Stainless Steel Pet Water Fountain for Cats and Dogs

Cats and a good many dogs are poor at drinking enough, and a bowl of water that has stood all day does nothing to tempt them. This fountain answers that by keeping the water in motion: a small submersible pump lifts it from the bottom of the tank and returns it to the drinking surface, so it stays aerated and filtered rather than flat and dusty. It comes in two sizes, a 3.5 litre tank for a cat or a small dog and a 9 litre tank for a larger dog or a household with several animals, and both are built around the same idea.

The tank and the lid are 304 stainless steel, brushed to a soft satin finish. Steel matters here more than it does on most pet gear: unlike a plastic bowl that scratches with use, there is nowhere for residue to lodge, it does not take on the smell of last night’s food, and it goes back to looking clean with a wipe. The parts that have to be transparent or flexible are moulded plastic, including the level window set into the side wall, the filter chamber that clips under the lid and the feet underneath. Water is drawn through a filter of sponge, resin and activated carbon, which catches loose hair and food debris on the way round and takes the stale edge off water that has been standing.

Power comes over a USB lead from the pump itself, which is rated IPX8 and sits in the base of the tank; you plug it into whatever USB supply you already own, and no mains plug is included in the box. The pump is the quiet sort, marked by the maker as an ultra silent pump, so the fountain can live in a kitchen or a hallway without anyone noticing it is running. A MAX line is stamped inside the tank so you know where to stop filling, and the window in the side lets you check the level from across the room instead of lifting the lid.

It suits a home where the water bowl empties faster than anyone remembers to refill it, a cat that prefers a running tap to a still dish, or an owner who is out for long stretches and wants a few days of water standing by. The lid lifts straight off for topping up and the pump comes apart in four steps for rinsing, which is the part most fountains fail on. One limit worth knowing before you buy: the manufacturer states the fountain is for home use in dry indoor rooms only, so it is not a conservatory, porch or garden appliance.