In the meantime you can try some home remedies to rehydrate your cat: Add a small amount of chicken broth or tuna juice to their water. Instead of dry food, try giving them wet food. Place some ice cubes in their water bowl.
Intravenous (IV) fluids are a common way to administer fluids to cats at the veterinary hospital. They are commonly used for any cause of dehydration and for conditions such as kidney disease, urinary obstruction, vomiting and diarrhea.
Cats should only really drink one thing to stay hydrated - water. Despite popular belief, milk is not good for cats and it's best to steer clear of dairy.
Fluids can be administered by mouth using a syringe. Your veterinarian will give you specific instructions on how much and how often to administer fluids. If it is not possible for your cat to be given fluids by mouth, your veterinarian will hospitalize your cat to provide the necessary supportive care.
Pedialyte is an oral electrolyte solution used to treat dehydration in children and cats. It contains not only water and glucose but essential electrolytes (body salts) including sodium, chloride, potassium, which are vital for normal organ function.
Can I give my pet (e.g., cat or dog) Hydralyte? There are many benefits of electrolytes for dogs and cats. Unfortunately we only made Hydralyte specifically for humans, so although we cannot advise you to give Hydralyte to your best (pet) friend, we do suggest you consult your veterinarian.
Cats CAN drink saltwater
While you won't be refreshed by a glass of saltwater, your kitty actually can be. Feline kidneys can filter out the salt from water, which allows them to consume and rehydrate by drinking salt water.
Whether you've got a dog or a cat, avoid using eye drops meant for humans to clear their eyes. If your pet gets something in her eye, it's safe to use plain saline solution to rinse the eye out, but avoid any contact lens solution labeled as enzymatic or cleaning solution.
There are different ways to administer SQ fluids, but using a 'drip bag' (the bag containing the fluid for administration) and a length of 'drip tubing' attached to a needle which is placed under the skin is the most common method. Most cats tolerate being given SQ fluids tremendously well.
Warm water will enhance the flavor. (Baby food is not a balanced diet for a cat and should not exceed 10% of the total daily food intake). Add a drop or two of tuna water, sardine water, or clam juice to the water dish.
If you believe your dog or cat may have some eye irritation, try using a homemade saline solution made from 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of lukewarm water. Drip the saline solution into your pet's eye using a cotton ball or eye dropper 3 or 4 times a day.
For severe dehydration, start IV fluids immediately. If the patient can drink, give ORS by mouth while the IV drip is set up. Ringer's lactate IV fluid is preferred. If not available, use normal saline or dextrose solution.
Administering supplemental fluids can benefit cats with a variety of medical conditions. Most commonly, home fluid therapy is recommended for cats with kidney disease or chronic kidney disease (also known as chronic renal failure).
Subcutaneous (SQ) fluid administration is providing fluids into the space under the skin from where it can be slowly absorbed into the blood and body. This is a very useful way of providing additional fluids to cats and helping to manage and prevent dehydration.
At home, you can try using a plain (non-medicated) saline nasal spray (available over the counter at any drugstore) if your cat tolerates it. It will help thin any “stuck” mucus and often stimulates sneezing, which helps expel mucus and bacteria.
It is best to be done only in mildly dehydrated patients – assuming that the sick dog or cat would cooperate. For pets that are not suffering from severe dehydration, the default fluid replacement option is through the use of oral rehydration salts.
Acute, severe dehydration — such as if your cat is left in a hot room without water all day — may take a few days to fully recover from, and could even require monitoring at the animal hospital. Always consult your veterinarian if you're unsure.
Pet dehydration can be one of the most dangerous things that can happen to your pet. Maintaining proper hydration is extremely important to an animal's health. Like humans, pets can suffer from dehydration, a painful and often deadly condition that can be prevented easily.
Do Not Give Milk to Cats. Cats, like many people are lactose intolerant. Therefore, providing milk for hydration isn't the best option since it can cause gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and diarrhea. Both of these issues can prevent your cat from drinking and can cause or worsen dehydration.
1 liter of mineral water at room temperature. 1 teaspoon of salt (only use potassium salt if the vet has checked their potassium levels) 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. 3 tablespoons of honey.
Also, it's probably best to avoid giving your cat cures for human dehydration like Pedialyte or sports drinks like Gatorade. Moyal says they can be too sugary and have too much sodium, respectively. Water is your best bet.
Dehydrated cats will continue to urinate, as the body has to get rid of waste products.
A cat should drink on average 60mls/kg per day of water. That means a 4kg cat should be drinking approximately 240mls a day (about one cup) to ensure their body functions properly.