# Do cats drink out of boredom/habit?



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I was wondering if indoor only cats may drink out of boredom?
I give my cats lots of love, attention, toys and playtime and try to dig out old toys and buy new ones to keeo things interesting.

My male cat has been drinking more water these past few weeks and also seems a lot slimmer. The vet said he's a good weight when he went about his balding patch behind his ear two weeks ago (which is growing back nicely it seems). 
Sometimes he will sit by the bowl and he goes back and forth to drink more every few minutes when he is awake, when he's not eating or playing. 
He drinks for ages too. I know cats need more water when on a dry only diet but this seems excessive, so I think he may need a vet trip soon.

I havnt noticed any more or less urine produced, but I got a feeling it may be less. 

He's only six or seven, is there any chance he has developed a habit of drinking? He plays a lot and still beats his sister up. Still got a big appetite like his sister.


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Usually a sudden change to drinking more water indicates a problem in terms of kidneys or bladder. However, it could be because it's winter and cold and you are overheating your house, which could account for more thirst from an animal with his own fur coat.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks. We havnt had the heating on a lot tbh, maybe a couple of hours each day and a not at all for a while cos we had been having some money trouble and couldn't have a high bill. I think it's best he goes sometime in the next week as I got a nagging feeling. It could just be that I hadn't noticed before how much he drinks but better be safe thsn sorry. He will hate me for taking him up again so soon, but needs to be done


----------



## Shellsfeathers&fur (Jan 18, 2009)

I would be concerned that it is a kidney problem. Loss of weight and drinking more are sadly what our cat did. He died last October age 15. He was diagnosed with kidneys failing a couple of years before so was on a special renal diet.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm really concerned and scared. 
He's been drinking more for a few weeks now but everyone kept telling me at his age he probably hasn't got anything like that. But they can get it any age and I'm hoping if it is soemthing like that it won't stop him livng till a good old age happily.


----------



## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

Definitely get it checked, my 2yr old cocker spaniel girl went funny with drinking, I lost her shortly after due to kidney failure


----------



## annsimpson1 (Mar 23, 2008)

I also beleive that they can get diabetes of which drinking more is a sympton at least in humans, I'd definatley have some blood work done.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Freaking out now  I can take him Friday. He will be ok till then wont he, as he's eating, playing etc


----------



## Disillusioned (Jan 3, 2012)

Ooh it's good your taking him for a check up. My mums cat was a year old when he got a urinary tract infection which they told us was because he was only fed on dry cat biscuit. He kept drinking a lot but not peeing much so we took him just to be on the safe side and it got pretty serious. Luckily he recovered well but I have seen a lot worse while I worked in a vets. 
Rather be safe than sorry eh =)


----------



## Embo (Jun 7, 2012)

So do you feed your cats on dry food only?

I don't mean to scaremonger, but dry cat food is linked to kidney disease and a whole host of other urinary problems.

Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition :: healthy cat diet, making cat food, litter box, cat food, cat nutrition, cat urinary tract health_

I'd get him to the vets asap.


----------



## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Embo said:


> So do you feed your cats on dry food only?
> 
> I don't mean to scaremonger, but dry cat food is linked to kidney disease and a whole host of other urinary problems.
> 
> ...


I'll also add here that, 2 of my young cats have nearly died from very serious bladder/kidney problems... And dry food isn't even allowed in my house. Both were caused by silly stress rather than dry food. They don't even get cat food!


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks. Thru are fed on a purina one low calorie dry food. They were both overweight from tinned food like whiskers and felix so I swapped to purina one long ago and within a couple weeks they had loads of energy and their coats were shiney. I switched last year to low calorie as they were both still overweight. My female is still overweight by a bit but Muffins just right. 
I need to switch them to tinned then..something that's high quality and has enough tourine but none of the bad stuff. I need something that's easily accessible like in tesco/asda.

I know it varies, but how much should an indoor male cat on dry food go to the water bowl each day?


