Mary Allen
A drinking fountain for cats quenches thirst, is fun, and keeps four-legged friends healthy. And: Cats think it’s great! Here you will find all information and tips for buying.
Gone are the days of constantly dirty drinking bowls – cats are also entitled to clean and fresh drinking water. After the water dispenser for people and the water trough for birdies, our purring housemates now also have their cat rights – with a drinking fountain that quenches their thirst in a hygienic and species-appropriate way.
What is a cat drinking fountain?
A drinking fountain takes over the water supply for your house tiger instead of a drinking bowl. It is a hygienic alternative to an ordinary cat water bowl.
The cat fountain consists of a water bowl (made of ceramic, stainless steel, or plastic) and an electrically operated pump. This is – usually invisible – under the water bowl or is covered by a dome on the bowl.
The pumping process creates a small trickle or a mini fountain. The cat can drink from it. Filters and replacement filters available for most water dispensers clean the water of dirt, animal hair, and germs.
Why do cats love drinking fountains?
Quiet and gently flowing drinking water is the thirst quencher that animals prefer in the wild. Their instinct tells them that this suits them best. When cats have a choice, they choose either stagnant water from a pond or strong currents from rivers or streams.
The slightly moving and fresh drinking water from the cat fountain corresponds exactly to the nature of your sensitive house cat. Therefore, he will quickly take an interest in and love his drinking fountain. With such a water dispenser you make him very happy: he is not only a thirst quencher.
When is a drinking fountain useful for the cat?
Today, most of our furry housemates don’t eat what nature intended for them. A drinking fountain can be a useful and important compensation for cats. Adequate fluid intake is important to keep the animals healthy.
It is well known that all cat breeds are descended from the Egyptian wild cat. This had to adapt to the hot, dry climate. It was domesticated by the people thousands of years ago to protect the granaries from mice. Despite the long periods of drought, it never suffered from a lack of fluids, because the body of a mouse that has been eaten with relish consists of 80 percent fluid.
Drinking fountain when feeding wet food
Feeding cats with wet food or BARF, therefore, comes closest to nature. If you spoil your cat in this way, it only needs a little additional drinking water. A small water bowl is usually sufficient for them. But of course, there is nothing wrong with offering her a drinking fountain for cats.
Drinking fountain when feeding dry food
On the other hand, almost all of our furry friends who are fed dry food drink too little liquid. Unfortunately, over time, this can lead to kidney problems and urinary tract problems, which can lead to serious illnesses. A cat fountain encourages the cat to drink more often, which prevents these problems.
Sensitive cat stomachs react sensitively to germs, which manifests itself with abdominal pain and often with diarrhea. By reducing the germ load in the drinking water by using filters and replacement filters in drinking fountains, you can also help cats with these problems.
More hygiene at the bowl
The point of a drinking fountain is that the drinking water is kept in motion by a pump. Bacteria of all kinds generally reproduce best
- at temperatures between twenty and thirty degrees and
- in stagnant liquids by the formation of a biofilm at the edges.
This means no less than germs multiply best and fastest in the bowls of our pets.
By moving the water with a pump, you can prevent both problems and thus contribute a lot to the health of your cat or cats. Because drinking water in motion heats up more slowly and also does not form a biofilm on the edge, which leads to a lower bacterial load.
Better health for the animal
Most drinking fountains have an integrated filter system. Cleaning filters – and the replacement filters available for them – are even more effective at preventing germs from forming in your pet’s drinking water.
Ultimately, the movement of water also absorbs more oxygen from the air into the drinking water. The more oxygen a liquid contains, the less contaminated it is with germs. Cats will thank you for the best of health.
How does a cat drinking fountain work?
Whether the fountain is made of ceramic, metal or plastic usually makes no difference in terms of functionality: the drinking water flows through holes or grooves in the drinking bowl to the pump underneath. This then transports it back up, where the cat can drink it as a trickle or small fountain.
Various models of pump strengths and even interesting light effects with motion sensors are integrated into some models. But be careful: A pump jet that is too strong could spray your cat’s snout and scare it away!
How often do you have to refill the water?
Depending on the size of the model, you have to refill enough liquid to keep it flowing. If you notice that the pump is no longer able to suck in enough liquid and pump it up, you have to refill it. With many drinking fountains, the pump switches off automatically when the water level is too low.
Usually, filling the fountain once a week is enough. Provided that you consider the volume of the water dispenser according to the size and number of your cats when purchasing. Your cats should never have to be thirsty! If there are a lot of animals on the farm or in the household, the drinking fountain should be able to keep enough water moving.
Is the water filtered?
With some drinking fountains, the water for the cats is only agitated and not filtered. This is not a problem, but in this case, you have to change the water a little more often.
Some fountains have an activated carbon filter or an ion filter installed. They prevent the formation of a biofilm over a longer period of time – so you as a cat owner can be a little lazier with cleaning. There are drinking fountains with a filter for animal hair for long-haired cats such as the Persian cat or the Norwegian Forest cat or cats with severe hair loss. All filters can either be cleaned or replaced with replacement filters.
With or without a filter?
If you decide on a model with a filter, be aware that the cat fountain is hygienically cleaner, but only if you care about a clean filter – and regularly replace it with a replacement filter! – take care. Do you count yourself among the less consistent and forgetful individuals among cat owners? Then it is better to opt for a model without a filter, where you do not have to worry about replacement filters or filter cleaning.
