The Best Cat Water Fountains

The Catit Water Fountain is a kind of like a unicorn, minus the coloring. It is the best in class, but it is the best in class across a variety of different areas of interest. It performs well in pricing, noise, ease of use for humans, variety of options for cats and in quality too.

Catit is also known to be an awesome company when it comes to customer service which is an added perk when it comes to any product. This is honestly one of the best cat fountains on the market and my personal favorite.

Accounting for everything I think this is an excellent product and you can’t go wrong with the purchase. Features worth noting:

"This fountain does an absolutely amazing job in my home. Both of my cats drink way more often than they used to and it is a breeze to clean it when it needs it."

The only negative item I've noted in my experience is this:

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This is one of the newest entrants to the market and it comes from Miaustore.  This model is an absolute must have if you're looking for a ceramic fountain. Not only is it beautiful, but it has everything you'd want as a cat owner and as a cat too!

Let's take a look at some of the most coveted functions:

"It’s a lovely thing – very zen! The cats drink out of it from all the different levels and don’t splash water everywhere as with the more open bowls. Also the filter is much simpler than other fountains, and easy to clean Overall I’m very pleased with the fountain." -Miaustore Reviewer Linda

The only drawback I can find at all, and this applies to US customers, is that shipping time can be quite long due to it being manufactured in and shipped from Europe.:

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PetSafe has been around the block and back when it comes to developing high quality pet products. They’ve been around for 37 years at the time of writing this article. That means they know a thing or two about creating a high quality product.

This pump comes loaded with all sorts of great features worth noting:

"My cats love this thing. I bought this  the day I found it (over 5 years ago) and it is still working to this date. If you clean it and keep the filters cycled it'll run forever!"

The key drawback worth noting on this model:

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This ceramic fountain uses a quiet pump to push the water up and out of two streams at the top of the pump. The foam filter removes debris and hair and the activated carbon filter removes any bad tastes and odor from the water.

The water in your pet’s Pagoda fountain is constantly moving, inhibiting the growth of bacteria while also encouraging your pet to drink more.

"Works great for my adult cat (12 pounds) and my brand new kitten (2 pounds)! They both love it!"

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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The Petsafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is a100% BPA free & dishwasher safe.  The rubber feet keep it from sliding around wood floors too!

The fountain features a huge built in reservoir, 168 oz. in total. This means it doesn’t require refills on a daily basis like some smaller capacity models. The pump is an adjustable flow pump so you can figure out the right speed to keep your cats interested in the fountain.

A few key items worth noting

"This fountain lasts forever. I've had mine for years! With proper maintenance you'll probably never need another fountain.

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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Mospro is a less known name in the cat product industry, but wow have they made their mark with this fountain. And for good reason too, this fountain is worth raving about. It definitely has some of the best reviews of any fountain I've managed to find online. People are a fan no matter where you look at it!

That aside, there are tons of great features and functions worth calling out:

"Such an amazing addition to the house. We keep it right in the bedroom for our cats at night and it is so quiet we hardly even notice it."

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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Pedy Cat has followed a tried and true method in creating their own version of the cat water fountain. This fountain looks very similar to that made by Catit and in general the features are very similar as well. This model comes in a bit cheaper than the Catit version which is the key differentiator

Key features and functions worth noting:

"It looks adorable and it was easy as pie to put it together! The cats love it."

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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The Pioneer Pet Raindrop Stainless Steel Fountain designed with one key feature in mind, it is made of stainless steel.  If you don’t like the idea of your cat drinking from plastic then this is a huge perk.

Stainless steel is safer int that it isn’t porous so it can’t harbor bacteria as easily as plastic. The second important features is that this doesn’t provide the waterfall or the human drinking fountain type water supply. Instead it uses a water slide.

If your kitty likes a gentle flow this a great option that is also very sanitary.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind though, the fountain has a pretty low water capacity. While it won’t necessarily run out of water quickly it will end up making a lot more noise as the amount of water in the fountain gets lower and lower.

The open design allows lots of hair and other things floating through the air into the filter, but if you clean it consistently this won’t be a problem.

"Stainless is the way to go. You can throw this thing right in the dish washer and save the hassle of hand washing it!"

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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The Pioneer Pet Raindrop Ceramic Pet Drinking Fountain is a high quality fountain designed with a few features in mind. It is made of ceramic namely. This is benefit to folks who dislike plastic.

Ceramic is safer because it isn’t as porous as plastic. This means it can’t harbor bacteria which means it is less likely to get your little fur ball sick.

