Leave water for feral cats

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Do feral cats need water?

Feral cats need water desperately. You can’t imagine how much feral cats need humans to leave water for them, especially in this hot climate.

do feral cats drink water? Sure. I’ve seen this with my own eyes, many times. Cats don’t drink much, but cats and kittens do need to drink sometimes. Where I leave, it’s California-like climate, steamy and hot like the inside of a washing machine. Stray cats don’t have the luxury of an air-conditioner or even a roof over their furry head to protect them from the blistering sun.

Leaving containers with water in yards and parks is extremely helpful. Or a water bowl. You can get one here. Anything not too deep but wide, as apposed to deep and narrow, because a cat cat get its face stuck. I do that in summertime. It almost never rains in the summer. Whole summers go by without a drop of rain, no puddles to drink from.

I shot a video of a feral cat drinking, but she got startled and refused to drink as long as the camera was there, so I walked away. She went right back to the water container. The video was pretty much cut short, but she is cute. Here it is.

How do feral cats get water in winter?

You might be asking yourself: where do feral cats get water?

There are kind hearted people who leave bowls with water outside for feral cats. Around here, it never snows, and feral cats drink from puddles.

However, it doesn’t rain in summertime. Cats drink from dripping garden hoses and sprinklers. And if they can find a dripping water fountain outside or in a shopping center, that’s great.

At least where I leave, you can see an occasional feral cat strolling in a shopping center as if it owns the place. And sometimes they nap on branches inside the mall. There are also water fountains in parks and gardens.

But in cold climates, all standing water freezes, and it’s hard for cats to find water. There are rivers with moving water that hopefully don’t freeze, except sometimes it does, like a river in Chicago. Cats will drink from sewers. They’re not fussy.

Sometimes there are dripping pipes outside buildings where cats can drink. Dripping water won’t freeze, not while they’re dripping. In the garbage cans, there are plastic milk bottles, either spoiled or almost empty, but not quite. Soup, sauce, gravy, and other liquids that cats can drink. Their sharp nails tear open the plastic.

How long can a feral cat go without water?

An average cat can get dehydrated in 24 hours, and may not survive more than 3 or 4 days. But it also depends on the weather. If it’s very hot, the cat may not last this long.

Should you leave water out for for stray cats?

I think that’s an excellent idea! Around here, there are feral cats’ feeders, people who leave water out for feral cats, vets who take care of feral cats for free on occasions, and people who take feral cats to their homes.

How to keep feral cats water from freezing without electricity?

Partly cover the water bowl.

Place it deep inside the cat’s shelter.

Place it a bit higher off the cold ground and the snow.

Put a hot water bottle underneath.

Or get them a device that has splashing water. As long as water is in movement, it doesn’t freeze. You can put one outside for feral cats, as long as your yard is fenced in, and nobody will take your fountain. Or you can get one for your pet.

Get your cat this automatic pet fountain. Cats love splashing water. That’s why they drink from the faucet and toilet. This beautiful blue fountain will decorate your house as well as delight your cat. To spoil your cat or help feral cats, click on the button or image.

Human, where is my water fountain?