frequently asked questions

Dehydration in cats frequently goes unnoticed – clinical signs usually don't appear until a cat is more than 5% dehydrated (AAHA Fluid Therapy Guidelines, 2024), which is why prevention is critical. Subtle clues include low energy, hard stools, less frequent urination, or tacky/sticky gums. When in doubt, ask your vet.

Chronic dehydration is linked to several of the most common feline conditions, such as:

• Lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD): cats fed an exclusively dry diet have a 2.64x greater risk of developing FLUTD than cats fed a mixed diet (Piyarungsri et al., 2020).
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD): cats with CKD tend to be chronically dehydrated, which can worsen kidney function. CKD affects up to 50% of senior cats (over the age of 10) (Marino et al., 2014).
• Constipation: stool quality is directly tied to hydration status. Improved hydration status can help alleviate constipation (Klauser et al., 1990).

Yes. Dry food is only ~10% moisture vs. ~80% for wet food. Instead of drinking more water to make up for the dry food, cats compensate by holding onto water by concentrating their urine more. Cats on wet diets take in about 51% more total water than cats on dry only diets (Van Diggelen et al., 2026).

It is physically difficult for a cat to drink water from a bowl. Cats are designed to eat their moisture, not drink it. Water fountains can help some cats, but research hasn't shown they reliably increase water intake (Robbins et al., 2019). cat years works alongside your existing drinking setup – delivering hydration through a treat that your cat loves.

cat years is the best of both worlds: a delicious lickable treat your cat loves plus clinically proven
to boost hydration. Our proprietary blend of amino acids, electrolytes, and osmolytes helps boost water absorption, optimize water balance, and keep cells hydrated in healthy adult cats (Kosmal et al., 2026). Formulated by PhD experts in hydration and feline nutrition. Vet recommended for daily use.

cat years was founded by cat parents who want better for the ones we love most - our cats. Our products are developed by leading feline veterinarians and PhD scientists, with expertise in hydration and feline nutrition.

• Dr. Anna Kate Shoveller, Ph.D., P.A.S.: Professor Animal Biosciences, with focus in Companion Animal Nutrition, Amino Acids, Metabolism
• Dr. Lawrence E. Armstrong, Ph.D., FACSM: Professor Emeritus, Physiology and Nutrition, Hydration expert with focus in water-electrolyte imbalances and hydration biomarkers
• Dr. Ashlie Saffire, DVM, Feline Specialist: Board-certified in feline practice, former President of Feline Veterinary Medical Association
• Dr. Pauline Kosmal, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral Fellow, Animal Biosciences, with focus on feline hydration, drinking behavior, and dietary polyphenol supplementation

At cat years, we love our cats more than anything and just want better years with our cats. Cats age much faster than people, especially in the first two years of life. A common conversion: year one ≈ 15 human years, year two ≈ 24, and every year after adds about 4 “cat years”. By that math, a 10-year-old cat is roughly 56 in human years.

Chickie & Waffles are the two cats behind the brand. Our founder Sarah's cats inspired cat years –
Chickie is the playful goofball, and Waffles is the scientist: curious, observant, and the reason we obsess over the research. We hope you find yourself and your cats in the cat years family.

cat years hydration boosters come in chicken and tuna flavors. Every flavor is built on the same clinically proven formula, so you can choose whichever your cat loves most. All recipes use real, whole meat protein – no artificial flavors, colors, or fillers.

cat years follows AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) guidelines. cat years is a treat, not a complete-and-balanced pet food, so it is not formulated to AAFCO nutrient profiles for a daily diet (AAFCO standards apply to foods intended as a cat's primary nutrition). It's designed to be given alongside your cat's regular complete-and-balanced food, not in place of it.

cat years stays fresh through how it's made, not what's added. Each pouch is heat-sealed using the same gentle sterilization process used for premium shelf-stable human and pet food. This cooking process locks in freshness and protects the active ingredients – amino acids, electrolytes, and osmolytes – so every pouch delivers the same clinically proven hydration boost until the printed best-by date.

Each cat years hydration booster treat is 0.64 oz or 18g, which is nearly 30% larger than most lickable cat treats at 0.5 oz or 14g.

Some treats and foods add phosphorus to enhance taste (often hidden in “natural flavors”). cat years intentionally uses ingredients without added phosphorus. Based on third-party lab testing, cat years contains just 0.1% phosphorus – nearly half the level found in other market-leading lickable treats.

Phosphorus is essential, but too much can be hard on a cat's kidneys – especially for cats with or at risk of kidney disease (Dobenecker et al., 2018).

cat years is made with fresh chicken breast and wild-caught tuna, so it contains chicken and fish – two ingredients some cats are sensitive to. It is non-GMO and free from grain, dairy, soy, artificial flavors, artificial colors, preservatives, and by-products. If your cat has a known allergy, talk to your vet before introducing cat years.

cat years uses only the highest-quality ingredients, including fresh chicken breast and wild-caught tuna. It's non-GMO and free from artificial flavors, artificial colors, preservatives, by-products, and added phosphorus.

cat years is a low-calorie snack at just 11 kcal per treat.

