Cat doesn’t drink water but eats wet food – how to change

Here are some common reasons why a cat may seemingly not drink any water but does eat wet food.

Moisture content of wet food

Your cat might not drink a lot of water because it’s already getting most of its daily water requirement from the wet food, which generally have a high moisture content. A pouch of Royal Canin wet food, for example, may consist of 80% moisture. You don’t, however, want your cat to be overly dependent on the wet food to keep hydrated. You can play it safe by adding some more water to the cat’s wet food.

Drinking water is not fresh

Cats can be quite picky about their water bowls. They may, for example, refuse to drink water from the bowl if they don’t think it’s fresh. You may get your cat more interested in drinking water by setting up a filtered water fountain. Make sure the filters are cleaned on a regular basis to prevent a buildup of bacteria in the cat’s water fountain.

Position of the water bowl

Your cat may not be drinking water because of the water bowl’s position. Cats have sensitive whiskers. They may not get a chance to drink if their whiskers keep touching the edge of the bowl. The cat may not be having the same problem when it eats the wet food from the food bowl. An easy way to resolve this is to make sure the water bowl is filled to the brim. It may also help large adult cats to have the water and food bowl placed on an elevated feeding stand.

In addition to adjusting the height, you could also try experimenting with the location of the water bowl. For example, some cats may refuse to drink from a bowl that’s located too close to the litter tray. You might want to even try placing it bedside. A lot of cats are known to drink water from their owner’s drinking glass!

Check with the vet

Dehydration is unlikely but could happen if your cat isn’t getting as moisture as it requires from the wet food. You may want to call the vet if the cat is showing other concerning symptoms like lethargy or abdominal pain.