How To Get Cat To Drink water ?
pets cat: We tend to think that given a bowl of water a cat will drink all he needs. Turns out this is not at all the case. That's why a cat water fountain can be a genuine life saver.
In the wild, cats got most of the water they needed from their natural food sources - primarily small rodents. The great majority of house cats are deprived of that source.
Canned food helps the situation but many cats don't get wet food, or enough wet food and even those which do still need additional hydration. Add to this the fact that cats are not attracted to standing water (in the wild, standing water is rarely fresh and often filled with countless harmful bacteria - animals seek moving water whenever possible) - and you have the situation as it is today. Renal failure is the number one cause of death in pet cats and insufficient hydration is a major contributor to kidney failure.
For a cat, drinking plenty of water helps to ensure an overall healthy constitution - soft fur, moist gums and eyes and helps prevent constipation. Regular periodic urination greatly reduces incidences of bladder infections and the build up of crystals in the urinary tract, which can lead to blockages with many negative consequences.
Drinking water is the primary way of flushing out waste material from the body. Without sufficient water, there can be a buildup of waste, preventing toxins from leaving the body. Should this happen, the kidneys will be damaged, leading to the unfortunate, and unnecessary consequences mentioned above - all of which can be avoided by a simple cat water fountain.
In spite of the quantity of documentation and the number of articles focusing on the harmful effects of plastic on cats there are still many individuals who do not realize that plastic fountains can be harmful - in fact are said to definitely be so by many veterinarians. This is well documented and is the result of the plastic itself, which contains harmful chemicals, and from harmful bacteria that grow in the inevitable scratches to which a plastic cat water fountain is subject.
Ceramic cat water fountains, on the other hand have several positive attributes and no negatives. Ceramic does not scratch so there is no harmful bacteria buildup. Ceramic cat water fountains, especially stoneware with certified food-safe glazes keep the water fresh, cool and well oxygenated.
Even more to the point, cats are attracted to the spout of water from the bubble-up cat fountains and the falling water from those with a waterleaf or spout so they drink more - which is actually, apart from making sure the water is cool and healthful - the whole point.
In terms of value, some plastic cat water fountains are cheaper than the various available ceramic fountains (and some are not) but when you consider longevity, a ceramic pet fountain is by far the greater value. The pumps are replaceable (and the cost is minimal), while the fountain bowls will last a lifetime with reasonable care. (No throwing, dropping on hard surfaces...)
One last point - might not be of interest to your cat but will certainly be to you - ceramic cat water fountains are infinitely better looking and make no unpleasant noise, which most if not all plastic cat water fountains do. In addition, with some ceramic cat fountains there is no cord draping over the side of the fountain bowl, as is the case with some of the manufactured, even manufactured ceramic cat water fountains. The links listed below are for cat fountains with the cord going through the bottom of the bowl.