All cat years products are produced with a leading supplier in Thailand that specializes in premium wet cat food and treats. The facility meets the highest standards for quality, cleanliness, and safety – including non-GMO, GHP (Good Hygiene Practices), U.S. FDA, BSI (British Standards Institution) Food Safety, and Dolphin Safe certifications. Our product is third-party lab tested. Ingredients are locally and globally sourced.

Each batch of our wild-caught tuna arrives at our processing facility with a certificate of origin specifying where and how it was harvested. We only work with fisheries that use dolphin-friendly fishing techniques, in line with best practices for environmental responsibility and sustainability.

Our boxes are made with 70% recycled materials. Recycled options don't yet exist for our pouches, but we're closely monitoring as the technology develops.

Crude Fat (min) 0.4%.

Crude Protein (min) 14%, Crude Fat (min) 0.4%, Crude Fiber (max) 0.1%, Moisture (max) 85%.

cat years is recommended by world-renowned veterinarians who specialize in feline health. Click here for hydration 101 from our Lead Feline Veterinarian, Dr. Ashlie Saffire, former president of the Feline VMA (Veterinary Medical Association).

Yes – cat years' clinical study was conducted at a world-renowned University Department of Animal Biosciences, with all testing non-invasive and under a formally approved Animal Use Protocol (AUP), the gold-standard ethical review process for academic animal research. The cats in the study lived in a free-roaming environment with enrichment, toys, social interaction, and care from trained staff (Kosmal et al., 2026).

cat years hydration boosters can work quickly. Cats adjust their drinking habits in response to a change of dietary moisture within 24-48 hours (Van Diggelen et al., 2026). In our clinical study, cats given cat years showed an increase in total water intake and lower urine specific gravity (key hydration markers) after a five-day treatment period (Kosmal et al., 2026).

Daily use drives the best hydration results (Kosmal et al., 2026). For healthy adult cats: feed one treat per day, up to two per day.

Hydration plays an important role in supporting cats with chronic conditions like CKD and FLUTD. cat years has no added phosphorus and is formulated with ingredients commonly recognized as safe for cats, making it a thoughtful option to discuss with your vet for cats with or at risk of kidney issues. Every cat is different – we always recommend talking to your vet before introducing cat years to a cat with any chronic illness or on a prescription diet.

cat years is clinically proven to boost hydration (Kosmal et al., 2026). Hydration supports urinary tract health and kidney function – two of the most common feline health concerns.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your cat’s hydration, please contact your vet.

cat years is formulated with ingredients commonly recognized as safe for cats, making it a thoughtful option for cats using other supplements or prescription medicines. Always consult your vet before starting cat years hydration boosters if your cat is currently taking other supplements or prescription medicines.

Safety is at the forefront of cat years at every step:

• cat years contains no added phosphorus and is formulated with ingredients commonly recognized as safe for cats
• PhD-developed formula, created by experts in hydration and feline nutrition
• University-led clinical testing for both efficacy and safety (Kosmal et al., 2026)
• Third-party lab testing on every formulation
• Certified manufacturing facility holding non-GMO, GHP, U.S. FDA, BSI Food Safety, and Dolphin Safe certifications
• Ingredients chosen with feline health in mind – including no added phosphorus, no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and no by-products

cat years is made ingredients commonly recognized as safe for cats and are generally well-tolerated, but every cat is different. If your cat shows any signs of an adverse reaction (including vomiting, diarrhea, itching, swelling, or unusual behavior), stop giving cat years immediately and contact your veterinarian for personalized guidance.

cat years is a low-calorie treat (11 kcal per serving) – it's designed to supplement, not replace, your cat's regular meals. When used as a meal topper, it can encourage picky eaters to eat more of their regular food. If you notice your cat consistently eating less, talk to your vet.

Yes – we recommend one treat per cat per day, up to twice per cat per day. This ensures every cat gets the full hydration benefit.

Shop at catyears.com or on Amazon (link here).

Subscribing is the easiest way to keep your cat hydrated every day – save on every order and never run out. We will automatically ship treats to you every 4 weeks. Pause, skip, or cancel anytime from your account. Click here to subscribe – enjoy this daily moment with your cats.

We ship from the West Coast, with average delivery in 3–5 days. Times can vary based on factors outside our control, but we work to get your order to you quickly. We currently ship only within the U.S.

Yes – save 5% on 2 packs or 10% on 3 or more. Multi-pack bundles stack with our subscribe & save discount, perfect for multi-cat households or stocking up. cat years works best with daily use (one to two treats per cat per day), so for multi-cat homes we recommend one monthly supply per cat. Click here to subscribe – enjoy this daily moment with your cats.

Email us at care@catyears.com or call (888) 891-8302 – we aim to respond within 24 hours. Your experience is too important to us. We don’t use AI – we have real people on our team dedicated to making sure you and your cat have the best care.

We offer one free sample per household. It's plenty for your cats to share a taste and see if cat years is a hit. If everyone's a fan, our multi-cat bundles make it easy to keep every cat in your home hydrated. Questions? Reach our care team at care@catyears.com.