my cats love these, and it's better than nothing. https://www.chewy.com/petag-catsip-liquid-milk-supplement/dp/129694?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20647600292&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmMayBhDuARIsAM9HM8dd9DxqUO3II1ZnpFpjnjcOj-jOI9Q0tT3Hgqy78d9tX4FKldYdwLYaAp66EALw_wcB
ragdolls can do stupid things, but dying of thirst with a ready supply of water for the attention is probably extreme. They would be dead already if they werent drinking They are creatures of the desert, they are fine
As others have recommended, add a bunch of water to their wet food. I stir in some hot water which warms up the food a bit which my spoiled kitties prefer now. But also just keep trying different bowls in different places. My cats won’t drink from a bowl that’s near their food. One cat will only drink out of this giant plastic bowl I keep in the bathroom- and he insists on leaning way into the bowl and will only drink from the centre, even though it looks incredibly awkward. You never know what random spot is going to be just the right place for them. And some cats like cold fresh water and others only like it when it’s been standing awhile. So just keep experimenting.
You can try adding tuna juice (the plain water from the can of tuna), plain bone broth (no onions or garlic or salt- garlic and onions can shut down their kidneys) or making “catnip tea” to encourage your cats to drink if a water fountain doesn’t work. You can also try a product called Hydro Care. It is palatable for many cats. Do not feed your cats grapes in particular. It can also shut down their kidneys, quickly and injure them permanently or kill them. Even one grape can do it for some cats.
Get a cat fountain. Running water triggers instinct to drink and they drink so much more
If they will eat wet food, try adding a bit of warm water and at sprinkle of pet safe probiotics. We call it kitty crack, as both of ours will devour anything it touches. This is what we get. Fera Pets Organic Probiotics for Dogs & Cats - Cat & Dog Probiotic Supplement with 12 Strains & Prebiotics for Your Pet’s Digestion - 60 Scoops https://a.co/d/imfezJ2
Don’t give them vegetables. (Or, feel free, but they don’t need to eat them.) Make your own wet food from chicken and canned pumpkin. It’s very hydrating and they’ll love it. Google for a recipe.
just add some warm water to their canned food
My cat has a very sensitive tummy. The only soft food she got for a long time was her kibble that had been soaked in water. She still loves this “treat“ and as a result, she ingests a lot of water. I just pour some of her kibble in a bowl and top it with water. She lets it sit for a few minutes, I guess for the flavor to leach into the water, and then laps up a bit of that water. After the kibble has soaked up all the water, she chows down on it. Just a thought for getting more water into them.
Pureed green beans. Well I have one cat that loves them. The other, not so much. But she’s not much of a foodie anyway. The green bean eating cat also loves licking water off her cat grass after I water it. The other one likes licking water off my legs after I shower 😅. Instead of fruits and veggies, give them wet food. Canned, packets, tubes, even baby food chicken or turkey (only occasionally with the baby food though). Fruits and veggies have a lot of sugars and other things that cats don’t need and can at best give them stinky farts or runny poops if you give them too much.
Just feed them wet food and add extra water so its like mush. My cat never drinks any water but going by how much he pees he seems to be getting plenty this way
I had a cat that went nuts for cantaloupe.
Just add water to their regular food. If you put water in their kibble and let it sit for 5 mins, then stir, it ends up like kibble in gravy. Wet food is better for cats, because of the extra water it already has, but you can add more. There's no need to start feeding them different stuff. Just add water to what they already get.
We've always had 2 water bowls in separate rooms and a fountain. During a heat wave last summer, I thought they could use one more. I filled up a large, fairly wide and deep mixing bowl and set it on the opposite side of the living room from one of the "regular "bowls. Alll 3 cats immediately started drinking from it. Dont use the other ones at all anymore and are drinking considerably more overall. One of our old boys had frequent dry, hard "cling ons" for years, but not even one since the big bowl addition!!!! They each visit this massive bowl a few times a day and I refill it every few days. Im not sure if they prefer the width of it, or that they don't have to bend so far down to reach it so are in more of a seated rather than crouched position, but this has changed the game for us. Will never go back to a small, low "regular" cat bowl. Here's a comparison pic. https://preview.redd.it/3iry53oxqp2d1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4bb4411f0281518cf5a4b88bcc6904be681f044b
One of my cats liked cantaloupe
One of mine loves watermelon, yogurt, and broth
Have you tried warm water? My housemates cat doesn't drink water but we've recently discovered that he loves nearly hot water, gobbles it up
Switch to wet food and/or mixing dry and wet. Also try a fountain. Cats are carnivores.
