The Complete Guide to Safe Drinking Water for Cats

Safe Drinking Water for Cats

 

Most people consider their own water quality but rarely think about how it affects their cats. This guide covers the essential parameters to test so you can ensure your cat has clean, safe drinking water.

To test your cat’s drinking water at home, order our DIY Basic Drinking Water Test Kit.

Chlorine:

 

Cats that drink highly chlorinated water can develop GI issues, red eyes, and itchy skin. Though more common with pool water, high chlorine levels in home drinking water can also cause these side effects.

Chlorine is measured as free or total chlorine. Free chlorine is available for sanitizing and killing bacteria. To avoid negative effects on your cat, keep both levels below 4 ppm.

If your chlorine levels are high, use a chlorine-rated filter, such as a Reverse Osmosis Filter, to remove excess chlorine.

 

Iron:

 

Small amounts of iron in your cat’s drinking water is safe, but levels above 0.5 ppm may cause GI issues like vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and abdominal pain.

If iron levels are too high, a filter can effectively reduce the concentration.

 

Total Hardness:

 

Water hardness varies by region. For example, Safe Home Test Kits is based in Indiana where we have very hard water. Although research is limited, a 2016 study found that cats in areas with hard water may have a higher likelihood of urinary issues.

Hard water can damage appliances, including cat drinking fountains, by causing scale buildup that eventually stops the fountain from working, costing you money.

Hardness levels of 0-25 is considered soft, 50-120 is considered hard, anything above that is considered very hard water.

 

Calcium:

 

Calcium is essential for your cat’s health, contributing to bone strength and other vital functions. However, calcium also contributes to water hardness, which some studies suggest may increase urinary issues in cats.

There is an illness called Hypercalcemia that refers to elevated levels of calcium in a cat’s blood. But there is no evidence that this comes from elevated levels in their drinking water.

 

Fluoride:

 

Fluoride is added to water to reduce cavities and strengthen tooth enamel, but cats are more susceptible to Fluoride than humans. Elevated fluoride levels can increase the risk of bone tumors, drooling, and seizures in cats.

 

 

Copper:

 

Copper is common in cat’s drinking water. This is because it has antimicrobial properties and is often used in water bowls and drinking fountains. Copper is safe when it’s at or below 1 ppm.

Copper levels above 1 ppm can cause side effects like vomiting, fatigue, and weight loss. In extreme situations copper toxicity in the liver can be fatal to cats.

Typically, filtration systems like Reverse Osmosis, Distillation, and Ion Exchange can remove Copper from drinking water. But if the source is your cat’s bowl or fountain, you will need to find one that is not leeching copper into their drinking water.

You may want to test your water before and after it is in your cat’s bowl or fountain. Our DIY Basic Drinking Water Test Kit comes with 10 test strips so you will have plenty to test your water at different sources.

 

Nitrate/Nitrite:

 

Nitrate and nitrite, often from agricultural runoff, fertilizers, and septic systems, are more common in well water. For a more complete breakdown of Nitrate/Nitrite in Well Water read our article here.

In humans, elevated levels of Nitrite can cause methemoglobinemia which prevents the blood from carrying oxygen. Cats can handle a higher level of Nitrate than humans but can still get sick from elevated levels.

If you have levels above 10 ppm of Nitrate, or 1 ppm of Nitrite, your household (pet’s included) should either use a Nitrite rated filter or use bottled water until you can get the issues resolved.

 

Total Alkalinity:

 

Alkaline water is generally safe for cats to drink. But there are a few times high alkalinity is not safe. The first is if your cat is taking medication. Alkaline water may interfere with how medication is absorbed and make it less effective.

Some cat owners also recommend avoiding alkaline water if your cat is nursing kittens, because the water could upset their GI system.

 

Bicarbonate:

 

Bicarbonate is one of the main components that affects your water’s alkalinity. It is found in common household baking soda. Some vets may suggest you add a small amount of baking soda to your cat’s water to alkalize it if they are suffering from urinary tract issues.

While a small amount may be healthy, too much bicarbonate can cause GI issues or an electrolyte imbalance.

 

pH:

 

You do not want your cat’s drinking water to be to acidic or basic. 7 is completely neutral so the recommended range for your cat’s drinking water is between 6.5 and 8.5 which will be any water that you would drink.

If your water is outside of this range, it can have negative health effects based on whether it is too acidic or too basic. If your drinking water is outside of this range, you will want to use bottled water until you can get the issue resolved.

 

Why you should use a DIY Test Kit.

 

If you want to ensure that your water quality is suitable for your cat, the easiest way is to use a DIY test kit. Our Test Kit will come with 10 strips that each test 12 parameters. This means you can test your cat’s drinking water either at various sources like from the faucet or out of their fountain. Or test the fountain over time to make sure that it isn’t leeching contaminants over time.

The test kit only cost $12.99 which means it’s only slightly more than $1 a strip. Giving you an easy and affordable way to protect your cat. Buy your kit here: https://safehometestkits.com/product/safe-home-basic-120-drinking-water-test-kit-1-pk/