9 Best Water Fountains for Cats in 2023

Just like any other animal, cats need water to keep them alive. Water is useful in eliminating dehydration, improving the kidneys’ health, preventing urinary tract infections, and improving the overall health of your feline friend.

Water meant for drinking should be clean and free from any form of bacteria that may cause illness, drinking any other water is not enough for cats. 

Many pet parents resort to using conventional water bowls to provide water for their cats. Cat water fountains can be considered as a fancy accessory rather than basic but the truth is that it has many benefits to make it a basic accessory.

Some cats are very picky and they will just not drink from a bowl frequently. As such, you need to make sure he is hydrated, and getting him a fountain is a good way to do that.

If you have a fussy cat, you need to know how long they can stay without food and water. You need to find out why your furry friend is not drinking water as normal.

When it comes to choosing the 9 best water fountains for cats in 2023, you have to be certain about the type and quality that will serve your cats well.

Most water fountains incorporate a filter technology that cleans up the water further to ensure your feline friend drinks the right quality.

9 Best Water Fountains for Cats

1. PetSafe Drinkwell Indoor/Outdoor Cat & Dog Water Fountain

This water fountain from PetSafe has a massive water capacity of 450 oz / 13 liters which are kept in 3 liters reservoirs. With this capacity, you can serve multiple cats and other pets for months without running dry.

The fountain is made with a BPA-free plastic material that can be kept both indoors and outdoors. For outdoor use, you don’t have to worry about the effects of UV light because the material can withstand it without fading off.

It has a free water-falling stream that encourages cats to drink water regularly by attracting them. The water is filtered by replaceable carbon filters which remove bad odor and give the drinking water an appealing taste.

The bowl has raised sides which reduces spills especially when a dog is drinking from it. This helps to keep the place where the fountain is kept tidy.

The fountain is dishwasher safe hence very easy to clean and maintain. When cleaning, it is recommended to replace the carbon filters to maintain the steady supply of clean water thereafter.

Pros

• Massive water capacity to serve multiple pets.
• Can be used both indoors and outdoors.
• Easy to clean.
• It is a good fountain for the price tag.

Cons

• The pump can be loud when used at high intensity.
• It can be large and cumbersome for some people.

2. Drinkwell Seascape Ceramic Dog & Cat Fountain

With a capacity of 70 ounces / 2 liters, this fountain can serve multiple cats or small to medium dogs. It is made of ceramic material which is tough and beautifully finished.

This cat fountain will hence seamlessly fit into your home décor and keeps your cat hydrated and healthy.

It has 2 types of filters to ensure that your cat gets a constant supply of clean drinking water. The foam filters are used to remove hair and other debris materials and the carbon filters are used to remove bad odor and improve the taste of water.

There is an included carbon filter replacement with every purchase of a single unit.

The pump is low voltage and fully submerged into the water keeping the sounds very low hence it cannot scare away your pet from drinking water.

It is recommended to clean this fountain after every 2 weeks of use. The cleaning cycle should be more frequent when you have multiple cats using it at any given time.

When cleaning thoroughly all the components, you might need to make the replacement of the filters as well.

Pros

• It has a beautiful design.
• Quiet in operation.
• It is good for both cats and dogs.

Cons

• Filters get slimy after a short time.

3. iPettie Tritone Ceramic Pet Drinking Fountain

This is a ceramic cat water fountain with a dimension (LxWxH) of 10.7 x 10.7 x 5.5 inches and weighing 7.01 pounds. The natural ceramic material making this fountain is easy to clean and is eco-friendly.

The fountain incorporates a dual filtration mechanism with both mechanical and chemical methods.

The mechanical filtration is done by filters that surround the pump hence preventing hair and other debris material from passing through.

The chemical filtration is done by carbon and charcoal powders which removes pathogens and improves the taste and odor of the water hence encouraging your feline friend to drink more water.

There’s a whisper-quiet operation in this filter which basically means that it runs on very low sounds. The waterproof pump works on less than 2W consumption hence the only detectable sound you will hear is of the water drip and bubbles.

