Why is my cat drinking so much water and peeing a lot?
Diabetes does cause cats to drink more water, urinate more frequently and lose weight despite eating well. But these symptoms could also be related to kidney disease, hyperactive thyroid or liver disease.
Why is my cat losing weight and not eating?
* Kidney disease: The first symptom in cats is often excessive thirst. At first the cat’s appetite may be fine, but eventually the appetite diminishes and they begin to lose weight. * Hyperactive thyroid: Many cats with an overactive thyroid lose weight even though they are usually eating more than ever.
Do Cats drink less water when they eat wet food?
If your cat eats mostly wet food you’ll probably notice they’ll drink less out of their water dish, since they’re getting their water from food as well as from what they drink. So how do you know how much water your cat is drinking?
How much water do Cats drink?
Cats obtain water from a variety of sources, including moist food (which contains 80% water). They also drink water from outdoor sources (puddles and ponds), and water bowls. Typically, a healthy cat might consume a total of around 50ml per kilogram body weight every day.
What does it mean when an old cat drinks a lot of water?
In the vast majority of cats that are drinking excessively it is because they are genuinely thirsty as their kidneys are making more urine, their bodies are detecting the loss of fluid and stimulate the desire to drink.
Should I be concerned if my cat drinks a lot of water?
If your cat is drinking lots of water and showing other signs of illness, they should be checked and diagnosed by a vet. In particular, excessive thirst in cats can be a symptom of: Kidney disease. Diabetes mellitus.
What are the signs of kidney failure in cats?
General symptoms of kidney failure in cats can include:Weakness.Weight loss.Lack of appetite.Depression.Bad breath.Diarrhea (may contain blood)Vomiting (may contain blood)Dehydration.More items...•
What are signs of kidney disease in cats?
General symptoms of kidney failure in cats can include:Dehydration.Excess thirst.Weakness.Weight loss.Lack of appetite.Diarrhea (may contain blood)Vomiting (may contain blood)Depression.More items...•
How do you know if your cat is drinking too much water?
Telltale signs often include:Being thirsty all the time.Their water bowl emptying quicker than usual.Drinking from places that they normally don't (taps/the toilet/sinks/the bath)Drinking so much that they vomit.Visiting their litter tray more often or peeing in larger volumes.Weeing in the house.
How much water should a cat drink in a day?
Your cat needs a daily amount of about 3.5 to 4.5 ounces of water per 5 pounds of their body weight. For instance, if you have a 10-pound cat, they should be drinking between 7 to 9 ounces of water daily. If the cat eats wet food often, you may notice that it doesn't drink as much water.
How many times a day should a cat drink water?
A cat should drink on average 60mls/kg per day of water. That means a 4kg cat should be drinking approximately 240mls a day (about one cup) to ensure their body functions properly.
Extreme Weather Conditions
Most cat owners take note of their cats’ regular water consumption and weight during different seasons. On hotter days, you may notice that your cat will drink excessively but may not eat as much.
Anxiety Or Stress In Cats
Contrary to popular belief, animals like cats and dogs can also experience negative emotions like stress and anxiety.
Gastrointestinal Problems
GI tract-related issues could affect a cat’s weight. You will first notice a loss in appetite. Internally, GI tract issues hinder proper digestion.
Diabetes Mellitus
Cats can suffer from diabetes just like humans. Diabetes is a disease caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body.
Kidney Disease
Excessive thirst, urination, and weight loss can be caused in cats due to kidney diseases or infections. The kidneys are a paired organ responsible for filtering excretion from the blood.
Hyperthyroidism
The thyroid glands are a pair of small organs in the body located in the neck of your cat. These glands make several different hormones that aid the metabolic functions of the body.
Visiting The Vet
The best way to diagnose and treat excessive drinking and weight loss in your cat is to visit the vet.
Our question this week was
Hi Dr. Debra, I have two 14-year-old cats. But the boy seems too be sicker that the girl cat. He is old and losing weight. I can tell because they both are VERY BIG cats. I can now feel his spine. They both seem to be drinking a lot of water. I keep three to three bowls out and I keep refilling them.
Answer
Hi Lisa– thanks for your email. You wrote that your male 14-year-old cat is losing weight, seems to have increase thirst and a decreased appetite. He also seems to sleep more.
What happens if a cat drinks more water than normal?
To do this, it is necessary to know the cat's routine and personality, as polydipsia (when a cat drinks more water than normal) and the consequent polyuria (when the cat urinates more than usual) are symptoms that can go unnoticed and, therefore, carers may take some time to realize that something is not going well.
