Why Is Your Cat Drinking So Much Water?
Posted on: 9 January 2016
Have you recently noticed that your cat has been drinking a lot more water than usual? This is not a symptom you should ignore, since excessive thirst can be a sign of several serious illnesses in cats. Here's a look at three possible causes of your cat's excessive thirst.
Diabetes
Diabetes is especially common in older and overweight cats. It is a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin, and therefore the body's cells are not able to remove sugar from the bloodstream properly. The sugar is instead removed from the bloodstream by the kidneys and passed in the urine. Excessive urination leads to excessive thirst.
Other signs of diabetes include lethargy and a dramatic change in weight. Your vet can detect diabetes with a blood test, and if your cat is diagnosed, he or she will need regular insulin injections and perhaps oral medications to keep blood sugar levels under control.
Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are more common in female cats, though they can occur in male cats, too. The infection typically starts out in the urethra, but if it is left untreated, it can move into the kidneys. At this point, the infection can cause frequent and painful urination, which leads to excessive thirst. If your cat has also been urinating outside the littler box, seems uncomfortable during urination, and has been overly grouchy in general, a UTI is likely. Usually, a dose of antibiotics will take care of the problem. Some cats require a modified diet in order to prevent future UTIs.
Endocrine Disorders
If your cat's pituitary gland is producing too much adrenocorticotropic hormone (ADH), this may trigger the kidneys to release too much water, leading to excessive thirst. There are also other endocrine issues, including thyroid disorders, that can lead to excessive thirst. In order to determine if an endocrine issue is the cause of your cat's excessive thirst, your vet will conduct a blood test to measure hormone levels. Depending on which hormones are out of balance, your cat may be prescribed a hormone supplement or a medication to increase production of a certain hormone.
If your cat has been drinking a lot more than usual, make an appointment with Southwest Florida Veterinary Specialists & 24-Hour Emergency Hospital or another local veterinarian. The three common conditions that cause excessive thirst are treatable, but if you do not get your cat treatment soon, the symptoms are likely to become a lot worse.
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