If you own a cat, chances are, it is a pretty picky drinker – which means that you may have had your fair share of experiences with your feline friend yowling for you to change the water in the bowl because it may be too still, too warm, ten minutes too old and other such problems that might bother it.
Cat water fountains have many benefits for your cats nit picky habits towards drinking water. If you are interested in maintaining your pet’s hydration, hang in to read this list of benefits that a water fountain has over an old drinking bowl.
1. Cats Do Not Drink Enough Water In General
Cats do not have the instinct to drink a lot of water. Most bigger cats gain their hydration from their prey, which is not possible for a house cat since they do not hunt large animals. The switch to dry adult food for cats also leaves them with less hydration.
Getting a water fountain will naturally lure your cat into drinking water; apart from being amusing things to look at, they are also a reservoir of freshwater, which cats always want. Hence, your house cat will drink more water naturally.
2. Cleaner Water With Less Risk Of Bacteria
Tap water can be full of toxins and other bacteria that may prove dangerous for your cat, especially since it’s a house cat that might have less immunity than a stray. Still, water in your pet’s bowl can be a hub of dangerous germs and bacteria and needs to be changed frequently.
The water you put in will circulate and filter out with a water fountain. This way, your cat’s water remains fresh and clean of toxins each time it wants to drink. However, note that you always check for reviews before you make a purchase when it comes to cat water fountains. Low-quality fountains can do more harm than good to your cat!
3. Running Water Is A Cat’s Instinctive Preference
It is a fact that cats prefer running water. Since they have trouble seeing the water level in a bowl, cats are naturally attracted to running water streams. It is also their instinct as predatory big cats do the same and relate running water to freshness.
If your cat, by chance, meows at you to turn on the tap to drink water from, it is instinctually wanting and preferring the freshness related to rivers.
Another reason cats do not like still water is because they do not like their whiskers being touched. If your cat bowl is too deep or too full of water, your cat does not want to drink from it.
4. Endless Supply Of Fresh Water
Cats have a better sense of smell than we do, and they can smell the water in the bowl going stale way before we can see it. Water sitting in the bowl for hours, untouched, will not be appealing to cats as it can accumulate dust, germs, toxins, and even the scent of the atmosphere it is in.
Since water fountains have a filter system to clean the water for each drink, they will be a reservoir of freshwater for your cat. Also, it will smell unique to them.
5. Time-Saving and Low Maintenance
Water fountains for cats are low maintenance. With a bowl, every post-meal drink is a fight between you telling your cat that the water you put out is still untouched and fresh and your cat asking you to change it.
Water fountains only need to be changed at least once daily. So, you can forget worrying about providing your cat with fresh drinking water even while away.
There is, of course, the need to maintain its cleanliness and technicalities. But, those are weekly duties and not an everyday chore as you do for a bowl.
6. Flexible And Adjustable
Cat water fountains often come with many functions and are easy to adjust according to your cat’s preferences. You can choose whether the water trickles, sprinkles, or flows down in a stream – whatever your feline pet wishes.
The water is consistent with its coolness and cleanliness. Also, since cats love consistency, it is no doubt that a water fountain will go over well with your pet.
7. Healthier, Higher Absorption Of Nutrients
With so many benefits of a water fountain, it is a guarantee that your cat will drink more water than it usually does. This means that your cat will be more hydrated than usual, which also is beneficial in many ways:
- Increases your cat’s saliva production, which helps in breaking down your cat’s food
- Improved digestion, which means better absorption of nutrients
- Lowers the risk of urinary and kidney infections in your cat
Final Thoughts
While there are also cons to buying a cat water fountain, if you buy a plastic one, the chances of harbouring more bacteria in low-quality ones are high. Moreover, cleaning also becomes slightly tricky. If not done correctly, there might be increased risks due to unkemptness.
However, all downsides to buying a cat water fountain are controllable and easy to deal with when you think about the many benefits you can have by getting one. A hydrated cat is a healthy, happy cat with a lesser risk of infections and diseases.
Therefore, my advice is to get your kitty a water fountain if it is affordable and manageable for you.
