If you have pets, what kind of water do you give them? Do you just fill their bowls from the tap, do you buy bottled water, or do you use a water filter? I guess tap water would be okay, considering the fact that they'll drink from a puddle on the ground (and some ever drink from the toilet), but I know that many people are very particular when it comes to their pets.
I just give my cat tap water, and every pet that we had drank only tap water, so I think that our tap water is quite safe, since my cat has been drinking that same water for 9 years now and he is healthy. Giving them bottled water is only for the filthy rich people.
I just give them tap water. Even I drink tap water. I really don't trust those commercial bottled waters because there are times when they are not really that clean as well.
I have always given my cats tap water. I never thought about filling their bowls with bottled water. It may sound cheap, but it sounds like it could be a little expensive. I don't think there's anything wrong with given pets tap water. As you mention in your post, they're willing to drink from puddles without a second thought.
I use to give my dogs filtered water but it started to get kind of expensive so I switched to tap water and they have been drinking that for several years. Though I can't stand drinking my own tap water so I probably will make a point to switch back to filtered and just budget the extra expense. I get worried about the chemicals that might be in it.
We have 4 pets, 2 cats and 2 dogs. We do give them filtered water only because that is all we have in our house. We live in Florida and the water is really bad here so we installed a filtration system on our entire house. If we had regular Florida tap water, I would definitely buy bottled or spring water for my pets. If we wouldn't drink it, I wouldn't give it to them either. Danyel
I suppose you could buy distilled water, which is much cheaper than those brand name bottles of "spring water" - which lord knows what is in those . Or your could get a Zero water filter and make your own. The Zero water filters actually do work really really well, way better than the Pur or Brita filters which barely do anything at all. The only downside to the Zero filters is they are slower to filter the water so you need to keep adding a little at a time to the top of the container. I try to replace a glass of water for every glass I take out. Here in Ohio, our tap water tastes fine and I consider it to be safe for all of us to drink. I guess the only concerns would be if they were getting too much flouride or chlorine from it. We always gave our dogs, and now cats, tap water though and they have always been fine with it.
Although I had made it a practice to feed him with filtered water but on occasions when we are travelling and have to feed him with regular water, he got sick. Thereafter I always fill his bowl with tap water to increase his immunity and only to avoid any such future instances.
I give my dog filtered water. I wouldn't give my dog bottled water as I don't think it's necessary. I get water for him from a filter I have on the tap, which filters water. I don't drink it just because I don't think it filters it enough to become drinkable, but for a dog I think it's appropriate.
The water where I live is safe to drink. I give my cats tap water. Even I drink it. I think bottled water is pretty expensive and I don't think it's worth it unless water in your area is unsafe.
The water where I live is safe too. I drink it and so do my pets. I am not rich enough to give mine bottled water, lol. I would filter it if it was harmful for any reason though.
Is there anything wrong with giving pets tap water? Maybe in the places where the water isn't all that clean/safe you'd be wary of giving your pet such water. Where I live the water is safe to drink. I've been drinking it for a while now and have had no issues. My pets also get the same water. Question to those who give their pets bottled water . . . doesn't it get it be expensive after a while?
When I had pets, they just drank straight from the tap. Cats don't like stagnant water though so my cat usually just called on me to turn on the faucet whenever she felt thirsty. If I'm not home then she will have been serviced by any other of the people here. I never felt the need to give them filtered water but that was mostly because even we were just boiling tap water. Now that we have a proper one though, I think I'd most likely just use that for my pets next time just to be on the safe side.
I've always given my pets tap water, I've never really known of anyone giving their pets bottled or filtered water. I leave in a pretty clean area, and I'm not to worried about the quality of the water, it seems to be just fine.
I usually prefer to give tap water to my dog as it can be really difficult to buy bottled water for it every single day. Also, I have been giving it tap water to it since I bought the dog to my home . I think dogs are immune to most of the common flu that humans get affected with so easily. I also believe that my dog loves the taste of the tap water rather than that of the drinking water.
I give my pet cat tap water. There was one instance when I did give him bottled water though. He had a Urinary Tract Infection and it was recommended that I give him distilled bottled water to help him with the infection. For cats, it actually can be beneficial, but after he got over the UTI, I began giving him normal tap water again; he was fine and still is. I guess filtered water could technically be a little better for pets, but tap water is still just fine. Besides, like it's been said, they will drink from the toilet if they get the chance (my cat does).
I give my cats distilled water since it is real cheap to get at Wal-Mart. One of my cats has had issues with Urinary Tract Infection so I want to do what I can to prevent it.
Well, during the rainy season, my pets get rain water. There's plenty of it. So, why not? During the dry season, if my rain harvesting system gets low, then they get water from the tap. But, I have my own borehole and the water has been tested and it is safe for consumption.
If the tap water in the area is potable, by all means give it to your pet. What is safe for human consumption would necessarily pose no threat to the health of animals. However, if the tap water is not potable, definitely filter it first before giving it to your pet. The higher costs of filtering is really nothing compared to the vet bills that could arise from complications. I think bottled water is going too far, and it isn't really that much different from filtered water.
At first, when they are still baby pets, I give them tap water. When they require certain treatments, like when they need to drink milk or when they have a fever, I would give them boiled water. I don't think it is a good idea to give pets food and drinks that are not sustainable. Therefore, I don't give them a combination of tap water and boiled water, for fear that they might develop a taste for a certain type of water. I'm pretty sure my pets have drinking problems, though, but I remember that they do tend to not finish their milk if they are presented with both water and milk.
