And since wet food is 75% water, it costs a lot more per ounce of real nutrition, so the same rationale goes here: unless they need wet food for a specific reason, dry will do fine. What with the recession and all, it makes sense to save money on regular purchases (like food) to serve as a cushion in case of unexpected medical bills, or whatever.

Of course, none of this means you shouldn’t buy cans of salmon or fancy treats for your dear cats. Just use them as treats, not everyday meals!

We were warned that the test results might show anything from diabetes to kidney disease, based on their observation that he had lost 2 pounds in 2 months. We were worried, because he’s our oldest (and first!) cat.

Well, today we found out he has diabetes, and apparently we “caught it” before things got really bad. So we’re learning all sorts of new stuff and learning to give insulin shots (or “jabs” as they call it in England), and Panther is going to have to cut down on soft drinks and candy (only kidding!). And chances are he’ll be able to keep living with us for a long time, as long as we take care of him properly.

If you find yourself having to deal with feline diabetes too, we’ve found some really good resources at VeterinaryPartner.com and FelineDiabetes.com.

Water, water everywhere. Your cats really need access to a lot of cool, fresh water for their health. Find out why…

All cats need fresh water!

Based on all the veterinary advice we have heard and read — as well as our observations of our cats themselves — clean fresh water is very important to your cat’s health (and it’s not bad for you either!).

Cats must have fresh water every day (they evolved in the desert, you know!). We noticed that in warm weather, even indoors, the water in any dish will evaporate over the course of a day. We refill our cats’ water bowls in the morning and evening.

The water supply from pet fountains and canister waterers can last longer, but we find the reservoir must be refilled almost daily due to drinking by two cats and evaporation. Like water bowls, any type of water dispenser must be drained and scrubbed (no soap!) once a week. This is especially important for non-filtered passive water holders. It prevents any buildup of airborne pollutants in the water your cats drink. Another thing to think about is keeping a waterproof mat under the water supply to protect your floors from the inevitable splashes.

Shed fur, dust and occasional bits of food can contaminate the water in any of the above containers. And then our cats complain!

Traditional Water Bowls

Okay, we all know about ceramic, plastic and stainless steel water bowls or dishes that you wash and change the water for every day. Personally we prefer stainless steel for three reasons:

1. Durability: It is far less likely to crack or become damaged.
2. Cleanliness: If the stainless steel did get a scratch, germs are less likely to grow (this is often a problem with plastic bowls).
3. Health: Our Bengal male has feline acne which is aggravated by drinking from plastic water dishes.

Gravity-Fed Water Supplies

Ceramic water dispenser: accepts an inverted water bottle which you supply. Bottle holder size can vary. Often with cute pawprints on the outside and colored interiors. About $25.00

Several varieties of gravity-fed water systems from narrow mouth bottle which you supply. Some have a plastic water dish and stainless steel food dish, others have both dishes in stainless steel. Some have canisters to hold extra food, too. Price ranges from $10.00 to $25.00.

Petmate Cafe : Three quart capacity with an included transparent wide-mouth water reservoir. Looks easy to fill and clean. Off white colors in a futuristic-looking design. About $10.00 to $14.00.

Petmate’s LeBistro : Looks like the office water cooler to us, in off-white or blue. Comes in 4 sizes, 2 quart extra small ($8.00 to $10.00), 1 gallon small ($10.00 to $15.00) 2.5 gallons medium ($17.00 to $21.00) and 5 gallon large ($27.00).

Buddy Bowl : A plastic, almost no-spill, 2 piece water dish for travel or boisterous cats. A funnel piece which snaps into the bowl prevents spills when tipped, unless the bowl is filled too high. We have one and used it in our large cat carrier on hot days. Our cat and carrier arrive dry. If used outdoors, keep it in the shade as the plastic will get quite hot otherwise. Speckled white/gray. Regular and large (1/2 gallon) are about $12.00 to $18.00.

Electric Water Fountains for Cats

Prices vary considerably between large pet food stores and online stores. You may find them occassionally on sale. Circulating and filtered water can prevent stagnation and probably tastes better to your cats. After all, you probably drink filtered water, too. For best prices, shop around, especially if you buy the add-ons. All these are for indoor use only.

Drinkwell Pet Fountain: Creates an audible circulating stream of water for your cat. Price ranges from $40.00 to $50.00 without an extra reservoir. With the 75 ounce reservoir included you may pay less than $60.00. Or you can order two sizes of extra reservoirs separately (50 ounces and 75 ounces) for an additional $15.00 and $20.00 respectively. Check for warranties. Basic statistics:

• Your cat drinks from a flowing stream of water or a pool of water
• Basic model holds 50 ounces of water
• Dimensions of basic model without extra reservoir 9"W x 11"D x 7.25"H
• Adjustable flow rate knob
• Rinseable, replaceable charcoal filters (sold in packs of 2 or 3, about $4.00 to $9.00 each pack)
• Optional removable water reservoirs available
• Disassembles for cleaning

Petmate’s Fresh Flow Fountain: Creates a quiet circulating stream of water for your cat. Three models are available. Regular holds 50 ounces of water ($20.00 to $35.00), while the Deluxe model holds 108 ounces ($35.00) and the Jumbo holds 216 ounces ($50.00). Only add-ons are buying the charcoal filters. We chose this product ourselves, as it is in our bedroom and we wanted a more quiet fountain.

• Your cat drinks from a flowing stream of water or a pool of water
• Basic model holds 50 ounces of water
• Dimensions of basic model 8.50"W x 13.25"D x 7.5"H
• Adjustable flow rate knob
• Rinseable, replaceable charcoal filters (sold in packs of 2, about $4.00 each pack)
• Transparent removable reservoir releases additional water when needed
• Minimal assembly required
• Low voltage AC adaptor provided
• Disassembles for cleaning

Cat It Fountain: A different shape altogether, this has the water flowing over the interior of a large plastic dome and into a water dish. Detachable food dish also provided, and additional dishes are about $5.00 each. The fountain averages about $30.00.

• Your cat drinks from a pool of water
• Basic model holds 100 ounces of water
• Dimensions of basic model 11" x 18" x 8"
• Replaceable charcoal cartridges are about $6.00 each
• A matching waterproof Cat It Mat 16" x 24-1/2" is sold separately for about $15.00
• Low voltage AC adaptor provided
• Disassembles for cleaning, "dishwasher safe"