Cats prefer running water as they would seek in the wild. You may see your cat attracted to the running faucet or tapping the surface of the water in their bowl with their paw before drinking it. Cats don’t like drinking out of still water sources. In the wild, still, stagnant water would often be contaminated with bacteria.
Cats don’t have a naturally high thirst drive. In the wild, most of a cat’s water intake would come from their food—fresh meat which contains a lot of moisture. Domesticated cats largely eat prepared foods containing less moisture. If they don’t drink much water, it can lead to or exacerbate urinary tract and kidney diseases. A water fountain can encourage cats to drink more.
Your tap water may have a taste or smell your cat doesn’t like. If the fountain also filters, the water likely tastes better.
Placement Tip: Cats would rather not drink where they eat. In the wild, cats will drag their food away from water sources. Put your cat’s water in a different location, such as across the room, from food bowls.
Feline Fountains:
Three to Try
Provide fresh drinking water via a reservoir while monitoring your cat’s drinking habits with the smart, cat friendly Felaqua Connect. Not only does it encourage hydration, it highlights changes you may have otherwise missed. (from $100, surepetcare.com)
The charcoal-filtered Vortex Drinking Fountain from Pioneer Pet Products circulates the water in a unique “vortex” that oxygenates the water while also removing debris. An automatic pump turns the fountain off when the water is too low. ($50, pioneerpet.com)
Beloved by Modern Cat feline testers Rosie, JoJo, and Nuit, the Catit LED Flower Fountain comes with a triple-action filter and a petal top that allows your cat to drink even when the fountain is off! ($38, catit.ca)