What Can Cat Drink Besides Water? Here’s The Complete List

If you’re a cat owner, it’s tempting to let him drink many drinkable liquids. We humans can drink anything from orange juice to soda.

But how about your cat? Can cats drink anything? If not, what can cats drink besides water?

Well, in this article, I am going to cover that.

Sometimes cats can avoid water. If they consistently ignore water, you need to know the other healthy liquid diets to keep them on the go.

Dehydration leads to various health problems, and you wouldn’t want that for your cat. To make your life easier, here is the list of things that you can try.

What can cat drink besides water?

Although water is essential for the survival of a cat and serves innumerable purposes, the following liquids can cat drink besides water & also be very important :

  1. Mother’s milk
  2. Kitten Formula Milk
  3. Cat milk
  4. Bone Broth
  5. Apple Juice

Personal Note: I use this formula milk for my new kitten and this cat milk for my adults one. Both are really good and working like a charm for me.

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PetAg KMR - Kitten Milk Replacer
  • Formulated to provide a caloric pattern similar to queen's milk in protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
  • Supplies necessary vitamins and minerals to ensure proper development and growth.
Whiskas Catmilk for Cats and Kittens - 6.75 fl oz. - 3ct
  • Whiskas Catmilk for Cats and Kittens. Easy to digest. 98% Lactose reduced. Quality sealed drink.

Along with a healthy and balanced diet, cats only need to drink water to fulfill the liquid requirement. 70% of the cat’s body is made of water, and water helps in lubricating the bone joints, keeping the eyes, mouth, and nose wet, digesting solid food, and in other bodily functions.

But cats often ignore the need to drink water. Shortage of water can cause various problems, including dehydration, indigestion, joint pain, etc.

One of the reasons we should be able to mitigate these effects is by using other liquids in their diet.

Mother’s Milk:

 

During the first month of birth, they only need their mother’s milk as it contains all the necessary components. After one month from delivery, mother cats typically start the weaning process. But this process continues for the first 8 to 10 weeks after birth.

In the last 4 or 6 weeks of weaning, the kitten should receive liquid kitten food, which will gradually get thicker and thicker, until the kitten starts to eat semi-solid cat food. The weaning is complete when a kitten stops nursing on its mother.​

If the mother does not nurse a kitten, it cannot survive unless it is cared for and fed by humans.

Young kittens do not possess the ability to eat solid food. So, during the first month of birth, kittens need to gather all the essential nutrients from a liquid diet if the mother’s milk is not available.

Kitten Formula Milk

 

Kitty glop, more commonly known as Kitten Formula Milk, is needed when the mother is absent. If a kitten-milk replacement is not available in stores, there are various recipes available online. You can also check what I personally use here.

My recommended Product:

Sale
PetAg KMR - Kitten Milk Replacer
  • Formulated to provide a caloric pattern similar to queen's milk in protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
  • Supplies necessary vitamins and minerals to ensure proper development and growth.

High-fat milk, mixed with other components, provides ingredients for your small feline friend. Kitten formula is also vital for postnatal mother cats, cats recovering from an illness, or older cats who need nutritional supplementation.

When the weaning process is complete, and the kitten is independent of its mother, the cat has already learned to eat solid food. Although water can be the sole liquid component of their healthy diet, cats often refuse to drink regular water.

Cat Milk

Cat milk can be given as a substitute for their liquid requirement. You can find cat milk at most pet stores, and it is full of nutrients.

Whiskas Catmilk for Cats and Kittens - 6.75 fl oz. - 3ct
  • Whiskas Catmilk for Cats and Kittens. Easy to digest. 98% Lactose reduced. Quality sealed drink.

But you need to ensure that your cat has a balanced diet and cat milk should be considered into their daily food allowance. The truth is cat milk is quite fattening, and if offered regularly, it can cause obesity or similar problems.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is an excellent source of extra nourishment for your recovering old cats. Bone broth, which is also called “soul food” for sick pets, can be made in different ways.

In general, chicken is used for making the broth; the meat falls off the bones as the simmering is done.

Although it takes more than 24 hours to complete the broth, it is perfect for old cats with diminished appetite.

However, the bone broth alone is not a balanced diet. So, it is advised to give regular food to your cat and give bone broth as some kind of gift. A complete diet still needs to be followed along with the broth.

Apple Juice

 

One extra option you have is apple juice. Do you know you can let your cats have a little bit of apple juice? It’s not that toxic to cats as compared to citrus juice. We have a full guide on why can cats drink apple juice here.

Liquids Cat Should Avoid:

While it is necessary to know what cats can drink, you should also know what has to be avoided at all costs.

Some of the human foods or drinks can cause severe illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite.

It is a common belief that milk is harmful to cats. Kittens should only drink mother’s milk, and if it is not available, then Kitten Formula Milk can be given. Cow milk does not contain the required amount of fat, and it lacks some of the necessary nutrients.

So, there is no need to give cow milk to them. Adult cats do not have the essential enzymes to break down lactose. The lactose in milk may cause an upset stomach.

A vet should be consulted if the cat shows any uneasiness after drinking milk. Apart from milk, the following drinks should be avoided –

  1. Alcohol
  2. Tea
  3. Coffee
  4. Energy Drinks
  5. Raw Eggs
  6. Any drink having Xylitol.
  7. Orange Juice

In fact, we have a separate article explaining why you should avoid letting your cat have orange juice. Give it a read and let me know what you think.

Cats in the wild gather most of their water intake from their pray. Most cat owners today give solid food to cats.

However, solid cat food, being low on water, does not fulfill the liquid requirement.

We love cats for their attitude, and it is the same attitude that makes it hard to make them drink water.

While it is necessary to know which liquid diets can be given to your cat, you should also know which liquids should be avoided at all costs.

The chances of your cat being healthy and well-behaved increase dramatically if you maintain a proper diet.

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