The quality and quantity of water that your dog or cat drinks is directly related to their health and wellbeing. But, making sure that your furry friends have access to clean and fresh water at all times can be challenging. Sometimes, our pets refuse to drink out of stagnant water bowls, and leaving your bathroom faucet on just isn’t an option.  

Dogs and Cats Need Fresh Water

For our pets, and especially our cats, there is an evolutionary bias against drinking from stagnant water. Cats don’t like to drink from stagnant water because it could contain bacteria or diseases. For dogs, there’s an additional reason beyond hygiene. Let’s face it: no one wants to drink their own slobber. 

Perhaps most importantly, pets who consume dry food need to drink more water to stay hydrated than those pets who eat wet food. Although we may not be able to give our pets ice-cold, spring-bottled water at all times, there are still ways to make sure that the water available to your dog or cat is attractive and delicious.

How To Choose A Pet Fountain

Luckily, there is a wide variety of pet fountains available for your dog or cat’s drinking needs.  You’ll be able to choose a pet fountain based on your pet’s size, the number of pets in a multiple pet household, the amount of water that a particular fountain can hold, and even which one is the most aesthetically pleasing. 

For cats, the Catit Flower Fountain wins in looks and also has a large capacity -- holding up to three liters of your pet’s water. For a single cat, you may only need to top off the water in the Catit fountain every few days. The fountain also has three modes: a stream mode, where water streams out of the flower petals; a gentler dripping mode, also out of the flower petals, and a bubbling mode if you take the flower out, for exceptionally timid cats. 

For dogs, the Petsafe Drinkwell Big Dog Fountain is a high-quality fountain with over two gallons of holding capacity. The bowl is five inches deep to prevent spills, and the bowl also features adjustable flow control, so you can decide what speed is best for your dogs. 

How To Keep Your Pet Fountain Bubbling Smoothly 

Most high-quality pet fountains come with one-year warranties or longer on the pumps. With good maintenance and cleaning, you can expect your pet fountain to last several years or longer. If your animal is an indoor/outdoor pet, make sure to check if the fountain you get is safe for the outdoors. 

For all fountains, you should perform maintenance regularly. Pet fountains function best when they get a full change of water every few weeks (instead of just “topping off”) -- and also when you change the filters regularly, usually every two weeks to a month, depending on usage. When you change the filters, you should also clean the interior and exterior of your fountain, as food particles from your pet’s mouth may cause buildup. Left uncleaned, this could attract bugs or algae (ewww!). Drinkwell offers a fountain cleaning kit to make maintenance easier.

Remember, a pet fountain is the best way to help your cat or dog bring more water into their lives. Getting a fountain for your furry friend will keep them healthy, happy, and hydrated. Happy tails!