The second major feature is it uses a slide instead of a full on waterfall. The water shoot out like a human drinking fountain.  This means if you’ve got a cat that likes a gentle flow instead of splashing or falling water this is the fountain for you.

It also comes in both black and white if you want to match decor.

"After over 5 years of owning cat fountains and going through over at least 10 I can honestly say this is the best one I've used!"

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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The Cat Mate Water Fountain is a great choice among the plastic fountains on the market. It has a special pump design called the Isolated Pump System which keeps the pump as quiet as possible.  The IPS is the highlight of the model.

The second feature is giving your feline friends multiple drinking locations. There are three pools the slides between them. This ensures that even cats with different preferences will have options.

Key items worth noting on this drinking fountain:

"Although you do have to clean it on a very consistent basis it is definitely one of the best fountains I have owned for my little princess!"

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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This is Uniclife’s flagship model for cat and dog water fountains, as I’m sure you can see from the photo above. You might also note that it is on the smaller side. This model is great for single cat households and works will for kittens because it sits much lower than many other models do.

Many models sit as high as 8 inches which can be very difficult for a young kitten to reach, this model is only about 4 inches tall meaning the bowl sits right near the ground and can be easily accessed.

A few other features worth noting:

"I'm happy as a clam with this purchase. All you hear is a gentle flow of water when it is running!"

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If you’ve got a multi pet household, especially one with dogs and cats, then this is an excellent model for you. Not only is the capacity huge, but because the capacity is huge it is also very difficult for even large animals to accidentally knock it over or tip it and spill the water.

Petsafe knows that tons of families have this multi pet situation and they wanted to ensure there was an option that could accommodate all the pets easily. Let’s look at the detailed features:

"By far the best option on the market if you've got numerous pets in the house and any of them are HUGE!"

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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If you’ve got a specific location you need to place your fountain in but it doesn’t have a plug available then you might need a battery operated option. This is the only battery operated fountain on the market so it would be your go to.

I would note that this is a newer product to the market and so far it has had some hiccups that need to be fixed before it will be as reliable as plug driven models. That being said if you need a battery operated model this is your best option.

Key items worth noting:

"If you don't have a power plug available and you need a fountain this is pretty much the only option out there. It fits a very specific need."

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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If you have a need to provide a water source in a location without a plug and you don’t want to try a battery operated model then this is a solid tried and tested option. While this was originally designed for dogs it is a viable option for cats.

Note that it is more of a bowl than a fountain. It won’t constantly cycle water nor will it consistently filter it. This is an option for those of you that might not have other options given the situation you’re in. Basically, as water is consumed more water comes out from the covered area into the bowl.

Key things worth noting:

"If you're going on a trip with your cat it is a great and easy option to work with."

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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iPettie brings their own ceramic model to the market and you’ll definitely notice some similarities to the YOUTHINK model above. The filters and the pump are largely interchangeable because the products are so similar, but they are sold by two different companies at different price points.

The main difference you’ll likely encounter with them is just customer service and since both of them sell through Amazon you’ll likely not have any issues if you run into a broken product.

Key features worth noting:

"Got my old kitty to start drinking again which was a huge relief since she had stopped drinking from her tall water glass!"

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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Another great model from PetSafe, this is the multi tiered drink well! It easily accommodates multi pet households with its huge reservoir (100 oz) and varying locations to drink from. It has a huge open area of water too which is a nice perk in the case that the power happens to go out.

Key features worth noting on this model:

"The cats love it and it is SO easy to clean because it is dishwasher safe. It comes right out of the dishwasher and back to work!"

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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(No Image Currently Available – Click Below to see it)

Bet you never thought you’d hear the phrase ‘high tech drinking fountain’ right? Well, now you have. Vemtona has brought to bear the most tech enabled water fountain on the market and it has tons of cool features and functions to help keep your kitty hydrated.

So let’s dig right into them:

"If you're looking for a tech savvy cat fountain then this is it!"

It is worth considering the following before purchasing:

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***Update as of 12/8/2018***

This product is no longer available and neither are the replacement filters. Kept here at the bottom of the list for continuity purposes.

This ceramic model is produced by YOUTHINK. While the name of the company could use some rethinking they do produce an excellent ceramic water fountain.  There are several features worth noting:

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Additional Information

Water consumption is important because dehydration can cause health issues in a cat just like it can in a human. On top of this cats don’t have a sense of thirst like humans do. This means they don’t tend to go out of their way to drink like we do.

