Ever wonder how much water intake is normal for your dog or your cat? As pet sitters, knowing how much and what is normal not only for your pet but for pets in general is part of our needed knowledge base. We attend seminars and have local vets from Westerville and New Albany clinics come in a couple times a year to go over various medical conditions to help keep your pets happy and healthy while you are out of town. An educated pet sitter is an effective pet sitter! Generally, for dogs, drinking 1 ounce per pound is about right. So, don't fret if your dog seems to drink a lot of water, it might just be what the doctor ordered. However, increased water intake along with other accompanying symptoms merit a visit to the vet as do any changes! Cats are more desert creatures and drink less on average than dogs. A good rule of thumb is that your cat should be consuming around 4oz of water per day per 5 pounds of body weight. Not all of their water intake needs to come in the form of drinking water, water content can come from canned food as well. If you notice your cat is drinking quite a bit more and also using the litter box more often, a trip to the vet to rule out kidney issues or diabetes is in order. Both dogs and cats are more likely to drink enough water if the bowls are always clean with fresh, cool water. Many pets like the fountain type waterers which keeps the water circulating and fresher longer. This is why so many pets like to drink from the faucet or toilet!