Cats get most of the water they need each day from their food. Even dry cat food contains about 10% water, which cats have become very efficient at absorbing. Even so, water from dry and wet food alone is not enough; they need more.
This is where water bowls and cat water fountains come into play. When your cat’s body tells them that they need more water, they will go over and drink until their need is met. If they don’t meet their need, this is where problems can arise.
Top 10 Best Cat Water Fountains Reviewed
1. Cat Water Fountain Stainless Steel 81oz/2.4L Intelligent Pump with LED Indicator for Water Shortage Alert Water Level Window
2. Veken Pet Fountain 84oz/2.5L Automatic Cat Water Fountain Dog Water Dispenser with 3 Replacement Filters & 1 Silicone Mat for Cats Dogs Multiple Pets
3. Comsmart Cat Water Fountain 81oz/2.4L LED Pet Fountain Stainless Steel Automatic Drinking Water Dispenser for Cats Dogs Other Pets
4. iPettie Tritone Ceramic Pet Drinking Fountain丨Ultra Quiet Way Better Than Plastic丨Water Fountains for Cats and Dogs Pet Water Dispenser with Replacement Filters and Foam
5. PETKIT Cat Water Fountain 68oz/2L Automatic Pet Water Fountain with Auto Shut-Off Pump LED Indicator Light Water Level Window Ultra-Quiet Quadruple Filtration for Cats Dogs Multiple Pets
6. NPET Cat Water Fountain WF050TP 1.5L Automatic Pet Drinking Fountain with Replacement Faucet Kit
7. Bonve Pet Water Fountain for Cats Dogs Dispenser Indoor Inside 2.5L Automatic Kitty Water Bowl Drinkwell Flower Waterer with 3 Replacement Filters
8. Kastty Cat Water Fountains Pet Water Fountain Whisper Quiet 3L/101oz Kitty Water Fountains Water Bowl Drinking Fountain for Cats Cat Water Dispenser with LED Light1 Cat Waterer Filter
9. Upgraded Cat Water Fountain 2L Automatic Pet Water Dispenser Dog Drinking Fountain with Detachable Water Tank Indicator and Night Mode for Cats Dogs Multiple Pets
10. ORSDA Cat Water Fountain Stainless Steel Pet Fountain Dog Water Dispenser 67oz / 2L Ultra-Quiet Automatic Cat Drinking Fountains with 6 Replacement Filters & 1 Silicone Mat for Cats Small Dogs
Dehydration in Cats
Dehydration in cats is a real thing! Just like people, cats have needs, and one of their most important needs is water. Almost two-thirds of a cat’s entire body is made up of water, and it needs to be replenished when it gets low.
That being said, there’s no need to panic. There’s a good chance your cat is not dehydrated. If they are dehydrated, there are some simple ways you can find out. If you lift the skin on the back of their neck, it should almost immediately return to where it was before. If it does, they are fine! If not, it might be best to consult with a veterinarian.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, there are some things you can do to make sure your cat is getting the amount of water they need daily.
Keeping Your Kitty Hydrated
Believe it or not, your cat will get most of the water they need each day from their food. As we stated before, dry food is about 10% water, and wet food is almost 80% water. So these two types of food alone will leave your cat needing very little water.
When your cat absorbs the water from their food, they won’t need to drink much, but they’ll still need a little. Therefore, a cat should have a water source readily available to them throughout the day so they can top off their water intake. Proper hydration can accomplish this with a simple bowl of water.
While a bowl of water is great, some cats don’t like to drink a stagnant bowl of warm water that’s been sitting all day. This is why you’ll find them at the faucet or even in the shower licking up the dripping water. It’s also why your cat might come running every time you turn on the faucet.
Cats are naturally attracted to running water. This might be because before cats became domesticated, they were used to getting the water they needed from rivers and streams in the wild. Or it could just be because they like cold fresh water over stagnant, warm water!
Either way, cat fountains are the solution to this problem. They keep the water in their bowls circulating, keeping it fresher, and the fountain simulates running water like a river, stream, or your kitchen sink’s faucet. They also have filters to keep out hair, dirt, bacteria, and other things floating around that might fall into it throughout the day, so your cat doesn’t drink them.
