Best Cat Water Fountain Reviews – Buyer’s Guide
Welcome to our cat water fountain reviews. In this post, we take a look at some of the best cat water fountains on the market and explain some of the differences between the various designs and models.
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Although we have called this post: Cat Water Fountain Reviews, all the models we have reviewed would also be suitable to use as dog water fountains and some are designed specifically for use in a home with multiple pets.
Pet water fountains are designed with two main functions in mind. The first is to encourage your pet to drink more water, especially if your pet is fed mainly on dry food. The second big benefit of pet water fountains is that, unlike a water bowl, you do not have to refill them every single day with fresh water.
Pet water fountains have free flowing water, either tumbling from a spout or trickling down a slide. This keeps the water fresh and well oxygenated and it also encourages your pet to drink more. The sight and sound of free falling water are thought to remind an animal of a flowing stream and your pet will instinctively know that flowing water is safer to drink than still water.
Cat and dog water fountains come in a wide range of designs, so read on, and we will explain some of the major differences between the various types of cat and dog water fountains and share with you about our cat water fountain reviews.
I. Materials Used to Make Cat Water Fountains
The main materials used to make pet water fountains are plastic, stainless steel and ceramics. The different materials do each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Plastic pet water fountains are usually the cheapest but, depending on your own personal tastes, they do not look as nice as ceramic and stainless steel models. Plastic is a light material, which is an advantage when you are cleaning the water fountain, but it does also mean that your pet might be able to move the fountain around the floor or even to tip it over.
Stainless steel pet fountains are tough and durable and they are easy to clean. Like the plastic models, a stainless steel cat water fountain will be quite light, so your pet might be able to push it around the floor. A potential disadvantage of a stainless steel cat water fountain is that it could be noisier than a plastic or ceramic one.
Pioneer Pet Raindrop Stainless Steel Pet Drinking Fountain
Ceramic cat water fountains are probably the nicest looking models in our cat water fountain reviews, but they can be quite heavy. They will be easy to clean, but check the instructions, because some ceramic pet water fountains can only be cleaned on the top shelf of a dishwasher. The biggest drawback of ceramic pet water fountains is that they can get chipped or, if you drop them, they can shatter.
II. Best Cat Water Fountain Reviews
In our cat water fountain reviews, we have looked at what we consider of the best cat water fountains and we have given you our verdict on what we liked about each one and what we disliked.
1. The Pioneer Pet Raindrop Pet Drinking Fountain
The Pioneer Pet Raindrop Pet Drinking Fountain is a very nice looking unit that you will find in both cat water fountain and dog water fountain. One of the best cat water fountains on the market, the Pioneer Pet Raindrop keeps the water in constant circulation, which both entices pets to drink more and helps keep the water fresh.
One of the neat features of this model is the sliding top piece, which enables the fountain part of the unit to be placed in the middle, which allows two pets to drink at the same time. This water fountain uses charcoal filters to purify the water and the very quiet motor circulates the water continuously, without splashes, to keep it well oxygenated.
The Pioneer Pet Raindrop is made with stainless steel, which makes cleaning easy and it looks really good too. It’s probably one of the best looking pet fountains that you will find. Cleaning is fairly straightforward and, because it is stainless steel, it is 100% dishwasher safe and you can give a good scrub if you ever need to.
The Pioneer Pet Raindrop Stainless Steel Pet Drinking Fountain is a good combination of both practicality and style. It will encourage your pets to drink and it looks really pretty too.
Pros:
- Elegant, stylish design
- Water circulates without splashing
- Dishwasher safe and easy to clean
- Natural charcoal filiation system
- The pump is replaceable
Cons:
- 60oz capacity is a bit limited
- The instructions could be a bit better
- Need to keep the motor clean or it can get noisy
- It is possible for a pet to dislodge the top of the unit, causing splashes
2. Our Pick of The Value
The next model in our reviews comes from the well-known manufacturer of pet products PetSafe. The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is the best dog water fountain but it is equally suitable for cats and, with this model, there will be no problem with having to refill it frequently, because it has a built-in reservoir that will hold up to 168 ounces of water.
There are quite a few innovative design features that make the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain one of the best cat water fountains, including a patented free-falling water stream that keeps the water oxygenated and a very quiet, submersed motor.
The unit is made of non-toxic, dishwasher safe, BPA Free plastic and it uses replaceable activated charcoal to filter the water. The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain also has a clever pre-filter system that traps pet hairs and particles before they can reach the motor and clog it up.
While the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain may not be as pretty as the Pioneer Pet Raindrop models, the much larger water capacity makes it more practical and it will greatly reduce the frequency of refills. Just be aware that, although the filter system if very effective and the water capacity is large, regular cleaning will improve the quality of the water and help make the motor last for longer.
