Why is my older cat drinking so much water recently?
Q: Our cat is male and 17 years old. Lately he cannot get enough water. He drinks twice as much water as he used to. Is this a sign of an illness?
A: Increased thirst in cats often does indicate an underlying metabolic disease. Some of the most common causes are hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and renal disease. There are, however, other illnesses that can cause your pet to drink more. Most of the causes of your cat's increased thirst can be diagnosed by your veterinarinarian with diagnostics such as blood work and xrays.
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Comments (6)
Alex Richard May 24, 2009 9:49 AM
hi, my cat is acting kinda weird. He meows alot when he doesn't see us there. he also scratches himself alot, too. im especially worried about the black stuff under his chin and now its around his lip.
p.s is there any way you could clean your cats ears at home because i think my cat has mites. my dad thinks i can clean it my self but it keeps coming back and i cant get all of it off.
Please HELP!!!!
Alex Richard May 24, 2009 9:54 AM
Hi, my cat keeps meowing alot when he doesnt see us there. He also scratches himself alot too. because of this he has black stuff under his chin and now its around his mouth.
P.S i just wanted to ask is there any way to clean your cats ears at home because my dad he thinks i can do it but its really hard. because all the mites in his ear are not going away everytime i clean them. they just keep coming back and i can't seem to reach the ones in the way back.
Please HELP!!!!!!
Shelley Whiddon May 31, 2009 12:50 AM
Hi,my cat is name patches I would like to know to keep her from jumping in the bathtub baging for me turning on the water faset. Because she as a water bowl that run water all day. She ben doing that every sence she was 6 months old.
cheryl June 18, 2009 9:36 AM
I had a persian cat that jumped in the tub for me to turn on the faucet. He'd drink and then jump out until next time. I thought it was adorable. Also, he'd bathe using his water bowl. Rather than grooming himself, he would dip his paws in the water and wash that way.
Allison July 3, 2009 2:11 AM
Hi
My cat Tucker has the same black stuff under his chin/mouth area too. I took him to the vet & guess what it is...cat acne! I'm totally serious. I couldn't believe it. I thought it was mites or some other creepy parasite. His vet said use a mild acne fighter, like Clearsil pads for sensitive skin, being very careful to apply it to his chin only. You can also use Cetaphil cleansers which are formulated for sensitive skin..just make sure to use only a little & rinse it well. If your cat is "difficult" to handle, try wrapping him/her in a towel & then cleaning the area. It may calm them a little to be wrapped in the towel. Also, keeping their feeding/drinking dishes & area clean is essential. My cat also scratches himself like crazy. He has an immune system disorder and the more he is stressed the more he'll increase the intense itching/scratching, acne & his bottom lip gets swollen. If it gets very bad, I take him to the vet for a cortisone shot. It works very well for him. Hope this was some help.
Linda August 3, 2009 7:17 AM
My cat was diagnosed with mites on her chin area. We were given medicated clensing shampoo and follow up with spray on lime sulphur solution to be applied once a week. We did it and it was black stuff back on her chin a few hours later.Do you know how long it takes to get rid of these mites in the chin? Or do you have any advice for me?
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