The Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Cat!
QUESTION: If there was one piece of advice that you could give to cat owners, what would it be?
ANSWER: Wow! SO MANY things that I think are important for cat parents to keep their feline family members healthy, safe and comfortable, but if I had to narrow it down to ONE THING, it would be:
PROVIDE FRESH, CLEAN WATER AT ALL TIMES! 💧🐾
I always recommend providing MORE THAN ONE source of fresh, clean water. While running water tends to attract many cats, the most important thing is simply making sure that the water is FRESH and CLEAN!
A water bowl or cup is perfectly fine, as long as the container AND the water itself are kept clean on a DAILY BASIS.
The idea of a water fountain is GREAT, but the reality is that fountains are truly a LOT more work than many pet parents realize!
Water fountains come in so many shapes, materials and styles that choosing one can be confusing. In my years of experience, I have found that plastic is the hardest to keep clean. Stainless steel and ceramic tend to be easier, but even those often contain plastic or rubber parts that need special attention.
Fountains can be GREAT, but they must be properly cleaned and maintained to prevent the buildup of biofilm, bacteria, saliva, food particles, hair and other debris. And just because the water is moving through a filter does NOT mean that it stays clean indefinitely!
I recommend dumping the old water, rinsing the fountain and refilling it with fresh water DAILY. The entire fountain should also be completely disassembled and thoroughly cleaned every few days—including the pump, tubing, crevices and all those little parts where slime and debris love to hide.
Filters should be replaced according to the manufacturer's recommendations—or sooner if they become dirty.
And this is another reason I recommend having at least TWO water sources. If a fountain stops working, becomes dirty or your cat simply decides not to use it, there is still another source of fresh water available.
Cats naturally have a relatively low thirst drive, so encouraging adequate water intake is especially important. Good hydration supports normal kidney and urinary tract function and overall health.
But providing fresh water doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.
Fresh water doesn't have to be fancy. It just has to be FRESH. 💙
So, if there is ONE thing you can do for your cat every single day: PROVIDE FRESH WATER!
Dump yesterday's water.
Wash the bowl.
Refill it with fresh water.
And do it again tomorrow. 🐾💧