7 Best Cat Water Fountain With Our 2024 Budget-Friendly Pick

Amanda Yantos

Amanda Yantos – Pet Expert

with support from the Pawster Research Team


At Pawster, we are committed to presenting the most accurate and up-to-date information to assist you in your pet care journey. When appropriate, we consult licensed and practicing veterinarians to fact-check our professionally written articles.

If you ever use the internet and social media, you’ve probably seen some adorable videos of cats drinking from a home faucet. This is a rather common behavior for cats simply because cats prefer running water to still, stagnant water. And how could we blame them? Running water is tastier and more exciting than water sitting in a bowl.

It has been proven that cats drink more water when presented with water fountain versus a bowl. They offer several benefits for a cat’s health, many of which we will discuss in this article. We also share signs to look for if you believe your cat is dehydrated, and how you can prevent it. Most importantly, we bring you 7 amazing cat water fountains that we highly recommend. Your cat will be absolutely thrilled when given the option to drink from a fountain.

5 Benefits of Using a Cat Water Fountain

If you’re a cat parent, a cat water fountain should be an essential in your home. These innovative products are incredibly beneficial for your cat’s health.

  1. Constant water circulation inhibits growth of bacteria: Cat water fountains consistently circulate water through a pump system. Standing water is a breeding ground for bacteria, but when water is circulating there is a lesser chance that bacteria will have the opportunity to grow. And who wants their cat drinking out of a bacteria infested bowl?!
  2. Encourages your cat to drink more: Have you ever had a cat who enjoys drinking from the faucet? That’s because cats love drinking from running water. Cat water fountains offer a gentle stream that entices your cat to drink. This is extremely important for your cat’s overall wellbeing. The more water your cat drinks, the less like they are to become dehydrated. Drinking a lot of water will also avoid concerns like urinary tract or kidney infections.
  3. Convenient and easy to maintain: Forget having to fill your cat’s water bowl every day. Cat water fountains often have a reservoir that will automatically replenish water if the level gets too low. Many cat fountains are also dishwasher safe, which is a terrific benefit for busy pet parents.
  4. Filters debris and odor from water: Cat water fountains come equipped with a carbon filter which purifies the water. Odor and debris is filtered out before it becomes available for your cat to drink. Some filters even remove elements such as calcium and magnesium.
  5. Suitable for multi-pet homes: There are a multitude of fantastic pet water fountains on the market today, and many of them are appropriate for cats and dogs. If you have both canine and feline friends at your house, you may consider purchasing a medium or large water fountain that can accommodate all of your pets.

Signs of Dehydration in Cats

Did you know that 80% of a cat’s body is made up of water? That’s 20% more than a human body! This means that your cat needs to be drinking a great amount of water in order to remain healthy and hydrated. Dehydration can lead to a plethora of health issues, but they can easily be avoided if your kitty is drinking enough.

Signs of dehydration in cats include:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Lethargy
  • Sunken eyes
  • Depression
  • Dry mouth

So, how do you know if your cat is dehydrated? The easiest way to quickly make a determination is to perform “the skin test.” Gently grab a loose fold of skin on the back of your cat’s neck. If the skin immediately pops back into place, your cat is plenty hydrated. If the skin very slowly returns to place, there’s a good chance that your cat is dehydrated. At that point, it’s a good idea to seek veterinary attention for your cat.

7 Components to Look for in a Cat Water Fountain

Cat water fountains differ in a multitude of features. Look into these components when determining which one will be best for your furry friends:

  1. Water capacity: Each cat water fountain holds a different amount of water. If you have a large kitty crew, you may want to buy a fountain with a larger water capacity.
  2. Adjustable water stream: Some water fountains have adjustable water streams. If you aren’t sure of your cat’s preferences when drinking from a stream, an adjustable stream may be beneficial. Plus, sometimes it’s fun to switch it up!
  3. Material: While ceramic cat fountains are generally more expensive than plastic or stainless steel, they do tend to be more hygienic. However, the material you choose is completely up to you.
  4. Filter replacements: All of the cat fountains on our list have replaceable filters. If you’re on a budget, you may want to look into how much the replacement filters cost. It’d also be smart to see how easy it is to replace the filter in the fountain you’re interested in.
  5. Overall fountain size: If you only have one cat, a small cat fountain will work purrfectly. If you have several cats or other household pets who will be using it, consider a larger fountain.
  6. Color: Most cat fountains are available in generic colors such as white, beige or stainless steel. There are some designs that offer other warm color options, but having your choice of color is not always common.
  7. Multi-height drinking stations: Some cat water fountains come equipped with multi-level drinking stations. This feature is nice if your cats vary in size. Kittens may want to drink from the low level station, while adults may prefer a higher one.

