Question for Users of Water Fountains

[Edwina's Secretary]

for your cats that is. How often do you change out all the water. I feel guilty somehow that I'm not changing the water. Edwina likes it now. She even drinks out of the water as it comes down the water fall.

I have a Petmate Fresh Flow. (And please don't tell me to read the owner's manual! I haven't a clue where it is now and anyway..that doesn't seem sporting!) I keep it filled up -- either the tank or directly into the bowl -- and it has a filter.

[kitten645]

Calvin and Hobbes just LOVE their fountain. They drink ALOT more than they used to. Makes keeping up the box and additional challenge but it's worth it to know their bitty bodies are being flushed out more regularly.
As to changing the water, I do it about once a week. The fountain is in the kitchen on a linoleum(sp) floor and though I sweep and sweep there is always kittyfur tumbleweed blowing across the floor. The water eventually gets fur in it even though I would have hoped the hair would get trapped in the filter and I could just rinse it off rather than changing the whole thing.
In addition, I think if you use filtered water when first filling it might help. The few times I've filled it from the tap, I noticed the next time I cleaned it there was a residue on the bottom..not gross just slippery.
Think I 'll try putting a rug under it to catch the fur before it become water-bourne!

[boscibo]

I have the Drinkwell with the 6 Cup reservoir, and three cats. I refill it every 2-3 days, and tear it apart for cleaning about every 2 weeks.

When I do the 2-3 day refilling, I just refill the reservoir part, the stuff that is already in the bowl stays, but I think they go through water fast enough that is it refreshed and not old. I use my filtered refrigerator water to refill. Once I let it get too low, and it started making funny noises - probably not good. It is hard to carry to the sink with the bowl to full though, so I try and let it get down there before cleaning.

[AmberLee]

My Drinkwell also has the reservoir (sp?) option. I only tear it down and scrub the components completely once a month or so. I do top off the bowl about every other day and refill the reservoir a little more often than once a week. It sounds odd, but Cassy and Livvy seem to avoid it when it's been freshly cleaned... which is why I've cut back to my current schedule. (No, I don't use soap, just brushes, water, and elbow grease.)

(At least once a summer someone tries to go swimming/playing whatever in there and that requires a major cleaning up job.)

Some cats adore having ice cubes floating in there. Mine seem to find them nuisances. Oh well!

[All Creatures Great And Small]

You know, I have had my fountain for about 6 months now, and I have yet to catch my kitty drinking from it - he must be though, because there are HUGE pee clumps in his litter box, so he's getting fluid. I'm guilty of not checking on it as often as I should, since it's in a corner of the kitchen where no one will trip over it. It's made that "low on water" growling noise a few times. I've noticed when it gets real low, that there is hard water scale on the bowl part, because I don't want to give the kitty the softened water with all the salt/potassium in it. I really should get one of those water filtering pitchers and filter his water before I put it in the fountain. I guess I'll add that to my shopping list for today .
I take it apart and clean it/replace the water probably every 2 weeks or so, and even though the filter package says every 60-90 days to change it, I change it monthly. If I start using pre-filtered water though, I won't have to change the fountain filter so often.

You know, I am so bad about a) not doing chores and b) being on the computer so much, that I have a Microsoft Works Suite calendar program that pops up reminders for me on the computer - I have things in there like "wind the clocks" and "change the furnace filter", to help my aging memory . Now I can add "clean the kitty fountain"!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I have an older version of the water fountains so it really doesn't hold a lot of water at all. T & P go through the water that's in there in less than 2 days. I've already come down on the second day to find the thing sucking air. I guess that's a good thing because it means they're drinking, but I'm amazed the thing is still working because I think it said to not let it run dry because it's bad for the motor.

Anyway, because they go through it so fast, I really only disassemble the entire thing for a good cleaning every 2 months or so. It has a charcoal filter on it, so when they do get food crumbs or other "floatables" in it, the filter usually does a good job cleaning it. I add fresh water just about everyday, so the water that's in there isn't getting "stale" at all.