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I know cats are good at hiding and I read thst they will still play when ill, but he seems really happy so is that a good sign things are still I'n early stages and not progressed too far?

I can't get him there till Friday morning


----------



## Salamanda (May 28, 2008)

Dried food cat cause renal problems, especially they cheap colourful biscuits brands such as 'go cats'. Keeping a cat on only wet food can also be bad for the teeth. I am going to start giving my cats a raw diet soon to see if there is any difference.


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree that dried food causes kidney and bladder problems. It depends on the quality of the food you are feeding. It's the magnesium/calorie ratio which is important as it's the magnesium content which causes a lot of the crystal problems.

Before dried food became as popular in this country as it was for dogs, I fed tinned food to my cats, which everyone now knows is about 60% water and my Aby had terrible cystitis, one attack after another until he was put on c/d diet. He was on it for over a year and then I put him onto Hills Science Plan (which was one of the first 'proper' dried *diets* for cats, rather than crunchy biscuits dried food.

All my cats have been fed on dried food, which I've changed over the years as newer products have come on the market and, although their kidneys have failed some of them, they've failed at 16/17 years of age, which is a pretty good long life for a cat, so I don't blame dried cat food for that.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Ive made him an apt for Friday late morning. I might fast him that morning as the vet might wanna do tests or something.

I hope he will be ok.
He's such a lovely little cat and only young. I am terrified of what the results might be!


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Don't panic - it could be something simple.

Don't waste your time worrying until you know you have something to worry about! I know that's easier said than done when you care about your pets.


----------



## sam n mushu (Jun 4, 2012)

i agree with feorag, it depends on the food you are feeding, we had a cat that had the start of kidney failure, she was fed on whiskers and lots of crap like that, we changed her diet to arden grange and her kidneys were fine after that, she lived for another few years and died at age 18.

you should be feeding good quality foods like royal canin, arden grange, james wellbeloved, and good brands like this, bad foods include supermarket brands-all dried foods and most wet foods like whiskers and felix, they have mostly water content and not much meat content so you are wasting money buying foods like this, also wet foods can lead to teeth problems later in life. 

their is a good brand of wet food we buy in asda that has a 49% meat content called feline fayre and highlife is good as well, our cats get this as a treat. this is good compared to the other brands that are around 4% meat content the rest is moisture and animal derivatives (bones of animals and road kill, hooves etc).

I hope your cat is going to be ok, keep us updated and hope it isnt anything serious


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks. It is hard not to worry. Always feel guilty enough taking them there fir checkups and jabs etc, let alone anything elsr such as blood tests. Plus he gets really stressed at the vets so it's not gonna show a proper result anyway which may mean more blood tests. And if I can't get a urine sample they may hafta try and get one from his bladder. Hopefully no keatones will show and they won't hafta keep him in to get urine. 

When you say the good quality foods at asda are fed as treats can you not feed them as a staple then? Are they in big tins or pouches?


----------



## samurai (Sep 9, 2009)

Fingers crossed his appoinment goes well tommorow and it's nothing serious


----------



## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

Salamanda said:


> Dried food cat cause renal problems, especially they cheap colourful biscuits brands such as 'go cats'. Keeping a cat on only wet food can also be bad for the teeth. I am going to start giving my cats a raw diet soon to see if there is any difference.


You'll notice a massive difference!!


----------



## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

If you want something good for your cats and avaliable in Tescos asda etc. get researching RAW diet.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I'm going to discuss diet with the vet after the results from the blood test come in. 
I have these crystal bead things katkor to usr for his litter tray tonight when I seperate the two cats. Hopefully I'll get a sample.
I didn't see him go to toilet at all this morning before we left for the vet and there was none on the tin foil I left out in the tray for him. Then the vet said he had an empty bladder and emptied it on the way to the vets when he had his appointment. He didn't, as there was no urine in the carry cage. So he must've gone earlier this morning before I woke up. I don't know how long it takes for a male cats bladder to fill even a little.
Thinking about it I'm becoming sure he's not urinating as much latley and he also meows sometimes some days when he's in the bathroom, even if he's not in the litter tray. Its a similar long call to the attention/playing one he does.
I forgot to mention alk this to the vet so I'm gonna give the a ring soon.

