Bottled water or tap water for your cat?

What is better for your cat? Bottled water or tap water? The article applies to developed countries in the West.

Decisions about providing water for your cat can be complicated; perhaps overcomplicated. There is, though, a debate about bottled water versus tap water, which has been dramatically altered by a recent research project about which I have reported in another website – click this link to read about it.

The said research project has revealed that each 1 L bottle of water contains 240,000 nanoparticles of plastic. Tap water is superior, as I understand it, in respect of plastic contamination, compared to bottled water.

This may be because the companies providing tap water which is also drinking water in the West screen it, filter it, aerate and disinfect it.

The micro-plastic or nano-plastic particles inside bottled water may come from the plastic of the bottle itself or from other sources such as the nylon filters used in its bottling (ironically). People should know that the entire planet is contaminated with plastic because humans have been chucking plastic into nature for decades.

RELATED: 600 million tonnes of plastic in the oceans is our future.

The oceans are thoroughly contaminated with micro-plastic particles but it is these more toxic nano-plastic particles in bottled water which are particularly troublesome.

The study scientists decided among themselves that they would limit their use of bottled water. They are not recommending people follow suit but that’s their choice.

It would seem to be quite a powerful factor in one’s decision to buy bottled water or not.

For our cats, my personal decision is to provide tap water because I think it is healthier than bottled water.

It should be said that when a cat has a choice between tap water or a dirty puddle of rainwater outside on the patio, they tend to prefer the latter as it hasn’t been “contaminated” (from their perspective) with disinfecting chemicals like fluoride or chloride.

That said, you can buy products online (which I use) to help to minimise gum disease in cats and which is added to tap water for your cat to drink. It has a mild taste which my cat got used to quickly. Gum disease in cats is a massive headache for cat caregivers and cats. It is far too common. Poor oral health is a major cat problem in old age.

I just written an article on another website about the nano-particle plastic contamination of bottled water which you can read up on if you like if you want some more detail (see link in first para).

Cloud water also contaminated

On a separate but related topic, my research also indicates that the water that falls from the sky i.e. cloud water is also contaminated with plastic. Like I said, plastic pollution is literally everywhere on the planet.

RELATED: Xylitol in cat drinking water reduces plaque and calculus

The Independent newspaper published an article in September 2023 on the plastic pollution of cloud water. This is micro-plastic pollution causing “plastic rainfall”.

So, when your cat prefers that puddle outside as described they will be drinking plastic as well. It seems that there is no escape from ingesting this contaminant.

Our health?

Research is taking place as I write this on the health effects of nano-plastic particles in our bloodstream and in our organs. The results of that research will describe the effects on our companion animals of plastic-contaminated drinking water.

Percentage cat owners providing bottled water?

I don’t know how many people give their cats bottled water in the belief that it is better for them than tap water. This article might and probably should change their mind. Bottled water is not healthier than tap water on my assessment. But it must depend on where you live.

Poor drinkers

On a further separate but linked topic, cats are rather bad drinkers of water and therefore it helps to make it more attractive which can be achieved sometimes by varying the bowl in which the water is placed such as clear glass. This may encourage drinking if you believe your cat is a particularly poor drinker.

All domestic cats are not great drinkers because they inherit this trait from their wild cat ancestor and cousin. That’s why, incidentally, dry cat food can be a negative to health because they don’t compensate enough for its dryness by drinking more. Some vets believe that this leaves cats with mild dehydration if they are only fed with dry cat food. This may have associated health detriments.

RELATED: How long can a domestic cat survive without food OR without water?

The study referred to: Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nano-plastics by SRS microscopy. Link to the study: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300582121 – it was published on Jan 8th 2024.