How long can a cat safely go without water before it's dangerous?

It's extremely serious that your cat isn't drinking water as she can become extremely dehydrated and die from this. I would have her seen by a vet immediately. As for baths, cats do not typically need baths at all. They are quite good at keeping themselves clean. I would only bathe her if she got very dirty.

The answer to this question depends on a number of factors. A young healthy cat will recover well from a short episode of dehydration. An older cat or a cat with any underlying health problems can have problems recovering from dehydration. You didn't mention the age of your cats or if they have any underlying health problems. If they are older or have any health problems, I would have them evaluated to be on the safe side. If they are young and healthy and eating and drinking well, I would expect them to recover easily, but if there are any signs of lethargy or vomiting, I would certainly have them evaluated. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that they will be fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If it has been 3-4 days without drinking water than I would expect him to show signs of dehydration or illness. Could he be drinking water without you knowing that he is drinking? If he eats wet food than he may not drink as much as the water content in wet food is much higher than dry food. Some cats like to drinking running water so you could buy a fountain water bowl and see if that encourages him to drink more. The cold temperature of the water should not be a problem. If it continues than have your vet examine him to determine the cause.

I'm sorry your cat is so ill! If your cat isn't eating or drinking and has all these health issues, euthanasia would be the best option. Should she not be eating or drinking, she will be slowly staving to death and that will be extremely painful for her. It would be cruel to allow a cat to stay in that state for longer than 24-48 hours, even though they could last significantly longer than that without eating or drinking. I would recommend following your vet's suggestion. Again, I'm sorry she is so ill!

If the cat is stray, you will probably not be able to know for sure where her water source is. If she looks relatively healthy and is continuing to eat what you offer, I would not be concerned that she is dehydrated. If she is easily handleable, you can check her hydration status by pulling on some of her skin on her back to see if there is appropriate elasticity. Dehydrated animal's skin will often stay in place rather than returning to the normal anatomic location. You can also get a look at her gums and check for pinkness / moisture. Hope this helps.

Kidney disease in cats, in most cases, is caused simply by a loss of function overtime. I think we see this more in cats because they tend to live longer than dogs, sometimes on the upward end of 15 to 20 years. As the pet ages, so do the cells that make up the kidneys, and this results in a loss of function (kidney insufficiency). In theory, yes we can preserve kidney function by adding more water to their diet. But I think that at some point the kidneys will still lose function because that is what happens naturally as the pet ages. With all that said, I still encourage owners to feed their cats wet food and use kitty water fountains whenever possible, to preserve kidney function for as long as physically possible.

It’s a medical emergency when a cat won’t eat, and if they go longer than 72 hours without eating, they will develop a fatty liver. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. Koko cannot wait until Monday to be seen, i strongly urge you to take him into an ER vet now.