This is a very short note but an important one. We know that water is a critical factor in the nutrition and welfare of the domestic cat. An increase in fluid requirement is common in some diseases such as renal failure. These diseases are often prevalent in older cats. For cats on a dry food diet (which regrettably is commonplace) fluid balance is much more likely to be a problem. A cat weighing 4 kg (8.8 pounds) on a dry food diet needs to drink a minimum of 150 mL of water per day to meet his/her fluid needs. In stark contrast to this, a wet food diet supplies the majority if not all of a cat’s fluid needs. It can be very hard for an older cat who has changed from a wet food to a dry food diet to maintain an adequate water balance. It is said that, in general, cats do not compensate sufficiently by drinking an adequate amount of water when on a dry food diet. They are, therefore, slightly and permanently dehydrated. I wonder how many cat caretaker/guardians ensure that their cat, who is on a dry food diet, drinks a minimum of 150 mL of water daily. According to Google search, 150 mL is .63 of a US cup. This is about 2/3rds of a cup. One cup is 250 mL.
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Source: Myself and K. Sturgess and KJ Hurley in The Welfare of Cats. The photo is from Wikipedia – uploaded Batty~commonswiki.
