Can my PS5's DNS settings affect Destiny 2's connection and lead to a CAT error, even without an active game update?

Yes, your PS5's DNS settings can potentially affect Destiny 2's connection and contribute to CAT errors. Default DNS servers provided by your ISP can sometimes be slower or route traffic inefficiently to game servers. Changing your DNS to public alternatives like Google DNS (Primary: 8.8.8.8, Secondary: 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (Primary: 1.1.1.1, Secondary: 1.0.0.1) can sometimes resolve connectivity issues by providing better routing and faster resolution of server addresses. This is configured in PS5 Settings > Network > Settings > Set Up Internet Connection > Custom.