Why is my cat drinking a lot of water and urinating a lot?
As mentioned above, polydipsia and polyuria are symptoms, not diseases. So, if your cat drinks a lot of water and urinates a lot, these are common signs of the following health problems:
What to do if a kitten drinks too much water?
If you have just adopted a kitten and have noticed that they drink a lot of water and also urinate too much, check with your vet for the possibility of any of the above mentioned problems , as well as for urinary tract infections. If the problem is detected early on, the animal will take the whole treatment process better. Also, if for example they are diagnosed with diabetes or a thyroid-related disease, the sooner the new changes regarding their daily diet and care routine are implemented, the better for them, since there is no cure for these problems.
How much water should a cat drink a day?
How much water should a cat drink per day? The intake of water considered normal in a domestic cat is 45 ml/kg/day or around 2-4 ounces/day, an increase in this amount will also produce an increase in excreted urine, so if a cat urinates too much, probably water consumption has also gone up.
What is the first symptom of a cat?
For all the above reasons, when the first symptom in your cat is detected, be it an increase in water consumption, an increase in urine, vomiting, lack of appetite, weight loss... , go to the veterinarian immediately, since the pathologies mentioned in previous sections must be treated as soon as possible.
Why does my cat's urine increase?
Liver failure. Hyper or hypoadrenocorticism. In addition, the use of certain medications such as steroids and some anti-inflammatory drugs also cause the animal to increase the amount of urine, which they try to compensate with an increase in water intake. On the other hand, if your cat is an adult, suffers from obesity and you have noticed ...
How to tell if my cat is drinking water?
This technique is none other than using a drinking trough with measurements , or measuring it with a separate meter to measure the amount you put in the bowl at the beginning of the day, and the amount they drank at the end of the day. Once you have obtained the amount taken, simply divide this value by the weight of your cat. If the final result is greater than 45 ml per kilogram, contact the veterinarian. Of course, for this method to work you must check that your cat only consumes water from their bowl, and they are not one of those who prefers to drink water from other sources, such as glasses, plants, taps, etc... Also, if you live with more than one cat and they all use the same bowl of water, the result will not be reliable.
Why does my cat drink so much water?
If any cat starts to drink noticeably more fresh water than previously, this is a sign that there may be a significant cat health problem brewing, and a visit to a vet for a thorough health check is recommended , It can make sense to measure how much water you need to add to top up your cat’s water bowl every day, so that it is then obvious to you if your cat suddenly starts drinking more water.
What are some things that can cause a cat to drink more water?
Detailed history taking, noting any other aspects of the cat’s habits that may have changed, such as loss of appetite, change in type of cat food, change of supply of water (e.g. a water fountain, or running water, may encourage cats to drink more).
Why do cats thirst?
Causes of Increased Thirst in Cats. Cats start drinking increased quantities of water for a wide range of reasons, including a dry diet, kidney disease, diabetes, and more. There is a long list of common causes of increased thirst, and an investigation by a DVM veterinarian is always needed to identify the underlying problem ...
How much water does a cat drink?
Typically, a healthy cat might consume a total of around 50ml per kilogram body weight every day.
How to monitor cat health?
Most cat owners know how to monitor the general health of their pe, by observing their appearance, their daily habits, and their appetite. But it’s less well known that monitoring their daily water intake is a simple, extra way of ensuring that your cat is in optimal health.
What diseases are common in older cats?
Some of the diseases listed above are more common in older cats. In particular, chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, hepatic disease and hyperthyroidism are all more common in elderly cats.
What is the most common disease in older cats?
Kidney disease, including chronic kidney disease, also known as chronic renal failure (CRF), which is very common in older cats.
Why does my cat drink so much water?
Diabetes does cause cats to drink more water, urinate more frequently and lose weight despite eating well. But these symptoms could also be related to kidney disease, hyperactive thyroid or liver disease. “* Diabetes mellitus: Diabetes causes cats to drink more (frequently a lot more!), urinate more and eat more, ...
What does it mean if a cat has ketosis?
If the keto/glucose strip shows glucose in the urine that indicates diabetes. If however, the strip is also positive for ketones, get your cat to the vet ASAP.
Why does my cat walk wobbly?
This is because once the available insulin in the body decreases, glucose in the bloodstream is not broken down into energy.
How long does it take for a cat to develop diabetes?
