You should also make sure you keep plenty of fresh water around for him, especially if you are going to be away for an extended period of time, such as work or all day outing.

If the gum tissue actually feels dry, the cat may be moderately or severely dehydrated, depending on other signs. Gums usually don’t feel completely dry until a cat is at least 6 to 7% dehydrated. [6] X Research source Keep in mind that your cat’s gums will rapidly dry in the air after you raise the upper lip, so you need to assess moistness immediately. If your cat’s gums feel dry, sticky, or tacky or you aren’t certain whether or not the gums are normal, examine the cat further to help you decide whether the pet is dehydrated or how dehydrated he is.

In a healthy, well-hydrated cat, the skin should return to normal color in less than 2 seconds. In a moderately dehydrated cat, this may take slightly longer. In cases of more severe dehydration, this refill time may be even more noticeably prolonged. CRT does not usually increase in cases of mild dehydration, so an increased CRT may indicate moderate to severe dehydration and warrants veterinary attention. If the gums are very pale or white before you press on them, take the cat to the vet right away. Pale gums can be a sign of more advanced dehydration. [8] X Research source Victoria Aspinall and Richard Aspinall. Clinical Procedures in Small Animal Veterinary Practice. Gloucester, UK: 2013.

In a healthy, well-hydrated cat, the skin should snap back into place immediately. In a mildly dehydrated cat, the skin may not snap back into place as quickly as it would in a well-hydrated animal. [9] X Research source Jean Johnson. Cat Expert. In a moderately to severely dehydrated cat, the skin will be obviously slow in returning to place, and in a profoundly dehydrated cat, the skin may stay in the pinched position instead of snapping back into place. [10] X Research source It is important to realize that this test is not always completely accurate. Old or emaciated animals often have less elastic skin than younger animals, so their skin may not snap into place quickly even if they are well hydrated. [11] X Research source Victoria Aspinall and Richard Aspinall. Clinical Procedures in Small Animal Veterinary Practice. Gloucester, UK: 2013. Kittens under 6 weeks of age have less skin elasticity than adult cats. Overweight pets have a lot of subcutaneous fat, so they may not have obvious loss of skin elasticity until they are severely dehydrated. [12] X Research source Victoria Aspinall and Richard Aspinall. Clinical Procedures in Small Animal Veterinary Practice. Gloucester, UK: 2013.

Severely sunken eyes that appear dry can indicate severe dehydration. In some advanced cases, the third eyelid may even be visible. [15] X Research source Victoria Aspinall and Richard Aspinall. Clinical Procedures in Small Animal Veterinary Practice. Gloucester, UK: 2013. If the eyes appear dry, sunken or the third eyelid is protruding, the cat should receive prompt veterinary attention.

Let the vet know it is an emergency so you can be seen faster. Severe dehydration is a life-threatening emergency. In addition to confirming the results of your physical examination and assessing your cat’s history, your veterinarian can run tests to help determine how dehydrated your cat is and to decide on an appropriate course of treatment.

The vet may also run a urine sample to check its concentration. Usually, when animals are dehydrated, the kidneys concentrate urine to conserve water. If your cat has kidney disease or a hormone imbalance, however, he may not be able to appropriately concentrate his urine even when he is dehydrated. [19] X Research source Victoria Aspinall and Richard Aspinall. Clinical Procedures in Small Animal Veterinary Practice. Gloucester, UK: 2013. Other tests can be run depending on the suspected underlying cause of the dehydration.

In cases of severe dehydration, immediate, aggressive intravenous fluid therapy is required to ensure the cat’s recovery.

Sick or debilitated cats and young kittens are especially vulnerable to this condition. If your cat fits this description, you should be especially vigilant in looking for these factors. These are always cause for alarm and warrant veterinary attention. [20] X Research source Helio A. de Morias, Dennis J. Chew, Catherine W. Cohn and Stephen P. DiBartola, “Disorders of Fluid Balance, Fluid Therapy and Transfusion Therapy. " In Quick Reference to Veterinary Medicine, Edited by William R. Fenner. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000