Adult cats need 3/4 of a cup of water daily for good health. This is especially important if your cat eats dry food only. If you have a cat that does not drink enough water then you may want to add a bit of soft food to their diet as most moist foods is 74% water. Male cats especially need enough water to avoid getting crystals in their urine. Just like us, we need to flush out toxins daily with lots of water. If your cat will not eat soft food try adding a little bit of water to the dry and make a gravy. I suppose you could also leave your faucet running like the above owners.
When I brought in our little rescue cat last Sunday I gave her water along with her moist food right away. She went for the water first and drank more than normal. This is because all feral cats and any stray cats are always dehydrated in the winter mostly. They do not get enough water from eating snow like most people would think.They are dying of thirst and need water. Although I feed ferals there is nowhere that I can plug in a 'heated bowl' to keep the water from freezing. If you are feeding outdoor cats and could add water to their daily meals by purchasing one of those heated bowls that they carry in most pet stores you would be doing the poor cat a big favour. Our little stray has finally started to eat and drink normal amounts now.
Hugs, Deb