Help your cat drink more water after vet advice

So your vet has flagged that your male Scottish Fold needs more water — that's a really common recommendation for cats with urinary issues, and it's good advice. The tricky part is that cats, especially older ones who are set in their ways, often ignore a static bowl of water. The good news is there are practical ways to fix that. Can I ask — is he currently on dry food, wet food, or a mix? And has he had a blockage or is this more of a preventative step the vet's recommending?

Crystals without a blockage — you caught it at the right time. Two things will make the biggest difference: switching a portion of his diet to wet food, and getting a water fountain. Cats are instinctively attracted to moving water because in the wild still water can be stagnant. A fountain can genuinely double or triple how much a cat drinks just by being there. For a 7-year-old cat who's been on dry food, I'd ease wet food in gradually rather than switching overnight. What does he tend to ignore — is he generally a fussy eater?

That's really useful to know. Fussy cats often respond better to a fountain than to a new food, because the water change feels less threatening than a bowl swap. My recommendation is the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain — it's widely available on Amazon UK, holds 1.5 litres, has a replaceable carbon filter to keep the water fresh, and has a gentle free-falling stream that most cats find hard to resist. It's also quiet, which matters for a cat who might be easily startled. Place it away from his food bowl — cats don't like eating and drinking in the same spot — and just let him discover it in his own time. Most cats engage within a day or two.

Yes, definitely — the fountain alone will help but wet food is the more powerful lever for urinary health. The moisture content in wet food is around 70-80% versus roughly 10% in dry kibble, so even replacing one meal a day makes a real difference to overall fluid intake. For a fussy cat, try a small amount of a pâté-style food alongside his dry food rather than replacing it entirely at first. Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare is worth asking your vet about specifically — it's formulated for cats with urinary crystals and comes in wet varieties. But even a good-quality standard wet food is a step forward while you discuss the prescription option with them.

Good move — the fountain is the quickest win and the easiest change for a fussy cat to accept. Keep an eye on his litter tray over the next few weeks; you want to see him urinating more frequently and in larger amounts, which is a sign the extra hydration is working. If you ever notice straining, crying in the tray, or very little output, go straight to the vet — male cats can deteriorate quickly with blockages. But from what you've described, you're on the front foot here.