Do cats live longer if you provide them with bottled water vs. tap water??

Question

I would never offer tap water to my wife or child. We live in FL but both come from the northeast where the water is a bit "lighter". The tap water here (and there) tastes really horrible and cannot be very good for our bodies to drink. That being said, would our cats benefit from exclusively using bottled water instead of tap water from now on?? Thanks for the info and have a great new years!

Answer 1

If the water is nasty for humans and you wouldn't drink it yourself, then probably the cats shouldn't have it either. Check with the vet though. It could get expensive to have everyone in the house on bottled water, maybe you could try a filter bottle for the cats' water?

Answer 2

My opinion on BOTTLED WATER is simple. AS A NECESSITY, IT IS AND CONTINUES TO BE THE BIGGEST H O A X EVER PERPETRATED ON THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. FURTHER, IT CONTINUES TO POLLUTE THE ENVIRONMENT BEING SOLD IN (SO-CALLED RECYCLABLE) PLASTIC BOTTLES. THE BELIEF THAT BOTTLED WATER IS A NECESSITY IS FURTHER PROOF OF HOW GULLIBLE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS TO CORPORATE AMERICA'S MARKETING PRACTICES. Having said that, I am a firm believer that, in general, and depending on your locale, tap water is just as good, if not better than bottled water. I know in some areas, there may be pungent minerals and such (like sulfur), or iron in the water making it smell like rotten eggs and such, but with a simple filter installed in the water line of any home, most, if not ALL impurities can be removed. Sure, you might have to change a filter every 3 or 4 months depending on the type of filter or your amount of usage, but it is a heck of a lot cheaper in the long run and is the most environmentally safe thing to do. About the recycled bottles? I'll lay you odds that wherever you go, you will find empty, flattened, environmentally safe plastic water bottles on the ground. Do they GET recycled? Mostly NOT! I have been using an "under-the-sink" double-osmosis filter that I picked up for less than $100.00 and with TWO filter changes a year, I have the CLEANEST, PUREST water that tastes good and can be used right out of the tap. At roughly $1.00 per 16 oz. bottle of water, think of what I'm saving!! Then think of what YOU SHOULD do! Check any bottle of water, and on it you will find an EXPIRATION DATE somewhere on the bottle. It's not there for the water, it's there because the POLYMERS in the plastic that make the container begin to BREAK DOWN. There is no expiration date on my faucet, except that I have to make sure I change the filter. With regard to the cabbie who you say has stomach cancer from drinking tap water..... well, it is possible he was drinking water from a tap that used a LEAD PIPE? It is something to think about.... When I bought my house I found the water main coming into the house was made of LEAD, so I had the water company replace it with a copper pipe. If it were up to me, there would be no need for bottled water. Truly, though, it should be that bottled water is sold only in GLASS containers eliminating the need for an expiration date (which I think is hilarious anyway).

Answer 3

I can relate to what you are saying. Sure the tap water may start out healthy. But who knows how old or what kind of pipes it passes through before getting to your faucet? Most people have no idea how much chlorine is in tap water! Yuck! I quit drinking tap water many years ago, because I lived in an old house and was concerned about lead, rust, etc. other nasty stuff in the pipes. If you feel concerned about tap water too, I would say it's only fair/right to give bottled water to you cat too. Cats really dont drink or use all that much water (compared to what people use!) and it shouldn't make much difference, money-wise, to start giving bottled water to you kitties too.

Answer 4

The correct answer is no, water alone won't make them live longer. Just like humans longevity is based partly on heredity, our environment and how we provide nutrition and exercise for our bodies. The key to a longer life in pets is proper diet (preferably a natural diet), nutrition, vet care and exercise.

Yes, water supplies in most areas of America are good but no one mentioned the minerals and other deposits. These can build up in it's body and cause urinary problems. Like someone suggested, get a good water filter (not just a filter for taste but minerals and other deposits as well) and both of you will be better off. We use Brita and will be switching to an under the sink filter soon.

Answer 5

I don't think there is any research to show that bottled water vs. tap water will extend anyone's (cats included) life expectancy. If you won't drink tap water why should your cats? I use a Brita water filter for my cats' water and for my coffee because even when I take a shower I can smell the chlorine.

In Don Hamilton's book he states that if you do nothing else for your pet (discussing "natural" diets) to give it good water to drink

Answer 6

You live in the United States. There is nothing wrong with the water. Grow up and quit being a spoiled baby. In the wild your cat would be drinking out of ponds and creeks. Don't you think water that has been treated to remove all bacteria is better?

Answer 7

Fair question. I would give bottled water to the cat if I were you - after all, one bottle will last probably a week for one cat. Or get one of those cool cat fountains that filter water. I have one of those (Petmate) and the cats love drinking from it.

Answer 8

Simple answer..... cats lick their butts..... does it really matter if their water comes for the tap?! Seriously though.... all public water has been purified and is healthy to drink,,,, it might taste funny but it is clean.
P.S. maybe you could invest in a filtration system for your home or faucet... it might be cheaper than buying bottled water. Now my Question to you... how clean is your bottled water? Hold it up to the light and see the floating particles. Yum,,, guess what that is. Now you have a new question to submit.

Answer 9

I'm surprised you're asking; If you won't drink it why give it to your cat. My Stimpy would crap on my pillow"rightly" if I tried messing with her susenance. Get the filter or use the SAME water YOU drink.

Answer 10

my cat is 17 and has had tap water his whole life and he's healthier than a kitten