While we have provided some great reviews of cat fountains in the article below, maybe you don’t have enough time to slog through all of it, and we understand! If you’re looking for the hands-down best cat water fountain we can recommend, the isYoung Cat Water Fountain is your best bet.
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Cats love running water and prefer to drink that to any kind of stationary water. This is advantageous to them because running water is more fun of course but it also indicates the water should be clean and fresh, and since domestic cats are prone to kidney problems later in life, drinking more water is a fine solution to mitigate those problems before they arise.
We’ve reviewed 4 fantastic cat water fountains so you can make an informed purchase:
- Catit Flower Cat Water Fountain
- Ruff ‘n Ruffus Cat Drinking Water Fountain
- Veken Pet Fountain
- isYoung Cat Water Fountain
What Are the Benefits of a Cat Water Fountain?
Cats have a tendency to prefer running water; if you’ve ever had your sink running while your cat was in the room, you’ll know they’re fascinated by the pouring faucet. There are many other reasons why a cat fountain is preferable to a static dish and we’ve compared these top-reviewed models, looking carefully at these following aspects.
Ease-of-Use
This might sound odd, suggesting “ease-of-use” as a benefit of a cat fountain when you consider a water dish is pretty simple from the get-go. When you consider your cats constant desire to knock things over – particularly their water dish – and the need to clean it every day, you end up seeing the benefit a simple fountain that constantly provides running, filtered water to your lovely little cat friend.
Cleanliness
The primary benefit of a cat water fountain is that it attracts your cat to drink more, but because of the running water and the filter system, cat fountains keep litter, food, and hair from building up in the basin where your cat drinks. Coupled with a simple, easy-to-clean design, you’ve got a water delivery device that keeps itself clean, keeps your house clean, and keeps your cat from knocking it over as they’re so wont to do.
Attractiveness
What’s more impressive and attractive, a bowl on the floor with debris floating in it or the quiet lap of gently bubbling water? It’s no contest; while not décor in and of themselves, cat water fountains are simply beautiful by design, adding a peaceful-yet-functional accent to whatever room they’re placed.
What to Look for in a Cat Water Fountain?
Naturally you want a cat fountain that attracts your cat; that’s the whole point, right? There are of course other things to consider, however, before you make this purchase. Thankfully we’ve done that leg work for you!
Ease-of-Use, Setup, and Cleaning
One of the worst things in the world is to open up what appears to be a simple-to-use product and find that it comes in 25 different pieces. An ideal cat water fountain will be just a few snap together pieces or, better yet, one solid piece that requires little-to-no setup.
You’ll want a fountain that is little more than plugging it in and filling it up with water. It should run quietly on its own, creating a desire within your cat to come and drink (and likely splash but that’s okay). It should also offer a few different water delivery modes, in case your cat prefers more of a spring than a waterfall design.
Finally, it should be easy to disassemble and clean. While a water fountain filters out and avoids things like litter, food, and hair debris, it will still require that the filter itself be cleaned and/or removed every few weeks, and a decent weekly clean on the inside. Extra points for models that are created from bacteria-resistant resin or stainless steel as these require even less cleaning.
Mess Resistance
Cats love to tip things over, push things around, and prod with their little paws. It’s part of what makes them cute but it’s incredibly frustrating to step in a puddle of tipped-over cat water. An ideal cat water fountain will be impossible to tip over, standing on a sturdy base. Though, with the running water aspect of the product, your cat is far less likely to want to tip a cat fountain over, since the water will always be clean and fresh.
In addition, you want a product that doesn’t get gunky or gross easily. The filtration aspect of these fountains prevents buildup of debris that really makes a stationary cat dish kind of gross at times, since cats might be inclined to clean their paws in their water and then be disinclined to drink that water they’ve now made gross. A flowing water system avoids all of that, which is part of the allure.
Attractive Aesthetic
While many of these products offer a simplistic design, there’s a lot of room for aesthetic enhancement, improved visual design, or functional twists that provide water in a cute and fun way. Many cat fountains are made from bright polymer or plastic, or polished stainless steel, creating a useful piece of art essentially that is attractive to not only your cats but also to you and your guests.
Consider also the quiet bubbling or flowing of water creates a pleasant background noise and then think about how many human-focused items you have that provide convenience and functionality while also offering auditory and visually pleasant aesthetics, which is exactly what these fountains offer and should be a consideration when making a purchase.
Cat Water Fountain Reviews
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Despite the small stature of this fountain, barely measuring 9 inches in height by 7 inches wide, it circulates 3 liters of water through a beautiful flower waterfall on top, ensuring your kitty has access to clean water constantly. Ideal for small spaces, this compact water fountain is ideal for one-cat families, particularly apartments.
With 3 water delivery systems (bubbler, fountain, and waterfall) you will be able to zero-in on your cat’s preferred method of water delivery. In addition, the Catit is designed to mesh perfectly with the Catit feeder system so if you’re inclined to purchase that as well, you’ll find they make a wonderful pair.
The primary downside is that despite the low cost of the fountain, the yearly cost of filters is about two to three times as much. While it’s not a huge investment, it can be off-putting.
