The 12 Best Water Fountains for Cats, WIRED, Tested and Reviewed (2025)
As seen with the rise of automatic litter boxes, automatic feeders, Pet TrackingAnd now the cat drinking fountain – technology allows us to closely monitor our pets and ensure they are cared for without having to do a lot of manual work.
A cat drinking fountain encourages cats to drink more water, which benefits their overall health. I’ve noticed an increase in my cats’ water consumption since switching to a fountain. As a helicopter pet mom, I have become a believer.
While automatic drinking fountains are better for your cats’ overall water consumption, they require a little more work and money. Instead of refilling the bowl, you’ll need a little more elbow grease – but it’s worth it for your cat’s health. In addition to routine refilling and cleaning, you will need to disassemble the fountain to clean all parts, including using a brush on the bowl and pipes. You may also need to disassemble the engine for a thorough cleaning due to mineral deposits. These also have different types of filter cartridges in specific shapes for the brand’s fountains, for which you need to purchase and replace filters, usually monthly or more often.
Many of these fountains also have a connected app that reminds you when to clean, change the filter, and refill water. Many also track how often your pet drinks throughout the day, week, and month to monitor your pet’s habits and track any changes. If a cat is drinking much more or less water than usual, it can be a good indicator that something is wrong with their health.
I (and my cats) tested various models (and some of the most technologically advanced) automatic pet drinking fountains currently available to find out which ones are worth the money.
Check out our related guides like this Best automatic feeders, Best Automatic Litter Boxes, Our favorite chic cat furnitureAnd Our favorite cat toys, litter boxes and other cat items. More of a dog person? We are here for you; see ours Best accessories and technical essentials for your dog Guide.
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Cats sometimes have difficulty drinking enough water, which can potentially cause problems fatal urinary tract infections and blockages, especially in male cats. This is one of the reasons why veterinarians are increasingly encouraging their owners to feed their cat at least some wet food, as it allows them to absorb more moisture, especially since cats do not naturally consume as much water as dogs. Unlike dogs, cats are generally very picky about their likes and dislikes, and standing water can be potentially harmful to cats. (If the cat has been in the wild, stagnant water has a higher potential for harmful bacteria.) Cats are more drawn to moving water in nature, and these fountains encourage them to drink more by mimicking what they do feel naturally attracted.
Let’s face it, many of these fountains are pretty much the same. I paid particular attention to the overall design – I’m a fan of stainless steel because it contains porous plastic harmful bacteria. I also prefer a wide reservoir without high sides to reduce risk Whisker fatigue. I prefer fountains that have a small reservoir of water available at all times in the event of a low water level or power outage. I paid attention to ease of setup, refilling and cleaning, as well as the overall design. And of course there were some that my cats liked straight away, others they didn’t seem to like so much.
I used each of these as my cats’ primary water source for a week. As mentioned, I noticed the ease of setup, evaluated parts and filters, and generally compared the different types of water fountains – tap, bubble, or waterfall fountains. Some flows were continuous and some were intermittent (my cats didn’t prefer intermittent flows). Cats may also be curious and would rather play with the machine than drink. Be sure to give them time and have another water source available until they are fully accustomed to the new device.
