It is common for owners of older dogs and cats to notice that the water bowl seems to empty more quickly than it used to. Sometimes the change is subtle at first. Sometimes it becomes obvious only when pets start asking to go outside more often, producing more urine, waking overnight, or having accidents in the house.
In older pets, drinking more water is not a sign to ignore. It can be an important clue that a medical problem is developing.
Increased thirst is often one of the earlier visible signs of disease in older pets. Conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, thyroid disease in cats, urinary disease, infection, and other medical problems can all lead to drinking and urinating more than normal.
That does not mean every older pet who drinks more has something serious going on. But it does mean the change is worth understanding rather than simply putting down to age.
Some families notice the water bowl emptying more quickly. Others notice more frequent urination, larger puddles, overnight restlessness, accidents in the house, or a cat whose litter tray is wetter and heavier than usual.
In many cases, the drinking and urination changes happen together. Sometimes the drinking stands out first. In other pets, the toileting change is what prompts concern.
Older pets may drink more water because the kidneys are not concentrating urine properly, because blood glucose is elevated, because hormones are affecting thirst and fluid balance, or because another disease process is changing the way the body handles water.
Some medications can also increase thirst. That is one reason the change needs to be interpreted in the context of the whole pet rather than in isolation.
An older pet drinking more water may also lose weight, eat differently, seem more tired, urinate more often, have changes in appetite, smell different, seem unsettled at night, or simply not seem quite themselves.
Some pets otherwise appear well in the early stages, which is why increased thirst can be such an important early clue.
If your older dog or cat is clearly drinking more than usual, urinating more, waking overnight to toilet, or having accidents that are new for them, it is worth having the change assessed.
That is especially true if the change has persisted, is getting more obvious, or is happening alongside weight loss, appetite change, weakness, vomiting, or reduced energy.
Assessment usually starts with getting a clear history of what has changed at home and whether drinking and urination have shifted together. From there, the next step often involves physical examination, blood tests, and urine testing to help identify what may be driving the change.
Because increased thirst can be linked to several different diseases, the goal is to understand the pattern properly rather than guess.
The earlier these changes are investigated, the more likely it is that the underlying cause can be recognised before the pet becomes more unwell. Many conditions associated with increased thirst are easier to manage when picked up earlier rather than later.
This is one of the reasons routine monitoring becomes more important as pets age.
If your older dog or cat is drinking more water than usual, urinating more, or showing other subtle changes that make you uneasy, we can help assess what may be going on and what the next step should be.
Use this for the broader guide to increased drinking, urine testing and kidney monitoring.
Senior checks help interpret drinking, weight, appetite, pain and blood test changes together.
Weight loss and drinking more can be linked in older cats.
Blood and urine testing help assess drinking and urination changes.
