Cats, just like all other animals in nature, are attracted to moving water. The biggest reason behind this is that they instinctively relate a flow a water to clean one. There’s a lot of logic behind that – the water that stays in your cat’s bowl for longer periods of time each day, is prone to collecting bacteria.
Related: Best Water Fountains For Cats Review
This is exactly the reason why pet fountains, like the Drinkwell 360 model, have been so popular lately – they make drinking water for your cat a much more fun, attractive and healthier experience by keeping the water flowing at all times. They also make cats drink more water than usual, thus achieving proper hydration that’s really important for cat’s well being.
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The Drinkwell Brand
One of the most popular brands when it comes to pet fountains is Drinkwell. Their fountains filter the water and continuously aerate it as a way of keeping it fresh. Aside from keeping it fresher, this way their pet fountains make sure the water stays cleaner for longer periods of time, compared to a classic pet bowl filled with water.
Introduction to the Drinkwell 360 Fountain for Cats
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Even more beneficial for households that are the home for more than one cat, the Drinkwell 360 Fountain offers a 360 degree water supply for all your cats to drink from (even at once). This fountain makes sure your pet stays hydrated and healthy by mimicking the stream of water its ancestor used to drink from, and by additionally purifying the water with a carbon filter (eliminating bad odor and taste) and with a pre-filter that cleans the water from debris.
One of the best features of the Drinkwell 360 Fountain is its already mentioned 360 degrees design. Not just because it looks nice, but it’s also very handy for multiple cat households where usually the cats would have to wait for their turn to drink water from the bowl, or wait for a refill. With its capacity (128 oz) this fountain makes running out of water an almost impossible scenario.
Features:
- The Drinkwell 360 Fountain offers a free-falling stream of water which entices pets to drink more and stay hydrated (and healthy)
- In order to reduce splashing you can adjust the fountain’s flow of water
- The fountain provides a minimum of 1 and maximum of 5 water streams, with interchangeable spout rings
- Comes with a replaceable activated carbon filter which cleans the water from odor and bad taste
- The fountain’s pump can be submerged for a quieter operation
- Comes with rubber feet that prevent sliding
- Can hold up to 128 oz (1 gallon) of water
- All parts except the pump can safely be washed in the dishwasher
- All parts are made of BPA-free plastic
- Although designed for cats, can also be used by small or medium dogs
- Designed for indoor use only
Pros:
Really easy to setup, use and clean
All parts of the fountain can be taken apart for a more thorough cleaning, and all of them are dishwasher safe, except the pump. One easy way to nicely clean the fountain is with cleaning brushes or a toothbrush and a few q-tips.
Charcoal filters help keep water fresh and odorless and a pre-filter keeps the pump safe
Activated carbon is an amazing way of purifying water that eliminates all unwanted smell and taste. Aside from the charcoal filter, the fountain keeps the pump safe with a pre-filter that collects debris from the water.
Quiet device when operating
The fountain is basically silent, makes almost no sounds whatsoever. At times you can even forget it was plugged in. The only moment the fountain might make some noise is when it’s really low on water.
Easy to pour water into
There is no additional reservoir you will need to fill, all you need to do is simply pore extra water directly into the bowl.
Cats can’t flip or move the fountain
The rubber legs attached to the bottom of the fountain make it nearly impossible to move or be flipped over by both cats and human.
Adjustable water flow — 5 spouts included
You can choose and adjust the water flow to come out of 1-5 water streams.
Doesn’t need to be regularly refilled
Since it comes with a great capacity (1 gallon!), the fountain doesn’t need to be regularly refilled. In a one or two cat household, a fountain that has been filled to the top will need to be refilled in about 3 days.
Cons
- The filters of the fountain need to be regularly replaced
- The pump tends to clog up with pet hair
- Not big enough for really big cats (and dogs)
Tips on Using It
Even the most satisfied users come up with ways to make using the fountain an even nicer experience. For instance, since the fountain can splash water on your floor when completely filled, you can adjust the flow to low and place a mat under it to protect your carpet. Also, because the filters need to be replaced regularly, a good solution is to invest into reusable filters.
Final Verdict? Who Does It Suit?
If you’re the proud owner of more than one cat and want to make sure that your pets stay hydrated at all times (without the need to constantly refill their bowl), then this fountain is a great investment for you. It’s also a great solution for cats that always seem to walk on your kitchen counters in order to drink moving water from the faucet. Alternatively, you might consider Pioneer Pet Big Max.
But keep in mind that if you want to keep your cat healthy, you’ll need to regularly clean the fountain, so make sure you have 15-20 mins each weekend to spend on this.
