It can be a couple of days in the worst conditions and up to two weeks in the best conditions. Each feline will have a varied suitability time with water. For cats, water is more important than food.
- Temperature
- They are in shelter or not
- How healthy the cat is?
- The quantity and time of the last fill
- Age of cat
- Breed of cat
- Stress tolerance cat
Although the duration a cat can stay without water intake varies from one cat to another, one thing is definitely for sure: the capacity of a domestic cat to withstand thirst is not as high as cats that roam the wild.
If they don’t drink enough water, your cat’s body will start to get dehydrated over time, and dehydration may cause serious health problems and eventually death if they go without water for too long.
They have higher perseverance and can easily stay thirsty for longer hours than a domesticated cat in cities because they are exposed to a different environment than cats in cities.
Observing the Cat’s Resistance Capacity
Cats can go without water for as long as they are not doing much physical exertion; otherwise, they would not be able to stay away from drinking water for long.
The idea is to observe how much a cat can bear not taking another fill of water. This act will shed some light on the relationship between the capacity to stay thirsty and water.
The kind of food that is high in moisture content allows cats to stay hydrated without water for an extended time. In addition, such food can help supplement the water that a cat drinks from its water bowl, keeping the cat hydrated and healthy.
How Long Can a Cat Bear?
You might hear the popular argument that cats can survive 72 hours without water; this is not the case with all cats. But yes, after this time, you can expect signs of dehydration in all cats.
4 Tips to Keep Your Cat Hydrated
Domestic cat parents can avoid dehydration, and there is no need to perform any test for your cat that how long she can go without water. Follow these tips to keep your cat hydrated.
1. Bring A Cat Water Fountain
Cats prefer running water, and one of the best ways to keep your cat hydrated is to invest in the best cat water fountain. Usually, water fountains have a large water reservoir, so you don’t need to refill them every day.
They also feature a water filter that ensures clean water every all the time.
2. Place Multiple Water Bowls
Place multiple cat’s bowls with fresh water in your house. Fill the bowls so that your cat will always have access to fresh and clean drinking water at her disposal.
3. Add Water Additives
Water additives can help sustain your cat’s levels of hydration by absorbing any moisture in her body.
However, always make sure to consult a veterinarian before giving your cat any additives because some additives may not be suitable for domestic cats.
4. Switch from Dry to Wet Cat Food
Cats are carnivores, and their diet should be meat-based. However, wet cat food is preferable because it has a high content of water.
When you have accidentally left the dry cat food with your cat, she may feel like she’s not getting enough water to drink with her meal, which can further complicate things for her health. So, moving to wet food is an ideal solution to make them intake more water.
Summer Season Alerts
Cats are often found running around with a dry mouth from constant panting or excessive sweating. This is because cats lose more fluids when it’s hot outside than in the wintertime.
They remain unable to regulate their body temperature properly and so perspire at an accelerated rate during the summer months! If your cat does not get enough water over time, then he may eventually become dehydrated.
Cats are great at adapting to their environment. They can go for weeks without food, but water is a different story- cats need about twice as much throughout the day and night because they lose more through sweating in summer than during winter when there is less activity outdoors due to cold temperatures.
She may even lose one or two of her kidneys if she does not drink water to stay fit and healthy during the summer season. Therefore, it is essential to keep track of her water intake during the summer season not to pose a danger to her health.
Go Around
Play with your cat or let her exert while playing with other cats or wandering in the yard; it will bring fatigue and desire to drink water to compensate for the loss.
Saving a dehydrated kitten is tricky, if the cat cannot drink the water due to dehydration, there are ways to feed water; you can try it with a syringe or use a dropper to let her drink so she can live.