Best Pet Water Fountains for Dogs and Cats
With the help of two adorable dogs and a cat, we evaluated four models made of stainless steel, plastic, and ceramic
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If you’re considering upgrading your pet’s drinking setup, a pet water fountain offers several health benefits over a standard water bowl. According to Dwight Alleyne, DVM, a veterinarian based in Marietta, Ga., “using a water fountain can encourage hydration since water flowing can be more appealing to many pets than standing water. Flowing water often is cleaner with a low risk of growth of bacteria or other bugs that can risk a pet’s health.”
Like people, dogs and cats need to stay hydrated, so a pet water fountain could be a good solution, especially when you are going to be away from home for a longer period of time.
- The Pet Water Fountains We Evaluated: Petlibro PetSafe Rellaty Veken
- More on Pet Water Fountains: Bottom Line Key Features Maintenance Tips
I evaluated four popular pet water fountains at home with my two dogs and cat to find which ones got them to drink more water, were easiest to clean (some are dishwasher-safe), and required less overall work for me.
Your Guide to the Best Pet Products
The PetSafe Creekside Ceramic Pet Fountain holds a modest 60 ounces of water, making it the smallest of all the pet water fountains I evaluated. It’s crafted from scratch-resistant ceramic and uses two filters—one carbon and one foam—to keep the water clean and debris-free. Assembly was surprisingly simple—straightforward and intuitive. The fountain has nine parts, including the base dish and pump cover.
Before using it, I followed the directions to rinse the carbon filter until the water ran clear. It took a few minutes of rinsing before the grayish tint disappeared, but once that was done, I had the fountain fully assembled in no time. The only tricky part was inserting the silicone gasket into a narrow vertical column designed to snake the power cord through. It’s a tight fit—intentionally so—to prevent water from leaking onto your counter or floor.
The PetSafe was loved by all our animals during the evaluation.
Once set up, the PetSafe fountain produced a gentle bubble of water. I was impressed by how quiet it was—the motor and water sounds were barely noticeable. My dogs were immediately drawn to it. It took my cat a few hours to warm up to it. She eventually drank from it; I even caught her playing with the water a few times. Cleanup was just as easy as assembly. The ceramic base, tower, and filter housing are dishwasher-safe. I ran them on the top rack, and they came out spotless and undamaged.
The Petlibro Dockstream Smart Pet Fountain is a WiFi-enabled device that lets you accurately monitor your pet’s water intake. At first, I thought this fountain’s smart features and accompanying app were unnecessary. I’m not someone who gravitates toward smart tech for everyday products. However, I found the app’s features surprisingly insightful—especially if you need to track your pet’s hydration habits. But more on that in a bit.
This Petlibro fountain holds an impressive 2.5 liters of water. Assembly was the easiest of the four fountains I tested. It has nine parts in total, including the pump and filters. The most interesting feature is the power system. The pump is powered by the dockstation base magnetically, similar to how a magnetic power bank works for your phone. No direct power cord is attached to the pump itself—just the base. Once you assemble the spout, tray, filter, and lid, add water, place the reservoir on the base, and voilà—it powers on automatically! If you’re not interested in the smart features, that’s all you need to get started.
However, if you want to monitor your pet’s water intake, you must download the free app. It allows you to create custom profiles for each pet, set hydration goals, and track how much water your pet drinks daily. There’s even a handy low-water alert.
The Petlibro fountain runs quietly—barely audible—and my dogs took to it right away. My cat was a little more hesitant, and I wasn’t sure whether she was using it at first. Thanks to the app, I discovered that when I placed the fountain in a spot where the dogs couldn’t reach it, she was indeed drinking from it. That reassurance alone made the smart features worthwhile for me. However, there is no way to monitor how much water each animal drinks when you have multiple pets using the fountain. The Petlibro gives you only a cumulative total of water used daily.
Messy drinker Crash enjoyed the Petlibro fountain.
Aesthetically, the Petlibro water fountain is sleek and attractive. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed using the app, given my initial skepticism. However, there are three drawbacks to note. First, it’s pricey, and while the filters need to be replaced every two weeks, they thankfully aren’t overly expensive at $22.94 for an eight-pack (carbon and foam) filter set. Second, none of this pet water fountain’s parts are dishwasher-safe. Everything, including the docking station, has to be hand-washed or wiped clean, which can be a bit inconvenient. Lastly, the water reservoir is plastic. For the price of the fountain, I wish it were made from metal or ceramic, but this might be due to the construction of the magnetic docking station.
