Cat dehydration: symptoms & how to act

Updated 22/02/2024

Dehydration in cats is serious stuff. Whilst being dehydrated is dangerous enough for our feline family, it can also be a sign of other underlying illnesses or health problems. Here are some tips on recognizing cat dehydration, the causes, and how you can help prevent your purr baby from becoming a dehydrated cat.

Signs of dehydration in cats

We pet parents all know how tricky it can be to tell if our feline family isn’t feeling themselves until it’s quite serious. Luckily, dehydration in cats is a bit easier to spot. Here are some key dehydration symptoms in cats:

• Sunken eyes
• Sticky gums
• Pale gums
• Skin tent 
• Weakness
• Lack of appetite or refusing to eat
• Panting
• Lethargy or lack of energy
• Decreased urination
• Collapse

It is vital that if you notice your cat isn’t drinking from their water bowl, or you haven’t seen them drink water for a day, always take them to the vet.

What causes signs of dehydration in cats?

We’ll state the obvious here: Dehydration in cats occurs when they don’t drink enough water. But there are several reasons why a cat isn’t drinking their daily dose of H20:

• Underlying health problems
• Too much dry food and not enough wet food
• Dental issues
• They are unable to access or find a water source at home or outside
• If their water bowl has been used by an unfamiliar animal or pet, this can deter them from using it
• Their water bowl is too close to their food bowls
• Something has contaminated their water bowl

There are many other reasons your cat is dehydrated, but these are just a few of the most common factors.

How to act if you suspect your cat is dehydrated

Short answer: Take them straight to their vet. Dehydration in cats is very serious and can be deadly. Their vet will be able to hydrate them quickly and check for any underlying illnesses. If you’re able to provide them with any additional information about their behavior over the previous 48 hours, this will help your vet to figure out why they’ve ended up dehydrated.

Tips to prevent dehydration in cats

Check they’re eating enough wet food

Although kitty biscuits and treats are important parts of your cat’s diet, you also need to make sure they’re eating enough wet food. Whilst dry food offers nutritional value, it causes water loss which can lead to dehydration in cats. Wet food helps to increase their daily water intake to keep them hydrated. Chat with your vet about what they recommend as a daily portion of wet and dry food for your feline.

Move the location of their water bowl

Cats have many weird and wonderful behaviors, one of which dates back to when our pampered puss-cats used to be wild. Instinctively, cats will look for water away from their food. Why? Back when they had to find their food (a time cats these days don’t like to talk about), they would source their water far away from their kill to avoid contamination. Smart! But also slightly frustrating. If your kitty’s water bowl is placed next to their food bowl, try moving it to a different area. You may suddenly see them drinking a lot more water, as well as avoid taking a drink from places like faucets and puddles.

Make sure you give them fresh water every day and clean their bowls regularly. Many vets recommend investing in a kitty water fountain. These devices help prevent water from going stagnant which, in the long run, is much better for your cat’s health.

Check their skin elasticity

This is a quick and safe way of checking if your kitty needs more water before any serious signs start showing. We’ll let Dr. Sandra C. Mitchell from PetMD do the talking here:

“This test only works in young, healthy animals with elastic skin and is not as useful once cats age or develop chronic illness. However, if you gently lift (or “pinch”) the skin over your cat’s shoulder blades and then let go, it should quickly snap back into position. If the skin on your cat’s shoulder blades slowly settles back into position instead of snapping, this may also be a sign of dehydration.”

This is very different from grabbing a cat by their scruff. You must never attempt to pick up a cat by the scruff of their neck if they’re over three months old. Doing so in an older cat is painful for them and can cause them a lot of stress.

Keep a closer eye on older cats

As animals age, they tend to develop more health problems. Although cat dehydration can occur at any time in a feline’s life, older cats are more likely to show symptoms of dehydration, in cats this is quite common. If you care for a senior purr baby (on average, a cat begins their Golden Years from the age of 10) be sure to check them regularly for dehydration, and take them to the vet if you have any concerns.

Meet our veterinary expert, Emma

This article has been checked by veterinarian Emma Chandley, BVetMed MRCVS PGCertSAS. Emma graduated from the Royal Vet College in London in 2011. She has a keen interest in surgery and went on to do a postgraduate certificate in small animal surgery and was then awarded advanced practitioner status in the same discipline.