There's no blood anywhere in the litter tray but maybe for a UTI or similar there doesn't always have to be. When my female cat had cystitus she had blood in her urine but didn't cry or anything.
Hopefully whatever it is is easily treated and he will stop drinking as much.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Oh, also the vet said his temperature was a little high. I know that couod be from stress and je really stresses from the vets all the time, but other times they havnt mentioned anything about his temp. 

I want to get them onto an all wet diet asap and I know you gotta wean them onto any new food(s) gradually by mixing more and more of the new food in win the old each day. Yesterday I started them back onto the nornal adult purina one dry and mixing it into each meal of their low calorie purina dry...just so they're not on the low calorie anymore. Then I can wean them off that and into wet after discussing it with the vet, and seeing if he may need a special diet altogether

I got two pouches of wet food here, one Felix and one whiskers that are as a treat for the rats, but I'll ask the vet if it's any good mixing that in instead of the adult food or something just until I get a better quality wet food, and see if there's any difference.

Yesterday I had found some treats, quite cheap and says 100% liver on them..I think chicken liver, so I got those and gave them some yesterday and today just to get some protein in him. Hopefully it's not too salty or anything. It says on the packet it's not got anything added to it.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Just had phone call from vets. I hate it when I get confused and can't remember some stuff in all the fluster. He said bloods look good but think he said his white bold cell count is low (or very low can't remember) and might indicate infection, especially as his temp is a bit high.
I told him he meows when wandering a lot and sometimes when leaving litter tray and I havnt noticed him going to urinate an awful lot or even at all latley come to think of it. Might be a blockage. He said to start right away on a weeks worth of antibiotics, drop a sample off in the morning to test it if I get one overnight and if he's no better in three or four days and/or still drinking a lot and not urinating etc then to bring him back up.

The antibiotics are the kind u crush up I'n food and if I'd rather or if be won't take them there's the injection which will last ten days but he said it's not as good as the tablets.
He said to mix it up I'n wet food and thst felix/whiskers pouches would be fine. Don't know if I should mix it with dry too or if I should still feed dry for his other meals while he's on this. I'm not comfortable feeding dry anymore now at all, but they got to weaned off it. Is feeding these wet pouches gonna give them a bad stomach now after not being on them for so long and also all the moisture I'n it on top of all the water he's already drinking be too much for him? I thought it would be if he's got a possible uti or blockage. 
If the bloods came back good apart from that does that mean he hasn't got anything wrong kidney or diabetes wise? The only thing they didn't test for was hormonal ATM. And if course they havnt got a urine sample yet. Hoping to get one tonight with the katkor but don't think he will be able to go.

I can't get to the vets to pick the tabs up till morning.I asked the vet if he will be ok till then and he said that's a 500,000 dollar question, so really worried now as I know how they can just go downhill really quickly. He must've had it a while as he said white cells would shoot up n then right down after they have infections for a while.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Sorry about the long posts. I got a lot of questions and I'm vet worried. Also confused as to wether I should just feed only whisked or felix for now and no dry without weaning at all or not. 

My cay doesn't hardly go to the litter tray anymore and I don't think he's urinated for ages. He often cries when he's I'n there without spending any actual time I'n the tray even. 
But then at his visit today the vet felt him at his back end (around the hips j think? Assuming the bladder?) and said he'd emptied himself on the way there so he couldn't get a sample. 
As I said he hadn't urinated on the way at all and hadn't urinated since I'd been up so I dint know how long he's had an empty bladder for. 
If he was blocked though the vet would be able to tell wouldn't he, and his bladder would be full and hard, not emptied??

So why isn't he urinating if he's drinking so much?? I'm assuming he isn't. He's got the litter tray to himself tnight


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Trust me it would be a bad vet who wouldn't be able to feel a full bladder

Just keep him confined to a room with a litter tray and then you can see how much he does, but for heavens sake relax around him, you must be giving off very stressful vibes to him as it sounds like you're so uptight about what is happening.


