Cats are the only pets that can become dehydrated even when their water bowl is always full.
The reason is often in what they eat every day. Dry kibble contains very little water. To digest it, the body actually uses its own fluids. Many cat owners are not aware of this.
And it often goes unnoticed.
The second step is simple, but not always followed. Always make sure fresh, clean water is available at all times, and keep it away from the food bowl. Cats often avoid water that is stale or placed too close to food. Many also prefer running water, because in nature still water could be unsafe. In these cases, a water fountain can make a real difference.
The first step is just as important: always offer wet food alongside dry kibble. In fact, it is better if wet food is the main part of the diet. A good quality wet food, such as HQS from Almo Nature, naturally provides the fluids a cat needs every day.
But even with this, many cats still drink very little. Because water alone is not always appealing. It has no smell and no taste.
So what works best? Bringing water to the cat, hidden inside food they already want to eat.
Hydration Help HQS does exactly this. It's an extra hydrating food made with goat’s milk or broth with strips of meat or fish. It uses ingredients originally suitable for human consumption. Goat’s milk is easy to digest and can be given from weaning. Broth with meat or fish is more instinctive for cats, with a smell and taste they recognize as real food.
Always provide fresh, clean water and keep it away from food bowls. A water fountain can encourage cats to drink more.
Always combine wet food with dry kibble, and ideally make wet food the main meal. High quality products, such as HQS by Almo Nature, help provide the moisture cats naturally need.
Hydration Help HQS is an extra hydrating food made with goat’s milk or broth with meat or fish, prepared with ingredients suitable for human consumption. It is designed for cat owners who want to support hydration in an easy and effective way.
Hydration Help HQS can support all cats, but it is especially useful for three situations. The recipes are single protein, which also makes them suitable for cats with food sensitivities.
Cats that mainly eat dry kibble, helping to make up for the low moisture in their diet without them noticing
Senior cats, who may lose some sense of taste with age and prefer stronger flavours
The recipes use a single protein, which makes them suitable even for cats with food sensitivities.i.
Where does ongoing dehydration in cats come from?
The story of today’s domestic cat begins with a desert hunter, Felis silvestris lybica. This ancestor did not have regular access to rivers or lakes. Instead, it got most of its water from prey such as mice, birds, and lizards, which contain around 65 to 75% water.
Over time, the cat’s body adapted to this way of living. Its kidneys became efficient at conserving water, and for thousands of years it survived with very little direct drinking.
Today, however, many cats live indoors and eat dry kibble, which requires more water during digestion. Yet their natural “thirst signal” is not strong. Even when they are low on water, many cats do not actively seek it out. Instead, the body compensates by concentrating urine or redirecting fluids where they are most needed.
The effects are slow but steady.
They can appear as urinary crystals, repeated urinary infections, or reduced kidney function over time. An older cat that starts losing weight, eating less, and then suddenly drinking more water may already be dealing with a long term issue.
The problem is not the cat.
It is the environment we have created.
But the good news is that, with simple daily choices, we can support their health and comfort over time.