Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Cats have trouble using essential resources when put in an unfamiliar and stressful environment.
This can affect their water intake and make them suffer from dehydration. In the long run this can
lead to a number of diseases such as bladder issues, heart disease, or kidney failure. In addition to
this, many cats do find themselves in shelters due to their low status in society. In order to investigate
this in shelters for cats, three different kinds of shelters were chosen to measure their cats water
intake for seven days and nights. The three different shelters were one ordinary cat shelter, one cat
café with homeless cats available for adoption, and one foster home. They all measured the water
intake of their cats, the placement and kind of water bowl was considered. The results show that the
cats in general drink less water than the stated recommendations. Some drink more water during the
day compared to the night, some do not. It is also suggested that they prefer not to drink water in
close proximity to their feeding bowl or litter box and further suggested that they prefer to drink
water from a running source. The reason for cats to drink less water than the stated recommendations
is mostly because of stress and bad welfare, and perhaps that the recommendations are somewhat
overstated. In order for cats in cat shelters in Sweden to not suffer from dehydration and the risks
that include, people in charge need to understand the cats’ behavior better and guide them into
drinking more. Little to no research is available on dehydration in sheltered cats, therefore, no
statement can be done on how dangerous this is for the individual cats in the study. However, more
research will help better understand their needs and guide human personal how to better care for
their cats.