Drinking Fountain for Your Cat

From LoveToKnow Cats

Our resident cat expert, Wendy Nan Rees, offers advice on a product that will keep your cat's water fresh and sparkling.

Cats prefer fresh water.

Cat Drinking Fountain

As I have mentioned before, I have a weekly radio show. When I have a guest on, they either send me a free sample, or sometimes I buy at least one of the products they make. I do this so I have tried it and can speak with knowledge about the products on my show. I feel it is my responsibility to be honest when I love, like or really do not like a product.

Today, I am writing about a very cool product that worked well in my house. The cat fountain is beyond cool, and I gave this to my friend Liza who has one cat. Ruthie, my assistant also received one and they both love them. If your kitty is like many others and loves to nibble on your house plants, this product is a great alternative. It is also wonderful for those of you who end up with a four-legged friend in the bathroom when you are trying to wash your hands, or in the kitchen sink when you are trying to wash dishes because your cat wants to sip the water from the faucet. I think we may have just found a fun new water system for you. How can a water fountain be a plant and pet saving alternative at the same time? I will tell you.

Plants and Cats

Ruthie is always telling me that she has to keep her plants out of reach because not only do her cats eat the plants, they will play with the little perlite balls that are very often in the soil that comes with a plant she has purchased. The problem with this is that her cats actually dig into the dirt to find them, and then the dirt is all over the counter, the floor or both.

Drinkwell® Platinum Pet Fountain

The system I am talking about is made by Veterinary Ventures and is called the Drinkwell® “Platinum Pet Fountain”. It comes with some fun stuff for you and your kitty. It was developed by a veterinarian and is a “patented free-falling water system” for pets. They make both cat and dog models. In my opinion, it is probably one of the best investments you can make for the health of your pet. Let me tell you about its features.

This fountain offers your kitty a constant flow of free-falling water by use of a patented system. The water falls onto a little ramp in the dish of the fountain. The purpose of the ramp is to keep the water from splashing all over the place, and it works. The water is constantly being aerated with oxygen for your kitty. It comes with a charcoal filter that filters sediments out of the water. Ruthie loves this feature because she is constantly dealing with iron sediments in her water, and it leaves an orange stain. It is easy to maintain, and will hold over a gallon of water if you get one of the optional reservoirs available for purchase. Since the water is so fresh and sediment-free, your kitty will drink more.

Plus Kitty Grass

Another very cool feature is the kitty grass that comes with the unit. It is called the Drinkwell® “Aqua Garden™” and no dirt of any kind is involved. How does it work? The Drinkwell® comes with a plastic basket that snaps onto the fountain so your kitty can’t push it around or “paw” it out of the fountain. The basket has an insert with a slotted top and wheat seeds inside. The insert snaps into the basket inside the fountain. The constant flowing water action of the fountain helps the seeds germinate and grow hydroponically (with water only).

Have you ever gone to your favorite pet shop to buy kitty grass, only to find out that they were out or it was too old or moldy? This is an excellent alternative because you are able to grow it at home very easily with no muss or fuss. The grass in turn can help with hairballs and digestion, and as I mentioned before saves your plants. Refills are available in a two piece package. Veterinary Ventures does warn that it may take a bit of time for your cat to get used to, but Ruthie said she had three of her feline friends in it before she even got a foot away from the counter where she placed it. Cleaning kits for the fountains and replacement filters are also available.

And Don't Forget the Cat Scoop

For those of you who are always despairing of finding a good cat litter scoop for your cat pan, Veterinary Ventures makes one of those too. It is called the Scoopwell™ and won the 2005 Editor’s Choice award fromCat Fancy Magazine. Ruthie got one and just loves it. It has a long, very sturdy handle (which is usually the part that breaks for her), with a soft rubber hand grip for your comfort. Some other great features include:

Two-size stainless steel screen for scooping. This is a neat innovation, because it will work with the old fashioned clay litter as well as the newer scoopables.
It also comes equipped with a stainless steel scraper for those parts of the litter pan that collect gunk that can be tough to remove.

So while cleaning the cat pan may not be your favorite chore, the Scoopwell™ now makes it much easier.

“Remember the animals in your life are not just your pets they’re your friends” WNR