According to the New York Times pets in general but cats, in particular, can benefit from pet drinking fountains. According to the times, while there is no indication that drinking fountains induce dogs to drink more (your Leave it to Beaver father was right, just give your dog a bowl of water and be done with it, that doesn't apply to cats.
Quoting veterinarian Dr. Michael Lund of the ASPCA, cats tend to keep themselves in a dehydrated state, a state that is not good for their kidneys. Dr. Lund says that ideally, every cat should drink 1 to 1.5 cups of water for every pound of body weight your cat weighs. And drinking fountains may entice your cats to drink more. In addition, cats prefer the taste of drinking water from a fountain, which is why most cat owners prefer a recirculating fountain.
As for material, just be sure your fountain is pet safe. Most cat owners prefer either a stainless steel or a ceramic fountain. Both will work and are generally petsafe, but of the two, stainless steel is usually the better choice because stainless steel easy to clean.
How much does a typical cat fountain cost?
Generally, the average stainless steel water fountain will run around $50 or so. There are cheaper ones coming in at around $25, but you tend to miss some of the better features if you go too cheaply.
What do you want to look for?
One of the first things you want to look for is the ease of cleaning and as well as ease of disassembly and reassembly. Each time you want to clean your cat fountain, that means disassembling the fountain, several times a week. Most cat owners prefer to take their fountain apart and put it in the dishwasher. The good thing is that cats are generally less messy than dogs who tend to slobber all over their water. The bad news is that some fountains are more difficult to clean than others. You'll also want to look at the water filtering function. The plain fact is, that some fountains cost a pretty penny to replace the filters.
In addition, you will want to look at the capacity. This is rarely a problem with cats, as they are smaller animals. However, if you have multiple cats, be sure your fountain holds enough water. You'll also want to be cognizant of how low the water can go till you need to refill it. Noise is a critical factor. Some cats will not drink from a water fountain unless it's whisper quiet. At the same time, some cats will drink from the kitchen or bathroom faucet when it's going full blast. Go figure.
Perhaps it's because, with the bathroom faucet, the cat is reassured that you are near. We don't really know, but we've noticed that some cats are just downright skittish if their drinking fountain makes too much noise. As to materials, both ceramic and steel are okay. But plastic will soon break. Personally, we prefer stainless steel. Longevity is another factor to keep in mind. Not always, but generally, the more you pay for the fountain, the longer you pay for a fountain, the longer it will last.
Finally, there is aesthetics. This is of course a personal choice but some fountains just look cuter and sweeter than others.
How often should I change my cat's water
Since it's such an easy job, we see no reason why you shouldn't change your cat's water every single day. If you don't, your can may go on a hydration strike.
How to get your cat to drink from a fountain?
We have found that if the fountain is quiet enough, most cats adapt quickly to a water fountain. However, if your cat is skittish, one way to make him or her drink is to take their traditional water bowl and move it near the fountain.
When the water bowl is empty then stop refilling it.
Next, run the fountain continuously so that your can gets used to the noise. Most often, you can will soon forget about his old water bowl.