Question about cat water fountains

keith p · Jun 17, 2008

My cat likes to drink running water from the sink or bathtub, it's the sight of the stream of water that gets his attention, not standing water. so I was thinking about buying him one of those water fountains so he wont have to be attracted to the faucet water, instead have his own. We have regular cat bowls with water, but the faucets is what he prefers to drink from.

My question is, does the fountain have a stream of water coming out (like our water fountains), or does it just aerate the water?
If it just aerates, then theres no reason for me to buy it.

katachtig · Jun 17, 2008

The Drinkwell has a stream. My cats like to drink from it a lot.

gingersmom · Jun 17, 2008

Originally Posted by katachtig

The Drinkwell has a stream. My cats like to drink from it a lot.

My Ginger used to drink from the faucets until I got a Drinkwell. Now she loves the fountain and stays out of the sinks.

laureen227 · Jun 17, 2008

Originally Posted by katachtig

The Drinkwell has a stream. My cats like to drink from it a lot.

my Pixel loves it!

natalie_ca · Jun 17, 2008

I have this one. I bought it for Chynna's birthday, but she won't go near it. Abby loves it though

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg

meowers · Jun 17, 2008

I've ben trying to get Kitty to drink from the faucet all year

Only when you want them to do it, then they don't want to. So, no I don't have one. Are they expensive?

gayef · Jun 17, 2008

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I have this one. I bought it for Chynna's birthday, but she won't go near it. Abby loves it though

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg

That is the exact same one I have for my cats!!! *smile* Lexus likes to drink out of the toilet and well, THAT just isn't healthy and besides, I could not for the life of me get my husband to put the lid down when he was finished in there ... *sigh* ... so whilst walking through Petsmart one day, found that fountain and thought, "Gee, that looks a lot like the toilet, wonder if Lex would like it?" I bought it, brought it home and guess what ???? Lex likes it, drinks out of it and has totally ignored the toilet ever since. Yay!

I like to float ice cubes (or scubes, as they are known in my house) in it on hot days ... the crackling and popping make the cats jump around and come to investigate. One or more always ends up taking a good long sip once they realize the scubes aren't going to kill them.

A momentary thread hijack - About this fountain ... do you (or anyone else who might have one) find it difficult to clean?

laureen227 · Jun 17, 2008

Originally Posted by Meowers

I've ben trying to get Kitty to drink from the faucet all year

Only when you want them to do it, then they don't want to. So, no I don't have one. Are they expensive?

depends on which one you get. i think the freshflow's quite reasonable, but it doesn't have a stream like a faucet, like the drinkwell does - the water flows down a ramp.
there are 2 different drinkwells - the original & the platinum. i have the latter.
if you get a freshflow, get the bigger one - it's bigger & holds more. however, it only comes in the white, not the black that i linked.

laureen227 · Jun 17, 2008

Originally Posted by gayef

A momentary thread hijack - About this fountain ... do you (or anyone else who might have one) find it difficult to clean?

i do - the drinkwell's easier to clean - not as many little nooks & crannies.

keith p · Jun 17, 2008

Ok, so does the drinkwell run on battery or must you plug it in? Unfortunetly I dont have a place near an available outlet for it, it would have to run on batteries.

gayef · Jun 17, 2008

Originally Posted by laureen227

i do - the drinkwell's easier to clean - not as many little nooks & crannies.

Thanks! The Petmate I have is really on it's last legs and should be replaced soon anyway, so I think I am going to try the Drinkwell this time.

laureen227 · Jun 17, 2008

Originally Posted by keith p

Ok, so does the drinkwell run on battery or must you plug it in? Unfortunetly I dont have a place near an available outlet for it, it would have to run on batteries.

i've always plugged mine in, so never looked!
i think you have to plug it in, tho...

natalie_ca · Jun 17, 2008

Originally Posted by gayef

do you (or anyone else who might have one) find it difficult to clean?

I put ice in the bowl part too.

So far as cleaning goes, I find it very easy. I just turn off the switch and unplug it from the cord. Take it to the sink. Then I take off the top cap part, remove the jug part and rinse it out and refill it with cold water. Then I remove the filter and give it a rince under cold water. Then I empty out the fountain itself and give it a wipe with a clean wet cloth. Then I replace the filter, refill the unit, put the jug part back in and replace the top.

It looks like a lot of steps, but in actualality the last time I did it I think it took 3 minutes if even that long.

I do that once a week. The rest of the time I just refill the jug part every other day so that the fountain stays full.

It also runs silently. The only time it makes noise is if the water level gets low. I didn't have the option of a "drink well" where the water pours out, but if I had I still would have declined buying it. I would think the water running would make a noise and it looks like it splashes a bit from the pictures I've seen. Neither of my cats would have gone near it if there was pouring water.