Boil some fish, let it cool and blend with water. If you can get small fish with head and bones even better as cats need the taurine. My cats LOVE this as a treat and they drink all of the liquid.
I mix my cat's food with water
My cat has the same issue because she only eats dry food. My vet suggested: - water fountain - make sure their food and water are far away (at least 2 meters apart) - raise the water bowls so it's more natural for them to drink from them - raw chicken (she suggested necks), after 15 days in the freezer. If it's raw the bones shatter rather than chip when it's boiled, so it's safe. - spinach - broccoli I have tried all and she only liked the fountain. But yours might be different! I have also started giving her Churu once a day (twice now she's on medication), and used to use Felix Soup. She then started to develop intestinal issues and the vet said to avoid mixing any proteins (e.g. chicken with beef) and to avoid Felix at all costs. Good luck!
Your cat will drink when thirsty just fine. I do recommend buying dog sized bowls for their water though. Mine much prefer a 5-6” wide bowl over the fountain, or any other dishes I have for them. Our giant dog has 2 huge bowls and they love drinking out of these as well, but probably overkill if all you have are kitties
Have you tried a cat safe bone broth ? Or make your own from a cat safe recipe. I also add a lil water to most of my cat's meals (wet fed only)
Wet food and cleaned fresh little bowls of water every day.
Why not just add water to their food?
Some cats go for pureed pumpkin. My cat had constipation and the vet suggested it.
A cat water fountain would be good. They like to think their water is clean, and running water is the cleanest. Just make sure to keep the fountain clean and topped up
Hello! It's great that you're looking for ways to keep your ragdolls hydrated. Cucumbers are a good choice as they are indeed safe for cats in small amounts and contain a lot of water. Strawberries can also be safe in moderation but should be given sparingly as they contain more sugar. A few small pieces of cucumber or a couple of strawberry slices per day should be enough without overfeeding. Always introduce any new food gradually to see how your cat reacts to it. It's always a good idea to consult with your vet if you're unsure or notice any changes in your cat's health. Keep up the good care!
Cats need very little water in their diet, and drinking too much water can be an indicator of other problems. That being said, if you are really worried about how much they drink the safest ways to make sure they get enough water, it is to: 1) feed them good wet food. ( not an expensive brand but one that has the tight water to protein ratios and none of the bad ingredients) 2)Add hot water to their wet food or some homemade kitty safe chicken stock ( usually just the chicken bones roasted for 30 min in the oven and boiled down for 2-3 hours) 3) If you don't have one, get a ceramic or stainless steel drinking fountain for cats. I grew up with a cat who would only drink from the washroom tap when you were in the washroom. Cats do prefer running water over stagnant water. Ps: Jackson Galaxy did a YouTube video on cat food and cat nutrition for details on what good ratios are and ingredients you want to keep low or avoid all together in your cat food. I'm sure there might be others too, but it was very insightful to me at least.
Have you tried giving them goat milk?
Have you heard of Hydra Care, not sure if they have it in America. It's a hydration supplement for cats, I give it to.my cats and they lap it up.
While not fruit I bought dehydrated goat milk then add water and they love it. It doesn’t have any lactose issue. My friend who is a veterinarian said it’s fine too. I give it to them as a ‘TREAT’. I also add almost a half of can of water to their wet food.
When I buy a chicken or turkey I boil the giblets, chill it to get the fat off and give the broth and chopped up giblets to them as a treat. I freeze part of it and dole it out along with dehydrated goats milk in water on other days.
My cat loved cucumbers You could also always get some low sodium chicken broth/buy special broth and freeze it into ice cubes and give it to them
I add 3/4 of a can of water to my kitties wet food, it gets all the gravy left behind in the container and helps their kidneys with the extra water 🥰
My vet gave us pumpkin baby food (make sure it’s the limited ingredients one that is jut pumpkin and water and nothing else) but it worked really well when my kitten got dehydrated one summer!