Choosing The Right Cat Water Fountain
Like everything else, there are different choices when it comes to finding the cat water fountain that’s best for your cat. Each one is designed differently and can offer different benefits for you and your kitty. That’s why we’ve created a guide for you to help make your decision easier.
Not only are there different choices for choosing a fountain over a water bowl, but there are some other reasons why you might need to try out something different. For example, your cat may have stopped using their traditional water bowl altogether because it might be in a bad location. The water may not be fresh enough, or they might already be getting water from a running water source.
Style and Type
Each fountain comes in different types and styles. Some are the style of a fountain that emulates a waterfall or faucet. Some styles emulate spring fountains where the water flows up from the bottom and gently flows out like a natural spring.
Most of the other styles of fountains are variations in the waterfall and spring styles. Some waterfall-type variations have the water falling down a slide and are good mainly to reduce the water’s noise.
Other styles have the water rolling over or out of one or multiple spouts, creating a light stream similar to the spring type. A benefit of having this type of fountain is that your cat will hear the water and be drawn to it if they don’t realize it’s there.
Overall there isn’t a choice of the type or style that’s better than the other when it comes to performance. Instead, the choice will be how the water sounds differ and whether you and your cat prefer or would rather not have.
Size and Material
Two of the most important choices you’ll have will be the fountain’s size and what it is made out of. While the size of it is important, the material is the key point to look at. Some materials hold bacteria more than others and, over time, will build up and need to be cleaned.
You won’t find a fountain that doesn’t ever need to be cleaned, but you can choose one that will be easier to clean and maintain. Plastic will hold more bacteria than stainless steel, but the difference you’ll notice between the two won’t be very noticeable. Even so, it’s better to go with stainless steel when you can because it will reduce the amount of bacteria buildup over time.
On the other hand, there aren’t many good stainless steel options out there, so you may have to settle for plastic. If you choose one made of plastic, make sure you keep it nice a clean, and you’ll be set.
When it comes to size, the things to remember here are the number of times you’ll need to refill the fountain to keep it running smoothly. Not only will your kitty be drinking the water, but some will be evaporating as well. You always want to keep it as full as possible because the motor will have more stress and burnout. The bottom line is always to keep your fountain filled and clean to keep that motor running.
Filtration and Cleaning
When it comes to keeping your fountain clean, there are a few ways to clean it and keep it clean. First, it will need to be cleaned. Second, it will need filter replacements to keep the water clean also. The filter will do its part to help you out by cleaning the water in between cleanings.
To clean your fountain, you will need to disassemble it and wash it either by hand, or you can put it in the dishwasher as long as it’s dishwasher safe. Most are easy to clean and disassemble, and some even come with or have cleaning kits available to purchase.
While your fountain is running, it’s always cleaning the water of hair, dirt, and bacteria that fall into it throughout the day. So when it comes time to clean it, you’ll always want to make sure it is completely clean of hair and dirt inside and out to keep it from clogging the motor and burning it out. As suggested on the packaging, staying ahead of the curve and replacing the filters regularly will go a long way in keeping the fountain clean and running smoothly.
Setup For Success
Once you have all of your ducks in a row and your new fountain is on its way or has arrived, you’ll want to set it up for success. If your cat hasn’t been drinking from the water bowl, you provided them. However, there are some things you can do to make sure they get their water intake.
If you’ve had their water dish by their food, you can try moving it to an alternate position. We suggest you try to keep the fountain by their dish at first, but if that doesn’t work, then you can try moving it to the other side of the room away from their food. Some cats are picky about having their dish close to anything else.
Another quick tip is to keep the water fountain away from their litter. Typically cats do not like to eat or drink anywhere near where they do their business. So keeping their food and water away from their litter box will keep their minds on what they’re doing and not what they’ll be doing.
Our Conclusion
Cat fountains are made with the sole purpose of giving your cat a place to drink clean, fresh water. They are made to help cat owners give their cats the best chance never to become dehydrated and stay healthy. If you find that your cat was drinking out of a water bowl and now they no longer wish to drink out of a fountain, it’s always in your interest to do what’s best for your cat. After all, their well-being is our main priority, and we shouldn’t put them in a position to get harmed if it can be avoided.
PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain
The PetSafe Original and Platinum Drinkwell fountains are some of the most used fountains on the market. They not only provide your cat with fresh filtered water, but they look nice while doing it. This is a great example of a waterfall style that gives you a nice water stream falling into the reservoir.
The overall water capacity of the tank and reservoir is 168 ounces of water. This means you will not have to refill it as much because a tank in the back will fill the water bowl up when it gets down to a certain point.
It comes with a carbon water filter that will filter out most hair, bacteria, dirt, and anything else that might get into the water bowl. The water filter is replaceable, and replacements are sold separately so that you can swap them out at the recommended time.
It’s made of BPA-free plastic and can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher on the top shelf. The key to keeping it running is to keep water above the marked point and keep it clean. This is a great option for cat owners.
Cat Mate Cat Fountain
The Cat Mate Cat Fountain is another great choice and favorite among cat owners. It’s a good example of a waterfall-type fountain with a slide for the water to fall, keeping the splashing and water noises down.
This fountain has a total water capacity of 70 ounces water. This is smaller than most fountains with a water tank that will refill them, but it is still larger than your traditional water dish, and it gives your cat fresh, clean, circulating water all day. Not to mention it will need to be filled much less than a regular water dish will.
It comes with a polymer-carbon water filter to filter out anything that gets in the dish throughout the day. This filter can also be replaced when needed, and there are replacement filters available to purchase.
It is completely safe to wash it by hand or in the dishwasher. However, it is also made of plastic and will need to be cleaned and kept full to keep it running like the day you bought it.
Catit Flower Fountain
Catit has created one of the most unique and best-performing fountains on the market today. This fountain almost looks like a flower pot with a flower growing out of it that streams water. This is a great example of a spring-style fountain because the water comes up from the bottom and rolls over the flower or topsides.
One of the great features of this fountain is the ability to control the water flow when your cat does not like the flow of water at higher or lower rates. You can leave the fountain without the flower piece to have just a slow, flowing spring, or you can add the flower to get more of a faucet-like stream. You can also add the yellow part to the flower to make the streams more direct.
The reservoir holds 100 ounces of water, and it flows through filters to circulate clean, filtered water to the top where your cat can drink it. There is no dish to hold the water. That way, your cat will always get the cleanest water and not have to drink water that may not have made it fully through the cycle and filters. The filters are replaceable and can be purchased separately.
It is made out of BPA-free plastic and is dishwasher safe. So it can be hand washed or washed on the top rack of a dishwasher. The filters are also double filters that filter out water and soften it for crisp, clean water every time.
Oster Fresh Sips Less Stress Pet Fountain
The Fresh Sips Less Stress Pet Fountain by Oster is another great option for your cats. This is another example of a spring-style fountain with water that gets oxygenated and bubbles up to the surface for your cat to drink. It offers a continuous flow of water that’s constantly filtered to keep it fresh.
It comes with a reservoir capacity that is 60 ounces. The water is continuously filling the dish, then it spills over the containing lip and falls through the filter, filtering it and allowing it to be re-circulated to the spring-like flow. This gives your cat a constant, fresh source of water. The filters for this fountain are charcoal and are made with a double filtration system to filter out any impurities.
This fountain is also made with BPA-free plastic to keep your cat perfectly safe, healthy, and hydrated. It is safe to hand wash and is completely dishwasher safe. It is recommended that you wash it on the top shelf of the dishwasher and always keep it clean to get its best performance.
PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Fountain
We wanted to include a stainless steel option for a fountain, and this is one of the best stainless steel fountains we could find. While some of the other fountains we have reviewed might be a better fit or choice, we wanted to leave this option up to you.
The Petsafe Drinkwell 360 is a spring-like fountain with 5 different stream options. They come in 5 different circular clips that clip on the spout to change the fountain’s stream and flow to make it ideal for any cat. It’s designed for 1 or multiple cats as it gives each pet 360-degree access to the water in the dish.
It comes with a replaceable carbon and foam filter to remove any hair, dirt, and debris that might make its way into the water dish. In addition, it comes with a 128-ounce reservoir capacity, so you won’t have to keep refilling it to keep it going.
It is completely hand-washable and dishwasher safe as long as it is washed on the top shelf. Overall this is a great choice if you are only looking for a stainless steel fountain.