Dehydration is not a joke to any living things as it might lead to serious medical problems if it is not treated well. Just like us humans, animals, like cats can also experience dehydration.
Dehydration is simply defined as a condition where a cat doesn’t get enough water or moisture. Water is very essential for lives, as most of the process in the cats’ body needs water.
If the cat doesn’t get enough water, then some of the body processes will not be able to work. So, as an owner you need to be aware of the signs of dehydration in cats. By understanding the signs, you will be able to do some treatment and you can save your cat’s life!
Here are some signs you need to notice on dehydrated cats:
You might be surprised that dehydration can lead to depression. The fact is it is! However, dehydration is only one of the causes, other medical problems or issues can be the causes as well.
So, if you observe that your cat is hiding away or not even moving from its bed, it might be caused by dehydration. Keep your eye on it. Reasons why you should play with your cat might give you an idea on how to treat depressions in cats.
There are some other signs of depressed cat you can learn so that you will be able to handle them properly.
You may be able to notice this when you pull up a bit of your cat’s skin over its shoulder. Normally, the skin will return back to normal once you release it.
However, if it doesn’t or it does but it is very slowly, then your cat might get dehydration. This test is considered as one of the best ways to check any dehydration on pets. Regarding to cat’s skin, you need to feed your cat with the best vitamins to improve your cat’s skin.
Gum is also one of the spot you can count on to check your cat’s health. Normally, your cat’s gum is supposed to have pink color and moist, not sticky and dry.
Try gently press the gum, and see whether the white spot you press return to its normal color in around 2-3 seconds. If not, then dehydration may be be the reason. Pale gum can be one of the signs of heart and blood vessel disorder in cats too.
If your cat’s eyes seem to be sunken, dull or lack of focus, then it means its body is lacking moisture, which is the main cause of dehydration. Regarding to cat’s eye issue, you can see how to treat cat’s eye infection and how to safely prevent eye problems in your cat.
Dehydration makes the cat’s body reabsorb the water from the feces on the way through the colon. As a result, constipation happens. If you see that your cat does not poo too often or the feces seems to appear dry, you’d better consult with your pet.
Dry feces tends to be caused by the consumption of dry food. If possible, balance your cat’s diet with dry and wet food. To handle constipation, you can feed fruit and vegetable your pets can eat.
Panting might look normal after your cat is exercising too much or too tired. However, if your cat is panting, wheezing or breathing with open mouth, it is considered as abnormal.
It can be a sign of distress from diminished body fluid. If you see your cat is panting for more than few minutes, you’d better consult with your vet.
Regarding to the proper exercise or workout for your cat, you can select your favorite from these workout ideas for your fat cat.
By understanding the signs of dehydration in cats, you will be able to decide the best treatment for your cat. During hot weather especially, make sure you prepare lot of water for your cats to prevent dehydration. It is not as simple as drinking enough water, but it is more serious than that.
There are some ways of preventing your cat from getting dehydration:
- Provide it with enough clean water. Most cats also love cool water.
- Maintain its nutrients, make sure to include food that has sufficient amount of water. Prefer wet food to dry food, or if it is possible, combine both.
- Still about water, some cats might want some additives to their drinking water, such as tuna or clam juice.
- Immediately consult with your vet once one of the signs of dehydration appears. Your vet knows the best to treat your cat.