How do i make my cat drink water?

My cat is really dehydrated. We give her milk but she doesn't take in enough fluids BY FAR. Now her fur is falling out in clumps of dry skin, she looks wierd skinny and is weak. I'm really worried about her but when I give her water instead of milk she...

won't drink it at all.
I'm going between hydration and mercury overdose because my mom has been feeding her this 100% tuna wet food from Trader Joe's ALL the time. and having high levels of methyl mercury are not a joke. Maybe it's both the hydration problem and the mercury...my mom won't listen to me when I told her about the tuna and I have no money to take her to the vet to find out.
I feel terrible, she keeps screaming at my door all night because I don't want these dry crusty clumps all over my clothes and bed (she always sleeps with her head on my chest hugging me and goes ballistic when she can't. I can't keep listening to her cry like that)

thanks in advance!

We had a cat that had lukemiea. She started to get very very very skinny and frail. Not to mention she began screaming during the night. She wouldnt eat, but she would drink water.
You need to get your cat checked out. Call vets around you to see if there is one that doesnt charge a visit fee.

You have to find the money to take her to a vet - can you borrow it from someone?

She is very sick - it could be from mercury (she seems to be displaying some signs of mercury poisoning), but only the vet can determine it.

In the meantime, if she'll drink the milk - keep giving it to her, it's better than no fluids at all

give your cat nuthin but water..and cat food.
thats how I get it used to it.

Try wet cat food (uhm yeah maybe another brand that doesnt have mercury...) It usually has enough water in it so they dont really need too much water
Milk is likely to lead to diarrhea, if you're going to give her milk buy the special cat milk they have for kittens
Also, my cat's shedding was bothering me too so I used a big sheet
(just a bed sheet) to cover over my bed and she sleeps on top... then all you have to do is wash that sheet instead of all your clothes and bedding...
Please try to get her to the vet...

Milk will cause diarrhea too. If that's all she will drink though, dilute it with water. Canned food is not good for cats. The best thing to feed them is dry Meow Mix. I haven't known a cat that doesn't like it.
Please don't feed her anything that you know has mercury in it. If your Mom doesn't believe you about the mercury, then do research on the Internet, print it out (if you can) and show it to her.
Your kitty is suffering and while you're guessing about what could be wrong with her, she is getting worse. Please get her to the Vet. If money is an issue, sometimes a Vet will work with you and let you make payments. Just let them know how sick she is. If they won't work with you, go to another one.
My cat died in May. We didn't know what was wrong with him. He wasn't eating, was lethargic. He got an infection in his eye and it had to be removed. He also developed a limp and the Vet said he must have been fighting other cats outside. He got to the point where all he could do was lay on the floor.To make a long story short, he had Leukemia and had been suffering with pain. We had to have him put to sleep.
I'm not a Vet but it sounds like it could be that or kidney problems.
I know how it is to worry about them. It's heart breaking to see them sick. That's why you need to get her to the vet soon.

my cat doesn't go outside at all...and she always drank milk. very seldom, when we run out we'll give her water. and she never has diarrhea from it. Sometimes, as a treat, I'll buy her the kitty milk, she loves it. She's so picky, though! she doesn't like most of the food we give her, and she's allergic to anything with chicken. which is very strange, I always thought. anyways, she's been sick on and off with different stuff for about a year. she'll be fine for a couple of months then she'll get all wierd. recently she had some sort of bladder inflamation about 5 months ago. we didn't know anything was wrong she was just screaming all the time, and I don't mean the meek meow she usually does when she wants to be petted or more milk, I mean really screaming. anyways, thank you guys very much I'll do what I can.

You could use a syringe to give her water. Just hold her mouth open and shoot it toward her cheek then rub her throat to get her to swallow it. Also if you give her canned food (w/o the mercury) add some water to it, just a little to make it a little moister.

You really do however need to take her to the vet, if it's mercury poisoning then she needs help.

Good luck

get her to the vet!

give her 3 cc of pedialite, with a syringe every 2 hours hun

I'll try the water first. I wish I had money to borrow but there is no one to borrow from. I've been laid off so I have nothing otherwise I'd take her myself, I don't care if it would cost my whole paycheck, my mom is on workers comp after she hurt herslef so we're only my dad's paycheck and behind on bills as it is. I want to try to help her in the meanwhile, I don't want her to get worse. if she doesn't get better in two weeks (I should start wroking by then) I will take her to the vet. I just honestly have no means to now. it's not that my parents don't want to take her, we just seriously have no money.
is there something immediate I can do, besides force feeding her water lol and I will put water in her food, great idea! thank you all so much, if there is anything else you tell me that could help her I would be forever grateful. thank you soo much.

Your cat will drink when it wants to, but you should never give a cat milk. You need to get that cat to the Veterinarian or dig it's grave. You may be surprised the bill may not be that much or the vet will let you make payments