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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Water Fountains

22 replies

TobleroneBoo · 18/08/2016 09:42

Are these any good / better than a normal bowl?

I have mentioned on another thread that my kitten has not been eating and has been sick, after a vet visit last night they kept him in for dehydration and he is on a drip - I feel devastated really and touch wood he will be fine but I dont know if he was ill anyway, and therefore didnt eat and drink, or he didnt eat and drink and that made him ill. He is just a baby really :(

Hated being without him last night so I am a bit tired & weary & rambly.

So back to my original point, does anybody have one of these water fountains? are they a good idea?

OP posts:
NarcyCow · 18/08/2016 10:13

We've had a few over the years. The cats don't really like them (DH loves the idea so keeps buying them after I throw them out!). They're noisy.

One of our cats doesn't drink at all, except in very hot weather. The other will only drink from the tap in the ensuite sink. Some cats prefer ceramic bowls, some prefer to lap out of their human's glass of water. Some insist that their water bowl be kept far away from their food.

I'd experiment with other options before I'd go for a fountain.

Original poster
TobleroneBoo · 18/08/2016 10:17

Thank you Narcy, I think I will do.

I dont really love the idea of a constant trickling so will try some other options

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 18/08/2016 12:17

Harry was frightened of the water fountain and refused to go in the kitchen until we got rid of it!

SplodgeBear1988 · 19/08/2016 19:07

We have one, it silent and the cats love it and I think they drink more now.
We have one of the pet mate ones from pets at home.

SlinkyVagabond · 19/08/2016 19:12

I recently got one second hand for the cat who likes drinking from the bath tap but is now too old to do so. I even bought new filters for it. He studiously ignores it. So if anyone wants it (for the price of the filters and postage) pm me.

LokisUnderpants · 19/08/2016 19:14

My cats love the one with the dome as they prefer to lick the surface rather than get their whiskers wet. They all use it and it keeps the waster fresh. It has filters also.

GenghisCalm · 19/08/2016 19:14

I have a water fountain and my cats love it and drink far more than they ever did from a bowl.

YesYABU · 19/08/2016 19:18

I have a catit one. My cat loves it to the extent that she will sit next to it and miaow to get us to switch it on for her (the piddling sound would annoy me if left on all day). Ideally a motion sensor one would be even better but I'm not sure they exist.

Original poster
TobleroneBoo · 19/08/2016 19:36

Have been looking at this one as it has bowl and dome incase that don't like part of it

http://m.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/catbowlssfeeders/catfountains/catit/146827

OP posts:
Tubbyinthehottub · 19/08/2016 19:45

Mine wouldn't drink from one. He prefers a tap but he does secretly drink from his bowl when I'm not looking (cat cam).

RustyPaperclip · 19/08/2016 19:50

I bought one when we took in our Bengal boy as I heard that Bengal's like running water. It is pretty much untouched. Our two prefer drinking out of our water glasses Grin

YesYABU · 19/08/2016 19:51

toblerone that looks nice! I just think they have to get used to the sound of the fountain but I bet if nice food were in one of the bowls it would help!

OttoTheOnly · 19/08/2016 19:59

We've had several. That one you've posted Toblerone isn't that good as it's quite fiddly to keep clean so mould can build up inside it.
The best we've had is the Catit puppy feeder, which is a tall bowl with a jet of water. Not noisy, minimal parts to keep clean.

We don't use one anymore as one of my cats likes to tip over anything with water in, and I got fed up of having to constantly clear up after he tipped the fountain over. With a normal bowl he'll wobble it on the edge until it tips, but doesn't contain as much water so less mess!

hallstars77 · 19/08/2016 21:52

I would recommend one, my cats only drank out of taps before we got one. In the mean time I would syringe water slowly into your kittens mouth. If you pinch the skin and it takes a while to go back then your kitten is still dehydrated.

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/08/2016 08:35

I mix water in the food when I need to get extra fluid into him.

The fountain was used for about a week then he got bored of it.

helpimitchy · 20/08/2016 20:49

I have a Lucky Kitty ceramic water fountain and mine all love it. They're drinking far more than they used to.

Potentialmadcatlady · 20/08/2016 22:20

I was just going to say the same thing Fluffy..one of mine has kidney and Heart probs...I mix water into their wet food and they are loving it...the litter tray is being used much more regularly so I'm hoping it will keep kidneys working better...they both now lick up all the gravy water then eat the meat chunks when they are dry..I use butchers classic and the jelly on that mixes really well into the water which I guess tastes like gravy to them..

Myredrose · 20/08/2016 22:28

Mine loves the fountain, has always had wet and dry food but definitely drinks more now.

Bogburglar75 · 20/08/2016 22:34

Do they all have to plug into the mains or does someone make battery powered ones? Bogbastard has had cystitis twice and id really like to get him drinking more.

Moonrocks6 · 20/08/2016 22:47

We had the dome one and I hated it. It was a pita to clean. The water didn't flow down the dome properly so it would get all grubby and have lots of fluff stuck to it. I ended up cleaning it every couple of days.

We now have this one www.bitiba.co.uk/shop/cats_accessories/cat_bowls_feeders/cat_fountains/371603?gclid=CI_r-Lb70M4CFSgz0wodtOcKzw
Which is so much better and takes about a minute to completely clean.
Cat loves it but does occasionally use it for paddling rather than drinking. Odd creature Hmm

SplodgeBear1988 · 21/08/2016 23:07

moon that's the one we have and love it. It so easy to clean, top up, can't get tipped over and you can't really hear it running.

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