Best Cat Water Fountains 2024 | Pet Owner Tested - Forbes Vetted

Just like all animals, cats need water to live—they just don’t always act like it. Designed to make hydrating more enticing, the best cat water fountains provide fresh, flowing water around the clock, helping your pets stay healthy and hydrated. After testing 10 popular models over the course of two months—with crucial help from my three cats—I named the Petkit Eversweet Solo SE the best cat water fountain overall, thanks to its wireless pump and ultra-quiet operation. For cat owners who want a sleek, stainless-steel option, I recommend Rellaty’s Pet Water Fountain for its large capacity, ease of cleaning and durability.

The best cat water fountains (like Petsafe's Drinkwell) provide kittens fresh, flowing water around ... [+] the clock.

Here are all seven winners from my testing process:

There’s a reason cats have a low thirst drive. Domestic felines are descendants of desert-dwelling animals that relied on prey for hydration: “They weren’t necessarily always seeking out water sources,” says Dr. Deborah Linder, associate clinical professor at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. That said, cats are instinctively drawn to moving water, which is why pet-specific water fountains exist. While cats don’t need quite as much H2O as dogs to stay hydrated, it’s essential they drink about 4 ounces of water per 5 pounds of body weight per day, because dehydration can cause digestive, kidney and urinary issues. Below are the very best cat water fountains, based on my months-long testing.

Amazon

Dimensions: 7.1 x 6.8 x 6.8 inches | Material: BPA-free plastic | Capacity: 1.8 liters | Weight: 2.2 pounds | Filter life span: 30 days (in normal mode)

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The Petkit Eversweet Solo SE earned the highest marks during testing. Featuring an ultra-quiet bubbling fountain, this pick immediately attracted my three cats and won me over with its unique, easy-to-clean design and long filter lifespan.

Whereas most cat water fountains have wires that connect the entire device to the wall, the Eversweet Solo has a separate reservoir and base, which makes the fountain a breeze to refill and clean—you can take the tank off the base and bring it to your sink to add fresh water or clean the interior parts. And while most fountains have wiring throughout, the main body of this one has none inside; the pump is wireless, so you don’t have to worry about electrical cords making contact with water.

My two kittens were very eager to drink from the Petkit water fountain.

I was also impressed by the filter, which contains a mix of coconut-shell activated charcoal and ion-exchange resin to reduce heavy metals and odors. Just as importantly, it was effective at capturing small pieces of dry food and hair, and it has a relatively long lifespan. (The fountain comes with one filter, and a pack of five costs just under $20. Because the filter needs to be changed only every 30 days or so, you shouldn’t have to spend much more than $50 a year on replacement filters.)

Another noteworthy feature is that the Petkit Eversweet can sense when water levels are low, at which point it automatically powers down to prevent the model’s motor from burning out. The indicator light also flashes blue to help notify you of the fountain’s status.

Just keep in mind that the fountain’s capacity is on the smaller side, so you need to stay on top of refilling it more than you would with most other models. That said, I had to add more water only once a week for my three cats. The only annoying thing about this model is what’s missing: a USB power adapter. Additionally, it doesn’t come with the most detailed paper instruction manual (to get more information regarding use and cleaning, you have to use a QR code). To get more testing details on this product, check out my full review of the Petkit Eversweet Solo SE.

Amazon

Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.5 x 4.5 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 3.2 liters | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Filter life span: 2 to 4 weeks

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Stainless steel cat water fountains are popular for a few reasons: They’re durable, easy to clean and resistant to bacterial growth. If you’re drawn to those strengths, the Rellaty is a sleek, large-capacity pick that’s a breeze to set up and almost as quiet as the Petkit. My cats seemed to like it, too—they all drank from it during testing.

In this model, water cycles up from the base and out both sides of a T-shaped faucet in the middle of the reservoir, where cats can drink from the spout or the basin. It also comes equipped with an activated carbon filter and pre-filter layer; a pack of eight replacements costs just under $20. (One small drawback: The filters have a life span of two to four weeks.)

