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Best Water Fountains for Cats 2025
Written by Aurus Sy
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 05/09/2024, edited: 01/17/2025
The Wag! team conducts independent research and consults pet experts to curate our recommendations. This content is supported by our affiliate pet partners and we may receive a commission on the links provided.
Cats are known for having a low thirst drive. This isn’t a problem for wild cats, who get moisture from the food they eat. However, many house cats eat dry food and aren’t drinking enough water. Dehydration is a common problem among domesticated felines, and it can lead to a number of health problems.
A water fountain can encourage your cat to drink more water. Running water is more appealing to cats because their ancestors sought running water to avoid harmful bacteria in standing water. If your cat needs to increase their water intake, replacing their water bowl with a water fountain is a simple way to improve their well-being.
When choosing a water fountain for your cat, some of the things you’ll want to look at are water capacity, ease of cleaning and assembly, price (for both the fountain and replacement filters), noise level, materials used, aesthetics, and sturdiness.
There are a myriad of options out there, so we’ve narrowed it down to a few worth checking out. Here are Wag!’s recommendations for the best water fountains for cats!
Overview
Catit Flower Fountain
Best overall
The Catit Flower Fountain is one of the most popular pet drinking fountains on the market, and for many good reasons.
The first thing you’ll notice is the whimsical design, but the center flower does more than just look cute. It can be adjusted to create three water flow settings, gentle flow, bubbling top, calm streams, to entice even the fussiest of felines.
Under the top cover is a reservoir with a 100-ounce capacity, as well as a triple action filter that keeps odors, impurities, hairs, and debris out of the water.
When it comes to maintenance, the fountain is easy to disassemble and clean by hand. A water level window lets you know when it’s time for a refill, which shouldn’t be that often thanks to the large water capacity. With all these features for less than $25, the Catit Flower Fountain is a “furrific” deal!
Catit Flower Fountain
What pet parents say about Catit Flower Fountain
“I have 7 cats and 1 dog, and they all love this fountain! They love it so much that I purchased a second one to go upstairs for them. I have tried other fountains before and found that, because of the dog, they got slimy and were difficult to keep clean. This has not been an issue at all with this fountain! Additionally, it is very quiet unless the water starts to get low, and even then, it's a quiet whirring sound. Overall, it's just fantastic!”
“The Catit flower plastic cat fountain was super easy to set up and came in a nicely designed package. I bought this because my grandmother swears by it for her persnickety cat! We had just adopted two guys who will drink water from anything *except* the water dish. After setting this up for them we've had zero instances of quenching thirst by sink, bathtub or (yuck) toilet. This fountain is not perfectly quiet - the hum of the motor is noticeable but not distracting. Product is easy to disassemble/clean/reassemble.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Rolf C. Hagen Inc.
Cat Mate Pet Fountain
Best plastic
The Cat Mate Pet Fountain is a budget-friendly fountain that offers several nifty features beyond its affordable price—the most distinctive being its multi-height drinking stations. With three levels to drink from, this fountain is ideal for cats who like variety, as well as felines of different sizes.
Speaking of size, the fountain has a capacity of 70 ounces and a compact design, so it’ll fit right into tight spaces.
The Cat Mate runs on an isolated pump system that makes it very quiet, and has a three-stage polymer-carbon filter that removes odors, chlorine, dirt, fur, and scaling deposits.
Disassembling and cleaning the fountain is easy as it’s only composed of two plastic parts that can be popped into the dishwasher.
Cat Mate Pet Fountain
Why Wag! loves Cat Mate Pet Fountain
- Suitable for cats and small dogs
- Offers multiple ways to drink
- Easy to disassemble and reassemble
- Dishwasher-safe
- Comes with up to 3 years warranty
Considerations & concerns
- May be too small for multi-cat households
- Nooks and crannies tend to get dirty quickly
- Made from plastic, which may cause chin acne
What pet parents say about Cat Mate Pet Fountain
“Love having the different height options. I have three different sized cats and they all drink out of different areas of the fountain.”
“I highly recommend this if you have a neurotic cat like I do. My high strung girl loves drinking out of the very top part of the fountain, and she doesn't have to crouch or bend down far at all. My other girl would drink out of a puddle, but she's not [the] one with UTI problems lol. As far as cleaning, it's fine. Yes it gets slimy, but that cuz of the cat spit[,] can't really get around that. Hot water and soap gets rid of most of it and the dishwasher takes care of the rest.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from Chewy. Copyright USA Closer Pets.
Pioneer Pet Raindrop Premium Stainless Steel Drinking Fountain
Best stainless steel
If your furbaby is prone to chin acne, then they’ll benefit from a stainless steel water fountain. Though a bit pricey, the Pioneer Pet Raindrop Fountain is one of the best options made from this material. It doesn’t have a lot of fancy features compared to other fountains, but it does get the job done.
This elegant 60-ounce fountain continuously circulates water and aerates it with oxygen, then further purifies it with a charcoal filter. Cats have two drinking areas to choose from: a mini stream on top and the main bowl, which also functions as the reservoir.
While the Raindrop tends to show dirt more easily due to its glossy surface and exposed reservoir, it’s a breeze to clean. One simply has to pop it apart, remove the unit that holds the pump and filter, and put the stainless steel parts in the dishwasher.
