Does the amount of water my overweight cat drinks have something to do with its weight?

Is your cat overweight? Has your cat been drinking more water lately and are you worried that this is the reason why he is overweight?

An unusual increase in water consumption, especially by an obese cat, can indicate a chronic disease, such as diabetes.

Water has no calories, no carbohydrates, and no fat. Your cat was not overweight when drinking water. Unless you’re adding calorie-containing foods to your water, that’s the only way your cat can get heavy from drinking water. If you’re adding sugar to your overweight cat’s water, that could be the culprit. Adding sugar to your obese cat’s water will not only make him overweight, but also lead to more health problems.

Some cats are genetically “heavy”. Regardless of how much or how little food they eat, they end up being heavy. Your fat cat could fall into one of these more robust breeds. You can certainly find out by consulting your vet or doing a quick search online.

One of the main reasons your cat might be overweight is because you are most likely feeding him an unbalanced, manufactured food made primarily from corn. You should switch your fat cat to a more balanced food that contains real meat protein, along with fat, carbohydrates in the ideal ingredient percentage range. And don’t forget about vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients.

You may also be overfeeding your cat. Could you be eating too much food / calories that you don’t need? If you are in the habit of skipping your food (probably a dry meal) all day, you may be overeating.

Has your eating pattern changed recently? Switch from canned or wet foods to drier foods? Dry foods contain approximately 10% moisture, while canned foods typically contain 70-80% moisture. If you’ve recently added or replaced wet canned foods with dry foods, increasing dry foods could probably make your fluff ball drink more water for free. In this case, drinking more water for free would be a natural balance by ingesting less moisture from your food.

Some cats simply eat and eat regardless of whether they are hungry or not. I bet your cat eats when he’s bored. You can reduce your food intake by getting the right plate size. Try as much as possible not to put your obese cat on an unbalanced diet simply by cutting calories!

Does your overweight cat constantly exercise? A cat that sleeps and laps around all day is prone to obesity. If you recently added a new play toy, or your thick fluff ball just discovered a new play toy and your exercise has increased, that’s a good activity. However, you may need more free water due to your exercise!

Water alone will not gain weight. If your overweight cat is drinking too much water, it could be a sign of more serious problems. Drinking too much water can cause your cat’s kidneys to fail. Other serious problems like thyroid and diabetes could also be the reasons why your heavy cat is drinking a lot of water. On the other hand, drinking more water can be the natural consequence of a lifestyle change.

If you notice any change in your cat’s behavior, especially its eating habits, you should carefully observe and monitor it. Do your research online. Consult a veterinarian. A vet will perform the necessary tests to check for any problems.