10 Best Cat Water Fountains - Unbiased Review - Cats.com (original) (raw)
Liz Coleman / Cats.com
One of my cats is borderline obsessed with drinking from the bathtub faucet. No matter how frequently we freshen his bowl with cool water, he makes a beeline to the tub every time someone enters the bathroom. Sound familiar? A preference for running water is common with cats—which helps explain the appeal of cat water fountains.
Theoretically, the water’s movement and bubbling sounds should encourage cats to drink more. Cat water fountains help hydrate your pet, and they can make life easier for you, too.
After hours of research and hands-on testing, we’ve chosen the Pioneer Pet Raindrop Stainless Steel Pet Drinking Fountain as the overall best cat water fountain you can buy. With helpful indicator lights, dishwasher-safe construction, quiet operation, and a three-level filtration system, the Pioneer Pet is a smart, efficient fountain.
But it’s not the best option for everyone. We bought and tested Ten water fountains and identified where each one’s strengths and weaknesses lie. Whether you’re focused on budget, need a stainless-steel fountain to fight acne, or have both dogs and cats in the home, there’s something here for you.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Cat Water Fountains To Buy
In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Best For Multi-Pet Homes
9.8
Picked by 18 people today!
Petsafe Drinkwell 360
- Hygienic stainless steel
- Includes both a carbon and foam filter
- Generous water capacity (128 oz)
Best Budget
9.7
Picked by 18 people today!
Catit Flower Fountain
- Large water capacity allows you to refill less often
- Adjustable flow cap allows you to create varied drinking experiences for your cat
- Cute, colorful design makes it a fun addition to your home
Best Battery-Operated
9.6
Picked by 21 people today!
Petlibro Dockstream
- Generous 2.5L water tank is detachable for easy refill
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for cord-free function
- Dual water modes, continuous or motion-activated
Quietest Fountain
9.5
Picked by 31 people today!
Petlibro Capsule Automatic Pet Fountain
- Translucent tank, easy to monitor the water level
- Built-in noise-insulation tubes reduce operation noise
- Two drinking modes: bubbles or flowing stream
Best Wireless
9.2
Picked by 31 people today!
PetKit Eversweet 3 Pro
- Compact and modern design
- 3-layer filtration system
- Easy to set up and clean
Most Versatile Fountain
9.2
Picked by 25 people today!
NPET Automatic Pet Fountain
- Choose from three flow modes
- Generous 101-ounce reservoir
- Transparent, easy to monitor the water level
Best Multi-Tiered
9.1
Picked by 18 people today!
Cat Mate 3-Level Fountain
- Multiple drinking areas for a varied experience
- Adjustable water flow
- Dishwasher-safe
Top Picks Explained
While we’ve since updated some of our recommendations in this article, we still love the products and brands Mallory talks about in this video.
Why Trust Cats.com
Collectively, our team has tested dozens of cat water fountains over the years. We’ve seen it all, and this extensive experience helps inform our review process. Mallory Crusta, our head of content, wrote an earlier version of this roundup. To reflect an ever-evolving market, we’ve since updated her top picks.
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
Before testing my Ten recommendations, I spent hours researching cat water fountains, establishing what they do, why you might want one, and what separates bad fountains from good ones. With these criteria in mind, I chose Ten fountains for testing, taking into consideration a range of cat parent needs, budgets, and lifestyles.
I prioritized fountains that were sturdy, quiet, easy to clean, and made from hygienic materials. I also looked for fountains with robust filtration systems.
For several weeks, I tested these fountains in my own home with my two cats. During that time, I assessed each fountain’s setup process, noting how clear the instructions were and how intuitive the fountain was to use. I also evaluated the devices on longevity and durability, noting how they held up over the trial period. To test the filtration systems, I dropped bits of hair into each fountain. And I observed the noise levels of the motors and water flow.
With help from my feline testers, I rated the fountains in terms of cat appeal. Finally, I disassembled each fountain for cleaning to determine how complicated the process was.
Why Buy a Cat Water Fountain?
