Feline Hydration FAQs: Defining Strategies for Successful Supplementation

Sponsored by Nestlé Purina Company

Purina® Pro Plan® Veterinary Supplements Hydra Care™ Feline Hydration Supplement is formulated to support healthy hydration in cats. Following are answers to three common questions about best practices with the supplement’s use.

Which feline patients stand to benefit most from supplemental hydration?

Cats evolved as desert animals and, compared to dogs, appear to have a less effective and incomplete response to dehydration. This suggests that almost any cat could benefit from increased hydration. Factors to consider in assessing hydration and considering supplementation are lifestyle and medical conditions.

• Lifestyle. Cats that eat only dry food consume less total water than those eating wet food, even though cats eating canned diets voluntarily drink less free water.¹ Activity level can be another factor. A cat that bounds around the house and plays with owners and other household cats has higher hydration needs than a sedentary cat.

• Medical conditions. Several common conditions are known to predispose cats to dehydration. Cats with chronic kidney disease are unable to concentrate urine as well as healthy cats, setting up a need for supplemental hydration. Cats with lower urinary tract disease, especially those with a history of urolithiasis, can benefit from increased urine volume to dilute molecules that contribute to stone formation. Dehydrated cats can also develop chronic constipation—a condition that can be mitigated with additional fluids. Finally, any condition that affects mobility, such as osteoarthritis, can be problematic if it hinders the cat’s ability to get up and go to the water bowl.

What results have been seen in hydration supplementation studies in cats?

Supplementing cats with Hydra Care can support healthy hydration. In a study, cats offered Hydra Care in a third bowl increased their liquid intake by 50% over control cats. In another study, cats consuming Hydra Care had a significant increase in urine volume and significant decreases in urine specific gravity and urine osmolality compared to cats consuming only tap water in addition to dry food. (P <0.0001)

In addition, a recent study² demonstrated that healthy cats ingesting a nutrient-enriched water supplement (NW) 2–3 hours prior to anesthesia will begin the procedure better hydrated than cats offered tap water (compared to baseline). In addition, cats offered the NW appeared to be equally hydrated compared to cats administered IV fluids or better hydrated than cats with no IV fluids following completion of a brief (less than 20 minutes) anesthetic procedure.

How should clients handle Hydra Care?

I tell clients to handle Hydra Care as they would handle wet food. Because we want to ensure the supplement is consumed, I advise putting the supplement in a third bowl vs. adding it to the cat’s water bowl or putting it on top of food. I also recommend owners don’t leave the supplement out for too long.

Just as with wet food, if the Hydra Care bowl has been out for several hours and the cat hasn’t finished it, it’s best to dispose of what’s left and wash the bowl. Opened pouches of Hydra Care can be sealed and stored in the refrigerator, just like wet food. Finally, it’s important to keep the Hydra Care bowl away from dogs in the household or it’s likely to be gone in about two seconds!