[twisterjo]

Hello Everyone

We just got a cat, his name is Timmy. He's 2 years old. He got a clean bill of health from the Vet and we had him neutered.

I've noticed that I have to fill up his bowl at least 5 times a day with water. Are cats normally that thirsty or is that a red flag that he's sick?

I give him 1 cup of dry food in the morning and he tears into as if he hasn't eaten in weeks. By noon his bowl is empty. I know he's hungry because he's looking around for more food. I then give him about 1/8th of a cup of more food and again, he eats with desperation. Am I feeding him enough?

His stool has also been soft but not watery. Are these signs that I should take him back to the vet?

 

[kitkat]

When I first got my kittens around a few months old, they were really hungry but not that thirsty. Since they were kittens I contributed their pigginess to them being babies. Filling up the water bowl 5 times is alot for a cat considering they dont normally drink alot but it may be some medicaly condition or it was really dehyrated at the shelter. I would think its a red flag with the water but thats just me. Foodwise, what brand are you feeding your cat? Sometimes a higher quality food brand can create less smellier stools and more harder, not so soft. I feed my cats about a cup a day each and I would give it time for the cat to adjust to your new home and see if the cat is still tearing up the food and water. Sometimes fatter lower quality foods will cause the cat to eat more to be more full. If things aren't changing consult your vet just to be on the safe side.

Good Luck and congratulations on your new cat

 

[twisterjo]

Thanks for the advise. I feed him Science Diet dry food. I'll give it a few days to see what happens. I did consider that perhaps he's getting used to his new environment.

My husband found him in our hallway, someone must've let him in out of the cold. Before that, we used to see him in the streets for about a month. I believe he was someones pet and then they just put him out. People do that around here.

Anyway, I can only imagine what he was going through in the streets. I hope he's fine. The vet checked him for feline leukemia & aids and they said he was fine. They were surprised that he didn't even have ear mites.

I'll keep on eye on him. Thanks[/img]

 

[carealicious]

Might want to get him checked for diabetes....very possible in cats, and one of the symptoms is that they drink a lot more water than usual.

Also, what is the general capacity of the water bowl? 1 cup? 1/2 cup? 2 cups?

 

[twisterjo]

I give him 1 cup of water. Actually, now I'm only filling it about 2 to 2-1/2 times per day. I'll keep an eye on him but I think he was just dehydrated. Also he's not finishing his cup of dry food in one sitting. He saves half for later in the day.

His stool has gotten a little better. I stopped giving him Moist Whisker Treats just to rule them out.

Thanks

 

[Lilly]

My cats used to be obsesive about water! Lilly still is to a certain extent. It was to the point it was annoying! They had fresh water in their bowls, yet they would sit on the toilet and wait for it to flush so they could drink out of it like dogs do! Lilly would even wait on the edge of the sink while I did dishes. Well I finally bought them a water fountain a couple months ago, now they are fine. I think cats just really like fresh water?

 

[MrPurryMotors]

My Drizzle was semi-similar.

We got him as a baby, and he would eat and eat and eat. Usually, only about 2/3rds of a bowl, then finish that off. I had to fill his bowl twice a day, usually, when he was a baby. He never drank a lot then, but he does now - we'll let him drink from the sink (as if we can stop him, lol) and he'll sometimes go for 5 or 6 minutes. When he was a baby, his.. uhm, poo, as you mentioned, was also quite... like you mentioned. LOL. Odd thing to talk about, eh? Poo.

:lol:

He may just be a growing boy, but you did say he was 2, right? He may just be hungry-hungry-hungry. Perhaps a bit under-fed? If he was in a vet, he may not have had as constant attention as he does now and might have been starving without them knowing. You never really know.

He sounds OK, just hungry, too me, but I'm a first time cat owner and both mine are from pet stores (well, one was free outside of a pet store) and where babies when we got them, so... I dunno.