I say, and with God's success: It is the water that has not been mixed with anything that would make it restricted, or it is the water that remains with the characteristics that God Almighty created it with, without its taste, color, or smell changing. Or it is any water that, if looked at, would be called water in general: like rainwater, seas, ponds, reservoirs, valleys, springs, wells, Gulf water, streams, and rivers. The ruling on pure water is that it removes real impurity from clothing and the body, and it removes legal impurity, which is minor and major ritual impurity, so it is permissible to perform ablution and bathing with it. However, it is disliked to use it for purification if a domestic cat, a free-range chicken, predatory birds, or household pests like mice, snakes, and lizards have drunk from it; because such creatures do not avoid impurity. This dislike only applies when pure water is present; otherwise, there is no dislike at all. Abu Qatada reported that he entered upon Kabsha bint Ka'b, and she poured water for him to perform ablution. Then a cat came and drank, so he tilted the container for it to drink. Kabsha said: He saw me looking at him, and he said: "Are you amazed, O daughter of my brother?" I said: Yes. He said: "The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said: 'It is not impure; it is one of those that circulate among you.'" This is reported in Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1: 153, and he said it is good and authentic, and in Sunan Abu Dawood 1: 67, and in Al-Muwatta of Malik 1: 22. See: Hashiyat al-Tahawi p. 22, and Al-Maraqiy p. 21-22, and God knows best.