Cat Fountain Question

Are cat fountains worth getting? I know domestic cats tend to not drink enough water, and since I am planning to welcome home a second cat, most likely male, I am wondering if it isn't time for me to go ahead and get a fountain. 

Do they actually encourage cats to drink more? And are they actually willing to use them? 

I do have a couple issues ... They are plastic, I don't use any plastic dishes for my pets, are they completely safe? 

And as far as cleanliness do they keep the water clean? I usually wash and refill Emma's bowl daily. 

I have 2 male cats, age 15 and 13. There are pros and cons with the fountains.  I have used them in the past, but find them to be a pain to clean as you have to take them completely apart to get to every little part.  I did not find them to promote my kitties to drink either.  I found that keeping several bowls around the house was the best way to encourage drinking as cats are inherently lazy and will not go out of their way to drink. Hopefully you find my opinion helpful.

In case you haven't seen this thread.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/313878/drinking-fountain

I have read plenty about which ones people like etc, But I didn't really see any threads asking quite what I wanted answered. 

There are ceramic and stainless steel fountains if you are worried about plastic Here are some:


http://thirstycatfountains.com/

Elliriyanna said:

Do they actually encourage cats to drink more? And are they actually willing to use them? 

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It really depends on the cat so it's hard to give a definite answer. Some cats may drink a little more from a fountain than from a bowl. I guess they like moving water than standing water. Others may just play in the water. Other cats just ignore a fountain.

Elliriyanna said:

 
And as far as cleanliness do they keep the water clean? I usually wash and refill Emma's bowl daily. 

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Most have an internal filter that keeps the water clean. You do need to take the fountain apart regularily to clean it and replace the filter. The instruction manual usually has a recommened cleaning schedule. A thorough cleaning once a week is probably enough. I think most parts of a fountain can be put into a dishwasher. Handwashing can be a pain and you may need a little brush to get into the tiny spaces. I'm not sure how long a filter can last but maybe a few weeks.

I have looked at the stainless and ceramic ones, but all have some plastic parts as far as I have seen. I have been reading a ton of reviews and watching videos on water fountains, I just can't figure out if its the right fit for Emma.