The Rellaty features a T-shaped faucet; take note that the cord is pretty visible.

While many cat owners report few issues with the filter, during testing, I found that debris gathered around the small slit at the top of the drinking area. Thankfully, the fountain is easy to clean. Save for the pump and filter, all the stainless steel parts can go in the dishwasher, and the fountain comes with a small brush for cleaning the T-shaped faucet and motor.

Like many stainless steel fountains, the Rellaty—which weighs in at 1.5 pounds—is relatively light. While you might appreciate that light weight when carrying it over to the sink to fill it up, it can cause problems if you have a mischievous cat who’s prone to playing in their water.

Amazon

Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.3 x 6.6 inches | Material: BPA-free plastic | Capacity: 2.8 liters | Weight: 2.1 pounds | Filter life span: 2 to 3 weeks

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If you want your cats to try flowing water and you prefer something more neutrally designed, the Veken Automatic Pet Fountain is a solid choice. It has a similar petaled center design, performance, capacity and price point to the Catit Flower Fountain (our best value pick), but it instead has a wider, rectangular drinking area that may be conducive to multi-pet households; it also features a more minimal aesthetic that might blend better with most homes.

The setup was pretty easy: I simply rinsed the fountain and the filter and followed instructions for putting the wire from inside to outside. While I did find it heavy when filled with water (there are no handles and the matte plastic was a bit slippery), I liked that holds a good amount at 2.8 liters. For context, I left the cats for a few days, and the Veken provided a good amount of water for them. I also liked the design, particularly the interior light that allows you to see how much water remains, even at night. Bonus: This fountain isn’t an eyesore.

In terms of performance, my cats liked it—I observed at least one of the kittens pawing at the water in it, and they drank a good amount. You can hear water trickling a little and a slight motor sound, but nothing off-putting. It’s also sturdy and withstood pawing from my cats.

Cleaning was also quite easy, and it’s nice that it came with instructions on how to clean the filter and pump (the latter had illustrations, too). Note that the latter’s illustrations suggest using a little brush to clean the filter, but a brush was not provided, which was a slight nuisance. In addition to its slipperiness when full, the Veken also faltered a bit in terms of filtration. After I added fur and crushed-up kibble for my tests, I opened the fountain and found a lot of the debris was sitting on the filter, which was good. However, I did find that there was a good amount of debris that slipped through the filter.

Amazon

Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.4 x 4.7 inches | Material: Ceramic | Capacity: 2.1 liters | Weight: 6 pounds | Filter life span: 2 to 4 weeks

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Ceramic water fountains are a great option if you want something premium that your strongest cat won’t be able to tip over. My recommendation is the high-end Cepheus 360 Ceramic Pet Fountain, which proved itself during testing.

While I had some difficulty setting it up due to the unclear directions (YouTube helped), the fountain impressed me once I got all the parts together. For starters, my cats liked drinking from the Cepheus 360 immediately—my two kittens were especially drawn to the bubbling center—and all three of them were able to drink from it without feeling crowded.

I also liked that the Cepheus 360 comes equipped with an activated-carbon filter (most ceramic models are filterless), though I noted it wasn’t able to capture all of the debris and fur I placed in the fountain. Further, I found this fountain’s hefty weight of 6 pounds more helpful than not: Especially when filled, it definitely won’t go anywhere if your cat gets up to no good.

It’s worth noting that this heft isn’t necessarily something everyone wants in a fountain; if you’d rather not deal with the challenge of trying not to drop a heavy ceramic fountain while it’s full, consider one of our other recommendations. Also, while I didn’t find this machine difficult to clean, I did have to use a pair of pliers to open the motor, per the brand’s instructions.