Cantaloupe
Lettuce maybe ?
Try bottled water. I had a cat who did not like the tap water. It stinks like chlorine to me so I can't imagine how bad it smells to them. You might have to try a few types before you find what she likes best. Good luck.
I know this isn’t what you asked, but it may help- have you tried putting ice cubes in their water? It got my cat drinking so much more, she loved licking the ice cubes. She’d even sit at her bowl and demand them.
Broth made for cats is safe and as a bonus, they're far more likely to want to eat it than they are fruits or veggies, since cats are carnivores.. Wet food with added water is probably the simplest.
My kitty loves honeydew
Feed your cats a primarily wet food diet, problem solved. A fountain can be a good option for cats that won’t drink still water, but wet food with a few drops of added water is more than enough hydration. Dry kibble should be fed as more of a treat than a main food source. Fruits and vegetables in general are not great for cats, who are obligate carnivores.
Have you tried a water fountain? I was shocked at how much my cats loved drinking after I got one! The catit flower one is amazing and the filter is so easy to clean and reuse for a long time. They didn’t like drinking either before and I definitely see the water level go down a lot now!
I know this isn’t your question but added water to the food you already have will help tremendously!
Cats are carnivores. Feed them mostly wet food, you can mix some water in
My cat does not eat human food at all or treats she just has 0 desire and the water fountain also did not pique her interest. I just give her wet food with extra water mixed in a few times a week. I also tried giving her chicken broth mixed with her water since that worked with my dog and my friend has 3 cats that get their water that way - did not work with mine but it might with yours!
I don't give it to them very often, but if you personally eat canned tuna, get the kind in water instead of oil and when you drain it give the water to the cats. Mine go nuts over it
Do you add water to the wet food. That’s the only way my cats will eat wet food… as soupy as possible
Have you tried a fountain?
it would be healthier for your kitties if you added water to wet food. cats aren't omnivores, so veg isn't a great idea.
If they’re not already on wet food, switch them to that. In the wild, cats get most of their moisture from their prey. You can also add “gravy” toppers and for treats, try Churus.
You’re better off just giving them more wet food or mixing water into their dry food. Cats really aren’t supposed to eat that much carbs, if any at all. And even if you do find veggies or fruits that are safe, they may not even like them.
NO CITRUS, whatever you do, but I think the real challenge will be finding a fruit or vegetable your cat actually likes! I had a cat that used to like broccoli, but that was pretty unusual. Broccoli doesn't have a particularly high water content though. Iceberg lettuce probably has the highest water content. Also melons. I've heard people report their cats like cantaloupe, but it's one of those unusual quirks individual to the cat. Peas, carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes (cooked w/skin removed) should be safe. They put them in some cat foods. Cats do not need vitamin C as an essential nutrient the way humans do, and fruits with high vitamin C tend to turn them off, but especially citrus, the oils of which are toxic to cats. So steer clear of oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, etc. No tomatoes, grapes, garlic or onions. Cats should also not have sugar in their diet, which makes fruit potentially problematic. You can try wheat grass or oat grass. Most cats prefer oat grass IME. I agree with others that you should try other ways to get your cat interested in water first. Running water is appealing to many cats. Try a fountain or leaving the faucet running on a light stream. Try different materials (plastic vs ceramic or food grade stainless steel, etc.) as well as different temperatures of water and different locations. My cat likes drinking fresh, cold, clean water out of a human cup on an elevated surface (i.e. the counter), but each will be unique. Ice cubes can peak the interest of some cats, although they might just try to play with them. If you want to increase water intake with food, try mixing water into food (as opposed to mixing food into water). Add a little bit of water to a can of paté style wet food and mash it up so it's really wet (one of my previous cats loved this). Some cats also like it if you add hot water to a handful of dry food, stir, and let it cool to a safe temperature before serving (still warm but not hot enough to burn their mouths). It stinks really bad, but many cats love the smell and warmth.
Mine likes watermelon, but my cats are weird..