Overall, if you’re looking for an attractive, innovative pet water fountain and want to closely monitor your pet’s hydration, the Petlibro Dockstream Smart Pet Fountain is an excellent choice. It’s not cheap, but its smart features and functionality make it a worthwhile investment for pet owners who want more insight into their furry friends’ water habits.
The Rellaty Pet Water Fountain is made of 304 stainless steel, which is corrosion-resistant and can withstand high-temperature cleaning—making it dishwasher-safe. It has seven removable parts, and assembly is pretty straightforward. Initially, I was a bit disappointed because the metal felt thin and flimsy right out of the box. However, once I had it fully assembled, it felt surprisingly durable.
The kit I tested came with four carbon and pre-filter sponges, which was a nice bonus. Almost every part of the fountain can be taken apart for cleaning, except for the plastic components attached to the lid, like the ergonomic buckle, filter holder, and gasket that secures the T-water faucet. This is a significant advantage because it allows you to clean nearly every surface of the fountain, helping to prevent mold, mildew, and biofilm buildup.
Aside from being primarily made of stainless steel, what really sets this fountain apart is its T-water faucet design. If you have a pet that loves drinking water directly from a faucet, they’re going to love this feature. The faucet is also removable, so you can switch to a gentler bubbling mode if you prefer. However, I did notice that without the faucet attached, the fountain was slightly noisier. That said, it’s not loud enough to be distracting or to scare pets.
Crash also stayed hydrated with the Rellaty fountain.
The manufacturer recommends replacing the filters every two to four weeks. Replacement filters are sold separately and are moderately priced at $19.99 for eight carbon and foam filters. All of my animals drank from the fountain, both with and without the faucet, so it’s safe to say it appealed to them either way.
I didn’t find any major cons with this fountain. The only downside for me was that it’s the least aesthetically pleasing of all the fountains I tested. It’s more functional than stylish. But if you’re looking for a stainless steel fountain that’s easy to clean and maintain, the Rellaty Pet Water Fountain is a good option.
The Veken Pet Fountain was the easiest to assemble out of all the fountains I tested. It consists of five main parts, not including the two lids—one interior lid that holds the carbon filter and the top lid that holds the spout. I didn’t even need to look at the directions; the assembly was completely intuitive. Once it was put together, the fountain reminded me of the playful designs you see at kids’ splash pads. It has a fun and whimsical feel that I really enjoyed.
That said, it was the loudest of all the pet water fountains I evaluated. However, the noise wasn’t overly distracting, and it didn’t scare my pets away. You can customize the water flow by using the flower-style spout for a more dramatic fountain effect or removing it for a gentle bubbling style.
Hermione the cat warmed up to the Veken fountain.
One unique feature is a small switch on the power cord that turns on an interior LED light. This is supposed to help you monitor water levels, but I didn’t find it all that necessary. The fountain has a handy view window on the front, which makes it easy to check the water level without the light.
All of my pets drank from the fountain without any hesitation. However, I couldn’t find any information in the instruction manual about whether it’s dishwasher-safe. Because it’s made from BPA-free, food-grade plastic, I decided to take the risk and placed the base, fountain, and both lids on the top rack of my dishwasher. Thankfully, nothing was damaged.
The fountain uses two filters, and the manufacturer recommends replacing them every four weeks. Replacement filters are less expensive at $8.99 for a four-pack set of carbon and foam filters, and the overall cost of the fountain is budget-friendly. Considering its low price, ease of use, and pet-friendly design, this fountain is my top budget pick.
How I Evaluated Pet Water Fountains
I used four highly rated pet fountains over two weeks, evaluating each based on performance and usability. My test subjects were: Hermione, a 7-year-old tabby cat; Rocky, a 10-year-old beagle/dachshund mix; and Crash, a 10-year-old Australian cattle dog. All three of my animals are avid drinkers, especially the cattle dog—a notoriously messy drinker. My primary focus was determining whether each fountain encouraged more or less water drinking among my pets.
