Pet Fountain for Cats

Tumbles, a two-year-old tuxedo kitty possesses a mischievous streak. He loves running water. His owner, Renee Ludwell laughs when she describes the details of the day she arrived home from work to find her bathroom flooded. In her absence, Tumbles had turned on the faucet, then pounced down into the bowl to play with the water. His actions pushed the stopper into the drain and the water kept coming.

“The rest is history, Renee says ruefully. “I replaced the tile in the bathroom and the rug in the hallway, not the cat! Then I went and found two pet fountains for Tums to use. Since they have been installed, this episode has not been repeated.”

Before she purchased the pet fountains, Renee asked herself some questions:

• Which pet fountains are good for cats?
• Is it safe to have pet fountains running in the home?
• How safe is it to have water around electricity?

Though when questioned, Renee admits for her anyway, it is safer for her to have pet fountains than have Tumbles repeat his water experiment. She also discovered that having the plug grounded and UAE approved is essential in the safety of running the pet fountain.

Tumbles is a typical cat, one born with an innate curiosity that can sometimes lead to trouble. Young cats routinely paw at objects that move, trying to figure out if they are prey or play. That is what this curiosity encompasses, the cat’s normal prey drive. Moving water is an attraction to most cats and Tums found a way to not only get a drink of water, but also entertain himself.

Leaving a trickle of water running in the sink (and safely putting the plug out of reach) is a popular trick of pet sitters. They know that when a cat is stressed, the cat will often stop eating and drinking. Leaving the water running helps to keep the cat hydrated, plus it can amuse a kitty missing its owner.

Pet fountains play to this instinct and there are so many types of pet fountains to choose from:

Ceramic pet fountains:
Ceramic pet fountains won’t easily chip which reduces bacteria growth. Most have a detachable pump and electrical cord so you can pop the reservoir into the dishwater for a quick wash. If your kitty has problems with feline acne, a ceramic pet fountain can help reduce the problem. Cats like room temperature water best so think twice before buying fountains with chilling units. Be sure with any ceramic pet fountain you purchase that the bowl is large enough for kitty to drink from comfortably.

Stainless Steel Pet Fountains:
Similar to ceramic pet fountains, stainless steel fountains offer a seamless surface that is easy to clean and repels bacterial growth. The sound of water cascading down the spout into the steel bowl will attract most cats.

Plastic Pet Fountains:
Plastic pet fountains are plentiful, affordable and come in a variety of shapes and colors. Although they are not scratch resistant, they are also not often used as a scratching posts for your kitty. As long as you clean them on a regular basis, keep cat hair out of the impeller and the flow control knob, your pet fountain should enjoy a long life. You may have to look for the housing cover from time to time as kitty will often flip it off to drink out of the top of the filter housing. Kitties also like to hide the filter. I always find mine in the litter pan!

The benefits of pet fountains for your cat(s) result in healthier cats overall. Circulating water stays fresher, the filters provided with each pet fountain draws out impurities and kitties can steer clear of UTI because the running water encourages them to drink. Placing small, waterproof toys into the bowl increases kitty’s curiosity and encourages play which ultimately leads to kitty drinking more water.