Pioneer Pet Raindrop Premium Stainless Steel Drinking Fountain
Why Wag! loves Pioneer Pet Raindrop Premium Stainless Steel Drinking Fountain
- Elegant, modern design
- Made from hygienic 18/8 stainless steel
- Operates very quietly
- Difficult to knock over
- Comes with a 6-foot-long power cord
Considerations & concerns
- Pricey
- Shows dirt more easily
- May be too small for multi-cat households
What pet parents say about Pioneer Pet Raindrop Premium Stainless Steel Drinking Fountain
“My cat only likes dry food, so I want to make sure [she] is plenty hydrated. It took her a couple days to get used to the fountain, but now she loves it. It’s easy to clean and replace filters. I had first looked at this model because Jackson Galaxy recommended it. I was not disappointed.”
“It took about a day for the kitties to get used to this but now they really love it. We got this because they always wanted to drink fresh water from the tap and we didn't want them to turn the tap on when we weren't here. A good feature is that if the power goes out they can still access a bowl of water.”
“I've [had] this fountain since June of 2018 and have had no issues with it... It was worth the money....”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from Chewy. Copyright PioneerPet.
PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain
Best for multi-cat households
The PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is “purrfect” for homes with multiple cats. It provides a whopping 168 ounces of water that goes through an activated carbon filter to remove bad tastes and odors.
There are two ways to drink from this fountain: there’s a falling stream for felines who love to drink from a faucet and a lower basin for those who prefer to drink from a regular bowl. The water flow can be adjusted as well.
The Platinum’s design focuses more on function than aesthetics. The built-in reservoir makes refills easy while the rubber feet on the bottom prevent the unit from sliding and tipping over. The fountain is made from BPA-free plastic and its parts can be placed on the top rack of the dishwasher.
PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain
Why Wag! loves PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain
- Large water capacity
- Enticing falling stream
- Adjustable flow control
- Top rack dishwasher-safe
- Comes with a 5.5-foot-long power cord
Considerations & concerns
- Pricey
- Some pet parents found it too noisy
- Nooks and crannies can be hard to clean
What pet parents say about PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain
“Awesome fountain.......this replaces the previous one that we have had for about 10 years. The dog and kitties love it.”
“My three cats love this fountain. I recently tried to use a different fountain, and the cats were afraid of it and would not use it. So back to Drinkwell, and cats are lapping it up. Can't argue with success!”
“I’ve owned the Drinkwell Platinum for a couple of years and it’s still in excellent shape. However, you can’t let the water level drop too low or the pump will burn up. I’m buying my second pump in 2 years but it’s my own fault for forgetting to add water. Thankfully, pumps are pretty cheap as opposed to replacing the entire unit. Other than that my cats love the fountain, my dog drinks from the reservoir and I’m not constantly refilling a water bowl. Everyone is happy!”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from Petco. Copyright Radio Systems Corporation.
Petlibro Dockstream Battery-Operated Water Fountain
Best cordless
The Petlibro Dockstream Battery-Operated Water Fountain promises “fresh water to sip, no wires to trip.” This drinking fountain is packed with lots of cool features, starting with the cordless design that allows you to place it anywhere in your home and keep your cat out of trouble.
Inside the sleek and modern exterior is a four-layer vertical filtration system that removes heavy metals, dirt, and other harmful substances. You can set the fountain to keep the water flowing continuously or activate only when your cat is nearby.
The reservoir can hold 85 ounces of water and the battery lasts up to 30 days on a single charge, but don’t worry about forgetting to refill or recharge as intelligent indicators will let you know when it’s time to do so. Most parts of the Dockstream are made from BPA-free plastic, while the water tray is stainless steel to prevent bacteria.
Petlibro Dockstream Battery-Operated Water Fountain
Why Wag! loves Petlibro Dockstream Battery-Operated Water Fountain
- Sleek, cordless design
- Dual water modes: continuous stream and motion activated
- Low battery and water level indicators
- Quieter than a whisper
- Long battery life
Considerations & concerns
- Expensive
- Parts are easy for cats to knock off
- Motion sensor turns off too quickly
What pet parents say about Petlibro Dockstream Battery-Operated Water Fountain
“Great fountain. Very easy to clean. It’s been 2 weeks and battery charge light has not come on yet. Wish the shut off/motion timer lasted longer. Cat finally starts drinking water and doesn’t move in front of the fountain and the water stops flowing [because] of no movement. Yes, I could have it plugged in for continuous flow, but I [bought] it [because of] the cordless feature. That is my only complaint about the fountain. Great purchase!!!”
“I’ve tried several fountains over the years for my cat- the metal ones, the ceramic ones, and none of them have been quite right. They’re all loud as heck and need a thick towel or something under them, some of them make the water smell very strongly of plastic, and they all plug into the wall so I’m limited in where I can put them. We haven’t had this one too long so I’ll see about its longevity but so far it’s perfect. It’s wireless so it can go anywhere we want, it holds a ton of water, it’s motion activated so not constantly running and wearing down the battery, and absolutely silent when it runs. Our cat prefers running water and took to this within 10 minutes of setting it up. I have two minor complaints…one is that sometimes the motion sensor doesn’t trigger even when she walks right in front of it, but it triggers often enough that it doesn’t really make a difference. The other is that I wish it had a small window so you could physically see the water level. But it does have low water and low battery lights so it’s the next best thing. If it lasts a while it’ll be unbeatable.”
“I bought this because my cat, like most cats, [is] usually dehydrated. He was having constipation issues and was just diagnosed with early kidney disease. Increasing his water intake will definitely help both those diagnoses. He took a day to take to it but I hear him drinking from it a lot and it makes me so happy knowing he’s hydrating! I can’t speak on longevity. I’ve only had it a week. I hope it lasts a while.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from Chewy. Copyright PETLIBRO.
FAQ
What kind of water fountain is best for cats?
Are water fountains healthy for cats?
Is a ceramic or stainless steel water fountain better for cats?