Do Pets Drink Less in Winter?

Do pets drink less in winter? Some may, but we found no study measuring how much cats and dogs drink by season. Merck's veterinary manual says water needs depend on diet, environment, activity level and health, and winter can shift several of those at once.

The reassuring part: Merck notes that healthy animals can effectively regulate their own water intake. Your job is to keep fresh, unfrozen water easy to reach, and to know the signs that something is off.

Do pets drink less in winter, according to the research?

The honest answer is that the evidence is thin. Merck gives a general figure of about 44 to 66 mL of water per kg of body weight a day for most mammals, and that figure is for a thermoneutral environment, meaning neither hot nor cold.

A 2025 scoping review of 32 studies on cat water intake, in the Journal of Animal Science, points out a gap. The widely cited water requirement for cats is based on dogs, and it does not account for diet, environmental temperature or activity level.

What researchers have tracked is food. A four-year study of 38 adult cats in southern France, published in PLoS One, found they ate the least in summer and the most from late autumn through winter.

Their body weight did not change with the seasons.

The monthly averages ran from about 51 to 52 g of food a day in June to August, up to 57 g in December and January. The authors linked the pattern to temperature, daylight length, or both. They did not measure water.

Because no study we found has tracked pet drinking across the seasons, the useful questions are simpler. Does your pet seem well, and is there water whenever they want it? Merck is clear that water intake should not be restricted.

What changes for an indoor pet in winter?

Three things can change how much a pet drinks when the weather turns: how active they are, what and how much they eat, and the air indoors.

Activity

Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center notes that dogs who love the snow and spend lots of time outside will have higher energy needs. Many other dogs get less exercise in winter and may need fewer calories to avoid weight gain.

Food

Diet makes a measurable difference. Merck explains that dogs and cats eating mostly canned food generally drink less water than those eating mostly dry food, because canned food is 60 to more than 87 percent water. Dry food is just 3 to 11 percent.

Cornell puts a cat's need at about 4 ounces of water per 5 pounds of lean body weight a day, roughly a cup for a 10-pound cat.

A cat on wet food gets much of that from meals, so a quieter water bowl doesn't always mean a cat is taking in less.

Some pets eat a little more in winter. The ASPCA suggests feeding a little extra in the winter months, and Cornell's cold-weather tips say cats burn more calories to stay warm.

Because Cornell also flags weight gain in less active dogs, ask your vet what's right for yours.

Indoor air

The ASPCA notes that going repeatedly from the cold into a warm home can cause itchy, flaking skin, and that plenty of water to drink helps keep pets well-hydrated and their skin less dry.

What about pets who spend time outdoors?

For any pet with outdoor time, the main water concern in the winter guidance is freezing. A bowl that turns to ice gives a thirsty animal nothing to drink.

Cornell's Feline Health Center says the best way to avoid cold-weather problems is to keep cats indoors at all times.

For cats who are outside, Cornell advises measures to keep water from freezing, such as a solar water heater, and thick plastic bowls rather than shallow ceramic ones.

For dogs, Merck's veterinary manual advises heated water buckets for dogs kept outdoors, along with more food, split into several meals, since they spend a lot of calories keeping warm.

Cornell's canine center says living outdoors is generally not recommended. A dog who does must be used to the cold, have fresh, non-frozen water, and have an insulated, wind-protected shelter with dry bedding raised off the ground.

Our guide to how cold is too cold for dogs covers time limits.

One more winter hazard sits near water. The ASPCA warns that antifreeze is lethal for both dogs and cats, and advises cleaning up any spills thoroughly.

How can I help my pet drink enough this winter?

Most of what helps in summer helps in winter too. These ideas come from Cornell and Merck.

• Keep water in several places. Merck's cat owner guide advises multiple bowls of fresh, clean water, cleaned daily.
• Offer wet food, or add water to meals. Cornell notes canned food can be up to 80 percent water.
• Try flavoring. Cornell suggests water from a can of tuna or low-sodium chicken broth to encourage drinking.
• Think about water temperature. The scoping review found one small study in which 4 of 8 cats drank more cooled water than room-temperature water, and none preferred the room-temperature bowl. The reviewers judged that study's analysis inappropriate, so treat it as a hint.
• Try a fountain if your cat likes moving water. Cornell says fountains work for some cats, not all.

More ideas are in our guide on how to get a cat to drink more water.

Can milk count as an extra drink?

Fresh water stays the daily drink. Merck's cat owner guide says dairy products of any kind should not be fed to cats, so ask your vet before offering any milk, lactose-free ones included.

If your vet is happy with an occasional extra, Choolip's Berry Good Milk is Grade A milk with the lactose broken down, made for cats and dogs.

Its listed ingredients include taurine, seaweed-derived calcium, vitamins D3 and E and cranberry. Its label says it is for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.

It is no replacement for water, and it is not a milk replacer for kittens or puppies.

Cornell's guide is to keep all extras to 10 to 15 percent of a cat's daily calories. Our guide to cat milk for adult cats explains what to check on any label.

How do I know my pet is drinking enough?

Cornell's Feline Health Center describes two quick checks you can do at home.

• Gums: they should feel moist. Dry or tacky gums are one sign a cat is short of water.
• Skin: gently lift the skin over the shoulders and let go. In a well-hydrated cat it falls back almost immediately. Cornell notes older cats can have less elastic skin even when they're drinking enough.

It helps to know your pet's normal. For daily amounts by weight for both cats and dogs, see how much water cats and dogs need.

Call your vet promptly if your pet:

• shows the signs Cornell lists for a cat running short of water: lethargy, weakness, poor appetite, dry gums or, in severe cases, sunken eyes
• may have licked or swallowed antifreeze. The ASPCA advises contacting your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, (888) 426-4435, immediately
• acts weak or disoriented after time in the cold, breathes shallowly or collapses. Merck lists these as signs of hypothermia and notes that shivering is not usually the sign in pets that it is in people

Questions pet parents ask in winter

Should I give my pet warm water in winter?

We found no veterinary study testing warm water for cats or dogs. In the one small cat study the review describes, cooled water was the one some cats preferred. Fresh and unfrozen matters more.

Do cats need more water in winter?

No source we found sets a different winter amount. Cornell's general guide is about 4 ounces per 5 pounds of lean body weight a day, including water from food.

Is a heated water bowl worth it?

For outdoor water, yes. Merck advises heated water buckets for dogs kept outdoors, and Cornell advises keeping outdoor water from freezing for cats. Indoors, an ordinary bowl that doesn't freeze is fine.

Should I feed my pet more in winter?

It depends on the pet. The ASPCA suggests a little extra, while Cornell notes many dogs exercise less and may need fewer calories. Your vet can help you decide.

Sources

• Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Keeping Pets Safe During Cold Winter Months, 2025
• Merck Veterinary Manual (Cat Owners): Proper Nutrition for Cats
• Cornell Feline Health Center: Hydration
• Cornell Feline Health Center: Feeding Your Cat
• Cornell Feline Health Center: Cold Weather Tips for Cats
• Cornell Riney Canine Health Center: Winter Safety Tips
• ASPCA: Cold Weather Safety Tips
• Serisier S, et al. Seasonal Variation in the Voluntary Food Intake of Domesticated Cats (Felis catus). PLoS One, 2014
• Kosmal PAL, et al. Diet format, protein, amino acids, salt, and osmolytes, as well as water viscosity, affect water consumption in domestic cats: a scoping review. Journal of Animal Science, 2025

This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own pet — they know the animal in front of them.