Wet food is a great source of water for cats. If your cat is already on wet food, but still needs to increase their water intake, you can try adding a small amount of extra water to the food.
Your kitten is no different but she still needs to drink water and plenty of it! Kittens may get the water they need form wet food such as Whiskas® wet pouches, but they still need fresh drinking water. Water aids their body processes and helps them avoid potential problems with their kidneys.
At three weeks old, you can start introducing wet food to kittens. Mix the wet food with kitten formula to get the ball rolling. Either let the kittens eat the mixture themselves from a dish or feed it to them with kitten-specific bottles.
Generally, a wide flat dish with plenty of space for their whiskers is best. Some cats will drink more from a source of moving/running water, for many cats, this is as simple as a dripping tap. You can get water fountains specifically for cats if you prefer, with a constant flow of water for them to lap up.
Put fresh water in her bowl one to two times a day.
One easy way to identify dehydration in your cat is to check for loose skin, or "tenting." Plop your cat into your lap and gently lift up the skin on the back of her neck. In a hydrated kitty, the flap of skin will snap back into place. If it stays up in a fold or is slow to fall back, she likely needs more fluids.
Yet they still need water and can't survive longer than two or three days without access to it. "Once about 24 hours pass without water, dehydration sets in," she says. "The longer this goes on, the more stress and strain is placed on their internal organs, leading eventually to failure and death."
some cats prefer moving water so you can get special bowls that keep it moving. Or you can turn a tap on for them (you might want to supervise them if they like drinking from taps) offer them filtered water as some cats are sensitive to the chlorine in tap water.
Cool water
Cats sometimes prefer drinking water that is cold, because they might perceive cold water to be fresher. Keep your cat's water cold by replenishing it regularly. You could even pop a few ice cubes in the bowl if the weather is particularly warm.
Gently warming your cat's food will release the aroma, which is often enough to entice your cat to eat. Remember, you don't want to actually heat or cook the food, but just warm it to room temperature or slightly warmer.
In general, a kitten between 8 weeks to 4 months can be left alone for about 4 hours. After 6 months, they can spend close to 8 hours on their own.
A mix of both wholesome wet and dry food is recommended for the first eight to 12 weeks. As your kitten develops her tastes, experiment with different flavors and textures to discover what she likes best.
A can of wet food is about 70–80% water. So if your cat is eating wet food, which is highly recommended, they might get between 3.85–4.4 ounces of water from a single can (an average 5.5 ounce can). That's half their daily water right there.
Separate Food and Water Bowls
Cats also do not enjoy the scent of food while drinking water. In addition, they are turned off by food particles in their water. Therefore, keep cat food and water bowls in two separate locations.
Cats are biologically programmed not to drink water which is near their food or near their toileting area - this is thought to be their instinctive avoidance of contaminating their water with potential sources of bacteria.
Cats sometimes prefer drinking water that is cold, because they might perceive cold water to be fresher. Keep your cat's water cold by replenishing it regularly. You could even pop a few ice cubes in the bowl if the weather is particularly warm.
Many cats will not drink water that has been sitting for an extended period of time. Try moving the bowl to a different location (even if it's not near the litter box). Try a different bowl or a bowl that provides running water for cats to enjoy. If your cat eats dry food switch to canned.
If the animals are free-roaming, such as cats and dogs, sharing a water bowl is fine if both pets are comfortable with the arrangement. Regardless of whether pets share a water bowl or not, it is important to take steps to keep the water safe and sanitary.
Here's a good guide to how much water a cat should drink each day: Kitten up to three months (1.4kg) – 70ml. Six-month-old kitten (2.7kg) – 135ml. Medium cat (4kg) – 200ml.
Yet they still need water and can't survive longer than two or three days without access to it. "Once about 24 hours pass without water, dehydration sets in," she says. "The longer this goes on, the more stress and strain is placed on their internal organs, leading eventually to failure and death."
Kittens younger than four months of age should not be left alone for more than a couple of hours. Over four months, they can handle up to five hours. When they turn six months, they should be able to handle your 8-hour workday. Keep in mind that each cat is unique.
Dry food should still be left out for free-feeding, cleaning the bowls once a day, but wet food should be removed if it hasn't been eaten in half an hour. You can refrigerate wet food if some has been left, but it shouldn't be kept open for more than a day.
What do vets recommend? Wet food is not a special meal or an occasional treat. Cats can and should eat wet food every day because it agrees with the feline digestive system better than dry or semi-moist food.