Dear Siouxsie and Thomas:
I cannot figure out how my cat got into the basement while I was on vacation, but the day after we returned she was yowling her head off and I found her in the basement. She seemed thinner and immediately ate and drank, but I can't believe she could have survived without water for 11 days. Without food, too, but I think that would be possible. Can a cat live for 11 days without water?

Thanks!
~Kelly Jo

Siouxsie: Well, Kelly Jo, we know of a cat that got trapped in a really tiny space and managed to survive two whole weeks, apparently without any food or water.

Thomas: But most veterinarians and cat experts say that while cats can survive for 10 to 14 days without food, they can die within days from a complete lack of water.

Siouxsie: We cats are evolved from desert animals (the progenitor of the house cat is widely believed to be the African wildcat), and our bodies are very efficient at conserving water.

Thomas: If our diet consists mostly of canned food or live prey, we get most of the water we need simply from eating. But when we eat dry food, we need to drink more water to keep our bodies healthy.

Dahlia: I like water. It's yummy!

Siouxsie: Given these facts, we think it's pretty unlikely that your cat lived totally without water for the whole time you were away. The thing about basements is that they tend to have places where water collects, either because of condensation from your heating system, leaks from pipes, or even "sweating" of water through concrete walls.

Thomas: And if you happened to have a few mice making their homes in your cellar, your kitty probably facilitated her survival by hunting them down and eating them.

Siouxsie: Because any water your cat did get while she was locked in your basement was probably of inferior quality (it might have had detergent residue, mildew, oil, or other sorts of nastiness in it), she was probably very happy to have access to some nice fresh water when you returned!

Dahlia: I have a really long tail.

Thomas: We'd definitely recommend that you call your vet and tell him or her what happened. They may want to do a blood test to make sure that your cat's liver and kidneys are still functioning properly and that she didn't get into anything toxic.

Siouxsie: Cats can develop hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease, when they go without food for long periods of time. Obese cats are especially prone to this condition, but all cats are at risk if they go hungry for too long.

Thomas: If your cat is severely dehydrated and her blood test shows that her chemistry is out of balance as a result, your vet may want to administer intravenous or subcutaneous fluids to get her system back in balance.

Dahlia: Thomas, did you notice how long my tail is?

Siouxsie: There's a simple way to tell if your cat is dehydrated. Gently pinch a fold of skin near the scruff of your cat's neck. If that fold continues to stand up after you release your fingers, your cat is dehydrated. In a healthy cat, the skin will bounce right back to its normal state.

Thomas: Incidentally, Mama says the same test works for humans. If you pinch a fold of skin on the top of your knuckle and it takes a long time to flatten back out, you need to drink more water.

Dahlia: Look! See my tail?

Siouxsie: You'll want to make sure that you give your cat plenty of pure, fresh water. If you live in a place with a chlorinated municipal water supply, make sure your cat's drinking water is filtered either through a pitcher filter (the simple and cheap solution) or one that is mounted to your faucet or installed with your plumbing. Chlorine and fluoride are not good for cats, and since we don't care for the taste of these chemicals we often don't drink water even when we should.

Dahlia: Don't you think my tail is lovely?

Siouxsie: Would you please shut your kibble hole? We're here to give advice, not admire your poop-smelling tail! Hissssss!

Dahlia: You don't need to be so mean ...

Siouxsie: Oh, gosh. I'm sorry. Look, we'll all revel in the glory of your cuteness as soon as we're finished here, okay?

Dahlia: Okay! Hey, what's that? A bug? I got it! I got it!

Thomas: Rinse and refill her water dish every day. This not only makes your cat happy because she's drinking out of a clean bowl, but it allows you to monitor how much water she's drinking. Changes in drinking habits can be the only obvious signs of diseases such as diabetes or chronic renal failure.

Siouxsie: We're sure you take good care of your cat's water and food dishes and monitor her diet, Kelly Jo, but we do like to mention this for the benefit of anyone who reads our column.

Thomas: So, do we think your cat survived 11 days without a drop of water? Most likely not. We think she must have had access to some kind of at least marginally drinkable water; otherwise she'd be in much worse shape than she apparently is.

Siouxsie: The mystery, of course, is how your cat got into the basement in the first place. Did you have anyone over to do maintenance on your house, collect your mail or water your plants while you were away? If so, it's possible that the cat got into the cellar while that person was at your home; in that case, she may have only been down there for a few days rather than the whole week-plus that you were gone.

Thomas: In any case, a call to the vet would be a good measure -- just to be on the safe side. Mama says that if one of us got stuck somewhere without access to food or water for more than a week, she'd call the vet and get us in for a checkup.

Siouxsie: We hope this helps, Kelly Jo. Please let us know if you have any more questions.

Thomas: Oh, and by the way, Dahlia really is cute. And she does have a very long and impressive tail.

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail us at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the material in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.