Thirsty Cats

Excessive drinking and thirst may be an early warning sign of poor health in cats. If a senior cat is finishing all the water in her bowl several times per day and drinking from other water sources like the toilet bowl, she could have problems relating to her kidneys, thyroid glands or diabetes.

  1. Kidney Disease

    • Excessive thirst in cats could be an early warning sign of kidney disease. Kidney disease is common in older cats and symptoms accompanying high thirst are weight loss, vomiting and poor appetite. A vet can check for kidney disease with a blood test and a cat should be brought in for a checkup if she is always thirsty.

    Overactive Thyroid Glands

    • Older cats commonly develop overactive thyroid glands, which speeds up their metabolism and heart rate and causes high thirst. Bring the cat to the vet if she is finishing the water in her bowl several times a day and seeking more water from places like the toilet bowl. Thyroid disease is treatable in cats and best caught early.

    Diabetes

    • Feline diabetes affects middle-age and older cats, especially if they are overweight. Diabetic cats urinate excessively and therefore their water intake is higher. Check a cat's litter box to see if she is urinating more than normal. A vet can diagnose feline diabetes through a urine and blood test and it can be treated at home with doses of insulin.

    Climate

    • The least dangerous reason for a cat to be thirsty is if she is in a hot, humid environment. In the summer, cats drink water to regulate body temperature and stay hydrated. The normal amount of water a cat drinks per day is around 1/2 pint. As always, monitor the cat's behavior but if she is not expressing signs of illness and is urinating normally, she is probably just thirsty.