Cats have low thirst drives, so we all have to make sure they do not dehydrate. But is tap water safe for them? If you filter your H2O, isn’t it natural to filter it for your furry friend as well? Given the fact that we drink many contaminants harmful to human health, filtration is a common practice. More and more specialists are discussing the safety of tap for cats, especially since they are finicky and particularly sensitive to odors and tastes. So how good is it for them anyway and what should you do about it?
Tap Water: Concerns for Human and Pet Health
While the developed countries take pride in their water cleanness and safety, we all know tap contains a myriad of contaminants, toxins, and pollutants. The EWG warns that the current contaminants correlate to severe health threats in pets, such as cancer, diabetes, hormonal disruptions, brain and nervous system problems, and internal organs’ malfunctions.
Studies concerned with polluted pets show that the cat blood and urine samples contained nine carcinogen substances, 40 substances toxic to their reproductive system, 34 neurotoxins, and 15 chemicals harmful to the endocrine system. These contaminants get to pets through the water they drink, the canned food they eat, and the air they breathe, besides playing outdoors or with other animals.
Other research shows that cats have plenty of urinary issues linked to hardness minerals. A 2016 study found that in the U.S. areas with hard water, pet owners made numerous medical investigations to their cats’ showing of increased urinary problems. There is no proven connection between these high levels of minerals (calcium and magnesium) and human or pet health. However, vets recommend pet owners to refrain from giving their cats water that contains chemicals that municipalities add when they treat it, such as chlorine or fluoride.
If your cat is susceptible to urinary problems or digestive problems, it is better to keep these data in mind, as hard/contaminated liquids may complicate pre-existing conditions.
Like you wouldn’t give your child whatever is coming from the tap, so you shouldn’t give it to your cat. If you rely on a private well, you probably are using already a home filtration system. As you probably know, private wells do not benefit from governmental regulations. They can supply your daily nutrition with pesticides, lead, nitrates, toxins, bacteria, and viruses. Even city water should go through testing at least once a year, as lead leaks from pipe and plumbing corrosion, while E. coli, giardia, and cryptosporidium are present in H2O sources in different levels throughout the country.
What Are the Alternatives to Safe Water for Your Cat?
Most people and pet owners drink bottled water and give it to their pets as well. Nevertheless, the bottled variety is not 100% safe for your furry friend. Recent studies show that bisphenol A (BPA), a compound found in plastic products (bottles and even kitchenware), correlates with endocrine issues. Giving your cat plastic-bottled water may be harmful in the long term for her thyroid, for instance. For this reason, many vets recommend you do not use food/drink plastic bowls for pets either.
When you are looking for safe and affordable alternatives, home filtration systems come to mind. If you want to keep your pet safe and happy – and even enjoy drinking water – you have three leading solutions.
1. Reverse Osmosis Filters
Reverse osmosis water filters – be them under-sink units, whole-house systems, or even countertop water pitchers – are the best investments you can make in safety. RO technology removes all contaminants and toxins from liquids, adding healthy minerals back in the right amounts. Many families install RO filters to cover all their drinking needs, especially when they have newborn babies, pets, and family members suffering from chronic health issues.
2. Faucet Filters
One of the most straightforward solutions to clean and safe H2O is the installation of faucet water filters from Water Filters Advisor. Affordable, easy to maintain, and portable from one home to another, these small devices are excellent choices for pure drinking H2O. When you decide to make sure your child or your pet is 100% safe against tap contaminants, faucet filters do a terrific job. They also remove the unpleasant taste, color, and odor of treated water, helping your cat to drink more daily.
3. Cat Fountains
Cats cannot resist water that moves. Cat fountains are one of the best solutions to convince your buddy to drink more and thus avoid urinary problems. These fountains for cats come with incorporated filters, cleaning the liquid of bacteria and other contaminants. However, if you care for a baby cat or a cat with health issues, make sure the unit has the right type of filter. If you are not happy with the fountain’s filtration capabilities, use water that you previously treated through a reverse osmosis system or a kitchen faucet filter.
Bottom Line
If your beloved furry family member shows signs of dehydration, urinary issues, and other health problems that puzzle you, test the tap water you give it. It may escape us all, but the contaminants and pollutants coming from our faucets may have severe, cumulative, and prolonged adverse effects on children and pets. Water filtration systems are the better and the eco-friendlier choice in comparison to bottled liquids of any kind. Similarly, cat fountains working with filtered H2O and reverse osmosis units may be the best way to approach the health and wellbeing of your beloved feline friend.
