Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cats

PawTracks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

What you need to know about liquid diets for cats

Nate Swanner
By

While most cats will do just fine with regular cat food throughout their lives, sometimes cats need a little extra TLC. If your cat is recovering from an illness or surgery, she might not be all that excited about eating her food. In some situations, your vet might prescribe a liquid diet for your cat. You’ll need to give your cat some extra care, but with liquid cat food, you can get that important nutrition into your cat, even if she’s not feeling hungry. Whether your vet has just recommended a liquid diet or you want to research them just in case, knowing the details of feeding your cat liquid food can help you be prepared if your cat ever needs this specialized care.

When to feed a liquid diet

Your vet might recommend that you feed liquid cat food in several different instances:

Related Videos
  • Orphaned kittens might need to be fed liquid milk replacer.
  • More commonly, a cat who’s recovering from surgery or an illness might lose their appetite and need a liquid diet for a few days as they regain their strength.
  • Some older cats who are unwell or in pain might also benefit from a liquid diet.

In most cases, a liquid diet for cats isn’t a long-term solution and is instead intended to get a cat through a rough period so they can regain their strength and return to their typical diets. However, cats who have cancer or kidney disease might benefit from a long-term liquid diet. Liquid diets should only be fed under your vet’s supervision and instruction since a cat who is unwell enough to require a liquid diet will probably require other treatments and careful monitoring.

Related
Cat wrapped in a towel being fed with a syringe
Iryna Imago/Shutterstock

Potential liquid diets for cats

There are many commercially available liquid diets for cats, and they’re formulated to ensure your cat gets the nutrition she needs. If you’re looking for a milk replacer for kittens, Whiskas Catmilk for Cats and Kittens is easy to digest and comes already formulated as a liquid.

Most liquid diets intended for adult cats require a prescription, and your vet will surely recommend the one they think is best for your cat.

You may also be able to create your own liquid diet for your cat. You can puree traditional wet cat food in a blender and add some water to create more of a broth. This is ideal because you retain the balanced nutrition that already exists in the cat food. Alternatively, your vet might recommend using low-sodium chicken broth as a short-term solution. If you’re considering making your own liquid diet, be sure to consult with your vet to verify that it will meet your cat’s nutritional requirements.

Orange and white cat being fed with a syringe
Nils Jacobi/Shutterstock

How to feed a liquid diet

In most cases, you may need to syringe-feed your cat a liquid diet, especially as she is just starting to recover. Your vet will provide you with a syringe and detailed instructions on how much to feed your cat and when. Syringe feeding will take time, and it’s a temporary solution that you might need to perform over a few days. You’ll also want to provide your cat with free access to water.

As your cat regains her strength, she may start to feel strong enough to eat on her own. Warming up her liquid food can make it more tempting, encouraging her to eat. A few seconds in the microwave will usually do the trick, but be sure to stir the food thoroughly and carefully check its temperature before giving it to your cat.

Feeding a liquid diet requires some extra time and patience, but it’s often a necessary aspect of caring for your cat when she’s unwell. If you ever have questions about the diet or your cat’s health, talk to your vet right away. A cat who doesn’t eat can quickly become dehydrated and lose strength, so it’s important to get your cat the care she needs. By choosing the right liquid diet and following your vet’s instructions, you may be able to give your cat all the care she needs right at home. However, in some cases, cats may need to return to the vet for IV treatments and other supportive care to get them through a tough health period.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Is chocolate toxic for cats like it is for dogs?
We know chocolate is toxic to dogs, but is it safe for your cat?
Cat sitting and eating a treat

If you've ever searched for a list of foods toxic to dogs, then you already know allowing your furry best friend to ingest a chocolate bar can have tragic consequences. But is chocolate bad for cats? Although your feline fur baby is much less likely to scarf down a slab of chocolate cake while you have your back turned, chocolate poisoning does occur in cats, too, and it can have equally life-threatening consequences.

Keeping your cat safe is your top priority, which makes knowing the symptoms of chocolate ingestion vitally important. Knowing the proper steps to take in case your cat eats foods she shouldn't might just save her life. Here's what you should know.

Read more
Do cats get separation anxiety just like dogs do?
Here's how to help your cat cope with separation anxiety
Anxious calico cat lying in the cat bed of a cat tree

As many of us begin to return to work and school after years of pandemic-related remote work or study, you may notice your fur babies are behaving strangely. Although it's a fairly well-known fact that dogs can suffer from separation anxiety when their human family members leave for work or leave the house at all, not everyone knows that our cats can suffer the same issue.

Cat separation anxiety occurs less frequently than it does in dogs, but that doesn't make it any less distressing to witness. Do you think your cat has separation anxiety? Then you've likely noticed unusual behavioral changes. But try not to worry -- there are many solutions that can help reduce your cat's anxiety.

Read more
What it means when your cat is constantly scratching and how to stop it
What to know about cat scratching and how to keep it under control
Gray and white cat scratching couch

Kitty parenthood can present some serious conundrums. On the one hand, you love your cat more than you love your desk chair. However, you’d prefer it if your cat would stop scratching your desk chair. Sound familiar? Those home office upgrades you made weren’t cheap, nor were the state-of-the-art scratching posts and cat trees you bought (or made) for your cat.
Though cat scratching is a common behavior, it’s probably not your favorite habit of your kitty’s if they’re doing it on furniture, cabinets, carpet, or walls. Like many less-than-desirable cat behaviors, there may be several reasons for incessant scratching. You’ll want to pinpoint the specific triggers for your cat so you can take steps to fix the issue. Allow us to play detective for you.

Why is my indoor cat scratching so much?
Outdoor cats scratch trees, posts, and fences to condition their claws and mark territory -- especially if they’re having issues with other neighborhood cats. It can serve as a form of protection and an outlet for emotions, primarily stress or excitement. Cats also like to scratch to give themselves a manicure, as the action removes the dead parts of their nails.
Even if your cat has their own private space for a litter box and doesn’t have to contend with predators, you might find yourselves having an issue with scratching. Regardless of where a feline lives, scratching is instinctual. Cats don’t always take the time to think, "Should I scratch here, or will it make my human upset?" Instead, they may default to, "I need to scratch. This spot looks good."

Read more