Water and Hydration for Sphynx Cats

Sphynx cats should always have access to fresh water. Water bowls should be emptied, washed and refilled regularly rather than simply topped up. Food particles, saliva and debris collect in the water surprisingly quickly.

Cats naturally obtain a substantial proportion of their water through food and may not fully compensate for low dietary moisture by drinking more. As a species, cats evolved obtaining a large proportion of their water from prey, and this still matters when we look at how much moisture they take in with food.

A wet or properly balanced raw diet provides a significant amount of water as part of the meal. Cats eating high-moisture diets generally have a higher total water intake and produce a larger, more dilute volume of urine than cats eating dry diets.

This is one of the reasons this site favours properly balanced raw food or complete wet over dry food as the main diet. Hydration is built into the food rather than relying entirely on the cat choosing to drink enough separately.

Fresh drinking water should still always be available, regardless of what the cat eats.

Some cats prefer moving water and will happily drink from a running tap while barely touching a bowl. In that situation a fountain is certainly worth trying. It does not guarantee that every cat will drink more, but giving different water options can help establish what an individual cat prefers.

Fountains need cleaning just as much as bowls do. Filters, pumps and internal surfaces can collect biofilm and debris, so circulating water should not automatically be assumed to be clean water.

Stainless steel or ceramic bowls and fountains are a practical choice because they are durable and easy to clean thoroughly.