Cats are famously fussy about the water they drink. Many moggies prefer to drink freshly recirculated water, and that’s where a good cat water fountain comes in.
These devices typically use a mains-powered pump to circulate water through a filter and spout into a bowl or other drinking receptacle. This gives your cat a steady supply of clean, running water that appeals to their instincts and refreshes their body.
Drinking plenty of water is crucial for cats. A healthy amount of H2O prevents dehydration, promotes kidney health, replenishes their cells and wards off nasty infections.
Cat water fountains vary widely, so it’s important to get your priorities straight before buying.
Most cat fountains use replaceable filters – often ones that use carbon – to keep the water clean and safe for drinking. You should factor in the lifespan of compatible filters and how much they cost per unit before going ahead and buying a fountain. In the long term, filters and energy will likely cost much more than the fountain itself.
Another difference between cat drinking fountains is the material used in the parts from which the cat drinks. Many of the more affordable fountains use plastic, whereas fancier options use other materials such as ceramics, metal or glass. If your cat is prone to cat acne, which tends to present as blemishes on the chin, it’s probably best not to choose a fountain with plastic drinking components, as these can compound the problem for some cats.
Some of the newer cat drinking fountains on the market have high-tech features, such as connected smartphone apps that notify you when the fountain requires maintenance or cleaning.
Once you’ve chosen a fountain, you’ll need to find a suitable place for it in your home. Cats can feel vulnerable when drinking in an open space, so placing your fountain in a corner or beside a wall will often help make sure they feel comfortable. Some cat owners hedge their bets by setting up two or more water fountains in different rooms.
How we tested
We tested cat water fountains by setting them up in the homes of our cat-loving reviewer and his family, and observing how their cats used the fountains. Our review criteria included how soon and how often the cats used the fountains, how easy the fountains were to set up, and how the products performed from the owner’s perspective, which included assessing their ease of upkeep and noise levels.
Catit pixi smart drinking fountain
This remarkable cat water fountain combines advanced smartphone-controlled features with a simple and effective design. We love everything from its triple-action filter to the notifications we received on our smartphone when the pixi smart’s pump was due for cleaning.
After a few attempts, we managed to get the fountain connected to our wifi and the Catit pixi smartphone app. Once this is set up, you can use your phone to tweak the settings, for instance, starting a UV-C water sterilisation cycle or activating energy-saving mode.
Another important benefit of this fountain was that it’s perhaps the quietest electric option we tested.
PetSafe drinkwell sedona 3l pet drinking fountain
If you have multiple thirsty kitties to water, the big, beautiful PetSafe drinkwell sedona could be the ideal solution.
There are a fair few steps required to assemble this fountain, but you’ll manage fine if you carefully follow the well-written instructions.
The sedona is a remarkably calming presence for cats and humans alike. Our cat-journalist Martha happily drank from the fountain within a few minutes of us setting it up. It operates quietly – unless the water level is running low – and we found that the fountain has much the same tranquil effect as a garden water feature.
Catit pixi drinking fountain
Not to be confused with the smart fountain from the same range, the Catit pixi is a traditional cat drinking fountain of the highest calibre.
We found this fountain to be especially easy to use day-to-day. The LED light at the front blinks to let you know when the water’s running low and turns solidly red when there’s none left, giving you ample warning when it’s time for a top-up. And given the pixi’s 2.5l capacity, those refills won’t have to happen all that often, but within a suitably hygienic timeframe, of course.
This fountain also has some clever “furgonomic” features to suit a cat’s biology, including an angled jet that’s easy for a cat to drink from and a wide-brimmed dish that avoids excessive whisker contact.
PetSafe streamside ceramic pet fountain
With a gently trickling flow of water that creates calming ripples through a wide, roughly triangular bowl, this fountain seems especially calming and approachable. This may explain why one of the cats who helped us with this article, Martha, checked out this fountain as soon as we turned it on.
The ceramic material of the bowl and fountain components feel tough, can be cleaned easily and should be suitable for acne-prone cats.
In terms of setup, the streamside proved relatively intuitive. It’s recommended that the carbon filters are replaced once every two to four weeks, so do bear in mind that you’ll need to order some spares soon after you buy the fountain itself.
Cat Mate two-level shell pet fountain, titanium
This fountain was already a hit with one of our reviewer-cats before we started testing for this article – and it still compares favourably with some of the flashier products we tested.
Between its water trough and its shell-shaped spout, this fountain provides two places for the cat to drink from at their leisure.
From a human-friendliness perspective, we were particularly impressed with how easy this fountain was to clean. There are few intricate nooks or crannies to reach, and the bowl can even be cleaned in a dishwasher.