It has a 71oz / 2.1-liter water capacity which is large enough to be used by multiple cats for less than 2 weeks without refilling.

It is however recommended to keep the water level above the MIN mark to keep the pump in good condition throughout.

Pros

• The pump is very quiet in operation.
• It has a beautiful design and is easy to clean.
• Easy to assemble.

Cons

• It can be tipped off by a large cat.
• It does not have a bigger water capacity option.

4. Cupcake Cat Porcelain Water Dispenser

This is a porcelain cat water fountain that comes in a choice of 3 colors. It also features a triple free-falling design which is key in exposing the water to more oxygen hence making it refreshing.

The fountain has an all-round water drinking area which is ideal for multiple cats.

This fountain has a quiet operation with 40 decibels sound intensity when working. The pump is fully submerged to make it this quiet. The fountain’s bowl has a capacity of 71 ounce/2.1 Liter of drinking water which is enough to take multiple cats for a week.

There is 3-layer filtration system in this fountain that removes dirt from the water to make sure your cat enjoys clean and sweet water every time.

It has a foam filter that covers the pump to prevent your cat’s hair from the pump from ending up in the bowl.

The water also undergoes another carbon and charcoal filtration step to remove microscopic pathogens that might harm your feline friend.

Pros

• It has a good design and operates very quietly.
• A great water fountain for multiple kittens.
• Serves both cats and puppies.

Cons

• A large cat can easily flip it.

5.  ORSDA Cat Water Fountain Stainless Steel

This is a stainless-steel cat water fountain that measures 11 L x 9 W x 3 H inches, weighs 2.4 pounds, and comes in two water capacity options to choose from.

There are 2 and 3 liters options. Both capacities are good enough for multiple cats but if you have larger ones, it is recommended to go with the highest capacity available.

Apart from cats, you can use this fountain to provide water to your small to medium-sized dogs, birds, and other small pets. It has 2 flowing ways of the water faucet; bubbles and a stream which encourages your cat to drink water regularly.

The stainless-steel material making this fountain is premium and it adopts a leak-proof design that prevents water from the tank from spilling over.

This is ideal if you have a cat that likes playing with a fountain and flipping it in the process. The leak-proof design is made possible by a locking lid that prevents leakage and sets aside messes from a hygienic drink.

This automatic cat water fountain is easy to clean because it is made with a dishwasher-safe material and is BPA-free. It can also be disassembled easily for deeper and thorough cleaning of all components.

When buying this accessory, you will get three cleaning brushes to aid your work at no cost.

The water bubbles over the tower with very little noise that cannot disrupt your comfort in the house. If you have a shy cat, he can restfully drink from this fountain without being scared by any noise.

Additional accessories that accompany this item.

In every single purchase of this fountain, you will get a 1-piece non-slip feeding mat for your cat and a cleaning kit (which has 3 cleaning brushes) for keeping things well maintained. There are also 6 pieces of replacement filter in the package.

Pros

• It has a secured lid that prevents leakage.
• BPA-free and dishwasher safe material.
• Additional items with every purchase.

Cons

• It is hard to open the filter compartment.

6. PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Plastic Dog & Cat Fountain

This is a free-falling cat water fountain that has a capacity of 168 ounces / 4.9 liters and it features a reservoir that stores water that circulates continuously.

This is better than still water which tends to act as a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. It is made with a BPA-free plastic material which means it is safe and free from toxins.

With its huge water holding capacity, this fountain can serve both cats and dogs lasting for close to a month without refilling.

The product measures 10.5 x 15.75 x 10 inches and weighs 4.89 pounds making it sturdy and cannot be tipped off so easily.

The fountain features several water flow modes that you can use to entice your cat to drink more. It has carbon filters that remove bad odor and gives a good taste to your cat’s drinking water.

The plastic components of this fountain are dishwasher safe and hence they’re easy to clean and maintain.

After washing the fountain, it is recommended to replace the carbon filters to enhance the purification of water.

The low voltage pump also ensures that silence is maintained when it is working hence it will not scare your cat whenever he wants to drink some water.

