spread the word - lead paint in ceramic pet bowls

We retired our ceramic bowls and traded them in for stainless steel after we read this. I read something (from a cat book) that made me question whether the recalls on lead paint related problems with children's toys could also relate to pets. I think retailers really ought to be on their guard about this issue.

I'm new around here, so if this is common knowledge around the forum, I still figure it doesn't hurt to beat the drum one more time.

Please read this link!

http://pets.families.com/blog/lead-p...t-products-too

I think you have to worry more about the ceramic bowls from China rather then the ones made here. But I'm working on switching them all to the Corella dishes.

omg, I had no idea!! Is plastic safe? I'm going to have to switch to that, I got some ceramic bowls from a dollar store and now i'm scared to continue using them..So, the bowl that I have is white on the inside and has no decorations. If the decorations are on the outside, is that dangerous???

Originally Posted by ut0pia

omg, I had no idea!! Is plastic safe?

Click to expand...

Don't use plastic. It is one of the leading contributors of Feline Acne. Stainless steel is a better choice.

Wow..I am switching all of the food to one of the plates I eat out of temporarily ...Is it dangerous only if it has decorations on the inside??

By the way- the water fountain that I have is plastic..Is that bad?

Another good reason to support your local artists/crafts people! (Shameless self promotion, yes... )

At any rate, glazes containing lead (or barium) are not considered "food safe". However, it's more risky to eat out of them if you were to eat hot foods, like soup, out of them daily for say 20 years. The risk otherwise from actual lead poisoning from a ceramic clay body or glaze is very low. Just be careful where you're buying from and also make sure the bowl is glazed NOT painted, as glaze is less likely to chip or leach than paint will.

Stainless steel is great- super easy to clean! I love it. I gave up ceramic dishes for the same reason...

When I read of this (Cat vs Cat - Pamela Johnson-Bennett) and she made a quick mention of lead in things made in China, I assumed nothing I would buy from my local stores would be so stupid as to carry ceramic made in China after all the toy scares. Well, guess what, the labels on both our bowls said Made in China. I have noticed that the brand Whisker City consistently is made in China, though I suppose the bowls are the biggest problem. Locally I have found this at PetSmart.

By the way, this book is a great read. She really did recommend stainless steel - said plastic scratches and causes the flavor / odor of old food to come through, even though they have been cleaned well.

I expect more research on this is needed, so feel free to do your own google searches or ask those probing questions at the local kitty supply store.

There are some ceramic dishes that are certified food safe, so I look for those brands.

We have a mix of cat dishes, Corelle dessert bowls, and stainless steel dishes for the cats.

I use glass bowls made in places other than China. Until recently, I had been using stainless steel as well, but then I read somewhere that it's possible that even stainless steel bowls from China can contain lead. I didn't know where my SS bowls were made, so I just stopped using them.

There have been cases of dogs losing nose or lip pigmentation color from eating out of ceramic dishes (that possibly contained lead). Once the bowls were removed, the pigmentation came back. Seems like nothing is safe these days.

I use a set of ceramic bowls made by CorningWare. They have little tabs on the side that makes them easy to pick up, and rounded corners so the food doesn't get packed in. They're made for people to eat off of, so I doubt they have lead in them. I think they cost about $5. This is what they look like: