💧 My cat doesn't drink much: what can I do? The Complete Guide to Stress-Free Hydration
Your cat has been shunning its water bowl for days. You've tried changing the bowl, moving it, and refilling it with fresh water twice a day. Nothing works. 😔
You are not alone. This is one of the most common problems for cat owners, and one of the most underestimated. Because unlike dogs, which drink loudly and visibly, cats are discreet in their habits — and in their deficiencies.
However, a cat that doesn't drink enough isn't just being finicky. It's a cat whose health is silently at risk.
Why doesn't your cat drink enough?
To understand the problem, we need to go back to its origins. Cats are desert animals. Their wild ancestors obtained most of their hydration from the prey they consumed — mice, birds, lizards — whose flesh contains between 65 and 75% water. Biologically, cats have not developed a strong instinct to drink from a water source separate from their food. They simply didn't need to.
The problem arose with domestication and dry kibble diets. Dry kibble contains only 8 to 10% water. When your cat eats only kibble, it needs to compensate by drinking much more than it naturally desires. And often, it doesn't.
An adult cat needs 40 to 60 ml of liquid per kg of body weight daily. A 4 kg cat therefore needs to ingest between 160 and 240 ml of water daily. If you've never measured how much your cat drinks, you'd probably be surprised by the result.
Consequences of poor hydration in cats
This isn't a matter of comfort — it's a matter of long-term health. Cat kidneys are particularly sensitive to chronic dehydration. Here's what gradually happens when a cat doesn't drink enough.
Urinary crystals and stones form more easily in overly concentrated urine. Especially in neutered males, urinary obstruction is a common and painful veterinary emergency. Chronic kidney disease is the leading cause of death in cats over 7 years old, and dehydration is one of the main aggravating factors. Constipation is also a common sign of lack of hydration, often ignored until it becomes problematic.
In short: every day your cat doesn't drink enough, a little of its kidney health silently erodes.
5 concrete tips to encourage your cat to drink
Before we talk about dietary solutions, here are the environmental adjustments that make a real difference.
Increase the number of water points. Place water bowls in several rooms of the house, always away from the litter box and food bowl. Cats don't like to drink near their waste — it's a survival instinct inherited from their ancestors.
Change the water twice a day. A cat often refuses to drink stagnant water. Change the water morning and evening, and clean the bowl regularly to prevent the biofilm that forms on the sides.
Invest in a water fountain. Cats are naturally attracted to moving water — that's why they love the tap. A cat water fountain continuously reproduces this movement and significantly encourages drinking. It's often the most effective investment for a cat that's resistant to bowl drinking.
Flavor the water. Add a drop of natural tuna juice (without salt or oil) or a little unsalted meat broth to the bowl. The smell attracts the cat and encourages it to approach. Be careful: only use products without salt, which would be toxic in high doses.
Switch to wet food. Wet food, sauced pouches, and mousses contain between 70 and 85% water. Incorporating a daily portion of wet food is the most natural way to increase your cat's fluid intake, without them having to make any effort.
The solution cats love: liquid snacks
There's a sixth tip, and it's the one cats love the most: creamy liquid treats.
Liquid cat snacks are lickable cream tubes, rich in water and animal protein. Their smooth texture and intense flavor (salmon, tuna, chicken) immediately pique the interest of even the pickiest cats. While your cat happily licks, it hydrates without even realizing it.
You may have already heard of Churu Inaba, the Japanese lickable tubes that went viral on social media. The Bubimex liquid snacks available at Waffy Pets follow the same logic: a creamy formula, rich in water, with quality proteins and no artificial colors.
🍣 Available in salmon and tuna flavors — irresistible even for the pickiest cats.
💧 Rich in water, low in calories — perfect as a complement to daily feeding, with no risk of weight gain.
🤎 A true moment of bonding — the liquid snack ritual creates a strong bond between you and your cat.
Usage tip: Offer 1 to 2 tubes per day, as a supplement and not a replacement for the main meal. They can also be used as a reward during grooming or a vet visit to reduce stress.
What you gain by acting now
A well-hydrated cat is a cat whose kidneys function better, whose digestion is regular, whose coat is shinier, and whose energy is more stable. These benefits are visible in just a few weeks.
Conversely, waiting for symptoms to appear — blood in the urine, difficulty urinating, weight loss — often means waiting until the problem is already serious, along with the associated vet bills.
Taking care of your cat's hydration today means offering it years of additional healthy life. And with liquid snacks, it also means offering it a daily moment of pleasure that strengthens your bond.
Because taking care of them can also look like this. 🐾
👉 Our Bubimex liquid snacks (salmon & tuna) are now available on our WaffyPets.com website.
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