Dehydration can cause all sorts of health issues from minor problems all the way to potentially deadly issues. The most common are kidney issues and urinary tract issues which can be incredibly painful and difficult to get rid of.

The short of it is that you’ll want to ensure your cat drinks plenty of water to keep them healthy! You can read more details about that here.

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Many things factor into how much capacity you’ll need, but the primary items are your environment and how much your cat drinks on a daily basis.

Most vets recommend somewhere between 8-10 oz. of water per day. Now if your cat is eating wet food that amount comes down because they are getting moisture from the wet food already. If you want to dig into the guts of it you can read in this article that covers the specifics on how much water a cat should drink daily.

But a simple calculation of 10oz a day will tell you that a 70 oz capacity fountain will last about a week with limited interaction from the humans. That’s of course assuming you get little to no evaporation from your environment which is a poor assumption.

Basically, if you want minimal interaction, say weekly, you’ll want over 100 oz of capacity for a single cat.  I personally don’t mind topping off my fountain on a daily basis, it is easy with just a cup of water.  But you’ll want to judge this yourself and choose a model accordingly.

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Changing the filter will depend on many factors, but you willneed to change the filter on a relatively consistent basis.  The major items that factor in will be:

• Model Design: Open models with large pools of water tend to get more floating hair and debris in them and the filter has to filter it out.
• Number of Cats: The more cats the dirtier your fountain will get. This is due to both hair floating in the air and them drinking from it.
• Type of Water Used: If you use distilled or filtered water already this will minimize the stress on the filter, but using really hard water or well water for example may require more consistent filter changes.

If you’re not sure how to figure out when to change the filter you should just be able to take a look at it every week or two and tell pretty easily. The filters will turn gross color wise and they will just feel slimy and nasty on the outside.

If you don’t change the filter it is unlikely to harm your cats in the short term, but the longer it goes the filthier the water tends to get. This is true even if you keep adding totally clean water.

While the filter does a good job it only filters the water before it gets pumped back to the top of the fountain. This means all sorts of other gook and debris float around in the tank for a period of time and they can contaminate the water in non visible ways.

On top of this the pump itself can get contaminated and things can start to grow on it and in it if the filter isn’t changed.

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Changing the filter and cleaning your cat’s fountain go hand in hand. It should go without saying that you’ll have to clean it on a pretty consistent basis. If you need to change the filter you should probably clean the pump.

I personally thoroughly clean my entire fountain, pump included, every two weeks. I just do it every other Saturday for the sake of ease. It only takes 10 minutes and it ensures it doesn’t get disgusting.

Cleaning it out should be a straight forward process, but every model is a little different. These are the generic steps I use to clean mine:

1. Deconstruct the fountain & separate the filter & motor from the other parts
2. Wash the basin & distributors with a non abrasive cleaner (dish soap is fine)
3. If the filter contains too much gunk (cat hair and such) then you should replace it
4. If the pump appears dirty then open it and clean it with a cotton swab and a pair of tweezers
   1. Be extra careful with the pump motor because it is fragile and some of them can’t be replaced easily
5. Reconstruct the fountain and fill it with water before turning it back on

Note some models you can’t get directly to the motor and some you can’t open the motor up even if you can get to it. These directions

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Ceramic fountains have been around for a few years now, but they are not nearly as common as plastic fountains. This is for a few reasons, but the primary reason is ceramic costs more to make and it is heavier so more costly to ship.

That being said there are a few benefits worth noting for owners and cats alike:

1. Ceramic will not scratch easily: Plastics can scratch and dent quite easily and this lets bacteria seep into them. Ceramic doesn’t have this issue.
2. Ceramic looks excellent: Ceramics tend to have a beautiful reflective sheen to them that most plastics simply don’t. If you’re looking to match decor ceramic can be an excellent choice.
3. Ceramic is 100% dishwasher safe: Ceramics are dishwasher safe. They can withstand super hot temperatures and not melt like some plastics. This is great for deep cleans and disinfecting your fountain.