It can be a struggle to keep cats hydrated—dry diets and a low thirst drive combine to make cats under-hydrated and prone to urinary tract stones and other complications of inadequate water intake. When you add on the fact that many cats view their water bowls as dirty, stagnant puddles, chronic dehydration becomes almost inevitable.
Water fountains are a strong solution to the feline dehydration problem.
They oxygenate the water, making it taste fresher than water in a bowl and encouraging your cat to drink more. Secondly, they make life easier for you. Instead of refilling the bowl once a day, you’ll have to refill your cat’s water fountain only once every week or two.
What a fantastic little machine, right? A water fountain keeps your cat’s water cleaner, encourages him to drink more, and cuts back on the amount of time you spend cleaning and filling a water bowl. But pet water fountains aren’t going to work for every cat.
Signs that your cat might appreciate a pet water fountain include drinking water from the toilet or bathroom faucet and playing with streams of fresh water.
Remember, also, that pet water fountains pack the most punch for cats who eat dry food. Cats on a strictly canned or otherwise high-moisture diet may get all—or almost all—the fresh water they need from their food. But a little extra hydration never hurt anyone!
Here’s How We Chose the Top Ten Cat Water Fountains on the Market
Before testing out our Ten recommendations, we spent hours researching cat water fountains, establishing what they do, why you might want one, and what separates bad fountains from good ones. In the end, we found several qualities that are essential to the best cat fountains on the market today.
- They’re sturdy and long-lasting. Your cat shouldn’t be able to knock over the fountain and spill water on the floor. Nor should the fountain be made from flimsy materials that break after a couple of months. We looked for water fountains that were well-designed, made from robust materials, and could withstand a few bumps without toppling, keeping water level at a solid rate.
- They’re easy to disassemble for cleaning. You’ll want to wash your cat’s water fountain once every couple of weeks. The best ones make this chore as easy as possible. We looked for fountains that had relatively simple designs, didn’t have a lot of parts that could accumulate dirt, and were easy to break down when it’s time to clean. Ideally, they’re dishwasher-safe so you can pop them into the dishwasher and know you’re getting a complete clean.
- They’re made from hygienic materials. Stainless steel and ceramic are non-porous and less likely to capture bacteria, making them the cleanest materials for water fountains. Other materials—namely plastic—may collect bacteria, promote chin acne, and might need to be cleaned more frequently.
- They have a good carbon filter and prefilter. All high-quality water fountains contain a carbon filter, which captures odors and small particles. Most also feature a prefilter, which captures larger debris before it can reach the carbon foam filter and a submersible pump. By protecting the filter and pump, prefilters help extend the life of your water dispenser without the need for replacement filters.
- They’re quiet and unobtrusive. We looked for water fountains with a reputation for quiet operation and good water supply without a lot of motor noise.
Based on these criteria, we narrowed down our options to Ten water fountains that consistently received great customer reviews, were reasonably priced, and had sturdy, reliable designs. We selected the fountains independently with no input from the companies that sell them.
Our top Ten water fountains were the Petkit Eversweet 2, Catit Flower Fountain, Petlibro Automatic Pet Fountain, Pioneer Pet Raindrop, Tronssein Battery Operated Cat Water Fountain, PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum, NPET 101-ounce Automatic Pet Fountain, and Cat Mate Fountain.
After the Fountains Arrived, I Subjected Them to a Series of Tests
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
Ease of Assembly
I ran a timer while assembling the water fountains, tracking how long it took to get each one up and running. In addition to tracking the assembly time, I took note of how many parts were involved and the clarity of the assembly instructions.
On average, the water fountains took 2 minutes and 30 seconds to assemble, fill, and start. The Cat Mate had the quickest assembly at 1 minute and 44 seconds, while the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum took over seven minutes to set up the water flow settings—it took a couple of splashy trips to fill the reservoir and bowl.
Filtration
After they were assembled, I tested the water fountains’ particle filtration ability, dropping pinches of cat hair into each bowl. After letting them run overnight, I checked to see how much of the hair had been captured in the filters and how much reached the main filter.
The Petkit Eversweeet 2, PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum, and Cat Mate all performed decently in this test, capturing almost all of the hair in the prefilter before it could reach the carbon filter.
