Symptoms of Dehydration in Cats

Symptoms of Dehydration in Cats

The manifestations of dehydration in cats include reduced skin elasticity, sunken eyes, depression, decreased appetite, cold body, and reluctance to move. Dehydration in cats can cause electrolyte imbalance and pH changes in the body, requiring timely hospitalization for examination and treatment. The treatment involves correcting the electrolyte imbalance, restoring the pH value, and administering fluid therapy to replenish energy and water in the cat.

What Causes Dehydration in Cats?

Insufficient intake of water and electrolytes, excessive saliva secretion, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding, burns, panting, and polyuria can all cause dehydration in cats. First, dehydration is a symptom accompanying many diseases, which can cause eye socket depression and reduced skin elasticity. Second, severe dehydration can cause cats to develop hypovolemic shock, leading to coma.

Symptoms of Dehydration in Cats

The most direct symptom of dehydration in cats is reduced skin elasticity. Gently pinch the skin behind the cat's neck, and if it quickly returns to its original position, it means the cat has not developed dehydration. If the skin remains in the pinched position for a long time, it indicates that the cat has begun to dehydrate, and the longer the recovery time, the more severe the dehydration. Dehydration in cats may also cause symptoms such as sunken eyes, dry gums, drooling, or panting.

What to Do if Your Cat is Dehydrated

If your cat does not vomit and can drink water, it is recommended to feed the cat a large amount of glucose water. However, it is best to go to the hospital for fluid therapy. Because dehydration causes the loss of most of the glucose, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride等ions, leading to acid-base imbalance and changes in the body's pH value. It is recommended to go to the hospital for fluid therapy to prevent the cat from dying of heart failure.