To keep things consistent, I filled each fountain with 1 liter of water at a time. I paid close attention to the pump’s noise level, noting whether it was loud or quiet, as well as the quality of the water flow. Ease of use was another key factor. I evaluated how simple or challenging it was to fill the fountain, change the filters, and ensure its stability during use.
Cleaning was also a critical part of my evaluation. I considered how often each fountain needed cleaning, how easy it was to reach all the parts for a thorough scrub, and how frequently the filters needed replacing. These parameters helped me determine whether the benefits of using a pet water fountain outweighed the effort required to maintain it.
By analyzing these factors, I could assess each fountain’s overall value and practicality for everyday use.
My Bottom Line
I recommend using a pet fountain if you primarily have smaller dogs or cats. I have two medium-sized dogs and one cat, and none of the fountains I tested held enough water to keep all three pets hydrated throughout the day. This would require multiple daily refills, which isn’t practical for me.
My cat likes to share the same water dish as her dog siblings, and I’m not sure whether this is just a quirky behavior unique to her or something other cat owners with dogs experience as well. Although I didn’t always see her drinking directly from the fountains during my tests, I restricted the dogs’ access to ensure she had the opportunity. I was able to confirm she was drinking enough water by checking the evidence in her litter box.
One of my dogs, however, is a very messy drinker and leaves a watery mess on the floor. Unfortunately, the fountains didn’t solve that issue, as the mess persisted.
For households with multiple larger pets or particularly messy drinkers, I don’t recommend using a pet water fountain. However, for smaller pets or those that prefer running water, a pet water fountain can be a great option.
Key Features to Look for in a Pet Water Fountain
When shopping for a pet water fountain, there are several features to prioritize to ensure both functionality and safety for your pet.
Capacity: “It is important to consider the capacity of the fountain depending on the size of the pet or the amount of pets drinking from it,” says Alleyne. For larger pets or multipet households, opt for a fountain with a higher capacity to reduce refilling frequency.
Filtration system: A good pet water fountain should have replaceable filters to maintain clean water. Regular filter replacement is essential to keep water free of debris and bacteria.
Quiet operation: “It is important during operation it is relatively quiet to avoid sound anxiety in sensitive pets,” says Alleyne. Look for a pet water fountain designed with noise-reduction features.
Safer materials: Ensure the pet water fountain is made from nontoxic materials that resist bacterial buildup, such as stainless steel.
Can Pet Water Fountains Encourage Reluctant Drinkers?
For pets that are hesitant to drink, a water fountain might make all the difference. “Since moving water can mirror natural water sources, this makes it more enticing for pets to want to drink,” Alleyne says. Encouraging proper hydration can help support overall health and prevent urinary issues in dogs and cats.
Maintenance Tips for a Safe and Hygienic Fountain
Maintaining a clean pet water fountain is essential for both the fountain’s functionality and your pet’s health. However, even with diligent care, some fountains are not designed to withstand mold and mildew over time. Consumer Reports writer Jodhaira Rodriguez shared her experience after using one such fountain for several months.
Rodriguez first noticed an unusual green growth inside the fountain. "I tried to scrub it away with a sponge and dish soap, but unfortunately, the growth was along the interior plastic parts of the fountain that were difficult to really get into with my sponge," she says. Despite her efforts, the issue persisted.
"I just want to note that I emptied the fountain of all water and scrubbed it with dish soap at least once a week, often more frequently, and I replaced the filter monthly as instructed by the brand," Rodriguez says, highlighting her strict adherence to maintenance recommendations.
Her experience underscores the importance of choosing a well-designed pet water fountain made from materials that resist mold and mildew growth, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Regular cleaning is crucial, but even the best efforts can be undermined by poor design or material quality.
To keep your pet water fountain safe and effective, Alleyne recommends these practices:
Clean regularly. To prevent bacteria buildup, clean the fountain thoroughly on a routine basis.
Replace filters. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for replacing filters to maintain water quality.
Monitor water levels. Ensure your pet water fountain has enough water to keep the pump functioning properly and provide a consistent flow.
Are There Any Risks With Pet Water Fountains?
While pet water fountains have many benefits, they do require upkeep. “If these fountains are not cleaned regularly, then there is a risk of exposure to harmful bacteria,” says Alleyne. Staying consistent with cleaning and filter replacements is key to minimizing risks and keeping your pet healthy.
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