Ask Dr. Paola – Assist! My Cat Refuses to Drink Water! (April 13, 2026)

Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we carry professional recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their cat’s well being and well-being.

Whether or not you’re a brand new pet father or mother or a seasoned cat lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From vitamin suggestions and preventive care to troubleshooting frequent behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to supply insights that can hold your kitty pleased, wholesome, and feline advantageous. Keep tuned for professional steering on a spread of subjects that matter most to you and your cat, so you may make knowledgeable selections and supply the absolute best care in your furry companion. ‎

Have‎ a ‎question? Send it in here!

Assist! My Cat Refuses to Drink Water!

“Hello Dr Paola,

My cat Greta refuses to drink water and repeatedly sticks her tongue out and in. What do I do?“- Pat

Pricey Pat,

When a cat like Greta refuses to drink and also you discover repeated tongue actions, it typically suggests discomfort relatively than easy pickiness. Consider it like having a sore spot in your mouth, you’ll additionally transfer your tongue round attempting to alleviate that sensation. In cats, this may be related to oral ache corresponding to dental disease, ulcers, a overseas physique, and even nausea. Diminished water consumption is very essential as a result of cats will not be nicely tailored to compensate, and dehydration can develop quietly however rapidly.

This mixture of indicators deserves immediate veterinary consideration, as a bodily examination is required to evaluate her mouth, hydration standing, and general situation. Within the meantime, providing moisture-rich fresh or moist meals or including a little bit water to her meals may help help hydration, however this could not exchange correct analysis. Given what you might be describing, an in-person examination stays the most secure approach to hold Greta snug and deal with the underlying trigger early.

Form regards,
– Dr. Paola

How Do I Catch a Wild Pregnant Cat?

“We are attempting to catch a wild, pregnant mom cat so we are able to have her spayed. We’ve dwell traps set, however it will be good to have one thing pure to calm and sedate her so we are able to safely catch her, and likewise so she doesn’t hurt herself. Are you able to assist us? We even have 5 or 6 wild kittens, 10 months previous in the identical state of affairs. Thanks!”  – Tony

Hello Tony,

It’s great that you’re serving to this queen and her group; that type of intervention makes an actual distinction in neighborhood cat welfare. I perceive the will to maintain her calm, however there aren’t any secure or efficient “pure” sedatives you may give to a feral cat. Merchandise like herbs or dietary supplements don’t reliably cut back stress, and something robust sufficient to sedate might be harmful with out correct dosing and monitoring. In cats, particularly pregnant ones, sedation have to be dealt with very rigorously by a veterinarian as a result of even small errors can have an effect on respiration, physique temperature, and the kittens.

The most secure and most humane strategy is precisely what you might be already doing, utilizing humane dwell traps with good approach. Inserting extremely palatable meals like sardines or tuna, masking the lure with a towel to cut back visible stress, and setting it in a quiet, shaded space could make an enormous distinction. As soon as trapped, retaining the lure coated helps the cat really feel safe, identical to dimming the lights in a hectic room. For transport and surgical procedure, most trap-neuter-return applications and veterinarians are skilled in dealing with feral and pregnant cats safely, together with applicable sedation as soon as they’re underneath skilled care. Thanks for having your coronary heart in serving to her, however my recommendation right here is that avoiding at-home sedation is vital to retaining everybody secure.

Sincerely,

– Dr. Paola

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