{"id":140,"date":"2024-07-11T10:23:40","date_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:23:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.southseminoleanimalhospital.com\/blog\/?p=140"},"modified":"2024-08-11T06:05:12","modified_gmt":"2024-08-11T10:05:12","slug":"keep-your-cats-hydrated-in-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.southseminoleanimalhospital.com\/blog\/keep-your-cats-hydrated-in-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep Your Cats Hydrated in Summer\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Modern domestic cats share a common ancestor. Felis silvestris lybica <\/em>can be traced to the Near East Neolithic period of the Fertile Crescent, and to the Classical period of ancient Egypt. The dry, warm geographical location of their origin suggests that today\u2019s cats are equally adaptable to hot, desert conditions. Indeed, today\u2019s pet cats have a lower thirst drive than other animals, but they still require adequate daily hydration throughout the year, and especially during the summer months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Why This Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Feline hydration is vital to their overall health. Not only responsible for boosting the features of the circulatory and digestive systems, water intake replaces fluids lost during exhalation, sweating, urinating and defecating. Additionally, water delivers important minerals to the feline body, including chloride, potassium, and sodium. When water intake goes down, and water loss goes up (due to factors like the heat), feline dehydration can occur.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Delicate Balance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every day, cats need approximately 4 ounces of fresh water per five pounds of body weight. This can be managed largely through diet, as wet foods are about 80% water. Cats that eat kibble may need to replace water loss by drinking more water each day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As temperatures rise, it may be a good idea to measure the precise amount of water needed (8 ounces for the average 10 pound cat) at the start of the day. If there is too much water left over, cat owners may want to find ways to increase hydration, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n