Pros:
- Good, sturdy design – won’t tip over
- Good sized water reservoir - 168oz
- Made of tough plastic – won’t chip
- Pump very quiet
- Easy to disassemble for cleaning
- Water stays fresh and clean for a long time
Cons:
- The reservoir has a rounded bottom so it won’t stand up on its own when you are refilling it
- Some of the parts are a bit fiddly to clean
3. Cat Mate Pet Fountain
The first model in our pet water fountain reviews is the very popular Cat Mate Pet Fountain. The fountain has three different drinking stations at different heights, which lets your cat drink at whichever level it feels the most comfortable with. Between each of the levels, the water trickles, almost silently and enticingly, down slides that a cat can also drink from.
The Cat Mate Pet Fountain is easy to clean and the bowls are dishwasher proof. The system uses polymer-carbon filters, which are replaceable, to keep the water clean and fresh between refills. While these filters are very effective at removing contamination from the water, it should be borne in mind that even the best cat water fountains and best dog water fountains still need to be cleaned regularly to prevent a build-up of bacteria in the system. Dismantling this particular model for cleaning and reassembling it is very easy to do.
The water pump in the Cat Mate Pet Fountain is virtually silent, so long as there is enough water in the unit, and the speed that the water is circulated around the unit is adjustable.
Overall, the Cat Mate Pet Fountain is a good option if you want to encourage your pet to drink more water. It’s easy to maintain, quiet, and the multi-level drinking stations and running water will attract cats to the unit and encourage them to drink.
Pros:
- Easy to set up and easy to clean
- Very quiet – virtually no noise
- Multilevel drinking stations
- Adjustable water flow
- Compact – would fit neatly into a corner
- Effective Polymer-carbon water filter
Cons:
- Drinking areas are relatively small
- The 70oz water capacity is quite small compared to some other units
- Needs regular cleaning, including the motor
- Can get noisy when water levels are low
4. Pioneer Pet Raindrop Ceramic Drinking Fountain
This looks similar to the stainless steel one described above, but it is made out of a durable white ceramic material. One of the advantages of this type of pet water fountain is that it doesn’t take up a great deal of space.
This model uses replaceable charcoal filters to keep the water clean and the water flow imitates the natural flow of fresh water, which will encourage your pets to drink more. Like the stainless steel version, the ceramic Raindrop has a sliding feature to allow for two drinking stations and the design minimises the possibility of splashes.
Cleaning the fountain is quite easy. The unit can be dissembled, the motor removed, and then it can be placed in a dishwasher for cleaning. Because it is ceramic, you can give the Pioneer Pet Raindrop Drinking Fountain a really good clean and not be worried about scratching it.
The elegant oval design and the clean look of the white ceramic is pleasing to the eye and, of course, the flowing water is just what cats and dogs need to encourage them to drink more water.
Pros:
- Elegant white ceramic design
- Quiet motor
- No splashes
- Dual drinking stations
- Easy to keep clean
- Replaceable charcoal filter system
Cons:
- Ceramic – so it can be broken and get chipped
- Limited water capacity
5. Drinkwell 360 Fountain for Pets
The PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Pet Fountain is the ideal solution for people with many pets and it will save you a lot of time refilling water bowls. The Drinkwell 360 is suitable for use with small dogs as well as cats and its circular design means that it is easy for more than one pet to satisfy their thirst at the same time.
This cat water fountain has two filters to keep the water clean. The first is a simple foam filter that will trap hairs and debris and the second is a charcoal filter that removes bacteria and bad tastes.
The Drinkwell 360 Fountain for Pets is designed for use with multiple pets, so it is quite large. The motor that pumps the water around the system and provides free flowing water all day long is quiet, but you may be able to hear the trickling of water on a quiet day.
One particular feature that we liked about this model that is worth a special mention is the interchangeable heads that come with the unit. With these, you can change the water spout to increase the number of water streams from one up to a maximum of five, to make it easier for multiple pets to drink at the same time.
The Drinkwell 360 pet fountain is made out of tough BPA-Free plastic, so it’s tough and it’s easy to clean. Like all other cat water fountains, it is advisable to clean the whole unit thoroughly on a regular basis, but disassembling the Drinkwell 360, cleaning it, and replacing the filters, is a relatively easy job to do. Overall, we rate this one as the best cat water fountains if you have a number of cats in your home.
Pros:
- Perfect design for multiple pets
- Large, 128oz reservoir capacity
- Interchangeable heads to create multiple water streams
- Adjustable water flow
- Easy to clean and change the filters
- Free falling water encourages pets to drink more
Cons:
- The large base unit may be a bit too large for some people
- Can make splashing noises when the water level gets low
6. PetSafe Drinkwell Ceramic Pagoda Fountain for Pets
The final choice in our cat water fountain reviews is the lovely looking PetSafe Drinkwell Ceramic Pagoda Fountain for Pets. With this cat water fountain, PetSafe has made a ceramic pet water fountain that looks almost too good to put on the floor. The fountain has two drinking stages and the water trickles between the two to keep it fresh and oxygenated. The water is filtered by both a foam filter and a charcoal filter and the unit will hold 70oz of water.
The PetSafe Drinkwell Ceramic Pagoda Fountain for Pets is ceramic, so it’s easy to keep clean, it’s dishwasher safe, and it looks nice and clean, but ceramics can get chipped, so that is a potential downside to this model.
