Ways to Encourage Your Cat to Drink Water

1. Provide fresh water every day. Cats seem to be very aware of temperature and taste of water.
2. Make sure the water bowl is filled up to the brim at all times. Cats have very sensitive whiskers and do not like putting their face into a bowl.
3. Some cats do not like the taste of tap water. You might wish to:

• Refrigerate the tap water to improve the taste
• Try Brita water
• Try distilled water
• Try bottled water
• Try a few types and see what your cat prefers

4. Some cats will drink more water if a drop or two of tuna juice (tuna in water or clam juice) is provided. If you try this, always make sure a separate bowl of fresh water is available.
5. Some cats enjoy ice cubes made from flavored broth (tuna or salmon juice mixed with water and frozen)
6. If your cat prefers to drink from a tap, make sure it can always get to the tap (don’t lock it out of the bathroom if that is where it likes to drink). If your schedule permits, turn the tap on for the cat as often as possible throughout the day. Water Fountains can be purchased for cats that like fresh moving water.
7. Keep the food and water bowls away from the litter box area.
8. Keep the water bowl clean (cats have a keen sense of smell and are easily turned off by odors on the edge of the bowl). Stainless steel or ceramic dishes are easier to keep clean and odor clean versus plastic dishes. The water dish should be washed every other day if possible.
9. Some cats seem to prefer a clear glass shallow bowl from which to drink (experiment with different water bowls).
10. Canned food is an excellent way to encourage water consumption, because it is high in water content and most cats love the taste. It can always be warmed up in the microwave to enhance it’s smell for the fussy cat. Try to feed at least some canned food two to three times a day. You can always add water to the canned food (do it slowly).

Blood Pressure testing for my pet? But they don’t have a high stress lifestyle, or smoke or eat fatty foods. We are all familiar with having our blood pressure checked when we visit the doctor.    At the veterinary clinic, we measure blood pressure in much the same way for our dog and cat patients.    It is a simple, inexpensive and non painful screening test that allows us to identify and prevent serious disease.  High blood pressure is relatively common in our cats and is usually asymptomatic, but over time it can lead to loss of eye sight, brain function decline, kidney disease and heart disease.  The good news is that we can prevent these symptoms when we identify and treat the high blood pressure early.   Treatment for high blood pressure usually involves a daily medication that can be given by mouth or sometimes as an ear cream.  Ask your veterinarian for more information about blood pressure testing and ways to make administering the treatment easier for both you and your cat.