As seen with rise of automatic dustbin, automatic feeder, pet trackingAnd now the cat water fountain, technology has made it so that we can closely monitor our pets and make sure that they are being taken care of without doing too much physical effort.
The cat water fountain encourages cats to drink more water, which helps their overall health. Since switching to the fountain I have noticed an increase in my cats' water consumption. As a pet helicopter mom, I've become a fountain believer.
While automatic water fountains are better for your cats' overall water consumption, they require a little more work and money. Instead of refilling a bowl, these take a little more elbow grease – but it's worth it for your cat's health. As well as regular refilling and cleaning, you will need to disassemble the fountain to clean all the parts, including using the brush for the bowl and tubes. You may also have to disassemble the motor for a deeper cleaning due to mineral deposits. They also have a variety of filtration cartridges in specific sizes for the brand's fountains, requiring you to purchase and replace filters typically monthly or more frequently.
Many of these fountains also have a connected app that reminds you when to clean, change filters, and refill water. Many also track how often your pet drinks during the day, week, and month to keep an eye on your pet's habits and track any changes. A cat drinking more or less water than usual can be a good indicator that something is wrong with their health.
I (and my cats) tested various models of (and some technologically advanced) automatic water fountains for pets available now to see which models are worth the money.
Check out our related guides like Best Automatic Feeder, best automatic litter boxes, Our Favorite Fancy Cat FurnitureAnd Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Cat AccessoriesMore of a person than a dog? We've got you covered; see our The Best Accessories and Tech Essentials for Your Dog Guide.
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Cats sometimes struggle to drink enough water, which can lead to potential harm fatal uti And blockages especially in male cats. This is one reason why veterinarians are moving toward encouraging owners to feed their cats at least partially wet food, as this helps them consume more moisture, especially since cats Naturally they don't drink as much water as dogs. Unlike dogs, cats are generally quite particular in their likes and dislikes, and cats may perceive standing water as potentially harmful. (If the cat was in the woods, standing water is more likely to contain harmful bacteria). Cats are most attracted to flowing water in nature, and these fountains help encourage them to drink more by simulating the water they are naturally attracted to.
Let's be honest, a lot of these fountains are almost identical. I especially paid attention to the overall design—I'm fond of stainless steel because of its ability to hold up to porous plastic. harmful bacteriaI also favor a wide reservoir without high banks to reduce the possibility mustache fatigueI prefer fountains that have a small basin reservoir of water available at all times, in case the water level is low or there is a power outage. I also took into account the ease of installation, refilling and cleaning, as well as the overall design. And of course, there were some that my cats accepted immediately, and some that they didn't like so much.
I used each of these as my cats' main source of water for a week. As mentioned, I looked at ease of install, evaluated parts and filters, and generally compared different types of water fountains—spigot, bubbling, or waterfall. Some of the flows were continuous and some were intermittent (my cats don't like intermittent). Cats may also become curious and want to play with the machine instead of drinking, so be sure to give them time and keep another source of water nearby until they fully adjust to the new gadget.