Water fountains

[darlili]

Where did you get the fountain? Usually Petsmart will take things back (it's nice to have a receipt with the expensive stuff) if kitty doesn't like it.

I was fortunate - mine liked it right away (the 360 even more). My little girl especially likes me to put ice cubes in, so she can make them 'swim'.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Originally Posted by 2furgirls

... the little one (1 y.o) loves it, sticks her paws in it and drinks the water off her paws as well as from the stream and bowl.

... the older one (3 y/o) is TERRIFIED of it, runs away in a great fright. Next thing you know there were TWO POOPS waiting for me on a mat she uses to leave me her kitty-love-token (her most favorite toy) for when I return home.

So, I turned it off, placed it on top of the kitty care counter. I've been feeding her water from it in a dropper, and she is OK when it is off, but when on, she is still terrified and angry. Something about the buzzing sound sets her off. I don't know if others have a less scary sound, but so far, that's $70 down the drain.

If it's really noisy, try setting it on something else...for instance, if it's on a tile floor, try putting a placemat or something under it. Sometimes mine will buzz if it's not completely flat, because we have Saltillo Tile, which isn't smooth. I just move it around until it's quieter. Also, depending on the amount of water in the reservoir (I guess for the weight on the back of the unit), sometimes mine will start to make more noise. I use that as my indicator to add more water, if it's not time to clean it anyway!

 

[siggav]

I tried to use a water fountain but it didn't work for me.

Nikita wasn't afraid of it once it had been on for a few minutes and she got used to the noise but then she got convinced there was a mouse or something hiding inside it so she started digging around it and she got completely obsessive with digging.

I took a video of it actually:
Anyway she just made a big mess and splashed water everywhere and didn't drink from it so I just turned it on every now and then for her to play with and then it got all yucky with algae so I ended up throwing it away.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by Siggav

I tried to use a water fountain but it didn't work for me.

Nikita wasn't afraid of it once it had been on for a few minutes and she got used to the noise but then she got convinced there was a mouse or something hiding inside it so she started digging around it and she got completely obsessive with digging.

I took a video of it actually:
Anyway she just made a big mess and splashed water everywhere and didn't drink from it so I just turned it on every now and then for her to play with and then it got all yucky with algae so I ended up throwing it away.

Adorable video, thanks for sharing!

 

[snickerdoodle]

You can try a small glass. My cat won't drink water out of a bowl or the fountain I bought. neither would, but Chickster still won't.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by Snickerdoodle

You can try a small glass. My cat won't drink water out of a bowl or the fountain I bought. neither would, but Chickster still won't.

I know another kitty who likes to drink out of glasses. It doesn't work for Mazy cat though.

 

[sflacat]

Our cats use the fountain as well as the sink,tub and a glass.
What is a real hoot is to throw an ice cube in there and Bubba goes crazy attacking it and splashing water around.Pic of CC in sink.

 

[otto]

Awwww.....so cute!

Mazy cat is watching with interest when Queen Eva uses the fountain, but it's still a no go for her.

 

[2furgirls]

Originally Posted by mrsgreenjeens

If it's really noisy, try setting it on something else...for instance, if it's on a tile floor, try putting a placemat or something under it. Sometimes mine will buzz if it's not completely flat, because we have Saltillo Tile, which isn't smooth. I just move it around until it's quieter. Also, depending on the amount of water in the reservoir (I guess for the weight on the back of the unit), sometimes mine will start to make more noise. I use that as my indicator to add more water, if it's not time to clean it anyway!

Hi, it's been sitting (off) on top of the cat care counter getting in their way, so now they just think it is furniture. I'm going to give it another go. What we did is this, we placed it on a towel on top of a mat, which was all on a carpet. So it was snug, and had just loaded it with 4 1/2 bottles of bottled spring water! The noise didn't seem that loud to me, a hum-vibration noise. But you know their ears. It must have been the right frequency to set her off. SO I placed it on top the counter and keep dropper feeding her from it. She's very afraid kitty, and never used to be. She had a horrific run in with a set of bad people October last year, and has not been the same since. That's why we got Soleste NoBaby the Fearless Flamepoint to help her out.

