water fountains

gloriajh

gloriajh

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Originally Posted by darlili

I've got the Drinkwell Platinum, and both my cats now drink more from it than they ever did from their bowls. I agree there may be a learning curve, and certainly keep another bowl out, at least as first, but I bet you'll find the fountain being used more and more. I am using distilled water now - they seem to like it and makes the fountain even easier to clean - I use about a gallon a week, so about $1.10 from my grocery store.
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NEVERMIND - I DIDN'T GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POSTS - SOMEONE did ALREADY TALK ABOUT DISTILLED WATER - SORRY.


I'm wondering about the distilled water you mentioned - isn't the use of distilled water only for temporary use?

I'm going to do some research - but I think the distilled might cause mineral deficiencies ??? --- Maybe that's why it's easier to clean? Maybe someone here already knows the benefits and/or the dangers of using distilled water?
 
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yosemite

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Distilled water shouldn't be drank. Distilling water removes all of the electrolytes such as sodium from the water.

What happens when such water is drank, is that it can lead to dehydration rather than hydration.

The blood and the fluid inside the cell walls strive for equilibrium. By drinking distilled water, you are creating an environment in the blood that has less sodium than in the cells, so the sodium from inside the cells seeps out into the blood until there is an equal balance again. The blood then flows through the kidneys and the electrolytes are disposed of as urine.

Where sodium goes, other electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium and potassium follow. So you are also creating an imbalance with those as well.

The body requires potassium and calcium for muscle function, including the heart muscle.

It's best to buy filtered water or just use plain ordinary tap water.

Distilled water should only be used for things that don't require consumption, such as cleaning your iron, or inside a reservoir such as a humidifier or CPAP machine that provides humidity.
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That has always been my understanding regarding distilled water as well. I use bottled water for our cats and distilled water for my iron, car radiator, etc.
 
darlili

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I've got to make a grocery run this afternoon, and clean/refill the fountain...I'm going to take a good look at all the bottled waters. Now I'm even wondering if the bottled nursery water is ok? Oh, what we do for our kitties.
I was thinking distilled would be the purest, and healthiest, not just the purest.
 
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yosemite

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Originally Posted by darlili

I've got to make a grocery run this afternoon, and clean/refill the fountain...I'm going to take a good look at all the bottled waters. Now I'm even wondering if the bottled nursery water is ok? Oh, what we do for our kitties.
I was thinking distilled would be the purest, and healthiest, not just the purest.
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I'm so glad you are going to stop using distilled water for kitty.
 
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pui hang

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I have a fresh flow water fountain in the kitchen although recently, I've noticed that only Cindy seems to be using it. Bella prefers to try and turn on the kitchen tap and drink from that instead
However, I always worry that Bella isn't drinking enough so I also put down a bowl of water in the bathroom
 
gloriajh

gloriajh

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Two thoughts:
1. Just because a thread is about one thing, you usually pick up other important information - like the distilled water info in this thread - seems like it never fails.


2. Water sources: One of my cats prefers to drink out of a water bottle. I hung a water bottle (the kind that you put in the cat carrier, or cage) on a cabinet in the bathroom so that my cats would become familiar with using it for if/when we travel.

Two of them just run their noses past it, but our little girl (the calico) prefers it - go figure. At least I can tell how much water she's getting because it does have marks to measure the amount of fluid in the bottle.


The water bottle is helpful in another respect - my cats play in the water, put their toys in it - so, at least one of them isn't making as much of a water mess any longer.
 
darlili

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Well, I spent a good 30 minutes in the bottled water section at the grocery looking at the various types - and am no longer using distilled water. I managed my own grocery pick up in under 10 minutes....


BTW, maybe I'm behind, but it looks like Drinkwell has a new fountain design out - a Drinkwell 360. I saw a picture in a catalog - it looked really interesting, but I'm not sure I really need two fountains - do I?
 
piikki

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Originally Posted by darlili

BTW, maybe I'm behind, but it looks like Drinkwell has a new fountain design out - a Drinkwell 360. I saw a picture in a catalog - it looked really interesting, but I'm not sure I really need two fountains - do I?
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First time I heard about that, so I looked it up too. I don't need two either, do I? I was not sure what the real technical improvements were but I am eagerly awaiting TCS feedback. It looked very fountainy for sure. My cats might appreciate it right now with new little brother - because he always has to go drink exactly when someone else is drinking. There would be a stream for everyone in this 360!
 
darlili

darlili

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Amazon had some buyer reviews on it - sounded promising, pretty much. My two seem ok with the Platinum, and it's not like they're reading Dr. Foster catalogs (I think!), but......
 
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janea

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Oh my alpha male already broke two fountains washing his head under the spout and whatnot. How exactly did you use the water bottle, if I may ask? I would love to stop stepping into puddles everywhere (water) he goes. :D
 
Kat0121

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I have 2 fountains. The Pioneer Pet Big Max stainless and the Pioneer Pet Raindrop in ceramic. I had the Drinkwell Platinum and returned it to Amazon for the Pioneer Pet Big Max. I liked that the PP was stainless rather than plastic and it's easier to clean. Both cats and the dog were using the Big Max until the cats decided they didn't want to use it anymore. So I got a good deal on the Raindrop one so that one is theirs. It sits beside their food dishes which are elevated on top of a computer stand to keep the dog out of their food
  and they like having their own water that the dog can't reach. 
 
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2cats4me

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I bought the Drinkwell Platinum water fountain .  My cats were cautious of it at first  but now they are actually drinking quite a bit from it .  At night I fill the bowl part to the top with water and in the morning it is down half way . I guess they like it ..
 
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