Water of life: the importance of promoting fluid intake

Water is vital to life and it is considered an essential nutrient because it supports a multitude of physiological functions including metabolic regulation and elimination of waste products through the kidneys.

For that reason, correct hydration is necessary in order to maintain a proper equilibrium of electrolytes, minerals and fluids within the body¹.

Cats are poor drinkers due to their natural behaviour, as cats have a low thirst stimulus, and consequently, they produce very concentrated urine. These adaptations might trigger long-term health implications, like increased risk of suffering feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) as urinary stones or feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC)².

Adequate hydration

Providing correct hydration might represent a challenge for pet owners not only because cats are naturally poor drinkers, but because they are also very sensitive to the taste of water and the type of bowl used to serve it.

Moreover, in some specific situations, such as cats suffering from FLUTD, a greater liquid intake and urine dilution is beneficial³. Therefore, increasing a cat’s liquid intake should be considered as a key factor to reach a correct level of hydration, together with a healthy diet and proper environmental management.

There are many different ways to encourage fluid intake. Feeding wet food⁴ or a sodium-enriched dry food⁵, offering water fountains, and flavouring water are all tried and tested strategies.

However, none of these is a magic bullet, and vets and owners often need to try multiple approaches at once to achieve adequate hydration. This is the challenge that inspired PURINA® to develop the PRO PLAN® Hydra Care™ “Nutrient-Enriched Water supplement” – a new tool to encourage fluid intake in cats.

The science behind ‘water supplements’

PURINA® PRO PLAN® Hydra Care™ is a new concept in hydration for cats. This revolutionary supplement has been created to help cats consume on average 28% more water every day than water alone and helps to increase urine dilution⁶.

In a research study, cats offered PRO PLAN® Hydra Care™ had lower urine specific gravity and osmolality, than cats offered only tap water⁶.

PRO PLAN® Hydra Care™ is a complementary pet food, in the format of a tasty, soft-textured jelly which is served on its own, as an extra third bowl. It is poultry-flavoured for palatability and contains a low-calorie mix of specific amino acids and glycerol. These osmolytes help to retain fluid in the body, making PRO PLAN® Hydra Care™ a useful tool to encourage water intake in various situations where increased hydration is beneficial.

Vets interested in the PRO PLAN® Hydra Care™ supplement can find the product here.

* _{Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.}