Pros

• It has a huge water capacity.
• Can serve multiple pets.
• The free-falling water stream attracts cats.
• Made with BPA-free plastic.

Cons

• It might be too large for some spaces.

7. Cat Water Fountain Stainless Steel with LED Lights

This is a stainless-steel fountain with a water capacity of 84 ounces / 2.5 liters. That means it can hold enough water to take your cat for weeks or serve multiple of them.

The LED indicator lights will guide your cat to quickly identify where he can get water as well as decorate your house at night.

With a 4-stage filtration system, this fountain ensures that your cat is served with clean water free from dirt and pathogens.

All the filters are replaceable and it is recommended to make the replacement once every two weeks.

The water fountain has an all-around direction stream that makes it possible to serve multiple pets with well-aerated water. This makes it more refreshing hence quenches your cat’s thirst and hydrates his body well.

There are three drinking modes of moving water that you can choose for your cat in this fountain. The modes are; flower waterfall, flower bubble, and gentle fountain. All are meant to attract your feline friend to drink more water regularly.

It is very easy to set up this fountain and you do not need any specialized tools for that.

Disassembling the different components also takes a few minutes and you can easily clean them thoroughly to keep up with the maintenance and hygiene. The components are dishwasher safe.

Pros

• It has many filtration stages.
• The blue LED light is beautiful and guides older cats with vision problems.
• It is a very quiet cat water fountain.

Con

• Lacks a safety feature that was there in the previous models which would turn off when the water levels get low.

8. NPET Pet 3L Water Fountain

This automatic cat fountain has a large water capacity of 3 liters meaning that it can take you up to a month before refilling it when serving one cat. It can equally serve multiple cats but you might refill it sooner in two weeks.

It features a waterfall mode that is attractive hence your cat will end up drinking more water by the day. The mode also aerates the water with oxygen making it fresher to quench thirst.

There are different water modes that you can choose and each of them is attractive to your cats.

The LED indicator lights up in blue to signify enough water in the fountain. When it turns red, it means that the fountain needs to be refilled before it runs dry. The LED light is also attractive to your cats and reminds them of the fountain’s location.

There is a 4-stage filtration process that filters out the water to ensure your cat drinks clean water. The filters are high density and they can get out hair, small debris materials, and bad odor from the drinking water.

The pump consumes low power making it very silent during operations. This is good for shy cats that might be frightened to drink water from a fountain that makes a lot of noise.

Pros

• High water capacity.
• LED indicator for low water level warning.
• Serves multiple pets.

Cons

• The light might be too bright.

9. Catit Flower Plastic Cat Fountain

This cat fountain is a flower design that has a capacity of 100 ounces / 2.9 liters and It doesn’t feature an open bowl.

Instead, your cat will drink directly from the flower tower where clean water streams from. There are up to 3 modes for water flow; gentle flow, water bubbles, and faucet stream.

The Catit water fountain has LED lights that change colors to alert you when the water levels go below the minimum.

This is an important tool that quickly reminds you it is time to refill water for your feline friend to stay hydrated. The LED lights also act as a guide for your cat to locate the fountain if its location is shifted.

There is a micro-USB connectivity for the power supply to this fountain which is something we don’t see in most other products. This makes it a very flexible fountain that you can quickly assemble and use in many places.

Whilst you might be concerned about having a plastic fountain, the one used to make the catit fountain is BPA-free and it is non-toxic.

Due to the light material used, this fountain is therefore very easy to tip-off and is therefore not suitable for large cats or dogs.

There are three modes of filtration in this fountain; cotton mesh, carbon, and ion exchange. They work harmoniously to ensure that your kitty’s drinking water is free from hair, small materials, and bad odor that might discourage him from drinking.

The filters are replaceable and it is recommended to change them every time you clean the fountain.

Pros

• It has a good water capacity.
• With no bowl, your cat is ensured of clean water.
• LED indicator light for water level works well.

Cons

• Can easily be tipped off.

