Hi, Can anyone advise... I have a 6month old Persian and she drinks a lot of water! Is this normal? She is on a mixture of dry & wet kitten food. Thanks

Depends what you call a lot really, how many dishes a day? Dry food does get them drinking, but its not a bad thing if they drink a lot cos it keeps them well hydrated

my cats have dry food so i always have to top it up twice a day

My cats have a mix of dry and wet. They drink from their indoor bowls and from the washingup bowl outside that collects rainwater... and algae ...and leaves...and dirt off cat paws.

If they have dry expect them to drink - if they don't it is dangerous as they can get dehydrated, causing kidney problems.

If you only give them wet, they won't want to drink so much as wet has moisture already in it.

My cats only eat dry food, so they do drink alot more than a cat would on only wet food. I'd say they get through about 2 lots a day.

just for the record... cats don't really retain or gain a significant amount of fluids from 'wet foods' It certainly wouldn't make much of an impact on their kidneys or their hydration. Wet vs dry is really a taste and texture preference with cats. It's also easier to digest for some cats. Some wet diets are TERRIBLE for urinary problems, dental problems and kidneys. (most grocery brands) You may find they are drinking a lot because the food is too rich or full of sodium and electrolytes. Which isn't necessary a bad thing but it can be for some cats. Kitten's do well on rich foods but elderly cats might not. You can still feed a urinary dry diet and get sometimes even better results with cats with renal or urinary problems. Offering fresh water in many different types of dishes and a variety of meals. I feed a mix of Royal Canin Indoor 27, Hills TD and James Wellbeloved for their daily dry diet in a food bin mixed and they get that topped up as needed all day as well as a raw diet from time to time with raw beef, boiled or grilled chicken, raw salmon or smoked salmon, boiled or raw white fish, prawns/shrimp raw or cooked and scallops. Occationally raw rabbit and lamb when we eat it. They also have melon, banana, mango (odd I know but my ocicat loves it!) and sometimes sneak strawberries, cherries or grapes out of the fruit bowl lol which they play with more tbh HA!

I'm a student veterinary nurse so I've been researching diets and animal care for years. My Ocicat drinks heaps more than any other cat I have had. I keep a glass by my bed, by the couch and by her food and fill most of them almost every other day. The only time you should be worried about excessive drinking is if they go off their food, their condition diminishes or they are urinating all over the house or straining in the box. This is usually a sign something is wrong and you should go to your vets immediately. Saying that don't be afraid to ask your vet anything you're questioning. I know these forums can be informative. But most people on here are not likely to have veterinary training and if they do they wouldn't be offering medical advice with out consultation. You're really only getting info from people that have pet/breeding experience and may or may not be dealing with or have dealt with the same problem of you.

Hope this helps

man i wish bandit would drink more i give him fresh water every day but it never seems to go down but he wees alot so he must be getting some fluids. i know he likes a drink out of the shower after we have been in it but surly thats not enough to keep him hydrated

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me ,my kids ,bandit and ashton
my perfect lil family

if he's a shower/sink drinker it's likely he's also a toilet drinker!! just make sure you keep the lid up for him and careful with your toilet cleaners/deodorizers hehe

I believe there is a qualified vet on this forum who joined only this week who said in his introduction that he would be very pleased to offer advice to anyone. He will come in very handy no doubt.:

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bonus! some won't give out too much info though as it can be misinterpreted or misdiagnosed if the vet can't actually see the pet. a professional vet will give some advice but will most likely advise you to go to your local vets! too much liability on the internet.

i don't want this to be taken the wrong way but I personally wouldn't trust a vet giving out too much info on the net when they haven't even seen my pet. but that's just my personal opinion. a lot of the symptoms of somethings can also be the symptoms of others making a guess by a questionnaire and no contact with the animal would be unprofessional.

just my 2p though...