Cat & Dog Water Fountain 2 L, Black Transparent

Cats and dogs drink more readily when the water is moving, and a fountain is the simplest way of offering that indoors. This one is a compact square unit that stands on the floor next to the food bowls and recirculates the same tankful of water through a filter, so it stays clear between refills instead of standing still and going flat. Two litres is enough to cover a working day for one cat, or to keep a two-pet household drinking without a lunchtime top-up.

The tank and the drinking tray are moulded in polycarbonate and polypropylene with a smoked, see-through finish: dark enough to sit quietly beside a kitchen unit, clear enough to show how much water is left without lifting anything off. Water rises through a tube in the centre of the tray and returns through a clear Y-shaped spout, spreading into a shallow ring that is easy to lap from. The submersible pump stands on the floor of the tank on three suction cups and runs on 5 V; the manufacturer rates it at half the noise of its older pumps, which is what makes the fountain usable in a bedroom or a hallway.

Filtering is done by a round two-layer disc that drops into the well of the drinking tray. The foam layer catches hair and grit, while the activated carbon and ion-exchange resin behind it work on taste and hardness. The disc is washable and the manufacturer suggests a fresh one about every two months, which is why the same listing also carries filter sets in packs of three, six and twelve. Everything that touches water comes apart by hand for rinsing, with no tools and no fixed pipework.

A three-pin UK mains adapter is supplied alongside the USB cable, so nothing else needs buying and the fountain runs from an ordinary socket at low voltage. It suits cat households, homes where more than one pet shares a single water point, and small to medium dogs that empty a bowl and come back looking for more. The square body takes up little floor space and tucks against a wall in a kitchen, a hallway or a utility room.