A Question on Wet Food

[MisMelzy]

I know that some freeze the wet food and leave it out for their cats when they are at work. I have also heard people say to put water in so it doesn't dry out. I have been adding water into Lucky's wet food. But I've noticed that she still seems to pee a lot even though her numbers are good. Just wondering if maybe I'm adding in too much water? She is a grazer. I give her a can and she eats like 1/4 of it and walks away. When I give her food on the weekends, I usually feed her around 6:30 and it's not all gone until like noon. So I have to add water to it so it doesn't dry out and I end up wasting a lot of it. Is it harmful if they get more water than what they need? She still has large pee amounts but it's more like 2 or 3 times a day. But I noticed the one day when I didn't put anywater in, that it was much more normal size. But I only do that when I'm home. When I'm away I have to put enough water in so it doesn't dry out before she can eat it all. And those of you who freeze the food, what kind of muffin tins do you put them in? Regular metal or silicone? Do you ad water into it or not? Just wondering

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

I think most of us use ice trays and most of them are plastic...and yes, it seems to freeze better if there's some water in it.

Have you tried maybe getting her on scheduled feedings? Like every 6 hours? You could use an auto-feeder that you can put an ice pack in and schedule it to open while you're at work, and decrease some of the water you're adding.

I don't think that there's any such thing as "too much water" when it comes to keeping their kidneys in good shape, as long as their kidneys are working correctly and there's no reason to limit the water

 

[RobinCot]

I agree with Chris - I don't think there could be too much water. My sugarcat likes his food like soup and when he licks the water out - I add more. By the end of the day, the water and the food are gone and the water bowl is still full. I think they digest water better when it is with food.

I have used muffin tins and ice cube trays. The muffin tins provide more. If I put the frozen tin on the counter for about five minutes the "hockey pucks" slip right out and I save them in a freezer storage bag.

 

[Hillary & Maui (GA)]

When she was unregulated was her pee sticky and hard to get out of the box? Now that she is regulated and getting lots of water, is it still sticky and hard to get out or not?

If there is a lot of pee and it's not sticky, that's a good sign that things are working properly.

I add almost 1 can of water to 1 can of food and Maui does pee a lot, probably a little less than when she was unregulated and it's not sticky.

 

[MisMelzy]

Lucky's pee was never sticky that I knew of. She just peed quite frequently. She is peeing much less but still big amounts. It may be that she just holds it a while before going? Or maybe she's peeing a lot but peeing in the same spots making it bigger? Last test her kidneys were working good. But in another probably few months I might bring her in for a check up. I try to get all my cats in for bloodwork every 6 months, but if things are tight it's once a year for bloodwork to make sure things are all okay.

I have checked into timers. I may not have the money until around Christmas time for that. I have checked goodwill and other second hand stores. I have seen them there before, but never needed one. And now that I do, can't find one to save my life! So for now I'll try to just add enough water in for her.