Fountains

[jellybella]

I'm debating this now. I was looking at the Cat it, but I don't like the filters. The drinkwell has the downside of having some little nooks and crannies where mildew can start meaning more work for me, but the upside of it is that the filters are much more standard like fish tank filters.

I just worry about buying this thing and having to pay though the nose for those darn filters. I also worry about finding a good location for it that's also close to an outlet in this 100+ yr old house...

 

[debskats]

Originally Posted by JellyBella

I just worry about buying this thing and having to pay though the nose for those darn filters. I also worry about finding a good location for it that's also close to an outlet in this 100+ yr old house...

I'm probably going to go shopping for a fountain this weekend, but have been thinking the same thing about my house which was built in 1921. It's a 900 square foot bungalow that is packed to the gills with furniture and odds and ends. There's hardly any room to put anything else and there are no convenient electrical outlets! The outlets are actually the biggest problem in deciding where I'd put a fountain.

Another question . . . do any of the fountains splash water around them?

 

[thumper]

The drinkwell I have also had cleaning brushes to get in all those nooks and crannies. I think they sell on with the brushes and one without.

No splashing problems with mine tho, except as I mentioned cosmo putting his tail in it. Thumper was at the food dish and he tried to get around her and he stepped right in the thing. Since the water is falling they probably will play around with it with their paws so some might splash from that.

Its alot bigger then I thought so that will make a difference where you put it. Im lucky in this house with plenty of outlets.

 

[illusion]

I'm so scared Bee will play in any bowl that has moving water. When he was a kitten I had one of those self-refilling bowls with a two-liter bottle screwed in upside down. He used to just splash water out of the bowl because he loved watching the bubbles glug up into the 2-liter!

 

[silej1970]

I have 6 cats, n they all drink out of the water fountain. Not to mention that they also love to drink out of the bathtub since the faucet drips.
I have one of the Petmate Fresh Flow fountains. I have to fill mine every day n give it a good cleaning at least once a week. As for the filters I think you can pick of the kind for fish tanks at walmart cheaper than buying them threw any of the pet companys that sell them. I change mine at least once a month. City water is hard on them n it turns the white bowl a rust color.

 

[littleraven7726]

i've tried the petmate fountain. we used it for a long time but the motor went out. the cats loved it. then i got the CatIt, i didn't like it but the cats loved it. i gave it away to a rescue. now we have a cheapie "kitty cat fountain" i bought from collections etc last year. the cats love it, and it's similar to the drinkwell fountain with the way the water comes out. more like a faucet than the other fountains we had. this one is also small enough that i can add water from our Pur pitcher rather than tap water. i used distilled water for a while in the bigger fountains, but i don't think the cats liked the taste. if collections etc still had it i'd pass on a link, but they don't have it anymore.

 

[white cat lover]

Here is a picure of my home-made fountain:

Here is the link to the filter. And the "tub" I bought for $1 in the dollar store. Total cost=$11. IMO, this is the best fountain I've had. I've caught Twitch standing with all 4 paws in the water drinking from the filter several times!

 

[debskats]

Very interesting! Thank you for the pic! I was at WalMart last weekend and looked at the fish tank filters, but wasn't sure exactly how it would work. I never did make it to PetSmart to look at their fountains. Now, I just need to decide what I want to do. Thanks again!

 

[techiegirl]

I have one Drinkwell and one PetMate fountain. Different cats prefer one over the other.

They all love them, but Buick thinks it is just the greatest thing to take the top off the PetMate and full out the filter and run around the house with it, all proud. Or leave it on my bed for me on top of my down comforter - thanks Buick!

I finally started taping down one side of the top but he figured out how to take it off anyways. So yesterday I taped the whole top down with a bunch of tape. I was gone for 2 hours this morning and when I got home, heard this buzzing noise in the bedroom. He had turned the entire fountain upside down!!

The noise was the motor, which is now probably burned out as it smelled like it, and of course my carpet is soaked with water.

Also, we got one donated at the cat retirement home and they LOVE it - I have never seen them drink so much water - it is great for them! I think every cat should own one!

Great Buick, just great......

 

[techiegirl]

Also, PetSmart will price match websites, so find a good price online and print out the page and bring it in. Managers have to enter the price match but I got mine for about 30-40% off the regular price.