----------



## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

We had Phoenix on dry food with Felix pouches as a kitten in the early days to help her get started on solids ( she was a tiny scrap of a thing) and all the vets I spoke too told me to totally cut out the wet food assoon as she was managing biscuits,as it was unnecessary and bad for her teeth. I wouldn't have fed it long term anyways, but please don't be scared of dried diets. My last cat was fed dry her whole life and died at eighteen.. never had teeth problems and only died due to suspected poisoning making her kidneys and liver shut down.

Raw/barf sounds brilliant but if you can't go for that, dried is the next best thing. Most wet food is majority water and rubbish. Felix is better than whiskas in my experience.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks both.

I set up the litter tray and he went as soon as I showed it to him. Looked like a lot of urine. Kinda yellow.
I got the stuff and followed the instructions on the back of the packet but all the beads just went along with the urine into the corner of the tray when I tipped it and I couldn't get urine on it's own to collect a sample. I think I used too many beads. I bought two packs cos I have a big litter tray.

I'm sure I can hear him in there again now so when he's finished I'll try again and see what I can suck up instead of tipping it. Anyone know how much urine they need to test it and the average uk price range? Every vet varies I know, but mine are ridiculously expensive!

I take it then that if the bloods came back all good except for the White blood cells then he hasn't got kidney problems or diabetes?


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

If he had kidney problems that would show up in the kidney function test, as would diabetes. Did the vet not give you a sample bottle to fill?? they don't need a pint, even a tablespoon will be enough to look for crystals under the microscope or test for protein. if they're going to look for crystals the sample needs to be as fresh as it's possible to be because urine crystallises anyway.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I got a sample tub to put it in. They only did a basic blood test, not a full count thing as they wanted £55 or £58 for a full blood test without the £30 odd consultation and what with money troubles latley I didn't have that on me at the time. 
He said it would still test for diabetes, kidney but not for homonal things (which he said might be the cause of the drinking so much or even behavioural) but he said the urine test should show up any hormonal problems anyway. He didn't mention anything about his kidneys or diabetes on the phone when discussing the blood results.

I have taken some of the beads out now and see if that makes a difference when he next goes. Hopefully he will. I doubt there's anything they can do with the beads even if theyre covered in urine. They're kinda just stuck to the bottom of the tray now. I didn't watch him go but I was in the next room and could hear him scraping around for about a minute and then he went straight away, so I'm guessing he didn't strain or anything. Then two minutes or so of silence and he came straight in.

He must have an infection of some sort though as he wouldn't have a temperature and an abornal White blood count otherwise. At least he's not blocked which is a relief!


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I agree there's obviously something going on if his white blood cell count is up and he has a temperature. It may be that he's simply been drinking more because the temperature is dehydrating him slightly.

I'm not sure as it's so long since I had one done, but Im suare a basic blood test includes kidney and liver functions, so anything wrong with his kidneys would have shown up on the results.

Anyway good luck with getting the sample and I hope it's nothing to worry about.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Tnank you. I'm gonna pobably buy another pack of beads...just one this time so less beads lol, and try again. I can't remember, but i was pretty sure the vet said his White blood count was low, not high. I'll hafta ask him today.


----------



## samurai (Sep 9, 2009)

My cats won't use those beads at all, I just had to keep a close eye on them a put a bowl under to get a sample, you're lucky. Have you got a pippet or seringe handy that you could use? Your vet should be able to give you a seringe to get the sample, or maybe try a sterilsed spoon. 

I don't know if it even matters if there are some beads in with the sample, might be ok


----------



## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

BlackRose said:


> Tnank you. I'm gonna pobably buy another pack of beads...just one this time so less beads lol, and try again. I can't remember, but i was pretty sure the vet said his White blood count was low, not high. I'll hafta ask him today.