The free falling water will certainly tempt your pet to drink more, but it falls quite a distance, so it will make some splashing noises. However, that is more than made up for by the aesthetics if the unit.
If the white porcelain looks a bit too clinical for you, the PetSafe Drinkwell Ceramic Pagoda Fountain for Pets is also available in red or blue, so you could coordinate it with other items in your kitchen.
The PetSafe Ceramic Pagoda Pet Fountain is suitable for both cats and small dogs.
Pros:
- Lovely design
- Sturdy – Won’t topple over very easily
- Easy to clean – Dishwasher safe
- Suitable for multiple pets
- The filters are easy to change
Cons:
- Can be a bit noisy – Splashing sounds
- Water capacity is a bit limited at 70oz
- The top drinking tier is quite small
- Read More: Best Automatic Cat Feeder
III. Main Types of Cat Water Fountain
The two main design differences that you will find in the various makes and models of cat water fountains are in the way that the water flows and in the filters that are used to keep the water clean.
In terms of the water flow, you will find that the water either free falls from a spout into the water below or it trickles down a water slide. Both designs will help keep the water fresh and they will both encourage your pet to drink more water. The free fall designs, however, are usually noisier and they may cause splashes of water to fall on the floor.
The filters that are used in pet water fountains are made of charcoal, which filters out bacteria and other contaminants from the water. It is advisable to look for pet water fountains that have two filters; a foam one to filter out the hairs and debris, and a charcoal filter for the fine filtering of the water. Dual filter pet water fountains are better because they stop the motor getting clogged with debris and hairs.
Whichever type of pet water fountain that you buy, it will need cleaning regularly and the filters will need replacing regularly as well.
IV. Benefits of a Cat Fountains
Dehydration in pets is quite common, especially if the animal is fed mainly on dry food, and dehydration can cause health issues, such as urinary infections and kidney problems. Most pets are far more likely to drink regularly from a pet water fountain than a bowl because the water is fresher and the sight and sound of running water is more enticing.
Here are the main benefits of the cat water fountains:
Cleaner water
If you want your pets to have fresh, filtered water, then a pet water fountain is the best way to do it. Pet water fountains have charcoal filters, which filter the impurities in water just like a water filter that you might use yourself.
Less refilling of bowls
Because the water is kept moving and it is filtered, you can leave the water down for your pet for much longer. That means no more cleaning and refilling a water bowl several times a day.
Water can be left down for several days
If you are going out of town for a few days, you can leave water down for your cats in a cat water fountain and it will stay fresh and clean for them. Some of cat water fountains hold as much as 168oz of water, so it will be quite some time before they need refilling.
Keeps your pet well hydrated
If your pet suffers with diabetes, kidney problems or urinary tract issues, a constant supply of fresh, clean water from a pet water fountain will provide an essential source of hydration for them. Just like humans, pets need to drink plenty of water every day and a pet fountain will help encourage them to do so.
Encourages your pet to drink more water
The sight and sound of running water and the clean, fresh taste of filtered water will all help to encourage your cat to drink more. In fact, most pets are intrigued by a water fountain and they find that drinking from one is more fun.
V. Tips for using a Cat Water Fountain
When you read some cat water fountain reviews you will find that some pet owners report that he water flow reduces over time or the motor gets noisy. Issues like these are most commonly caused by not keeping the water fountain clean. Here are some tips that will help you keep a pet water fountain working at its best and that will make it last longer.
Don’t let the water run too low
Even on the best cat water fountains, if you let the water run too low, it will put a strain on the motor and the motor could eventually burn out. Low water levels can also make some pet water fountains very noisy.
Clean a pet water fountain regularly
Even though pet water fountains have filters, they will need a regular and thorough cleaning. That will mean taking it apart to clean the smaller parts, including the filters, and cleaning the body of the fountain in a dishwasher. The frequency that you will need to do this will vary according to the model and the type of water you have in your area.
Replace the filters regularly
Most of cat water fountains use replaceable charcoals and foam filters. Replacement filters are readily available for most models and they should be replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, or when the water flow decreases and if the water doesn’t look clean.
Using a pet water fountain in a hard water area
If you live in a hard water area, lime scale can build up in a pet water fountain, just as it can in any other type of appliance. To stop this happening and to extend the life of your fountain, it would be advisable to refill your pet fountain with pre-filtered water.
How to encourage your pet to use a pet water fountain
Not all pets immediately take to a water fountain, because it is different from what they are used to. If your pet seems a bit nervous of your new cat water fountain, try leaving it switched off or on a very low water flow setting for a while, so that your pet can get used to drinking from it.
VI. Conclusion
We hope that you have found our cat water fountain reviews helpful and that it helps you decide on the best fountain for your pets.
Pet water fountains are a great way to get your pet to drink more water and they are a lot more convenient and cleaner than a water bowl.
Deciding on the pet water fountain for your pet will depend on your personal preference and the number of pets you have, but the key things to look at in a pet water fountain are a good filtration system, good water flow, adequate drinking space, and the amount of water that it will hold.