How to Get a Dog or Cat to Drink Water

Some pets turn their backs to water.

You would think drinking water would just come naturally for living beings--but not necessarily. Certain humans have to be coaxed into partaking of the H2O (some would almost rather have root canal than drink eight glasses a day)--and certain dogs and cats are the same way. But being that it is sort of essential to life--here are some ways to get your pooch or kitty to drink their water.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. If you feel your pet isn't drinking enough water, add warm water to your pet's dry or canned dog food (or home diet), enough to where it's soupy. You can also add chicken or vegetable broth to the food.

2. Some cats and dogs prefer flowing water to water that just sits stagnant in a bowl. In this case you can try letting your cat drink out of a running faucet, your dog drink from a garden hose or as you pour it out of the bottle. But of course, these methods may not always be feasible (if you don't want to leave the faucet running constantly, you don't have a garden hose or can't be around pouring 24/7). In this case you may consider investing in a pet drinking fountain (see Resources below).

3. Add a couple of ice cubes to your pet's bowl. Dogs and cats often prefer colder water, which is why they may head for the toilet bowl. Some cats and dogs also like to chase after ice cubes and end up drinking water in the process.

4. Using an elevated bowl may encourage your dog to drink more water and is also more comfortable for senior dogs and dogs with arthritis or muscle/joint problems. Changing up the material, shape or size of a bowl may encourage a cat to drink more water.

5. Sometimes after heavy activity, a pet may just forget to drink water. You might "refresh" their memory by holding the water bowl up to them and swishing a couple of your fingers in it to pique their interest.

6. Maybe your pet simply doesn't like the taste of tap water (it can be pretty unpleasant depending on where you live). How about filtered water? If you already drink it yourself, it would be nothing to pour some extra for your pet. And if you don't drink filtered, it's a relatively inexpensive investment (under $30 for a Brita or like brand and three filters--then you would just need to replace the filter every so often). Not to mention that filtered water is healthier.

Tips & Warnings

• Pets that eat dry food tend to drink more water than pets that eat moist or wet food.

• Pets with diarrhea, that are nursing or have a disease such as diabetes require more water.

• As a guideline, a 10-lb. cat should have roughly about 1 cup of water per day and a 40-lb. dog should have about 4 cups. But it also depends on temperature and activity. Puppies require more water than adult dogs and kittens more water than adult cats.

• Pouring water from a squeeze-type bottle into the back of the throat can work for pets that are dehydrated. While doing so, blow gently into the pet's face so that swallowing will occur naturally.

• If your pet is not drinking to the point that he's dehydrated or it's a result of a medical condition, seek veterinary attention immediately. The vet may have to administer fluids and electrolytes or prescribe an alternative such as Pedialyte (a water/sugar/mineral mix), which may have to be administered with a medicine dropper (there is also Pedialyte for Dogs). However, NEVER give your dog or cat Pedialyte, electrolyte-infused water or add sugar to the water without your vet's permission.

Resources

• Pet Water Fountain
• Dog-It Drinking Fountain
• K9 Health Water