Benefits of Water Fountain for Cats

1. Filtration

A good water fountain incorporates a filtration method that removes foreign matter from water in the fountain.

Filtered water has a good taste and it smells nice too, this improves your cat’s appetite for water encouraging him to drink more.

Others have more advanced charcoal and antibacterial filters which further remove bacteria and similar pathogens.

2. It keeps water slightly cooler

Water in a fountain will remain slightly cooler than the one in an open water bowl. This makes it more refreshing and effectively quenches your kitty’s thirst.

3. Improves your cat’s hydration

With a water fountain, your feline friend will drink enough water throughout the day and it is important to him because he will get more hydrated.

Cats that feed primarily on dry foods tend to be dehydrated and you can solve this problem by getting him a water fountain.

With good hydration, your cat will have a good nutrient uptake, digestion, and excretion to flush out toxins from the body.

4. It has a bigger water capacity

With a cat water fountain, you can fill it to hold 2 to 3 liters of water hence making your cat access clean water anytime he needs to.

This is better than the water bowl which holds just a pint of water hence requiring frequent refilling.

Particularly if you have multiple cats, you will realize that the water in the bowl gets finished quickly hence they can scramble when thirsty.

A water fountain ensures that all your cats get access to water without any worries.

5. Circulation of water

Water in the water fountain circulates throughout hence denying bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens a good breeding place.

In water bowls, the standing water can be a good place for some sort of bacteria to breed, hence making the water unfit for consumption.

If your cat has the habit of drinking water from the tap directly, then it means that he also prefers moving water and he will find a water fountain much more convenient for him.

Compared to still water in the conventional bowls, cats are also enticed to drink more moving water because they are attracted to the soothing action.

6. Flexibility

You can change the speed of the moving water in some of the fountains from slow to fast depending on what your cat prefers.

This adaptability makes the fountains a better option than water bowls which might not suit most cats in terms of positioning and adaptability.

The Best Place to Put a Water Fountain for Cats

You might just be wondering where exactly in your house would you put a water fountain for your cat. Well, there are both indoor and outdoor fountains.

For indoor fountains, make sure you place them where your cat can easily locate them.

The water falling design of water fountains is enough to attract your cat to drink from it. Others use LED indicators to make it easier for cats to locate them.

You can also place the fountain in such a place that fits well with your home decor.

For the outdoor fountains, you can place them in a cool area where it is not exposed to the sun, preferably under the shade.

The sun would make the water hot and might not have the refreshing effect to quench your cat’s thirst.

The fountain should be placed in areas where there is little to no contamination like dust and pollen which might affect the quality of water.

Things To Consider When Buying a Water Fountain for Your Cat

As with every other cat accessory, there are several things that a pet parent needs to consider before making a purchase decision on a water fountain. They include:

1. The water capacity

This is one of the most important factors you have to consider when choosing a water fountain because it indicates how frequently you are going to re-fill it.

If you have multiple cats, it is recommended to buy one that can hold huge water volumes and it will take you weeks without refilling it.

2. Type of the water fountain

These accessories come in different forms and shapes. Choose the one that appeals to you in taste because it will form part of your living room artifacts.

It should be able to match with the existing items and furniture in your house but this is just for aesthetic purposes only.

3. The material used to make it

There are 3 common materials that are used in the making of a water fountain; stainless steel, ceramic, plastic, or a composite of any two.

Cats tend to prefer or choose the water fountain they will drink from based on the material they like.

You can carefully study your cat and know which material he prefers. Plastic is the most common and affordable material used in making cat water fountains while ceramic is the least common and most expensive one.

For outdoor use, ceramic fountains are best suited because of their tough material which can hold up against severe weather conditions.

4. Price

The price tag on your water fountain should match your budget and expectations. Many people have the general assumption that cat water fountains are expensive but as you will see, they are affordable and do offer value for money.

5. Easiness in cleaning

Water fountains need to be cleaned regularly to prevent any build-up of dirt or other debris material. If your water fountain is serving multiple cats then you need to clean in more frequently because it tends to accumulate dirt faster. Choose one that can be cleaned easily without much resistance.

