My 8-week kitten isn't drinking water. Is his intake sufficient? Tips?

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.

Typically cats are not big water drinkers, and it may be drinking water at night when you are asleep. No, I would not give Milo cow's milk. Cats are actually lactose intolerant, and giving him cow's milk can cause diarrhea and vomiting. I would try feeding him canned food along with his dry kitten food, as that will get more moisture into his diet. You can also try a pet water fountain. It will provide a continual source of fresh water for him and may encourage him to drink. I have a pet water fountain for my cats and they love it. You can get them online or from a pet store. I hope this helps!

Hi there! Congrats on your kitten! If your kitty is eating soft kitten food on his own, he may be getting enough fluid from his food. I would keep offering water, but I wouldn't be too worried about how much he's taking in as long as he continues to grow and be playful with a good appetite. As long as water is available, he will figure it out. Canned kitten food is more complete and balanced than formula, so if he's eating that then it's a better option than formula. You could encourage a bit more water intake by adding extra water to his canned food and mixing it into a slurry. It wasn't indicated how long you've had him, so I'm not sure if the not pooping is a concern. Cats will generally defecate about 1-2 times daily. Of course, if you feel something isn't right, then it's best to have him checked out by your vet.

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.

It sounds like you are doing an amazing job! If she is eating canned food well, you can also add some water to her canned food to help her take in more water. Her daily maintenance amount of water should be around 2 ounces or 1/4 cup at minimum. If it is really hot she may want more. Also make sure you have a fresh bowl of water out for her - they usually will drink want they want. Just keep in mind she is getting water from her canned food so she may not drinking as much as you think she should. I hope this helps!

Congratulations on your new addition! If you haven't previously fed 100% canned food before, you may not be used to how infrequently cats will drink water. My cats are also on a 100% canned food diet, and I rarely see them drink water (maybe once a week). That is because they get almost all the moisture they need from the canned food. It is important to have fresh water available to her at all times, but I would not be worried about not seeing a cat on 100% canned food not drink. If you're concerned, you might consider adding some water to her caned food or adding a running fountain since most cats prefer that to drink from. If Bronte seems stressed otherwise, you could try a couple of things. One option for decreasing stress is to add a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the food. You could also consider calming music specifically for cats ( http://throughadogsear.com/tace/through-a-cats-ear-1-music-for-calming/ ). Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Wet food does have a higher moisture content, so your cat may be getting enough water from the wet food that he doesn't need to drink anything additional. It's good that you see him drink a lot of water when he eats dry food, and you can add some more water to his wet food if you want just to make sure he is getting enough water :-)