Did you know when your cat drinks it curls the underside of it’s tongue backwards to form a spoon which catches the water and drops it into his mouth? Isn’t that amazing!

It’s important that your cat is hydrated and has access to water at all times, especially if it has a predilection for dry food. A small bowl filled to the brim is best, as cats don’t like to get their whiskers wet. If your cat is diabetic, then you may need several bowls of water around the house and even outside if your cat goes out.

Even though only water is kept in the bowl, algae and bacteria can still grow around the bowl and in the water, especially in warm weather. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly clean the bowl every day and replenish with fresh water. If you notice a change in the quantity of water your cat is drinking, I would recommend discussing this with your Vet.

Cats can be very fussy where they like to drink because in the wild cats do not eat and drink in the same place. They may like a specific bowl to drink out of, a ceramic bowl is a good option and whether its still or running water, lots of water fountains available. It can take time to work this out with your cat, but worth it once you do and you may be surprised how much they do actually like to drink.

My cat, Charlie, has his food bowl in the kitchen and his favorite water bowl is in the hall, although he does also have a water bowl at the other end of the kitchen.

When I am caring for your cats I clean their water bowls every visit, refresh the water and I may move the water bowl away from the food dishes to encourage them to drink. However, if your cat is quite happy drinking and eating next to each other then that is good enough for Auntie Ali.