Kiki Is Afraid Of Her New Electric Water Dish

[MeowHiss]

I got a little electric water dish at petsmart yesterday. The kind that has a little pump to agitate the water. I set it up and showed it to Kiki.. .

Well, she freaked out. Massively freaked out. And ran away and hid in her cat house.

I figured it wouldn't bother her because she likes drinking out of the fish tanks. She also paws her water before she drinks and I thought I'd buy her an electric one.

Any ideas on how to get her used to it? Like I said, she's used to aquariums and also filter noise. Idk why she freaked out over this one.

I have it unplugged and on a dresser away from her food. I still have her old water dish out.

On a side note, I've thought about putting a guppy in the electric one (no harm would come to it) just to help her get used to it.

She'll look at the waterer when it's unplugged, but only when I put her by it.

 

[Furballsmom]

It's either the sound of the motor because it has a different pitch than the fish tanks (think musical sound) or even a whine to it that you can't hear, or if the water is splashing it might be that. Sometimes it's hard to know why.
I don't know if there's anyway to get her used to it - not with a dramatic reaction like she had. (although you could temporarily try the guppy idea...?)
If you wanted to, you could try a different style, or try and look for one that's particularly quiet?

 

[daftcat75]

Some of the fountains are louder than others. A brand that PetSmart seems to be drawn to throughtout their store is Whisker City. This one was the loudest fountain I had. Krista didn't mind it but she also didn't use it. I just don't think she'll use any fountain I buy for her. One I actually did see her drink from (once!) is the Petkit Eversweet. It has a visual indicator when the water needs to be filled and when the filter needs to be changed. It basically helps me keep up my part whether she wants to use it or not.

 

[GaryT]

Years ago, when I had Oliver still, I bought a "Drinkwell" water fountain type water dish. liver freaked out ad did not drink water until I put it away and returned his old water dish. I saved it and now Theodore LOVES it! I guess it depends on the cat. I never tried to get Oliver to use it after he refused to go near it.

 

[MeowHiss]

I do have the whisker city one.

Whisker City® Pet Fountain | cat Food & Water Bowls | PetSmart

I also tried one of those automatic waterers that use gravity and she just tips it over.

 

[daftcat75]

I didn’t like the Whisker City one. I didn’t like most of them. They all have to be torn down in some awful way, usually removing the pump itself. The Petkit figured it out. Figured it all out including how to remind me to do my part.

 

[Kflowers]

Did she actually get close to the fountain? If so, is it possible that particular fountain is defective and is giving off little shocks?

She may not like the way the fountain smells. Consider washing it with your usual dish detergent then leave it somewhere she doesn't go for a week or so. That should make it smell like home not the stranger's place. (And it's always the EVIL stranger's place.)

 

[LTS3]

I wouldn't put a live fish in the fountain. Fish pee and poop right in the water which a cat will then have to drink Plus the water quality of tap water isn't good for a fish to live in, even temporarily. Water quality that is off by even one parameter will affect a fish's health.

 

[daftcat75]

I've had the Whisker City fountain. It's loud. It's plastic. I can't imagine the water tastes that good circulating through an entirely plastic fountain.

The Pioneer Stainless Steel Tear Drop fountain was quieter but it was a pain to tear it down to clean it. The power had to be disconnected from the pump and un-threaded through the top shell. The Cat-It was another one that was a pain to tear down to clean. I now have a stack of pet fountains that I will donate to a friend who fosters a colony.

 

[MeowHiss]

I I think a guppy would be fine for a few minutes, but I'll scratch that idea. I'm just trying to think of ways to make her used to it.

I don't think it's the smell. She ate right from her new dish and was fine with a cat bed. I'm thinking I'm going to end up returning the dish and just go back to her regular one.

 

[MeowHiss]

Anyone have this one? I like that it's round and not bubbly.

K&H CleanFlow™ Cat Waterer | cat Food & Water Bowls | PetSmart