Overall Best Cat Water Fountain in 2024

Our 2024 Picks: Best Cat Water Fountain
Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain

  • 1.3 gallon water capacity
  • Carbon filters remove debris and odor from water
  • Price: $$$
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Drinkwell Pagoda Pet Fountain

  • Ceramic tends to be easier to clean and more hygienic
  • Attractive design
  • Price:  $$$$$
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Catit Flower Pet Fountain

  • Cost-effective
  • Easy to assemble and disassemble for cleanin
  • Price:  $$
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Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Pet Fountain

  • Dishwasher-safe (excluding pump)
  • Ideal for multiple cats and dogs under 60 pounds
  • Price:  $$$$$
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Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain

  • Supply your pet with cool, filtered water
  • Holds large amounts of water
  • Price:  $
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PetSafe Current Circulating Pet Fountain

  • Filters contain activated carbon from coconut shells which removes debris, bad tastes and odors
  • Gentle flow of water is soothing for nervous pets
  • Price:  $
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Cat Mate Pet Fountain

  • Easy to clean, dishwasher-proof bowls
  • Vet-recommended for health and vitality
  • Price:  $$
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Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain

Key Benefits:

  • Patented free-flowing water stream with adjustable flow
  • Spout and ramp reduce splashing and noise
  • Replaceable carbon filters remove bad taste and odor from water
  • Holds 1.3 gallons of water

Overall Best Cat Water Fountain – The Drinkwell Platinum is an incredibly popular fountain among cat parents. This high-quality cat water fountain holds 1.3 gallons of water in a stylish base. Water is constantly filtered and aerated through a carbon filter and low voltage system. You will need a wall outlet available to power this pet fountain, but the cord is fairly long. The fountain also has a cord tuck to keep your cat’s water area looking nice.

Cats love this water fountain because it has a quiet, free-flowing stream of water. The water neatly pours onto a receiving ramp and into a basin. The fountain makes little to no noise, and splashing it reduced via the ramp design. Cats will be enticed to drink via the gentle stream, and the water will taste delicious since it’s filtered before coming out of the spout. The Drinkwell Platinum cat fountain is great for multi-pet households, and it’s relatively easy to clean and maintain.

Pros:

  • 1.3 gallon water capacity
  • Carbon filters remove debris and odor from water
  • Gentle stream entices your cat to drink
  • Receiving ramp eliminates splashing
  • Filters are fairly inexpensive to replace

Cons:

  • If you’re interested in a fountain that offers the relaxing sound of water flowing, this isn’t the one. The stream is rather silent.

Drinkwell Pagoda Pet Fountain

Key Benefits:

  • Available in 4 attractive colors
  • Ceramic design is more hygienic than other materials
  • Two dish levels encourage your cat to drink more
  • Replaceable carbon, coconut shell filter

Runner-Up Best Cat Water Fountain – This ceramic cat water fountain will be a welcome addition to any home with feline friends. The 70oz water capacity is perfect size for cats, even if you have more than one kitty. Water is made fresh via a replaceable carbon filter, then it makes its way to the top dish, flowing freely down to the bottom basin. The entire water circulation system gives your kitty plenty of places to drink from, which encourages them to remain hydrated.

Ceramic cat fountains are widely-used because they tend to be more hygienic than plastic fountains. Ceramic won’t harbor bacteria as quickly as other materials. We like that the Drinkwell Pagoda ceramic fountain is small so it doesn’t take up much space but it’s also very stylish. You can purchase this cat fountain in four war colors to best suit your décor.

Pros:

  • Ceramic tends to be easier to clean and more hygienic
  • Attractive design
  • Carbon filters trap debris before it enters the fountain
  • Two dish levels and streams for your cat to drink from
  • Small size takes up minimal space

Cons:

  • This fountain needs to be cleaned weekly in order to avoid calcium buildup.

