My kitten isn't drinking water but is eating. Should I be worried?

I am sorry this is happening with Minu, it is a very common problem with cats. First of all rest assured that if she is having wet food she gets most of her water intake from that source. I worry about the tuna juice too and I would suggest stopping that, as you mentioned the salt content concerns me. Instead I would suggest trying a water fountain. Many cats prefer fresh or running water that the fountains provide. There are many designed to cats on the market. I would also try some of these simple but maybe helpful tips; Switch the location of the water bowl Multiple water bowls if you have multiple cats Change the type of bowl Refresh the water in the bowl often I hope this was a helpful answer and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lola is adorable! If Lola is producing urine and acting normal I wouldn't be too concerned about her water intake. Some suggestions though are to feed her more of a canned food diet and gradually add water to the canned food to trick her in to taking more water in. Water fountains are a great option for cats who like fresh running water. Be sure that the Vet also dewormed her for round worms as the medications are different. ALL young animals usually have round worms. She should also have started her vaccinations and been tested for feline leukemia and FIV. I would increase her food volume as she does appear skinny. If she doesn't start to gain after being properly dewormed then I would consider a food change. I like he brands Hill's Science diet, Purina proplan, Royal Canine and Iams/Eukanuba. Be sure she is eating kitten formulas until 1 year of age. Good luck!

Hi and thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Nothing alarming so far. She is at the age where her food intake will naturally decrease because she no longer needs the three meals a day regimen she was getting as a younger kitten. The only thing I would keep an eye on is her urination habits. If she is urinating more and it has a foul odor to it, you may want to get her checked for a UTI. Other than that this sounds like normal kitty behavior. Best wishes and I hope everything works out well for your kitty Mia and I hope her leg heals well so she can finally get spayed. Take care.

If your kitten is eating well and is playful and otherwise normal, I would not be too concerned. However, if he is drinking so much that he is vomiting up water or urinating excessively, then I would recommend an examination by your veterinarian.

For some cats this is normal. This is likely the case with Tinkle, because she has been eating like this for so long. They will only eat as much as they need and will maintain a lean body weight. This is only concerning if the cat is too thin. Below is a link to diagram that shows what the various grades of body condition are: https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20cats.pdf If Tinkle is a 3 or below, then I would be concerned. This could indicate a long history of parasitism (worms), or some other condition. If you are ever concerned that she is too thin, then I recommend having a vet doctor examine her for any abnormalities. Otherwise, if she is a 4-5 and acting normal, then it is great that she is so good at maintaining this lean body weight. Thin cats tend to be healthier and live longer than fat cats. I hope that helps and all is well with Tinkle.

If your kitten is eating all wet food, he will get most of his water needs from the food. I would hold back on the steamed fish, only offering it as a treat, as more than that may upset the nutritional balance of the kitten food you're feeding. Also, if he is weaned, he does not need milk and may develop diarrhea if he gets too much. Again, a little taste, as long as there are no adverse effects is fine. Always make sure he has clean, fresh water available, but don't worry if you don't see him drink. To make sure he's getting enough water, you can mix some in with his wet food and/or offer him some low sodium chicken broth to drink. As long as he is healthy, happy and active, then you're doing the right thing.

He likely isn't drinking a ton of water because he is already getting his daily requirements through his food. Boiled chicken retains a good amount of water and if you are making sure he also drinks water run off from the food, then he is probably getting enough already. Cats aren't big water drinkers anyway so don't feel like you are doing anything wrong. I would suggest placing a pet water fountain (from your local pet store) in your home to encourage him to drink more. Also I would not recommend just feeding him chicken alone because this is not a complete diet for a cat and he is likely to become deficient in a lot of vitamins and minerals he needs, especially Taurine. He need a well balanced high quality kitten food such as Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet or Innova. You can go with a wet canned food as well to increase his water intake and he will likely be just fine. Best of luck with your kitty!