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Stainless Steel fountains have become more and more prominent in the last few years. There are a couple of key reasons for this:

1. Stainless Steel is not a porous material: Many plastics can absorb things that flow through them, in particular bacteria. This can be dangerous for your cats, especially if you’re not on top of cleaning your water fountain on a consistent basis.
2. Stainless Steel isn’t produced with toxic chemicals:Plastics used for anything pet related have significantly changed in the past few years and it is rare to find any with toxins, but using stainless is an additional level of safety.
3. Stainless Steel looks great: It has a beautiful shine to it and it is easy to wash and clean any blemishes with dish soap.
4. Stainless is 100% dishwasher safe: You can disinfect it using any dishwasher of any temperature and not risk damaging it at all.
5. Stainless Steel is durable: Cats and dogs can be rambunctious and it is easy for a fountain to get tipped over when they are having fun. Stainless steel is unlikely to chip, flake, shatter, etc. The worst you might get is a dent.

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There’s nothing particularly dangerous about letting your cat use the sink to get a drink of water, but it does have other potential drawbacks.

First and foremost if you want your cat to use the sink for moving water you’ll have to approach it one of a couple ways:

1. You’ll need to be there to turn the faucet on
2. You’ll need to get a faucet adapter and train your cat to use it
3. You’ll need to leave your faucet on a constant drip so your cat always has access

I’m not a fan of any of the methods above for numerous reasons. I want my cats to have access to water all the time so that knocks out the first one.

I don’t want to waste a ton of water by letting it drip all day all night and have my cats take a drink 2 minutes of the day. That knocks out the third one.

Faucet Adapters are actually really cool and slick products, but they require quite a bit of know how to setup and they also can’t be moved or relocated. You’re also going to have to let your cats have free range of your counters if you want to use this method.

I don’t really like my cats up on my counters because they are prone to accidentally (or worse purposely) knock things over. That and in the kitchen especially I’d prefer to avoid having their paws up in places where I prepare food.

Given this I prefer a dedicated place just for the cats, a fountain fits the bill perfectly for me!

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Filter Technology

Most of the pumps I’ve listed will use what has become the go to form of filter technology, a carbon filter with a mesh netting surrounding it. The mesh netting is used to catch all sorts of gunk and debris before it ever makes it to the pump.

This part of the filter is imperative to ensure normal pump operation. Filtering out cat hair, food bits and anything else that falls into the fountain will make sure your pump doesn’t get jammed and break.

The other aspect to these filters is charcoal. Charcoal absorbs toxins can be ingested by cats with no ill effects. You’ll even hear of it being used in tablet form to remove impurities from the human body.

In water fountains it removes odors and tastes from the water.  Given how picky some cats are this could be a necessity for you and your cat. While carbon filters vary in size, shape and quality they typically last somewhere in the area of 4-8 weeks before a change.

Note there are some fountains out there that only have the mesh/foam type of filter that stops things from getting to the pump. I personally wouldn’t recommend only this type of filter, but if your cat already drinks the water out of your tap it might work just fine.

Potential Spills

Given that cats tend to get the zoomies (they run all over the place) from time to time there’s a chance that your fountain may get knocked over. If you’ve got kids in the house or a dog this is just as likely.

You might want to put your fountain in a tray with a one inch lip around the edge. This will help minimize the amount of spillage if the fountain does get tipped over for any reason.

Surge Protectors

You might want to ensure your fountain is plugged into a surge protector. This is especially true if this is your only source of water for your cats and you plan to leave them for any period of time.

Many fountains provide no standing water surface for cleanliness so if the power surges and blows the pump your cats simply can’t get to the water. A surge protector can help protect against this and ensure that when the power comes back on your kitties have accessible water.

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Most people aren’t really familiar with the fact that cats aren’t prone to drink much water. Because we humans have a thirst drive we mostly assume other animals do as well and that their body will just let them know they need to drink more.

I’m lucky that in my volunteering and in my research on keeping my cats healthy I discovered this pretty early on in cat ownership. My cat Beastling really doesn’t tend to drink much water at all unless it comes from a moving sources.

If I hadn’t found that out she might still only be taking a few laps of water a day from the bowl we had for her. While wet food will definitely help fill some of the gap it isn’t going to fill your cat’s entire need for water every day.

Given this a pet water fountain is an awesome alternative for your feline friends. Not only does it filter the water and keep it cleaner than a traditional bowl, but most cats are far more prone to drink from a moving source too.

More water consumption means better overall health for your fur ball, although it does mean you have to scoop more litter!

Do you use a drinking fountain for your cat? Do you have a favorite or a recommendation that I didn’t include in my list ? If you have any other ideas for please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.

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References: PetSafe, Uniclife, Catit, VetWest.com, VetStreet.com, PetMD.com & Feline Behavior for Veterinarians” second edition, B. V. Beaver, 2003.