Thread: Monty still not drinking enough… advice is welcome

Originally Posted by NCarver

The tap water has a definite chlorine smell, but the cats often seem to prefer that to the filtered.

Yes, I have heard and read a number of times that many cats actually like the smell of chlorine a lot! Much to the chagrin of people who had used chlorine to clean a rug the cat had peed on, after which that rug became a favorite cat loo.

And thank you for reassuring me about the water content of canned food. I knew it was high, and now I know it's that high I feel a lot easier.

Originally Posted by Antonia

And thank you for reassuring me about the water content of canned food. I knew it was high, and now I know it's that high I feel a lot easier.

Look at your cans. The couple I looked at said "moisture 78% max" while dry says 10% max. That means the canned is 3/4 water. Makes it look pretty expensive when you think about that. Also explains why our girl that eats mainly canned eats many times per day: water isn't that filling in the long term.

I don't know whether it would help but I give Freyja a vitamin drink called viyo, and you can dilute it with water. They're little 30ml sachets and they don't touch the sides when I put one down for her. She likes them best as concentrate but I found if I dilute them it encourages her water intake. I know you've tried other water flavourings so this might not be much use, and mercifully I've not had the same problem with Freyja that poor Monty's got, but it might be worth a try. You can order them from PetPlanet.co.uk.

Hope the poor fella's feeling better soon, it's hard to take when they're not themselves.

Originally Posted by NCarver

Look at your cans. The couple I looked at said "moisture 78% max" while dry says 10% max. That means the canned is 3/4 water. Makes it look pretty expensive when you think about that. Also explains why our girl that eats mainly canned eats many times per day: water isn't that filling in the long term.

Wow... I just checked the small print on a pouch of Whiskas... 80% fluid!
Daylight robbery indeed, but at least it serves my purpose.

Thanks Candes & Karen.

I googled for Healthymouth, but I can't order it online at a Dutch retailer. The idea of it also helping to prevent gum trouble sounds good though... I will try and find an alternative that I can order over here.

The stainless steel drinking bowl I've already tried. They weren't any more interested than in their usual ceramic bowl... I guess our three spoilt brats are hard to please.

The vet told us about Viyo and suggested we try it. But until now, Monty seems quite pleased with his Whiskas - I make sure most of the jelly is for him and top it up with a generous shot of tuna-tin water. Have to feed him separately though and put his plate in the small entrance hall next to the kitchen, so that the 'grrrrrls' leave him alone. Little Minnie is always horrible... she leaves her own plate to nick from his!

But he seems to get much more fluid inside him now... saw him this morning tasting the water from the saucer underneath the pot of cat grass.

Sounds like the poor chap's making a step in the right direction, let's hope he keeps it up - early days but you must be so relieved.

Originally Posted by FreyjaRoMaine

Sounds like the poor chap's making a step in the right direction, let's hope he keeps it up - early days but you must be so relieved.

I am feeling easier, thanks.
How are your girls getting on?

The girls are now getting on great - I'll update the thread with some 'never been seen before' photo's of mutual grooming and sharing a tigga tower platform; even one of the builders that came back this week said he was surprised to see such a change in them. I am so relieved about that. Freyja's still not back to her old self fully yet though - she's waking me up when the sun gets up with the usual licking/tickling ritual, but if she's seen me fussing Wicca she hisses at me when I then try to even up the fussing with her. She only seems to hiss at me when Wicca's been fussed (even though I make a bee-line to fuss Freyja first), which is difficult because Wicca is a proper lap cat and LOVES fuss. I'm hopeful that this will also pass in good time. She's also not yet playing her usual games with us but that might be because it's more fun to play hide and seek with a small black cat than two huge humans - guess we're less of a challenge!

Thanks for asking.