Cat Hydration 101
Promoting Hydration and Urinary Health in Cats
Urinary problems in cats are commonly a result of dehydration. Make sure your cat has clean, fresh water to drink, and remember your cat needs 1 oz. of water per 1 lb. of body weight. Regularly clean their bowl and add fresh water to it. Place multiple water dishes around your house and near his or her favorite sleeping place to promote drinking. Read on to discover how to avoid cat dehydration by feeding your cat a moisture-rich diet to ensure they are getting enough water if they don’t frequently seek it out on their own.
Hydrating Cat Foods
It’s common for cats to experience urinary issues at some point in their lives. Ensuring your cat is hydrated is key to keeping their bladder flushed out and urine diluted to avoid issues like infections, crystals, and blockages. In the wild, a cat’s ancestors obtained the majority of their moisture intake from the prey they killed and ate. Domesticated house cats today, which are provided water with their food, may be lacking in proper hydration that is key in supporting overall health. Here are a few moisture-rich cat food options for hydrating a cat and keeping them hydrated!
Raw Cat Food Diets
Feeding your cat a raw diet is a great way to incorporate moisture and keep them hydrated. Here are a few raw diet options that contain 70% moisture to consider if you’re concerned about cat hydration.
Frozen raw morsels
These quick-thaw, grain-free, and high-protein morsels are the most economical, biologically appropriate, raw nutrition available. Recipes contain 98% meat, organs, and bone to mirror a cat’s ancestral diet and provide over 70% of the daily moisture cats require. Stella & Chewy’s frozen raw morsels provide complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages and are rich in taurine which is crucial for a cat’s vision, digestion, and immune system. The minimally processed recipes are gentle on the digestive system and are enriched with probiotics and antioxidants to support whole body health.
Freeze-dried raw morsels
Identical in formulation and nutrition to our frozen raw morsels with 98% meat, organs, and bone but all of the moisture is removed during the freeze-drying process. This makes for a shelf-stable product and the most convenient way to feed a raw diet. Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried raw morsels provide complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages and are rich in taurine. The minimally processed recipes are gentle on the digestive system and are enriched with probiotics and antioxidants to support whole body health. Simply rehydrate with water to serve, following our feeding guidelines for over 70% moisture or adding as much water as you’d like to bump up hydration even further.
Wet Cat Food Diets
Marvelous Morsels
Real whole muscle meat morsels drenched in bone broth for a nutrient-rich, complete and balanced meal. Meat is the #1 ingredient followed by bone broth as #2. These recipes are gently kettle-cooked in small batches and are 100% human-grade for superior taste and nutrition. With 82% moisture, you can feel confident that your cat is getting much-needed hydration through their food.
Purrfect Pate
Delicious pate soaked in bone broth for a nutrient-rich, complete and balanced meal. Meat is the #1 ingredient followed by bone broth as #2. These recipes are gently kettle-cooked in small batches and are 100% human-grade for superior taste and nutrition. Cats who love pate will go wild for these recipes with 78% moisture to keep their bodies hydrated and flushed.
Carnivore Cravings
Carnivore Cravings pouches include real shredded muscle meat in broth to provide the hydration your cat needs in his or her diet. Available in cage-free and wild-caught recipes, there’s a flavor for every feline in these convenient, single-serve pouches.
Carnivore Cravings Canned Wet Cat Food is the newest addition to our family of hydration-boosting food for cats! This convenient option is available in three different textures– Purrfect Pate, Savory Shreds, and our newest Minced Morsels. We also offer Carnivore Cravings Purrfect Pate in a recipe made specially for kittens. Afterall, it’s important for cats of all life stages to stay hydrated to prevent urinary issues from the very start.
Both raw food and wet food can be incorporated into your current feeding routine, either as a topper, mixed 50:50 with kibble, or alternated as meals. A little goes a long way to increasing your cat’s water intake!
Here are some tips on how to hydrate a cat by encouraging them to drink more water:
- Always provide access to ample fresh water. Be sure to clean and replace the water in the bowl at least once daily.
- Provide more than one water dish around the house and make sure they aren’t too close to your cat’s litter box.
- If your cat isn’t interested in a bowl of water, try enticing them with running water. Leave a faucet on when they’re in the kitchen or bathroom with you or try a water fountain to draw their attention.
More Cat Food From Stella & Chewy’s
At Stella & Chewy’s, we always want pets and pet parents to live happy and healthy lives. Explore our expanding selection of cat and kitten food, and stay up-to-date on all things pet by checking out Our Blog: For the Pet Obsessed.
