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No, cats shouldn't drink from the tank
Should your cat drink aquarium water? Would you drink aquarium water?
Would you let your kids drink it? (No, I'm not a hysterical cat lover,
just a hysterical fish lover.) I don't think fertilizer is the issue
here. I'm no veterinarian, but based on having done lots of course work
in medical microbiology and parisitology, I'd say that the problem is
with the high levels of bacteria in the water, as well as various higher
organisms: the various worms, flukes, and other parasitic entities (and
their eggs) that fish often harbor, often with no outward signs. (And
yes, some of these entities CAN be passed between species. They may in
fact be much more damaging to an animal that is not their natural
host.)
Yes, pets do drink water from mud puddles and other "natural" sources.
I think it's simplistic and naive to equate "natural" with harmless,
however. If you care about your pet's well being, do them a favor and
put clean water in their bowls every day and don't let them drink from
the fish tank. (And yes, I know, the bowl that the dog drinks from
refills with clean water after every flush ;) -- Sherman
> Does anybody have any opinions or fact as to whether it may or
> may not be harmful for my cat to drink from the tank water?
> Highly unlikely that the cat will be impaired in any way. He's just getting
> a little extra iron and vitamins in his diet, which shouldn't harm him at
> all. Remember, we're talking about an animal that drinks out of the street
> and mud puddles in nature.