INTRODUCTION

Like humans and other animals, cats require water to maintain good hydration and good health. There are rumours and myths about cats' relationship with water; however, although this species does not require absurd amounts of water, they must be well hydrated to prevent disease and be in optimal health. To keep your companion well hydrated, they should drink around 45ml to 50ml of water per kg of body weight per day.

When a mirringo is totally dehydrated, the kidneys become overworked, the urine crystallises and infections or more serious illnesses can occur. It is important to note that water is so essential in a cat because it is involved in all physiological functions of the body, as well as transporting nutrients, lubricating tissues and diluting urine, which protects against the formation of urinary stones.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR MY CAT TO HYDRATE?

Hydration is a very important part of your cat's care because it promotes the proper functioning of vital organs, particularly the kidneys. In addition, water can help regulate your cat's body temperature, digest food, eliminate waste and absorb nutrients. Proper hydration can also prevent health problems, such as urinary tract infections or kidney stones, which are common in cats.

Care of kidney and urinary function

Cats have a high urine concentration, which helps them to conserve water in their bodies, but at the same time this can put their kidneys at risk. It is therefore important to provide them with enough water to support the process of diluting the urine. This can reduce the risk of crystals and urinary stones in their kidneys.

Skin and coat health

A well-hydrated cat will have more elastic skin and a shinier coat. Dehydration can make the skin more fragile and therefore more prone to wounds. The coat will also look duller and weaker. In addition, if you want to take strict care of your cat's coat and skin, you should use a special shampoo for cats and take into account the moulting season.

Preventing obesity

Water will help your cat's metabolism. Cats often confuse thirst with hunger, so a well-hydrated cat is less likely to overeat and therefore less likely to develop obesity.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WET FOOD IN CATS

Wet food is beneficial for your cat because it helps him to consume the water he doesn't drink, thus improving his hydration status and helping to prevent urinary tract problems. In addition, wet food is lower in calories than dry food due to its high water content. In this way, we can feed more for the same amount of calories while helping to reduce hunger-related behaviours due to their ability to improve satiety.

A wet food will help reduce the risk of urinary problems in your cat. By ingesting wet food, we achieve a more diluted urine, thus reducing the risk of urolithiasis, as by reducing the concentration of precursors and increasing the transit of these, the likelihood of them mineralising is lower.

The administration of wet food as a portion or the whole of the cat's ration is potentially beneficial to the cat's health.

Good hydration for your cat is beneficial in controlling weight loss. The most important time for attention should be just after neutering, as neutering decreases energy needs and can lead to increased hunger. It is important to limit the amount of feed to be administered and to monitor each ration to ensure that it is the most appropriate for the maintenance and optimal body condition of the animal.

CONCLUSION

In cats hydration is extremely important, the first organs to be affected in a poorly hydrated diet are the kidneys, something that can be fatal for our cat.

It is very important that we offer a balanced diet rich in wet diets, as well as clean, fresh water.