My cat is drinking a lot of water. Is this a sign of illness?

It's definitely unusual for cats to noticeably drink a lot of water, since they usually don't drink much at all - this can be a sign of many different illnesses, including liver or kidney disease, diabetes, or a thyroid problem. If you feel that Lucky's water intake has increased lately and is more than normal, I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to. Your vet can do blood work and a urinalysis to help determine if anything is wrong, and get him started on appropriate treatment if any problems are found.

Hi. This may just be a variation of normal for Tiger. But, if it is out of the ordinary, or you feel something is off, I recommend getting him seen. He may have a urinary tract infection or some other medical cause for increased water drinking. Your veterinarian will want to do a urinalysis and possibly some lab work. Good luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. She will need to see her veterinarian for laboratory work. Increased vocalizations and increased thirst are common signs of hyperthyroidism. This is a disease where the body makes too much thyroid hormone thereby increasing metabolism. Other signs can include weight loss, hyperactivity, increased urination as well as vomiting and/or diarrhea. If this is her diagnosis, the disease is typically managed with medication. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tigger. He needs to see his veterinarian. A week is a long time for him to be experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. He could have an intestinal infection, inflammation, a dietary problem or an internal disease such as pancreatitis or a thyroid disorder. In the meantime, continue to encourage him to drink water so that he does not become dehydrated. Offer very small amounts of food as little meals are less likey to upset the stomach. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Excessive thirst in cats is always a concern and should be investigated. Squishy may drink a lot of water because of diabetes, kidney problems, overactive thyroid gland, liver disease or even tumor development. You should take Squishy to your local vets for an appointment as she will need full clinical examination and possibly a blood test to find out what the problem is. In the meantime, you should let her drink as much as wants to maintain normal hydration - she will not get into any problems because of that.

Hi there and thanks for posting! Increased water intake can have many causes- sometimes certain endocrine diseases such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism can cause excessive thirst. Other times, it can be due to kidney or liver disease. Another possibility may be a urinary tract infection. I would highly recommend Biscuit see her veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian may recommend blood work and running a urine test to help determine a cause. Once a diagnosis is made, Biscuit can receive the most appropriate treatments. I hope this helps and thanks again for posting!

If your cat is drinking excessive amounts of water then this can be a sign of kidney disease. We can often see early kidney disease with hyperthyroidism as well. I would recommend having some bloodwork done on your kitty if he hasn't had any in the last few months to check his kidney values. This is recommended every 6 months in a cat his age.