How often you need to do a complete filter swap with a replacement filter depends on the model and type of filter. For detailed information, you should read the respective model description.
How to clean the drinking fountain?
To keep the system hygienic, clean the water dispenser once a week. Make a fixed day for this and stick to it so that you get used to it. No matter how you clean the individual parts of the cat fountain made of ceramic, metal, or plastic: it is particularly important that NO residues of cleaning agents or washing-up liquid remain on the drinking fountain.
All parts except the electric pump can usually be put in the dishwasher. To be on the safe side, please check the instructions for use first. Especially with a fountain made of plastic, check whether it is dishwasher safe. Then rinse all parts again with clear water. After all, your furry friend should not have any rinse aid residue in their new water dispenser.
If your drinking fountain has a filter, you don’t have to clean it as often or as meticulously. Due to the filter effect, it takes longer for the bowl to become dirty. However, periodically replace the filter with a spare filter according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
If your area has very hard water, you will need to descale the well from time to time with special tabs, vinegar, or citric acid. The same applies here as for cleaning – all substances used must be rinsed off the metal, ceramic, or plastic with plenty of clear water. We don’t want to harm our darling with any chemicals or irritate the sensitive nose.
How loud is a cat drinking fountain?
The pump in a cat fountain should work as quietly as possible 24 hours a day. So that neither animals nor humans are disturbed, the splashing of the water must be perceived as pleasant. Most of the drinking fountains available on the market are therefore based on a low decibel threshold. So you and your cat don’t have to be afraid of noise in the living room. On the contrary: the soft splashing can even have a calming effect on both of you.
For a cat fountain to make sense, it should run throughout the day. Drinking fountains with motion sensors only work if your main goal is saving electricity. You only turn on the device when the cat approaches to drink. So the water in the bowl probably stands still for several hours a day. The original intention is lost – the drinking water is no longer in constant motion.
Tips for buying
There is a selection of cat fountains that can overwhelm a cat owner. How many liters should it hold? Do several liters even fit in there? Is ceramic the best material? Which fountain needs which replacement filter? Isn’t there also something from Catit? We will help you with the following tips when buying.
Are there non-electric cat drinking fountains?
No pump can operate without electricity, so there are no drinking fountains that work without electricity. Many models advertise that they are wireless. However, this does not mean that they work without electricity. It just means that the drinking bowl itself is not connected to the cable, making it easier to clean.
The power consumption of the device is so minimal that it hardly matters in terms of your household costs. You don’t have to worry about the power cable either, as it is animal-friendly insulated, and safe with quality products such as Catit, Petsafe, or Trixie.
If you don’t want to have a cat fountain with a cable in your home, you can use a battery-operated model. There are those with a charging cable for the rechargeable battery or those where the batteries have to be replaced after a certain period of time. However, frequent battery changes have a negative economic and ecological effect and are not recommended.
Tips for buying
There is a selection of cat fountains that can overwhelm a cat owner. How many liters should it hold? Do several liters even fit in there? Is ceramic the best material? Which fountain needs which replacement filter? Isn’t there also something from Catit? We will help you with the following tips when buying.
Are there non-electric cat drinking fountains?
No pump can operate without electricity, so there are no drinking fountains that work without electricity. Many models advertise that they are wireless. However, this does not mean that they work without electricity. It just means that the drinking bowl itself is not connected to the cable, making it easier to clean.
The power consumption of the device is so minimal that it hardly matters in terms of your household costs. You don’t have to worry about the power cable either, as it is animal-friendly insulated, and safe with quality products such as Catit, Petsafe, or Trixie.
If you don’t want to have a cat fountain with a cable in your home, you can use a battery-operated model. There are those with a charging cable for the rechargeable battery or those where the batteries have to be replaced after a certain period of time. However, frequent battery changes have a negative economic and ecological effect and are not recommended.
Where is the best place for the cat water fountain?
The cat fountain should be in a place where the water doesn’t get too hot. So avoid being near heaters. In addition, the water should not be right next to the feeding bowl so that no food crumbs contaminate the water. You should also avoid bacterial herds – such as around the litter box. After all, you don’t open a bar next to your toilet.
Is a drinking fountain better than a bowl?
As far as hygiene is concerned, the answer to this question is clearly yes. If the water in the drinking bowl is changed several times a day and the bowl is cleaned every day, there is of course nothing wrong with that.
However, a babbling cat fountain encourages most cats to drink more than a bowl standing around, which is good for their health and pays off, especially for old cats.
As far as the cat’s natural instinct and play instinct is concerned, the bowl is more boring than the drinking fountain. In a way, the latter also means having fun and enjoying drinking.
Do you have to get the cat used to the drinking fountain?
Many cats find the sound of gently rippling water pleasant. Because they are curious by nature, for the most part they will accept a drinking fountain with no problem. Some breeds like Maine Coons even drink from the tap.
A few cats may be shy at first, but they usually get used to their new water supply through play – with the help of treats.
Some manufacturers recommend adding soup or sausage juice during the adjustment phase to increase the cat’s motivation and curiosity. However, it should be borne in mind that the hygiene effect is then lost. After this time, the cleaning must be carried out very conscientiously and the filter must be completely replaced and replaced with a spare filter.