Do Water Fountains Encourage Cats To Drink?

If your cat doesn't like to drink water, someone might suggest using a cat water fountain to promote healthy hydration. The sight and sound of running water is supposed to attract your cat's attention and encourage them to drink. But cat water fountains can cost a pretty penny, and it's hard to know if your quirky cat will be interested.

What exactly is so good about a cat water fountain over a regular water bowl?

In theory, a water fountain should appeal to a cat's senses more than a water bowl. In some fountains, water flows from a tap high up. In others, water flows from a bubbler and then down a slope into a "pond" at the base of the fountain. The movement of the running water and the noise of the fountain are supposed to attract a cat's attention and encourage them to drink.

Some speculate that this suggests that cats have an instinctive preference for running water, which was safer for their wild ancestors than a pool of stagnant water that could harbor dangerous bacteria.

Filters also prevent debris from getting into the water, and picky cats will avoid water bowls with pet hair or plants brought in from outside.

From a household perspective, fountains can be more convenient than water bowls. Fountains need to be cleaned less often than water bowls because replaceable charcoal filters remove cat hair, food scraps, dirt, and litter particles from drinking water.

But cat water fountains do have some drawbacks.

Consider the bubbling noise that attracts cats: Some fountains can be very noisy with splashing water. The same goes for a constantly running pump. This isn't a problem if your fountain is in the basement, but it can be very annoying if it's near your bedroom. Our testers found some great silent fountains that avoid this problem.

There's also maintenance to consider. While a fountain requires less frequent cleaning than an unfiltered water bowl, it does require regular, thorough cleaning to prevent biofilm from growing on the surface, and this process can be more intensive than the gentle cleaning required for a standard bowl. Consider buying a fountain that can be cleaned in a dishwasher rather than by hand.

Finally, a cat water fountain is an ongoing investment. The filter needs to be cleaned weekly and replaced once or twice a month. Replacing the filter isn't expensive, but buying more than a dozen filters a year can add to the overall cost of the fountain.