A kitten does not drink water: why and what to do?

Little kittens are very much like human children. So, while their mother feeds them, neither one nor the other does not feel the need for water, because the body gets everything you need from mother's milk. Including fluid. But once the kitten acquires the owner, parted with his mother, and he begins a completely different life. All cares for caring for a small purl fall on the owner, including the issue of compliance with the drinking regime. How much and what kind of water a little kitten needs to drink, what it should be, and why sometimes a little cat refuses it - this will be discussed.

The Importance of Drinking

The body of any mammal is eighty-odd percent composed of water. The harmonious work of the whole system of the body depends on how much it is contained, and a deficiency leads to delayed absorption of the necessary substances into the cells. A kitten having a water content less than normal will suffer from violations of the water-salt balance, will become thicker than lymph, and plasma will begin to thicken. And this leads to disastrous consequences. Constant dehydration provokes the development of urolithiasis, heart problems occur, and liver diseases develop. A cat lives without water for about five days, and for a normal life, a kitten needs water constantly.

How much water does a kitten need per day

There is no specific norm of water that a kitten should drink daily. Everything here is purely individual and depends on many factors - conditions and lifestyle, the weather outside - hot or cold, diet.

For kittens that are constantly in active motion, more water is needed than adult cats that are wise for life. Especially if there is heat in the yard, and the pet eats artificial feed.

Approximately every three months, specialist veterinarians advise testing a cat for how much fluid it consumes. To do this, for three days you need to arrange cups with water throughout the house, and in the evening count how much the cat drank the liquid. Then print the average figure of water consumed for three days. If the number is small or, conversely, large - this is an occasion to take the pet to the vet clinic.

For a kitten eating dry artificial feed, the amount of water consumed also matters. In order not to get harm from such a diet, the amount of water should exceed the amount of feed by 2.5 times.

The most suitable water for a kitten

Of great importance is not the amount of water consumed by the kitten, but its quality. What water is best for a mustachioed pet? It is of the following types:

1. Boiled. Almost does not contain anything useful. In addition, it attracts viruses and pathogenic bacteria from the air, and after a short time (about two hours) after it is boiled, it becomes unsafe. Veterinarians do not recommend giving kitten boiled water also because it leads to the formation of stones.
2. Distilled. It has absolutely no benefit, because it is cleared of almost everything.
3. Plumbing. It contains a lot of chlorine, bacteria, metals and all kinds of trace elements.
4. Raw spring or well. Useful for any living creature, but may contain substances that are completely superfluous for the body.
5. Bottled. Pure quality water, especially if it is taken from deep underground wells. It is sold in supermarkets and is most suitable for a kitten.

However, all the time to have such water in stock is unrealistic - you need to constantly go to the store for it, and it costs money. Therefore, the best option would be an ordinary standing or filtered tap.

Requirements for water intended for an animal

The drinking water offered to the kitten must meet the following conditions:

• Have a temperature of about 30 degrees, that is - room.
• Do not contain the slightest impurities.
• Be odorless and colorless.
• Be in free access (open cups).
• Change daily (preferably 2 times a day).
• Do not contain bleach.

The reasons why the kitten refuses water

There are many reasons for a kitten to avoid water. Here are the most common ones:

1. The kitten has just been torn from the mother’s breast, he does not yet have the habit of drinking water. An animal that has been separated from its mother does not yet know how to drink, and has no idea that it needs to be done. A kitten is familiar with only one meal - mother's milk. Typically, kittens learn something by watching their parents, including drinking water. Therefore, you just need to teach a little cat to lap from a plate.
2. The bowl is dirty or there is a lot of dirt around it. A cup containing water should be kept clean and not smell anything. If it is dirty or next to it is dirty and not cleaned, then the kitten will not fit into its capacity, but will drink from other places where it smells of water - from the bathroom, sink, aquarium.
3. Dishes with poor quality water. If the bowl or cup is made of low-grade smelling plastic, the pet will not drink from it. The best way out is odorless porcelain or ceramic dishes.
4. As already mentioned - the kitten learns to drink, following the example of the mother and seeing that she drinks from the dishes. Not knowing where it is possible and necessary to lap some water, the cat drinks from where it smells of water - from a sink, an aquarium, a bathroom, and so on. It is necessary to teach a kitten to drink from a specific vessel, or rather, from a cup. In the future, thirsty, he will run to her.
5. It is important for a kitten to have water quality. Feeling that the water smells (no matter what), the kitten will refuse to drink. Water for the animal needs filtration or it is better to buy it in a store.
6. The kitten does not drink, because it is sick. Even if the cat does not have symptoms indicating an illness (vomiting, intestinal upsets, etc.), it is still worthwhile to watch him carefully and show the veterinarian if he refuses to drink.

Ways to teach a kitten to drink water

It’s not so difficult to teach a kitten to drink water - there are several methods that make it possible to do this:

1. Add water slowly to milk or food - this will allow the animal to get used to the smell and taste. In addition, he will receive the right amount of fluid.
2. In places where the cat happens most often, arrange cups with water. He will stumble upon them and be interested - what is it? And if the cup is also of an unusual shape, then the cat’s attention to it is ensured.
3. Tiny kittens can be trained by wiping the baby’s mouth and nose with a finger moistened with water. The kitten will begin to lick his finger, thereby getting used to the water.
4. Another method is to add a little baking soda to the water. Some kittens like this taste very much, and they are happy to lap up the liquid, getting used to it.

If the kitten drinks a little water or does not drink at all, then in this case an examination is required by a veterinarian who will tell you what to do. If the cat’s health is in full order, it means that he simply can’t drink. Using the above methods and little tricks, he can be taught this.

Video: kittens and water - how to water a kitten?