Senior Cat Comfort & Care

As descendants of desert-dwelling cats, our housecats have a low thirst drive. They’ve maintained the ability to survive with low water intake. But it’s not ideal.

Seniors need more water to avoid dehydration and support kidney function, urinary health, digestion, and many other bodily functions.

Cats should consume about ½ cup of water per 5 lbs. of body weight. If your cat is on a wet food diet, they’ll get some of this from their meals. Wet food is 70–80% water. Cats on dry food diets aren’t getting the benefit of much moisture in their food, at only 6–10% water.

You can’t just lead a cat to water and expect them to drink. Time to get creative.

• Try different bowls, types of water (tap, filtered, etc.), and water temperatures.
• Clean the bowl daily and change water a couple of times daily.
• Try different locations and add bowls throughout your home.
• Add flavor to the water – a few drops of tuna juice (water, not oil), onion/garlic-free chicken broth, gravy from canned food, or a liquid treat.
• Add a water fountain along with bowls of water.
• Add water or cat-specific broth to food for added moisture.
• Offer more wet food instead of dry.

If you want a better handle on how much or well your cat is drinking, consider getting a smart water bowl that tracks your cat's drinking habits. Or measure and notice how low the water is when you clean their bowls and refill them daily.