Finally, the dream of a pet came true, and a little fluffy settled in the house. Playful affectionate creature has become the center of attention and an object of additional concern. Caring for animals, especially cubs, is a pleasant, but responsible business. The pet needs to be accustomed to the toilet, feed, clean, change the water. Here at this point, some owners have a question: why does a kitten not drink water?
Cats and water
Do cats need water? Of course. Like any living thing, a cat needs water for complete metabolic processes, digestion of food. Dehydration threatens with serious health problems. The condition when the animal becomes lethargic, with dull hair, is losing weight, can be caused precisely by a lack of life-giving moisture. With prolonged fluid restriction, too thick blood can even lead to death. So the worries of the vigilant hosts are not unfounded. Another thing is that a cat needs less water than some other animals, such as a dog. It is this physiological feature that explains the harsher ammonia smell of cat urine. The cat does not drink water or drinks very rarely when it eats liquid food. There are other reasons that may contribute to giving up drinking.
Kittens with mom
Newborn kittens feed only on breast milk. For this reason, the question “why does a kitten not drink water” is completely irrelevant. He has enough fluid obtained in the process of main nutrition. The need for additional drinking may arise later, when the baby begins to receive "adult" complementary foods. And in this case, if milk, kefir, eggs or wet porridge serves as lure, kittens do not need additional water. Mom will teach them to drink water. Cats are usually very responsible mothers, and procedures such as washing, toilet and drinking are taught by the parent. Make sure that the mother receives enough water and proper nutrition, then the kids will get all the essentials.
Skills and Needs
Why does a kitten drink little water? If his playfulness and mood do not suffer from this, then his norm is just the one that he consumes. Perhaps the baby was excommunicated from his mother, and he just did not have time to figure out how to drink water. He will learn. Just do not poke his face in a bowl of water - you can get the opposite effect. It will be better if you place the bowls in his favorite places of the games: out of curiosity he will surely stick himself there. You can add some milk to the water. Some owners are interested in a pet with a special drinking fountain. For some reason, a murmuring trickle of water always attracts cats, regardless of age. Maybe they like the sound of falling water?
How to determine the approximate rate of fluid? Based on the calculation of 30-40 ml per kilogram of body weight. Weigh the baby and calculate if he has enough fluid or not.
Feed quality
When calculating the daily fluid intake, do not forget to consider the composition of the main cat food. Now you will understand why. Does a little kitten not drink water but consume a lot of milk? This is his drink. As already mentioned, the need for simple water in cats is small. In nature, wild steppe cats are often content with moisture from meat, grass, and other juicy foods. A domestic cat, especially a small one, does not need extra fluid if it eats natural food. You see that pieces of meat or fish are dry - you can add a little water or broth directly to them. Cats can also have enough fluids. This is one of the reasons why a kitten does not drink water.
It is quite another thing - feeding only dry food. Although the special dry food for kittens contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals, the fluid in it is not enough for the full development of the pet. The lack of water in the animal’s body, especially in the growth stage, can lead to an increased concentration of urine, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for the formation of stones in the urinary tract. There should always be a container of clean water near the bowl of food.
Water composition
Why does a kitten not drink water if it eats only dry food and rarely eats milk? Perhaps it is in the water itself. Cats are creatures with a very developed sense of smell. Water with an admixture of extraneous odors may simply not be pleasant to them or even scare away. Water from a faucet often smells of chlorine and iron. In addition to the fact that cats may not love her, she is also harmful to their health.
Boiled water, which is often carried away by especially vigilant owners, does not give any benefit. This is at best. The destruction of the necessary bacteria and microelements, a change in the structure of the water itself leads to the fact that the boiled liquid deteriorates very quickly. It not only changes the smell, but also becomes a breeding ground for pathogenic microbes.
The best option for drinking a domestic cat is ordinary table bottled water, without gas and mineral salts.
Tableware
Cats belong to animals in which accuracy and cleanliness are especially developed. This is especially true for thoroughbred specimens. The kitten will not drink from dirty dishes if the bowl is in a dirty place with an unpleasant odor. Although on the street with puddles, he can drink with pleasure.
Of particular importance is the shape of the bowl. There can be no single advice on what dishes should be for drinking cats. It is difficult to say, for example, why a Scottish kitten does not drink water from a convenient, in your opinion, expensive bowl, but with pleasure lap from a tall vase. Here every aristocrat has his own troubles. Allocate to the cat, as a drinking bowl, such dishes from which it is convenient for him to drink. This is not always a specially acquired bowl. A drinker can be an ordinary human saucer or a jar. Cats drink specifically: they twist the liquid with a twisted tongue, like a spoon. Therefore, the dishes are chosen according to your language - so that it is more convenient.
Walking and drinking on my own
For the reason “I drink where I want,” the kitten can drink not the water prepared for him in a bowl, but the one that is contained in the can for settling, to get drunk from the bathroom or from the aquarium. This is enough for him, and you will puzzle over the question: "Why does the kitten not drink water?"
If you live in a private house, and your pet has the opportunity to walk around the territory, then he can find the source of replenishment of fluid there. In this case, make sure that access to the liquid containing harmful substances is closed.
Disease
Of particular note is the situation when a kitten, regularly and habitually drinking water in the required amount, suddenly stopped drinking. If at the same time he also looks painful, the playfulness has disappeared - immediately go to the veterinarian.
Dehydration affects the elasticity of cat skin. Take the kitten by the crease on the scruff of the neck and turn 180 ° . In normal condition, soft skin instantly falls into place. If the fold is tight and unfolds slowly, it is necessary to sound the alarm. Sometimes the veterinarian even prescribes a forced infusion of water.
Excessive drinking can also be a dangerous sign. This is a sign of stomach problems or fever, sometimes accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea.
In any case, consulting a veterinarian will not hurt. Cats are moody creatures. All habits and needs are individual and unpredictable. A specialist can give specific recommendations to your animal based on its age, breed, living conditions and nutrition.