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Even though it's a delicate problem in most cats, my cat has always been drinking acceptable amounts of water (usually 3/4 of her bowl per day, which is equivalent of ~300 mL, she is weighing 4.5kg ).

Because of the extreme heat wave of this summer, I've decided buy one of those water fountains. The problem is, she is absolutely crazy about the fountain and this new drinking technique. And most of the time, she drinks so much that some gurgling sounds can be heard when she climbs up/down to somewhere after drinking (and the occasional cat coughing from drinking too hastily).

She is now drinking at least 700mL of water per day which I'm worried about. Every other behaviour (eating, activity) of hers is completely normal. When I consulted my vet about the situation they simply said it's normal with the extreme heat wave.

Can extreme water drinking can possibly make my cat ill or cause some sort of problem with her overall health ?

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    I add an ice cube to my cats' water to make it colder in the summer. Cold water might reduce the amount they need to feel refreshed.
    – jeff
    Aug 19, 2016 at 16:34
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    Really wouldn't worry about it. Fountains are a great way to encourage cats to drink water. Also fwiw been a crazy heat wave here too, both of my cats have more than doubled their water intake, they do it every time it gets hot like this.
    – Jason C
    Aug 20, 2016 at 18:34

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It does sound like it's mainly due to the heat - the previous amount from the bowl might not actually have been quite as much as she wanted given the temperature, even with 1/4 of the bowl left. One of my cats is rather fussy about having her water be "fresh" and I'll often find that in a morning her bowl will still be 1/4 full, but as soon as I fill it back up with fresh water, she will have a massive drink.

The "coughing" from drinking too quickly is probably at least partly due to fact that she is drinking from a stream of water rather than a static bowl. Much like when humans drink from a water fountain rather than a glass.

If the vet isn't worried then that's the main thing.

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    it's also possible that the fountain is causing a dramatic increase in water lost to evaporation. while i agree i wouldn't be worried either way, the OP could try blocking the fountain off from the cat and measure how much water is lost purely to evaporation. in fact, the heat wave could have caused that to increase too since the air conditioner dehydrates the air when it is running, and it would run more during a heat wave.
    – james turner
    Aug 19, 2016 at 15:00
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Excessive consumption of water in cats can be a sign of kidney failure. A lot of older cats have problems with their kidneys. Since you mentioned having talked to a vet I assume this was ruled out, but keep an eye on it after temperatures normalize and if this persists it might be a good idea to get blood work done.

If your cat is diagnosed with kidney disease, vets prescribe a special diet that is low in protein.

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your cat is a wise guy, he cures himself from prostate and kidney stones and cleans his blood, detoxicates... Check his blood glucose for diabetes and urine for concentration function and pituitary as a last case for antidiuretic hormone

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You should be pleased. Cats have a tendency to drink too little water, which can lead to urinary tract issues. It's a bigger issue for males but still, be happy your cat is hydrating well.

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  • Plus she may develop a pleasantly softer coat!
    – Jason C
    Aug 20, 2016 at 18:31

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