If your cat is drinking more water than usual, it is worth paying attention. A small, short rise in thirst during Kuwait’s hot summer can be normal, but a clear and lasting jump in drinking is one of the most common early warning signs of illness in cats. This guide explains how much water a cat should drink, what causes increased thirst in cats, how to measure water intake at home, and when extra drinking becomes a reason to see the vet.

How much water should a cat drink a day?

A healthy cat needs roughly 50 to 60 ml of water per kilogram of body weight each day. This total counts the water your cat takes in from food, not only what it drinks from the bowl. So for a 4 kg cat, that is about 200 to 240 ml of total water per day.

Diet changes the picture a lot. Canned or wet food is about 70 to 80% water, so wet-fed cats may barely touch the bowl. Dry kibble is only about 10% moisture, so kibble-fed cats drink much more from the bowl. Many cats in Kuwait eat dry kibble, so bowl drinking alone is not the whole story.

Drinking more than about 100 ml per kg per day is medically excessive. This is called polydipsia. For a 4 kg cat, that means more than about 400 ml a day, and it needs a vet check.

Why is my cat drinking so much water? Common causes

Increased thirst is a symptom, not a diagnosis. It tells you something may be wrong, but only blood and urine tests can find the real cause. These are the most common reasons for excessive thirst in cats.

Chronic kidney disease

This is very common in older cats. Failing kidneys cannot concentrate the urine, so the cat pees more and then drinks more to keep up. Early signs of kidney disease in cats include more drinking, more peeing, weight loss, and a poor appetite. Catching it early, including with the SDMA blood test (which flags it sooner than creatinine), plus the right diet and care, can slow it down and add good-quality years.

Diabetes

With diabetes, high blood sugar spills into the urine and pulls water out with it. This causes more peeing and more drinking. Common diabetes signs are a big appetite yet weight loss. Overweight cats are at higher risk. It is treatable, and early treatment can sometimes lead to remission.

Hyperthyroidism

This is usually caused by a benign thyroid tumour in older cats. Signs include more thirst and more appetite while the cat still loses weight. You may also see hyperactivity, vomiting, and a poor coat. It is treatable with medication, diet, or radioiodine.

Urinary and other causes

Urinary tract infections and lower urinary tract disease can also raise drinking. Bladder infections are more common in cats that already have diabetes or kidney disease. Other, less common causes include liver disease, high blood calcium, some medicines (such as steroids), and in an unspayed female cat a womb infection called pyometra, which is an emergency.

Safety note: never restrict or take away your cat’s water to stop the extra drinking. The drinking is the body trying to cope. Limiting water can cause dangerous dehydration.

Is it just the Kuwait heat and the AC?

Kuwait’s summer is long and extreme, often 45 to 50C or more, and most pet cats here live indoors in constant air conditioning. It is easy to blame the heat or the dry AC air for extra drinking and put off a vet visit. Heat can add a small, short-term rise in thirst. But a sustained, clear jump in drinking is not just the summer and should be checked. When in doubt, measure it and book a check.

Other symptoms to watch alongside thirst

Thirst rarely comes alone. Watch for these signs at the same time, and note them for your vet:

• Peeing more, or bigger and heavier litter clumps
• Weight loss
• Appetite change, up or down (a cat drinking water but not eating needs a check)
• Vomiting
• Bad breath
• Low energy or hiding

More drinking with more peeing together is the classic warning combo and should always be seen.

How to measure how much water your cat drinks

You can track intake at home with a simple method:

• Fill the bowl with a measured amount of water.
• Check how much is left after 24 hours.
• Use a second identical “control” bowl the cat cannot reach, and subtract its water loss to remove evaporation. This matters in hot Kuwait flats, where bowl water evaporates faster.
• Track over a few days and bring the numbers to your vet.

It is genuinely hard to measure with more than one cat, with water fountains, or with cats that drink from taps. If you cannot measure clearly, that is not a reason to wait. Book a check.

Why early blood tests add years to a cat’s life

Kidney disease and hyperthyroidism are common in cats over about 7 years old. Yearly blood and urine panels, or twice a year for seniors, catch these problems before major damage is done, when diet and treatment work best. So a small change in drinking is worth a proactive test, not a wait-and-see. There is a local reason to plan ahead too: summer travel means many Kuwait cats go to boarding, where it is very hard to track one cat’s intake, so a baseline senior blood test before boarding season is a smart move.

When to see the vet

Increased thirst by itself is not usually an emergency, but it always earns a vet appointment soon. Go urgently, the same day, if the extra drinking comes with any of these signs:

• Straining in the litter box or unable to pass urine (a blocked cat, especially a male, can die within 24 to 48 hours)
• Not eating for more than about 24 hours
• Repeated vomiting
• Weakness, collapse, or laboured breathing
• A known diabetic cat that is lethargic, not eating, or vomiting (possible ketoacidosis)
• Blood in the urine
• Disorientation or seizures
• An unspayed female with a swollen belly or discharge (possible pyometra)

Also seek prompt care if your cat suddenly stops eating and drinking, or shows signs of dehydration such as lethargy, sunken eyes, and tacky or dry gums.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my cat suddenly drinking a lot of water?

A sudden rise can be from kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or a urinary problem. Heat can add a small, short-term rise, but a clear, lasting change needs a vet check.

Is it normal for a cat to drink a lot of water?

Kibble-fed cats naturally drink more from the bowl than wet-fed cats. But a large or lasting increase is not normal and should be checked.

Should I be worried if my cat is drinking too much water?

Yes, enough to book an appointment. Increased thirst is one of the earliest signs of common cat illnesses, and early treatment works best. Never restrict water to control it, as that can cause dangerous dehydration.

What illness makes a cat drink a lot of water?

The most common are chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism. Urinary infections, liver disease, high blood calcium, and some medicines can also cause it.

What are the first signs of kidney disease in cats?

Often more drinking and more peeing, along with weight loss, a poor appetite, and low energy. A blood and urine test (including the SDMA test) can catch it early.

Do cats drink more water in hot weather?

They can drink a little more in Kuwait’s heat, but only a small, short-term amount. A big or ongoing jump is not just the weather.

Why is my old cat drinking so much water and losing weight?

In an older cat, thirst plus weight loss often points to kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, or diabetes. Please book a vet check and blood test soon.

Why is my cat drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot?

More drinking with more peeing is the classic warning combo for kidney disease, diabetes, or hyperthyroidism. It should be checked with a vet.

Related reading

• Behavior changes: early signs of illness
• Is your pet sleeping too much
• Preparing your pet for a hotel stay

If your cat is drinking more than usual, do not wait it out. Our team can run a simple blood and urine test to find the cause early, while treatment works best. Book online or call us to arrange a check, or visit us if you notice any of the urgent signs above.