My 4-week-old kitten eats wet food. Is it normal he won't drink water?

Feed her wet (canned) kitten food 4 times a day. let her eat as much as she likes. She is still very young and normally should still be with mama and her siblings. Offer her kitten milk as well as water. She will get a lot of the moisture eating the wet food, however eventually she will start drinking water. Normally mama would teach her to drink water when it is time. Stick a finger in the bowl when she is in front of the bowl and wet her mouth. She should understand soon. Do not put the water next to her food. Cats do not like to drink next to the food. She will need lots of TLC, and you will need to play with her a lot (paper balls , string with a feather on it, etc)

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!

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.

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!

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.

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 :-)

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.