Two bags are fine. Beads are fine. That's why they make / sell / use beads. You need to take a sample and take it straight to the vets.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

I ordered a new pack of beads for tuesday. The vet wants to see him after four days or so and I got to ring him tomorrow anyway to discuss diet and prices etc. I asked the receptionist and she said his White blood count was high, not low, indicating some type of infection. I hope its nothing serious, especially as he seems so happy. 

I'm guessing there will be a follow up consultation fee just to check his temperature and possibly another blood test.

If it hasn't gone down by then he will probably need another blood test after the 7 day course has finished.

He does seem a lot happier and drinking a lot less after having some Felix and whiskers wet food though.


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

High white blood cells indicate that the body is fighting infection somewhere.

It might just be, as I said, that the raised temperature has been causing the extra drinking to keep him hydrated. the anti-biotics could now be working agains the infection and he's not drinking as much because his temperature has come down.

This is nothing personal to you or your vets, buts I sometimes wonder if your vets see you coming! :whistling2:


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Lol, what do you mean?


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I mean that they detect an overly anxious owner and maybe go over the top on treatment, tests etc. financially or otherwise!


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Oh lol, probably.


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

Quick update. Got a urine sample at 2:15am a couple days ago and dropped it off the next morning about 10ish. Problem is I forgot it probably needs to go in the fridge and so, as the vet did say as well, it may effect the results. 
The vet said see what the vet says and to allow for 24hours. They didn't say if I had to ring or they'd ring me.
Well, two days have passed and no ones rang yet so I rang earlier today and the receptions confirmed the nurse has the results on the computer but it doesnt say if a vet has looked at it yet. So she put a note with capitals on it to say how long I'd been waiting and to get a vet to ring me asap. I'm assuming theyre probably waiting for the same one I saw to come into work to ring cos I still havnt heard anything. I'll ring back tomorrow afternoon if I havnt heard still. Do you think this means its probably not urgent seeing as no ones got hold of me?

Also, if the fact that the sample wasn't refrigerated and it could effect the resuts, do you think that means that the sample will show something when he hasn't actually got anything, or will it not show up something when he has got something? If you know what I mean.


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Not sure, but surely there will be crystals in it if it wasn't looked at for maybe 24 hours after you took it, so that might not give a real picture?


----------



## vetdebbie (Jan 4, 2008)

Urine samples should NOT go in the fridge so that is a good thing


----------



## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

A different vet rang me and said his sample results were normal. After some questions and me explaining things however, he did say there were crystals but that was probably due to the sample not being fresh. I did collect a fresh sample though literally just after he had used the litter tray and put it in a sample bottle thing. Maybe I didn't do it up as tight as I could've?
He said he probably has cystitis and then said he probably has e coli.
Very many mixed confusing messages from this phone call. He said to try and make him drink more as well as feed more wet food. 
I explained he was drinking lots more and when he had been on the antibiotics for a couple days he cut right down on it to a more nornal level (probably mainly cos of the whiskers and Felix pouches). He said he wouldn't see why a cat with cystitis (he kept going back to that) would be drinking more anyway and I didn't get a chance to suggest as you did that it might be his temerature at the time. 

I think he wants me to get him to drink more again now cos the urine was very concentrated. He said cats urine is very concentrated anyway, but his is the highest that it could be when considered normal. I don't see how when he's been having loads of water before, and then wet food everyday since. 
He even thought at first glance at the results that he shouldn't have been on antibiotics at all, but then said he thinks he should have and it as a good call by the other vet and even though I'm missing a tablet (either lost it or only got 13 instead of 14) he would be ok without the last one.
He was on two a day for a week.
Smetimes they need more he said, but he should be ok.
I hope so cos he was drinking a bit more already today and he finished his last tablet early this morning. Continuing with the pouches now as well as dry, until I can find a high quality wet food I want to feed them perminantly as well as adding a bit of dry mixed in for one meal a day for some crunch and for their teeth.


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

But you didn't take the sample to the vets immediately you got it from the cat, so it wasn't fresh.


----------