How to Clean a Cat Water Fountain

A cat water fountain has many advantages compared to the conventional water bowl as highlighted above. The difference between these two widens further when it comes to the cleaning process.

It is much easier to clean a water bowl than a fountain and that should not be a reason to prevent you from buying a fountain for your cat.

Cleaning a water fountain involves disassembling the components and cleaning them which has more to do than rinsing and wiping with a towel the way you can do to a water bowl.

In this small section, you will learn how to clean your cat’s water fountain to ensure that he always drinks clean water from a well-maintained source.

Easy Steps in Cleaning

Step 1. The first step is to unplug the water fountain from the electric socket. Do not do any cleaning while your fountain is plugged in because there is a danger of electrocution.

Step 2. You will then drain all the water from the fountain which includes the main holding tank and the canals. This is mainly done to prevent flooding when taking apart the components of the fountain.

Step 3. Disassemble the water fountain. The third step is to take apart the water fountain by removing the main tank unit first.

This will give you easy access to the motor where you can then take it out safely. If you own a more complex fountain, then you might be required to do further disassembling of other components.

Step 4. Apart from the electric components of the fountain, other parts are dishwasher safe and you can easily wash them in the top rack of the machine.

If you don’t have a dishwasher, you can hand wash them with the aid of other materials which are usually shipped as the fountain cleaning kit.

Tools such as soft sponges, aquarium brushes, and bottle brushes are very good when cleaning your cat’s water fountain.

Safety first. When using a dishwasher to wash part of the water fountain’s components, ensure that you do not mix with your utensils. Washing the components alone will ensure that no bacteria exchange will occur between them and your dishes.

There are some water fountains whose filters are not dishwasher safe and can only be cleaned by hand. Make sure you read out any cleaning recommendations from the manufacturer to avoid.

Step 5. For the removed motor, you will take out the impeller, then wash it in clean water using laundry soap. While washing, be keen on the small particles attached to it, usually your cat’s hair and other debris materials that might have been stuck.

Step 6. You will then clean the motor cavity by pouring soapy water on it and rubbing it with a brush or a cotton swab. Be sure that the tool you are using to clean the cavity can access the inside part.

Step 7. After cleaning all components of the water fountain, you will then rinse them well in clean water to remove the soap and dirt then wipe with a clean towel.

Step 8. Reassemble the components together and set up the water fountain again. If you need to replace your filters you can do it at this point.

Our replacement filter top pick:

Veken Replacement Filters for 84oz/2.5L Automatic Pet Fountain Cat Water Fountain Dog Water Dispenser

It contains 8 packs of replacement filters which are packed individually to maintain their quality. Each filter contains activated carbon, an ion-exchange resin covered with a non-woven fabric material.

This filter can remove hair, debris, and heavy metal from your cat’s water making it clean and tasty.

Why do we recommend it?

• Very affordable and works well.
• It is very easy to switch.
• The activated carbon dust does not shed into the drinking water.

There are different filter shapes and sizes for different water fountains. Make sure you choose what fits you the best and remember to always have extra filters and change them monthly to a maximum.

Step 9. Return the water fountain to your desired location, refill it with clean drinking water then plug it back to the wall socket.

Conclusion

Looking for the best cat water fountain can be a long and tedious task. There are basic things that you need to ensure your chosen fountain has before making the purchase decision.

Look for the one that will encourage your cat to drink more water to be hydrated. The conventional water bowls might still serve their functions but some cats are very picky and may stay for days without drinking from them.

From our list, you will notice that most of them work for both cats and dogs.

If you would wish to buy one for multiple pets, it is better to choose a sturdy product that might not be tipped off easily. Kittens can do well with lightweight products.

Thanks for reading through this buying guide and I hope you found a product that suits you.

If you are looking for other products then you might want to have a look at our picks for the best cat products.

If you have any concerns or questions, please leave them in the comment section and I will get back to you.

Written By

Laura Nassoura

Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a also a pet writer and expert with more than 20 years of experience of working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals at a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.