I should probably do it more often, but like Amberlee says, when I do clean it, they don't seem to use it again for awhile. Just like as soon as I clean up the food they drop on the floor around their dishes they immediately drop more there so I think they prefer it that way.

Here's a picture of Tubby drinking out of it. As you can see, no resevoir at all.

And while I'm at it, here they are eating. Notice the one or two pieces of food on the floor. Guess this was right after I got done cleaning.

[All Creatures Great And Small]

Hee hee - I love that picture of the "bookend" kitties by their bowls!

[NoahsMommy]

We add water to it everyday, in the part they actually drink from.

We tear it apart and add a new charcoal filter thing once a month.

Noah likes to drink from where the water comes out too, they are too cute!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I have the drinkwell kind with the six cup resevoir on it. Sunny loves it and is the main one that uses it. I take it apart and clean it every week. I use bottled water in it because I have very hard water and the directions said that this could be hard on the motor. I also fill up the resevoir only once a week so I don't waste any water. Since Sunny has had feline acne, I have to make sure that it's kept very clean. Here's a picture of him drinking from it. He likes to drink from the fountain part although he isn't in this picture.

[moosmom]

I have a decorative "rock" fountain that my friend gave me last year for Christmas. The cats seem to think that it's their own personal drinking fountain. So, I keep it near their water dish and use filtered water. The only problem now is it's developed a leak somewhere so I have to keep adding filtered water to it. I might just break down and get a drinkwell fountain with the reservoir. I tried a cheaper brand from one of those "gadget" catalogs and got what I paid for. Live and learn.

[lynnestankard]

Yes - these three adore their fountain that I brought back last year. I take apart and wash it about once a week - or when the water is full of fur!!
Dan drinks the water as it flows out - the other two lap it from the bowl. Then along comes Tricky (Elizabeth's dog) one slurp and the da**** thing is empty!!! I can't train her NOT to do this!!!

Lynne

[moosmom]

Okay, after I read all the responses, I broke down and bought a kitty drinking fountain from Petco. It was in the Clearance Bin. It's a Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow. It was marked down from $39.99 to $19.00 because it didn't have a filter! So I bought a filter. It's pretty cool. It has a small water well and is very quiet. I've picked up all the bowls of water around except for this fountain in the hopes that they'll get the idea. So far the only one I've SEEN drink out of it is Moo. I haven't seen anyone else go near it (they must drink out of it at night when I'm sleeping ) I did put an ice cube in it which DEFINITELY got Eli's attention.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Donna....

Welcome to my club...seeing the fountains on here is what got me to buy one (and I didn't get the discount you did!!!)

Last week after reading about Catsip I bought some of that for Edwina.

It took a few weeks before Edwina was completely happy with her fountain. But she does drink alot more. Now she even drinks the water as it comes out and it is her only source (NO MORE HUMIDIFIER!)

Where did you find the filters?

(Edwina drank from it in secret for a while too. Wouldn't want us to think she LIKED something!)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
Last week after reading about Catsip I bought some of that for Edwina.

Does this mean that she has turned her little nose up at Cat Sip?!!?? I'd have to say I wouldn't be surprised because she does have a somewhat.....refined...taste. I guess T & P took to it right away because they had always been given regular milk on a steady basis before Tubby started throwing it up everytime we gave it to him. When I saw the Cat Sip I knew Tubby's Saturday morning milk sessions were back for good.

But now Lady Edwina, she probably prefers a good Merlot or something....

[Edwina's Secretary]

She actually LIKED the Cat Sip ---- which is more than can be said for the Temptations, Whiskas, or all that free cat food I brought home from the Pet Show!

I had some difficulty locating Cat Sip -- didn't have it at my regular grocery but.....nothing is too much for Edwina...so I found it at another fancier grocery!