Petsafe

Dimensions: 15.8 x 10.3 x 10 inches | Material: BPA-free plastic | Capacity: 5 liters | Weight: 4.9 pounds | Filter lifespan: 2 to 4 weeks

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Are you an owner of multiple pets and looking for a heavyweight fountain that doesn’t need frequent refilling? Consider the Petsafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain, which can hold over a gallon of water (making it the largest model I tested).

The two kittens were very interested in the Drinkwell Platinum.

Though it’s not the sleekest option out there, I was impressed by this model’s sturdiness and adjustable water flow. Overall, I found it easy to use. Setting it up didn’t take long, as the motor came already in place.

Pets can drink either from the bowl at the base or from the main stream. That main stream has two flow settings: To adjust them, I just had to twist the control knob located inside the bowl. Additionally, the Drinkwell Platinum didn’t seem to bother my cats. All three were curious about this fountain—and most importantly, they drank from it.

Filling this water fountain, on the other hand, took a little practice. I had to add water to the reservoir on the back then flip it upside down and into place—no small feat when it had water inside. It’s also not the quietest model out there (there’s a decent amount of distance between the faucet and the bottom of the model), but it’s not marketed as such. Keep in mind that if you have multiple pets drinking from this fountain—especially if one is a dog—you might need to change the filter more frequently than every two to four weeks.

Amazon

Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.8 x 4.3 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 1.8 liters | Weight: 1.7 pounds | Filter life span: 2 to 4 weeks

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With a low-profile raindrop shape and circulating flow, this stainless steel pick from Pioneer Pet has a certain Zen quality that makes it stand out from all the other fountains.

Its ease of cleaning sets it apart, too. Featuring a two-piece construction, all parts—save for the motor—can go in the dishwasher. And if you prefer to hand-wash, you can expect just as effortless of a cleaning process, thanks to its stainless steel construction with no hard-to-reach areas.

Compared to the other fountains, this one was a little tricky to set up; in particular, placing the pump inside the filtering pod took me a minute. (Like most models on this list, the fountain uses a charcoal filter.) Once the top was securely on and it was ready to flow, though, the cats gravitated toward it. When I put crushed-up cat food in the water to test its filtration, I found most of it collected in the bottom drinking well—something to be mindful of if your pet prefers to drink from there, as opposed to the water slide above.

While my cats didn’t seem to be interested in moving it around with their paws, the fountain was lightweight when full and empty. If you have an especially playful cat who likes to, say, swat items off countertops, you might be better off with a heavier option.

Amazon

Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.7 x 7.5 inches | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 3 liters | Weight: 1.3 pounds | Filter life span: 30 days

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If you know a lot of cat people, chances are at least one of them has owned a Catit Flower Fountain. Cute and affordable, this plastic fountain is a longtime bestseller with an iconic design that proved itself the best budget-friendly pick during testing.

Featuring a 3-liter capacity, the fountain features three different flow modes to suit your cat’s drinking preferences. When the plastic flower in the body’s center is fully intact, water flows down through the petals. If you take out the flower’s yellow center, water comes up in the middle before cascading down the petals. And when you remove the flower entirely, the water bubbles up in a similar way to the Petkit.

My blind cat approached the Catit a little more cautiously due to the sound of its motor.

During testing, my curious kittens were drawn to the fountain right away, though my blind cat was slightly more cautious of its water and motor sounds. That’s one thing to keep in mind: It does give off a faint buzzing sound as it operates, though I didn’t find it too disruptive.

The main downside of this no-frills model is that it’s not the easiest to clean. While the carbon filter did a fair job of capturing debris in the water, the fountain has a lot of crevices (in the flower petals, specifically) that are more difficult to wash. And to ensure the motor enjoys a long life, it’s essential to give the fountain thorough, regular cleanings. If your motor ever dies, though, just know that you can buy a replacement pump.

Among the 10 cat water fountains I tested, three didn’t earn quite as high of marks as the models listed above. While these fountains didn’t fare as well for me for one reason or another, they still might be a solid choice for you.

