We Need to Shift: Cats Must Eat Their Water

I want to share with you how important it is for us to shift our thinking about how cats take in moisture.  Cats must EAT their water.  They must eat a moisture rich diet.  Period.  This is one of the biggest absolutes when it comes to feline nutrition, so let’s dive in. 

Let me just say that the point of this post is not to shame anyone for feeding dry food, but rather to educate about the importance of feeding moisture rich food.  And just so you know, you don’t have to feed raw to feed a moisture rich diet, there are some other options, so keep reading…

Where Our Cats Come From

Our domestic felines (Felis Catus) descend from the north African wildcat (Felis Silvestris Lybica).  This wildcat lives in desert and rugged mountain areas throughout Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.  As you can imagine, there are very few water sources in these dry areas.  

African wildcats have a diet that includes small prey animals, namely mice, rats, birds, voles, rabbits, reptiles, and some insects.  They are observed to “rarely drink water.” ¹

biology and physiology

Biologically speaking, cats do not have a strong thirst drive.  How cruel would that be for an animal that lives in the desert to have a strong thirst?  However, all mammals need moisture.  So how do desert dwelling cats get their water?  From their food.  They do not drink their water, they eat their water.  Let me say this again, cats DO NOT DRINK to meet their water needs, they EAT to meet their water needs.  This is why a moisture rich diet is essential for our cats’ overall health.  

Not only do cats not have a strong thirst drive, but they are inefficient drinkers at best.  They use the top of their tongues to “grab” water and pull it into their mouths.  This is not a great method.  But since they are designed to eat their water, being a successful drinker is not an evolutionary necessity.  

cats’ natural source of water

If we look at cats’ natural food sources, these prey animals consist of approximately 70-80% water.  Food is the all important source of moisture for the cat.  Cats are far more successful at hunting prey than they are at drinking adequate amounts of water. 

When we don’t provide our cats with moisture rich food, this greatly impacts their health.  Dry food has only been around since WWII.  Dry food is inexpensive and convenient, which pushed its popularity to the point where up to 90% of cat guardians feed dry food.  Unsurprisingly, the rates of diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, and urinary issues in cats have also steadily increased with the popularity of dry food.  

Even if not suffering with diagnosed medical conditions, cats eating a dry food only diet are living in a state of chronic dehydration. Dull coats, dandruff, constant shedding, regular hairballs, and of course, “laziness”, are just some of the ways that chronic dehydration impacts our cats. Take a look at this previous post to read more about how the lack of moisture impacts cats’ bodies.

Remember, cats are designed to eat their water.  Dry food has approximately 10-12% moisture. Compare that to the 70-80% moisture in their natural food sources. Add that to the fact that cats do not have a strong thirst drive or an efficient way of drinking, and you can see how feeding a moisture depleted diet is inconsistent with cats’ biology and physiology, and ultimately wreaks havoc on their bodies over time. We simply cannot continue to feed cats in a way that goes against their physiology. We must do better for them.  

The Importance of a Moisture Rich Diet

So, what should we feed our cats?  The very first requirement is MOISTURE.  Cats must eat a moisture rich diet for optimal health. A moisture rich diet can be fed as canned, home cooked, and/or any of the various ways to feed raw.  Canned foods generally have around 78% moisture. Raw meat has around 75% moisture.  These foods are right within the level of moisture you want in your cat’s diet. Check out the Feline Nutrition-Feed Cats Like Cats Facebook group for an extensive canned foods list.  

This is why it is true that any canned food is better than any dry food.  The cheapest wet food—still better than “high end” dry food.  Why?  Because dry food is DRY.  Research shows that cats will never drink enough to compensate for eating a dry diet.  Even if you have the best water fountain, your cat will still never drink enough to avoid being dehydrated from eating a dry, moisture depleted diet.  Honestly, save your money for moisture rich food rather than fancy fountains.  

Speaking of cost, if you are unable to feed a 100% moisture rich diet, then feed as much moisture rich food as you can.  Any amount of moisture rich food is better than none.  For example, Fancy Feast Classic Pate is a moisture rich, high protein, low carb budget friendly canned food.  If you are open to making your cat’s food, either cooked or raw, using a completer and meat from the grocery store is very comparable in price. Check out this post to see a price comparison.

 

What About the Water Dish?

If you have been feeding a moisture rich diet, then you have probably already noticed that your cat rarely drinks from the water dish.  This is absolutely, perfectly normal for a well hydrated cat.  Hazel has drank from her water dish literally ONE time since she was a kitten. She will be 8 years old this year.      

It is still important to keep a dish of clean water available at all times, not to provide for your cat’s moisture needs, but as a diagnostic tool.  Cats are masters at hiding when they feel ill or are in pain, so if you see your cat suddenly drinking a lot of water, that can be important information about their health and a trip to the vet’s office may be in order.  

Shift–>Cats Must Eat Their Water

In sum, cats eat their water. We need to shift our thinking in this regard. The goal is not to get cats to drink more water.  It is not about finding a special fountain and offering running water. The goal is to feed a moisture rich diet.  This is how cats’ bodies are created to take in moisture: from their food, not by drinking. 

Feed as much moisture rich food as you can, either canned, home cooked, and/or raw, and this will have an incredible impact on your cat’s overall health.  

1. From Dragesco-Joffe, A. (1993). “The African Wildcat, ancestor of the domestic cat”. La vie sauvage du Sahara. Lausanne: Delachaux et Niestle. pp. 134−136. ↩︎