I'll keep at it...

 

[cheshirecat]

My experience with a fountain was a failure.

It was located next to his regular food and water dishes.


The first week I turned it on and left water in his regular dish. He wouldn't go near the fountain. He looked at it from a distance but would not drink from it. He did drink from his regular dish.

The second week I let the regular dish go dry. He sat next to it and cried till I filled it. I did use the fountain to fill it. Thinking he would make the connection.

The third week I caught him drinking from the toilet. There was water in his dish but apparently the fountain had made a noise that scared him. (I did notice it would occasionally gurgle when the water level adjusted)

He would not drink from his regular dish until I turned the fountain off.

I left the fountain off for a week. I refilled the fountain and turned it back on. Two days later Chester ended up at the emergency vet with a blockage.

They said it could have been caused by stress and asked if anything had changed in the household. The only major change had been the fountain.

I did get it on sale. But it's now in a box looking for a new owner.

 

[laureen227]

can't believe all of the cats who won't use it/are afraid of it! never occurred to me it would be a problem for anyone - i just set it up, turned it on, & that was that! i don't even think i left their old water dish down.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by CheshireCat

My experience with a fountain was a failure.

It was located next to his regular food and water dishes.


The first week I turned it on and left water in his regular dish. He wouldn't go near the fountain. He looked at it from a distance but would not drink from it. He did drink from his regular dish.

The second week I let the regular dish go dry. He sat next to it and cried till I filled it. I did use the fountain to fill it. Thinking he would make the connection.

The third week I caught him drinking from the toilet. There was water in his dish but apparently the fountain had made a noise that scared him. (I did notice it would occasionally gurgle when the water level adjusted)

He would not drink from his regular dish until I turned the fountain off.

I left the fountain off for a week. I refilled the fountain and turned it back on. Two days later Chester ended up at the emergency vet with a blockage.

They said it could have been caused by stress and asked if anything had changed in the household. The only major change had been the fountain.

I did get it on sale. But it's now in a box looking for a new owner.

I did worry about the fountain causing Mazy stress, but it hasn't seemed to. At first she looked at it a lot, but now she pretty much ignores it, except when she watches Queen Eva use it. I'll keep it going though, you never know, she may decide to use it someday. I'm sure she would like it if she tried it.

And Queen Eva likes it.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by laureen227

can't believe all of the cats who won't use it/are afraid of it! never occurred to me it would be a problem for anyone - i just set it up, turned it on, & that was that! i don't even think i left their old water dish down.

I know of others who have had that kind of easy transition experience too.

 

[snickerdoodle]

That frustrates me so bad to hear that most everyone has a good experience. Chickster hates the Drinkwell I bought, and it's sitting around. I started using it again and put it by her food bowl, but am only noticing her putting food in it. She plays in it and won't drink out of it. Then again, she never did learn how to drink out of the tub or sink, only plays in it those unless the drain is plugged and the water is sitting. I am thinking of selling mine, no one uses it. I guess it's the running water that messes her up, even though it's not spraying everywhere. *shrugs* Glad other people have had good experiences though!

 

[sillysiberians]

I find that my cats are more concerned with the temperature of the water rather than the source. At first, I thought Mowzers just wanted to be like me, since she was always sticking her head in my pint glass. But when I'd leave a pint glass of water by her food dish, she wasn't interested. Turns out she just loves cold, cold water. Can't blame them, who wants warm stale water? Maybe tossing a few cubes in the fountain would help...

 

[misty8723]

Ootay

was a great one for splashing in the water bowl, just for fun and yes, she used to to wash her paws in after using the litter box too. She also enjoyed just dipping her paw in the water and licking the water off her paw.
 

 Cindy drinks a lot of the times by dipping her paw in the water and licking it off.  Occasionally she'll actually drink normally.  Swanie will approach the bowl (not the fountain), and dip his paw in a bit.  I think he's just trying to make sure there's actually water in the bowl?