Catit Flower Pet Fountain

Key Benefits:

  • Comfortable height for cats and kittens
  • 3 different water flow settings
  • Filter removes magnesium, calcium, odor and debris
  • Affordable and adorable

Best Budget-Friendly Cat Water Fountain – Don’t let the cute flower design and low cost of this cat water fountain fool you – this fountain is innovative and high-quality to best serve your beloved feline friend. It has an ergonomic design so both adult cats and kittens can easily drink from it. Three customizable water flow settings are available to suit your kitty’s drinking preferences. You can switch between a light bubbling top, a gentle stream or a more faucet-like flow.

The Catit Flower cat water fountain doesn’t have any sort of water pool, so the water is constantly being filtered. Dirt won’t be able to settle in this fountain since the water is moving through a consistent filtration system. This adorable cat water fountain is incredibly easy to assemble and clean. It’s made of BPA-free and non-toxic materials to ensure the safety of your cats. Since this pet water fountain is inexpensive, you can buy more than one to place around your home if necessary.

Pros:

  • 3 water settings to encourage your cat to drink more
  • Filter constantly removes magnesium, calcium and debris from the water
  • Cute, space-saving design
  • Cost-effective
  • Easy to assemble and disassemble for cleaning

Cons:

  • This fountain is best suited for cat-only households since it is so small.

4 More Top Cat Water Fountains

Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Pet Fountain

For households with several cats or other household pets, we suggest considering the Drinkwell 360 fountain. This water fountain holds 1 gallon of water and the design is ideal for multiple cats or dogs up to 60lbs. The 360 degree design allows more than one pet to drink at a time. The center of the fountain can be adjusted to change the flow of water, and the receiving ramp eliminates splashing. This stainless steel pet fountain does produce the light sound of flowing water, which some cat parents prefer. The fountain is dishwasher safe (except the pump, of course), and it needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent water stains.

Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain

Another great affordable cat fountain is this one from Petmate. This fountain is unique in that it automatically releases water when necessary. It has a charcoal filter to make your cat’s water cleaner and delicious. A gentle water stream flows freely from the spout to the patented no-splash water slide. This cat water fountain from Petmate comes in 3 different sizes and 2 colors. Some cat parents report that this fountain is a bit noisy compared to other models.

PetSafe Current Circulating Pet Fountain

This PetSafe cat water fountain is simple but effective in filtering water to offer your kitty a great tasting drink. Water is consistently circulated through a carbon-activated filter which works to remove odor and debris. The flow of the fountain is gentle and soothing as to encourage your feline friend to drink. Although this pet fountain is made of plastic, it is BPA-free and dishwasher safe. The PetSafe Current Circulating Pet Fountain is available in a variety of colors and sizes to best suit your preferences. It’s also extremely affordable!

Cat Mate Pet Fountain

This multi-level cat fountain is purrfect for kitties of different sizes. An anti-splash ramp keeps water in the fountain rather than on your floor. This cat water fountain holds 2 liters of water, and it’s built with an isolated pump system for quiet operation at all times. Water is purified through a polymer-carbon filter to keep is tasting delicious for your beloved kitty. The Cat Mate Pet Fountain is dishwasher safe for convenient cleaning, and it is recommended by veterinarians. We love the price of this cat water fountain, and you will too!

FAQ

  • Do cats like water fountains? When given the choice, cats prefer not to drink out of stagnant water. Cats can be picky drinkers, and ultimately they prefer running water. With that being said, yes, cats love water fountains.
  • How often do you need to change the water in a cat fountain? The water in a cat fountain should be replaced every 2-4 weeks. The frequency at which you completely change the water and filter will ultimately depend on how many cats are using the fountain. The more the fountain is being used, the more often everything needs to be changed out.
  • Are water fountains good for cats? Of course! Since cats prefer running water, a cat fountain will encourage your kitty to drink more. Staying hydrated and drinking enough water will keep your cat healthy and avoid common issues like urinary tract infections and kidney infections.

Conclusion

A water fountain should be a staple item in any cat-loving home. Using a cat water fountain will ensure that your kitty remains hydrated, healthy and happy!

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