Since the Catit Flower cat water dispenser doesn’t have a prefilter, the hair eventually stuck to the carbon filter. Both the Petlibro and the NPET fountains are designed with an enclosed reservoir, so the water flows through the filter after passing through the spout and the water tray. This negates the need for a prefilter but does mean that particles may collect more quickly on the filter.
The Pioneer Pet Raindrop was the outlier in this test. After running all night, the fountain looked the same as it did at the beginning of the test—the hair was still floating in the drinking bowl.
In addition to testing the fountains’ ability to capture hair, I tested their carbon filters by dropping peppermint extract into the clean water and waiting for the filters to neutralize the taste and odor. All of the water fountains performed well in this test, eliminating the mint taste and smell within a few hours.
Maintenance Costs
All of our water fountains cost between 25and25 and 25and48, but their maintenance costs varied widely based on the prices of their respective filters.
Our test was limited to a few days, and I wasn’t able to experience filter replacement and operating costs over time, so I did a little research to determine how much it would cost to maintain each water fountain over time.
Most carbon filters need to be replaced once a month, adding up to typical annual costs between 9.33and9.33 and 9.33and40. The outlier here was the Petlibro Capsule Fountain, which comes with a recommendation for changing the filter every two weeks, though you could probably get away with doing it once a month.
Surprisingly, our most expensive option—the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum—would likely be the most economical over time.
Yearly replacement costs break down as follows:
- Petkit Eversweet 2 – 40innormalmodeand40 in normal mode and 40innormalmodeand13.59 in smart mode
- Catit Flower Fountain – 31to31 to 31to62
- Petlibro Fountain – 49.96to49.96 to 49.96to99.93
- Pioneer Pet Raindrop Fountain – 26.97to26.97 to 26.97to53.94
- PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum – 9.33to9.33 to 9.33to18.66
- NPET Automatic Fountain – 12.99to12.99 to 12.99to19.49
- Cat Mate Water Fountain – 38.85to38.85 to 38.85to77.70
How often you need to buy a new carbon filter varies based on the quality of the prefilter. So, a unit with a poorly-designed or nonexistent prefilter may translate to more frequent filter replacement.
Operating Noise
I ran each of the fountains one by one, taking note of their noise output. I listened for a motor hum and any splashing sounds. The sound of the Eversweet 2, NPET, and Cat Mate fountains was almost imperceptible, while the Catit and Pioneer Pet fountains both hummed faintly as they ran. Though still quiet, the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum was the loudest of the bunch, producing a distinct hum that you could hear from across the room. It was also the only water fountain with noticeable water noise.
Cat Appeal
I enlisted the help of my two cats, Wessie and Forest, to evaluate the appeal of the water fountains. The cats showed some curiosity—Wessie seemed particularly interested in the Petkit Eversweet 2 and gave it a cautious nose-bonk—but neither of them took a sip during the duration of the test. Both of these cats eat a high-moisture diet and seldom drink tap water anyway, so this shouldn’t count against the water fountains.
Ease of Cleaning
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
After running them for a couple of days, I broke down each of the water fountains and, if possible, put them into the dishwasher. I took note of how easy it was to take apart each fountain and how well each one fit into the dishwasher. If there were any parts that weren’t dishwasher-safe, I took note of how easy it was to handle and clean them by hand.
Best Cat Water Fountains: Our Top 10 Picks Reviewed
Now that we’ve gone over the testing process, let’s discuss the merits of each water fountain individually.
Relevant Content:
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cat water fountains worth it?
We think so! If your cat is willing to use one, a water fountain can encourage hydration while keeping water cleaner than a standard water bowl.
Do cat water fountains keep water fresh?
Yes—though, some do a better job than others. You’ll have greater success with filtration systems that include both a foam filter around the pump (to catch hair and debris) and a carbon filter (to keep water tasting and smelling fresh).
How often should you change the water in pet water fountains?
This will vary depending on the number of cats using it, but generally, most fountains need a water change at least once a week.
Where is the best place to put a cat water fountain?
The best place will be where your cat normally drinks. Ideally, this will be away from food bowls and litter boxes to prevent contamination. Choose a spot that’s easily accessible to your cat and away from high-traffic areas.