Petlibro Capsule Water Fountain: Many cat owners would be happy with this sturdy plastic fountain. It’s easy to take apart and clean, and I liked that it offers two flow modes and comes with a USB plug. Ultimately, though, the Petlibro wasn’t as quiet as our best overall pick; plus, the filter didn’t capture all the debris I placed in the fountain.

Cat Mate 3-Level: Unfortunately, this fountain missed the mark in a few ways. It was difficult to set up due to the confusing instructional diagrams. I also struggled to get the model to power up a few times due to the motor’s plug not being fully connected. And while I appreciated its lightweight build when filling it up, my kittens were able to move it with their paws.

Petsafe Drinkwell Pagoda Fountain: This ceramic, pagoda-style fountain is pretty, but loud. While my kittens were curious about the water sounds, my blind cat, who is more sensitive to unfamiliar noises, was wary. I eventually had to unplug this ceramic fountain because the sound of the flowing water made it hard to sleep at night.

After conducting extensive research into some of the most popular cat water fountains, I selected 10 of them to test in my master bathroom over the course of two months. I assessed each one’s quality, ease of use and cleaning, durability and additional features. My three cats—two kittens and one older cat who is blind—assisted with my tests.

Setup: After unboxing each model, I noted how easy setup was, including how clear and easy to follow the instructions and diagrams were. I also noted whether there were any hiccups when prepping the filters and putting any pieces together before filling each with water.

Quality and durability: I analyzed each one’s design and feel, noting whether the model felt budget or more high-end, including if there were any helpful design features (like a wireless construction, built-in carrying handles, USB plugs and windows to view water levels). I also noted how well each fountain’s parts fit together and how well each stood up to my cats’ pawing. Lastly, I considered each one’s aesthetic and whether it might blend well with most decor.

Performance and noise: While testing, I evaluated how well water flowed through each one, paying close attention to the noise level, especially if the model was marketed as “quiet” (I noted how closely its performance actually matched its marketed noise decibel level). I made note of how much water each one can hold, how well it kept water flowing and whether it had any special water flow options, like bubbling or multiple pools.

Cat compatibility: I observed how my cats responded to the fountains—most importantly, whether they drank water from each model, and if they drank a lot from it. I noted whether my cats were curious about or playful with certain aspects of each fountain (e.g., bubbling in the center, water cascading down multiple levels of pools and—for my blind cat—attractive but minimal trickling sounds). Conversely, I paid attention to aspects of each fountain my cats were nervous about—for instance, if the motor was too loud for my older cat.

Filtration: Then, to test the filter, I put bits of crushed kitten food, dust, fur fluff and a bit of human hair in each fountain to see how well each one filtered it from the drinking water—mainly by inspecting how much of them gathered on the filter. I also paid attention to whether how much, if any, of that debris slipped through the filter and/or ended up simply floating around in the drinking water.

Cleaning: To finish up, I took apart each fountain and cleaned it according to the brand’s instructions. I considered how easy it was to deconstruct and hand-wash the parts, as well as how easily dirt came off the filters. I also made note of helpful features like dishwasher-safe parts, included cleaning brushes and a lack of wires.

There are a few important factors to keep in mind while shopping for cat water fountains for your pet:

Cat fountains come in a few different materials like plastic, ceramic and stainless steel. While plastic models tend to be more affordable, ceramic and stainless steel options are typically easier to clean. Additionally, “some cats have a contact allergy to plastic and will develop facial irritation from it,” notes Dr. Lori Bierbrier, senior medical director of ASPCA Community Medicine in New York City. “For those cats, stainless steel or other nonporous materials are recommended.”

Though most cat fountains function similarly, they come in a variety of configurations. Some have one drinking area where water essentially bubbles up in the middle of the reservoir, while others feature cascading water. One style isn’t inherently better—it all depends on what your cat prefers.