Pros:
- Compact design should fit any space
- 3L recirculating reservoir, providing a lot of water for a small package
- 3 modes of water delivery in case your cat is extra picky
- Less expensive than most similar models on Amazon
- Easy to use and easy to clean
Cons:
- The cost of the filters is about 3 times what the unit itself costs
- Though the Catit has a 3 liter capacity, it’s only really ideal for one-cat families; you’d want something with a larger reservoir if you have multiple cats
An even more compact design than the first entry, the Ruff ‘n Ruffus fountain is essentially a little blue cube of water delivery excellence. Made from BPA-free plastic, it’s designed to be safe for your kitties to drink from while being durable for years of use. Built-in three modes of water delivery ensure that your cat will get their ideal water delivery experience, which in hindsight is a weird thing to say but we all know is really, really important with how finicky cats can be. In addition to all the expected, functional features, this particular model comes with a free additional filter and non-slip mat for the unit. Combined with its low price and very lower yearly energy usage, this is a very good cat water fountain for a single-cat owner or a small space (or both of course).
One of the main and only concerns however is the size; though the compact nature of the device is definitely a pro in most settings, it only circulates about 2 liters of water, which might mean multiple fillings more than normal if your cat is large or thirsty, and it’s not ideal for multiple cats at all. Finally, the cord is somewhat short at 51 inches, so you’ll need a space that has nearby accessible outlets on the floor level.
Pros:
- Cute, compact design
- Quick-flowing, 3-mode water delivery
- Healthy, durable construction from BPA-free, food-grade plastic
- Reverse-osmosis filtration ensures that one monthly filter changing is about all you would need
- Free charcoal filter and non-slip mat included in the price
- Easy to clean
Cons:
- Small design is ideal only for single-cat homes
- Short cord length means you’ll need a nearby outlet on the same level as the device to plug it in
Incredibly quiet, compact design, and very low energy consumption make the Veken pet fountain ideal for any cat (and owner). With a 2.5 L reservoir you can use this with multiple cats due to the large surface area on the top, along with the increased height of the flower fountain. Though it has less water capacity than the Catit, it has more space for multiple cats to poke their little muzzles and get a drink.
One major difference with this fountain is that it has a triple-filtration system, getting rid of 99% of waterborne bacteria. Not only is this better for the health of the cat, but it also prevents fast buildup of biofilm, allowing for more time between regular cleanings.
Finally, this product comes with 3 additional filters and a non-slip mat, which is a nice bonus at an already affordable price. Additionally the energy usage of this particular brand is exceptionally low, meaning incredibly low yearly energy costs, and coupled with the included 3 free filters, the upkeep on this product will be cheaper than most of the others on this list.
Pros:
- Triple filtration system means exceptionally clean water and low bacterial buildup
- Comes with additional filters and an accompanying mat
- Very low energy usage, long pump life (2.5 – 5 years on average), and included filters means lower long-term cost associated with owning this unit over others
- Large surface area on top is great for multiple cats
- Quiet, compact design means this fountain won’t dominate a room with sound or size
Cons:
- Because of the exceptionally small stature of the unit, the water level needs to be kept up or the machine will round loudly and the output will be too small for your cat to utilize well
The isYoung cat water fountain offers everything you would want in a unit like this; it’s ultra-compact, extremely quiet, simple to disassemble and clean, and made from antibacterial resin to keep it exceptionally clean. For a single-cat home, this is probably the best water fountain you can get. It offers several fantastic “extras”, like a viewing window that allows you to see the water level to know when you need to refill, a circular design that essentially impossible for your cat to tip it over, and a basin that provides space to drink but not a tremendous amount of exposure of the filter to airborne contaminants or debris. It encompasses the most impressive aspects of every other fountain on this list while avoiding most of the downsides, making it the most recommendable product overall.
The only downside is it has roughly the smallest capacity of all of the fountains we’ve reviewed at only 1.6 liters. This is not a great fountain for multiple cats but the reality is that if you want a fountain for more than one cat, you’re going to be looking at a much larger unit, which somewhat defeats the purpose of the compact, easy-to-use design of these machines.
Pros:
- Antimicrobial resin construction is durable, adorable, and will keep the dreaded biofilm to a minimum
- The resin construction also of course makes the water healthier for your cat
- Easy to disassemble and clean
- Very affordable, with extremely affordable replacement filters
- Cute, compact circular design will fit nearly anywhere without fuss
- Almost impossible to tip over, with good clearance space for your lovely little cat to get a drink without dousing itself in water
Cons:
- This is a situation where the extremely compact design of this machine can be a double-edged sword; as it’s so small it can run out of water quickly and isn’t great for multiple cats
- Another unit with a shorter electrical cord means you’ll want easily accessible electrical outlets near the unit
Conclusion
Cat water fountains provide entertainment for your cat but also an essential draw to a fundamental aspect of their health that, because they are so picky, might get neglected. Cats won’t drink water they don’t think is clean, and that’s why cat water fountains are an expensive, delightful way to encourage more water consumption for your feline friends.
The isYoung is one of the highest-rated cat fountains, being easy to clean, reasonably priced, and absolutely adorable. It’s tip-resistant, quiet, and the resin-based structure is resistant to the slimy biofilm-producing bacteria that can build up in other cat water fountains, making this an ideal purchase for your cat companions.
"In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this."
-- Terry Pratchett