Cat diabetes tends to develop over a number of weeks and is sometime difficult to notice as early symptoms can vary from cat to cat. Here is an excellent explanation of things to look out for and why:-. ” In a short term some cats may gain weight.
How to tell if a cat has ketoacidosis?
Cats with ketoacidosis need emergency treatment with fluid therapy and short-acting insulin injections. ”. You should always look out for changes of behaviour and routine.
Do cats lose appetite?
Other cats lose their appetites from almost the moment the disease strikes. Most cats will drink a huge amount of water and urinate it out in the same quantities. Some cats become almost obsessive about water, lurking around taps, hosepipes and garden fountains.
Can you test a cat for keto?
An Older Cat. When the body is burning only fat and muscle, this acidity is passed out of the body in urine, and the cat gets very dangerously dehydrated. There is a quick test which you can do at home using urine keto/glucose strips. Simply immerse the strip in a urine sample from the cat.
Why is my cat losing weight but eating more than usual?
Is your cat eating more than usual but still losing weight? The medical condition underlying this type of weight loss in cats is hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism occurs mainly in cats above eight years. The thyroid is an essential gland in the body located in the throat that produces hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism.
What to do when my cat is losing weight?
You have to call the veterinarian and schedule a visit to diagnose the condition behind the cat losing weight. Never treat the cat yourself without a visit to the vet in situation of unexplained weight loss.
What happens when a cat walks in dirt?
When the cat walks or passes by the contaminated grass and dirt, they can get infected by the intestinal parasites.
Why does my cat refuse to eat?
Dental problems like inflamed gums and tooth decay can cause weight loss in cats as it hurts when the cat chews. Therefore, the cat refuses to eat food and loses weight.
Why is my cat skinny?
Anxiety, depression, and stress are some psychological causes of a cat becoming skinny suddenly.
What are the three viral diseases in cats?
Viral diseases in cats are FIV, FIP, and FeLV. The typical symptom is weight loss in cats in all three viral diseases.
Does my cat lose weight as he gets older?
Therefore, make sure to modify the cat’s nutritional needs as it gets older so that the old cat stays healthy and doesn’t lose weight.
Why does my cat drink so much water?
It’s hot, so your cats will consume more water to cool themselves down, pretty normal behavior. If you’re noticing your old cat has been drinking much more water all of a sudden, this can be a concerning problem. Excessive thirst (also known as polydipsia), and as a result excess urination, is a symptom of a number of serious health issues in cats.
How much water should a cat drink?
While all cats are different, cats generally need between 3.5–4.5 ounces of water per 5 pounds of body weight every day.
How to treat hyperthyroidism in cats?
There are lots of different treatments for hyperthyroidism. Radioactive Iodine Therapy isn’t available everywhere, but it’s considered to be the best treatment for hyperthyroidism. In this treatment, your vet will inject your cat with radioactive iodine. This will be taken up into the thyroid through the bloodstream, and it can destroy the excess thyroid tissue without harming the healthy thyroid tissue. In many cases, hyperthyroidism is completely cured with this treatment after just a few weeks. In some cases, a second treatment is needed, and in rare cases, cats will need medication to actually boost thyroid hormone production if it gets too low.
How to treat CKD in cats?
First, your vet will want to modify your cat’s diet. Hills Kidney Care food is a popular one many vets recommend for CKD. Switching your cat to this diet can be tricky. It’s crucial for CKD cats to eat regularly, as lack of food, even for short periods, can be dangerous for cats wit this condition. However, some cats have trouble switching to a new diet. Make the transition to a new food a slow process, gradually adding in the kidney care food into what they normally eat. Remove more of the old food and add more of the new food every couple of days, until your cat is only eating the diet food.
Why does my cat feel thirsty?
Excessive thirst is one of them. If you’ve recently moved, gained or lost a pet, gained or lost a human family member (or roommate), or your cat has gone through a stressful situation like surgery or loud home construction, they might be feeling a little on edge. Other symptoms of stress in cats include the following:
Why does my cat have diabetes?
Diabetes occurs when your cat either stops producing enough insulin naturally, or for some reason, their body becomes resistant to insulin that it’s making, so it doesn’t do its job. So when your cat isn’t producing enough insulin, blood sugar spikes, which causes a wide array of symptoms.
Why is my cat's gum pink?
Elevated blood pressure (hypertension). CKD cats will be urinating out more nutrients than they should be since they’re drinking so much water, and this can cause high blood pressure.