Most cat fountains hold between 2 and 3 liters of water, though you can certainly find larger or smaller models. (The Petsafe Drinkwell Platinum, for example, has a 5-liter capacity.) To determine the size that makes sense for you, you first want to consider how many pets will be using it: If you have multiple cats, you might opt for a larger model that you have to refill less frequently. Just keep in mind that the higher the capacity, the larger the model’s footprint.

While few cat water fountains are disruptively loud, some models make more noise than others. For those who don’t like water sounds, look for a model where the water bubbles up from below (like the Rellaty Stainless Steel Fountain)—not one with cascading streams. Also keep in mind that most fountains’ motors emit a quiet humming sound. If that noise ever turns into a louder humming or grinding, something’s probably wrong. First check to see if the water level is low, then make sure the pump isn’t clogged with pet hair or other debris.

“Water fountains can get really gross and grungy, and they can harbor a lot of bacteria, especially if you don’t clean them regularly,” says Dr. Marci Koski, a certified feline behavior and training consultant in Vancouver, Washington. Therefore, you want to get a fountain you trust yourself to clean on a regular basis—even if you dread the chore. While some models have dishwasher-safe parts, others need to be hand-washed. You also want to take into consideration the fountain’s filter life span and the cost of replacement filters, both of which impact the overall ease of maintenance.

I’m a writer, editor and content strategist with more than two decades of experience. I was the founding senior editor of People.com’s pets channel, and during my time at the website, I often reviewed pet, baby and parenting gear. More recently, I’ve been reviewing products for outlets like CBSNews.com, Consumer Reports, U.S. News & World Report and Well and Good.

For Forbes Vetted, I’ve researched and written a number of pet-related stories, including roundups of the best cat carriers, dog treats and dog toys. I’m also—and this is relevant to this piece—a cat lover. Last year, our family adopted a sweet but cautious blind cat and two rambunctious kitten siblings, and these discerning three were my copilots in the testing process.

I interviewed three feline experts to inform my research:

Yes, most vets recommend water fountains to make water more appealing to cats. “The movement and sound of the water mimics water dripping from a tap,” says Bierbrier. “Drinking water is very important for a cat’s overall health, especially for cats who mainly eat dry food. For cats with certain medical conditions, such as mineral accumulation in their urine (crystalluria), which may cause painful urination, drinking more water is one of the primary treatments.” That said, not every cat is going to be drawn to a fountain or use it properly, so whether you have a fountain or not, it’s wise to also keep out a regular bowl of water.

The best type of water fountain for your cat depends on their temperament and preference. What’s important is that they have a choice, says Koski: “Some cats don’t like water fountains and they prefer standing water.” Meanwhile, Linder says other cats might be interested in water fountains, but use it improperly. “I had one cat that loved the fountain but loved it too much, so all she did all day was bat at it and play with it and swish all the water out of it, and I couldn’t actually tell whether she was drinking or not,” she says. That said, we recommend the Petkit Eversweet Solo SE for most cat owners: It’s reasonably priced, user-friendly, quiet and compact (plus, the pump is conveniently wireless).

A cat water fountain can last a long time if you keep up with regular maintenance. To ensure yours doesn’t break down prematurely, don’t ever let its water levels get too low when it’s running. “Make sure that the water is filled in that fountain because if you let it go dry, it’s going to break the motor,” says Dr. Koski. Cleaning all parts of the fountain, too, extends its life. And if the motor ever malfunctions, many manufacturers sell replacements for their models.

Most brands advise cleaning your cat water fountain once a week. If you notice that fur or food tends to accumulate in it, you may need to disassemble and wash all its parts more frequently. While the chore is tedious, it’s not one you want to skip. “Dirty food and water bowls can attract the growth of bacteria, molds, yeast and fungi, and can potentially make your pet sick,” says Bierbrier, who recommends cleaning standard pet food and water bowls on a daily basis. It’s also important to change the filter regularly.

We added the Veken Automatic Pet Fountain as our pick for the best water fountain for multiple cats, due to its impressive performance and capacity.