I used to have 2 fountains, but one of them stopped working and I haven't replaced it.  One was the kind that flows down, that's what they use upstairs.  I had one down here where the water pours out.  Swanie liked that one, so I know I should get another one, but it kept attracting ants.

By the way, I introduced them by bringing them home, filling then up, and plugging them in.  Never had a problem.

 

[sneakymom]

When we adopted Jasper- he came with a Drinkwell fountain LOL.  We had a Christmas party here and one of the guests mentioned "the fancy water filter for the cats" LOL. So when I first got it home and turned it on (dh and I had to try to figure it out since there was no box/directions etc), none of the animals wanted anything to do with it.  Jasper was still in his hiding mode anyhow.   

What I did first is just put it out there and not turn it on.  After about a week of them getting used to it, I turned it on.   And I haven't turned it off since. 

My question is- does anyone else's cat "play" with it?  Jasper will drink the running water.  Sneaky will drink the water from the bowl.  Holly, well she lives up to the name "mayhem".  She sticks her nose under the cover on the very top of the Drinkwell fountain- pushes the cover off and drinks the water from the resivoir LOL

And her newest trick.  When the plastic container that holds more water (it's on the back of the unit- it comes off) is empty- she'll push it off the base and roll it around

  Like she's saying "Um guys- you know this thing needs to be filled"

I've never seen her drop toys in there- I'm figuring that's going to be her next trick

Cheryl

 

[just mike]

If your cats have a water fountain I'd like to know how you introduced it, and how long it took for individual cats to use it.

Did you leave other sources of water down besides the fountain? (so far I still am)

Did you get down on the floor and use the fountain yourself, to show them how it's done (I have done that, every day)

It's only the third day for it to be running (before that it was sitting, not running, next to the other water bowl for five days)....and I have read it can take several weeks for a cat to start using it.

Just wanted some actual stories of experience.

Thanks

One more thing. It's a stainless steel fountain, and if it is approached a certain way, there is one side of the fountain that gives a reflection. I was thinking of putting some masking tape over that area to remove the reflection (it's not a part the water cascades over)

Otto, I have a double stainless steel sink in the kitchen and one of my cats, Swiffer, constantly tries to drink out of it

  So when I bought the 2 fountains I introduced them to it right at dinner time. All of them had to sit and look at it.  Swiffer of course was the first to investigate it. The others soon followed.  I was a bit concerned about my senior girl, Hoot so I left her stainless bowl filled and next to the fountain.  I kept an eye one the fountains for a few days and began to see all of them drinking out of the fountains in about a weeks time.  How long have you had the fountain?
 

 

[nekochan]

I got a Pioneer Stainless Steel Raindrop fountain as a Christmas gift. My cats came to sniff it as soon as I set it up, they weren't afraid or anything... It's really quiet though. I haven't actually seen them drink from it but I put it upstairs and I am not up there very often. They do stick their faces in it whenever I refill it though.

Unfortunately they seem to either be playing with it when I'm not looking or running into the mat underneath it when running around and knocking it around, because I keep finding the top part knocked partway off.

 

[otto]

I got a Pioneer Stainless Steel Raindrop fountain as a Christmas gift. My cats came to sniff it as soon as I set it up, they weren't afraid or anything... It's really quiet though. I haven't actually seen them drink from it but I put it upstairs and I am not up there very often. They do stick their faces in it whenever I refill it though.

Unfortunately they seem to either be playing with it when I'm not looking or running into the mat underneath it when running around and knocking it around, because I keep finding the top part knocked partway off.

That was one of the things I liked about it, so quiet.

This thread was started in early August 2010. To update, the fountain, with two extra filters, is now tucked away in a cupboard, because I can't find the box it came in. No one used it, and I got tired of tripping over it, and doing the up keep on it when no one was using it. The canned fed cats don't drink anyway, and Mazy, the one I wanted to use it, refused. That may have been because of her fear of stainless steel, but I refuse to let my cats drink out of plastic, especially plastic from China, so....no fountain here.