Cat is drinking too much water

Question

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 ?

Answer 1

It does sound like it's mainly due to the heat - the previous amount might 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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

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

Answer 4

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.