He wont drink water!

[Sonya(Buttersmum)]

Oh he's definately got me  wrapped around his little paw , he gets on to the sink so ive started running the tap for him and all he does is paw at the water in the bowl .  He has started to drink his water/milk from his bowl properly now - apart from this morning, when he decided to throw it about twice , he doesnt seem to be lactose intolerant, mind you its mainly water with a little bit of milk for colouring - he just wont entertain straight water.

[maryas]

He's playing you    Butter's got his mummy just where he wants her 

It doesn't matter that it's so long since you've had a cat, they are all different and can drive us crazy wondering if they are ok   We are always here for each other 

We all worry for nothing most of the time. 

You might have more reason to be worried in Summer if he gets too hot and dehydrated.

The water tap might be a good idea, playtime and getting a drink too

Mary

[Mark]

SOme of the best money I ever spend was on a couple of catmate foutains -the cats all drink more than they would from bowls. Easy to clean and maintain. I don't bother with filters. I just clean then and change the water regularly. I use a Brita Maxtra filter. Apparently cats are sensitive to chemicals like chlorine in tap water, so I assume the filtered water is more attractive to them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Mate-06039-Cat-Fountain/dp/B001NYGB8W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455840779&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+mate+water+fountain

[Mymblesdaughter]

I got a water fountain for my boy. He only eats dry food and didn't drink much. He loves his water fountain and drinks much more now. Only he drinks from it my girl cat isn't allowed to use it. Xander considers it his property. She eats wet food so isn't really a worry.

[maddercow]

My two can't resist a dripping tap 

X

[Sonya(Buttersmum)]

Why do you want him to drink more? Cats aren't great drinkers and are evolved to get moisture in their food rather than separately. If you feed wet food they generally get enough water. If you feed dry you may have to find some way of getting extra water into him e.g. A water fountain. I add a little extra water to wet food to account for the small amount of dry that I feed.

I think it must just me worrying, you see, the last time we had a cat was 1998.  I am going to add extra water into his wet food - he has dry food in the moring then wet pouch food at teatime

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Why do you want him to drink more? Cats aren't great drinkers and are evolved to get moisture in their food rather than separately. If you feed wet food they generally get enough water. If you feed dry you may have to find some way of getting extra water into him e.g. A water fountain. I add a little extra water to wet food to account for the small amount of dry that I feed.

[Sonya(Buttersmum)]

Thanks for all your replies, i will have a look for some lactose free stuff, in the mean time i'll add extra water in his wet food - thanks emmmy_lou.  Its getting to be a pain in the butt cos all he does is sit there looking at it and then starts throwing it out with his paw, and then sits there looking at me as if to say "it wasnt me"

[emmmy_lou]

We have a water fountain as I was worried about Denzel not drinking, but 4 years on she still only drinks from the bath tap or a bird bath!!!

Similar to Misa tho if I have a glass of water she will drink from it.

Just a couple of things, cats aren't keen on drinking out of metal bowls, and they don't like their food and water in the same place.

You can also mix a bit of water in with the wet food.

[Frances]

Robin, the cat I grew up with, had top of the milk for all his 21 years .
Woody, my previous cat, wasn't keen on tap water unless it was mixed with a little cream .  He may well have also drunk puddle water when out and about.
Of my current three, James drinks water daily, I've seen Christopher drink a couple of times in nearly six years and never seen Eleanor drink in nearly three years .

As long as it's always on offer I wouldn't panic.  You can take a horse cat to water . . .

[Judecat (Paula)]

Lactulose is a laxative - prolly best not give that to Butter 

OOps, so glad I put ? marks after it

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Lactulose is a laxative - prolly best not give that to Butter  I think the stuff the hedgies advertise is called Lactaid and there is another called Lactofree.

Alfie used to like drinking from a slow running tap but stopped doing that when we got them the 'waterfall' thingy.

[Judecat (Paula)]

As Gill said there is a lot of water in wet food. Cows milk can upset tummies as a lot of cats become lactose intolerant, I know cat milk is expensive, but it is worth it if Butter really won't drink anything but milk. Or there is the stuff from the hedgehog advert, but I can't remember what it is called. Lactulose??? Maybe Butter would be more happy with moving water? My cats love drinking out of the waterfalls in the fishpond. I am not suggesting for one instant that you let Butter out yet, but maybe a cat water fountain? Just an idea?

Paula xxx

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Stop worrying and try and give him more wet food.

Leave a dish of water for him and try a mug cos Misa likes it from a mug lol.

Also I use a cereal dish so the cats can get their whiskers in without getting wet.

My cats have only started drinking as they have got older except for Sasa who was a semi feral and has always drank.

If he has no problems with milk and doesnt get an upset tummy then a little milk each day is not a problem.

[Sonya(Buttersmum)]

Trying to get Butter to drink water, but he's just not having it! ive tried milk and water mixed together, i know i shouldnt but i just want him to drink.  Yesterday i put milk in his saucer first and you should have him he was straight on it, i dont what he drank at the cats protection league for the week that he was in there, but obviously his last owners must have gave him straight milk. Can anyone help please... BTW he he has dry food in the morning and wet pouch food at teatime so he is getting a little moisture at least