I'd also avoid the kind with the large dome on top where the water runs down it and the pets drink from the dome part. That one was available where I bought my Petmate, but I thought that the dome would become slimy from their saliva when they were drinking, and it looked like it would be a bear to clean.

laureen227 · Jun 18, 2008

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I didn't have the option of a "drink well" where the water pours out, but if I had I still would have declined buying it. I would think the water running would make a noise and it looks like it splashes a bit from the pictures I've seen. Neither of my cats would have gone near it if there was pouring water.

well, it is true that i've only observed Pixel using the drinkwell. but since she's my senior, + a dry only eater, that's ok w/me. the others can use the freshflows. but since i have both kinds - i clean both at the same time, & the drinkwell is easier - takes less time. also really doesn't make that much noise, IMO.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I'd also avoid the kind with the large dome on top where the water runs down it and the pets drink from the dome part. That one was available where I bought my Petmate, but I thought that the dome would become slimy from their saliva when they were drinking, and it looked like it would be a bear to clean.

i have one of those in the garage. it was icky & awful to clean - plus, i never felt like it was completely clean... i never could figure out how you were supposed to clean inside the dome! [maybe you're not - but it looked dirty there!]

yosemite · Jun 18, 2008

Originally Posted by laureen227

well, it is true that i've only observed Pixel using the drinkwell. but since she's my senior, + a dry only eater, that's ok w/me. the others can use the freshflows. but since i have both kinds - i clean both at the same time, & the drinkwell is easier - takes less time. also really doesn't make that much noise, IMO.

i have one of those in the garage. it was icky & awful to clean - plus, i never felt like it was completely clean... i never could figure out how you were supposed to clean inside the dome! [maybe you're not - but it looked dirty there!]

I have the CatIt (domed fountain). It's really easy to clean actually. The dome comes apart (unscrews) so that you can easily clean inside the dome. The outside doesn't get all yucky either. I clean ours once per week and when the lime starts to build up I give it a good soak in vinegar for 1/2 hour. It comes out sparkling clean. I think the secret to keeping any of the fountains clean is regular cleaning/maintenance.

javern · Jun 18, 2008

we have two cat water fountains but all 4 of our cats still like to drink from the faucet

kit e cat · Jun 18, 2008

I have the Drinkwell Platinum. My cats love it
I put everything except the motor in the dishwasher, and everything comes out sparkling.

zoeysmom · Jun 19, 2008

I have the Petmate (the small blue one). I has to be plugged in, but the cord is quite long!

I do find it a bit of a pain to clean, but only because it is plugged in behind the couch. Does anyone ever have difficulty getting the top part (with the filter) to snap back on properly? Mine doesn't seem to fit properly...I have to try several times and then out of nowhere - voila, it slides right on! I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong...

My girls really like drinking from the fountain, but they'll drink from other dishes as well. If you're not willing to clean it regularly, it's probably not worth getting one. I lapsed a bit on cleaning it last time and didn't realize it was so gross until the girls stopped drinking from it. Once it was cleaned, they were all over it. So, once a week it is!

emrldsky · Jun 19, 2008

I have the Drinkwell Platinum and it's definitely helped keep our Oscar from demanding a drink from the faucet.

However, I don't know of any drinking fountain for cats that runs on batteries. I believe they all require an outlet...is there anyway you can string an extension cord to the place you would like to put the fountain?

Btw, the Drinkwell Platinum is dishwasher safe, top rack only. My only suggestion is to be careful of the rubber feet, as mine came off. Might try the regular dry, not hot dry.

mskitty666 · Jul 1, 2008

I have used Drinkwells for years. In fact I just ordered parts for my two originals, the other is a platinum. We also have the Ultra Bubbler, Catit and recently purchased the Petmate Fresh Flow. In my expirience, the Drinkwells and Bubbler are better. I've never had any problems with either and cleanup is very easy with the dishwasher. I've had the Catit for a while and it has never worked properly. It's very disappointing because the cats like it. It is constant trouble and NOT dishwasher safe. The Fresh Flow is going back to the store for return. That motor is so loud that neither I nor my six cats could stand it. Perhaps I got a lemon, but it's just awful.

With the Drinkwell the noise level is controllable with the flow control knob. You turn it from low to high. The ramp breaks the fall of the water so usually it's a quiet water sound that is soothing and not irritating. The Bubbler is amazing! No filter, yet somehow the bubbling action keeps the water fresh, cool and clean. It too has a knob that lets you adjust the amount of bubbles aka noise. The sound is negligible and in a silent room is more like a relaxing water feature. The Catit would be great, if it worked. Mine just doesn't. The few times it has, it's near silent. Both the Dinkwell and Catit allow more than one to drink at the same time which is very nice.

I'm lucky, no finicky drinkers here. I can pretty much plug in any new fountain and right away all six will drink from it. They have had Drinkwells for so long that almost nothing phases them, except the roaring motor on the Fresh Flow. Isis was wary of the Bubbler at first, but I think that stems from her fear of bubbles. Still, she drinks from it now.

I have a lot of cats and some don't get along. I have to have a minimum of two fountains out, because a certain grumpy kitty likes to lay in front of the fountain blocking the others. You too might need a seperate water dish if you have cats that don't get along.

Question about cat water fountains

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