The Best Cat Water Fountains
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As seen with the rise of automatic litter boxes, automatic feeders, pet tracking, and now the cat water fountain, technology has made it so that we can closely monitor our pets and ensure they’re being taken care of without having to do a lot of the manual labor.
A cat water fountain encourages cats to drink more water, which helps with their overall health. I’ve noticed an increase in my cats’ water consumption since switching to a fountain. As a pet helicopter mom, I’ve become a fountain believer.
While automatic water fountains are better for your cats' overall water consumption, they do require a bit more work and money. Rather than refilling a bowl, these take a little more elbow grease—but it’s worth it for your cat’s health. Along with routine refilling and cleaning, you’ll need to disassemble the fountain to clean all parts, including using a brush for the bowl and tubes. You may also have to disassemble the motor to deep-clean because of mineral buildup. These also have different types of filtration cartridges in specific shapes for the brand’s fountains, which require you to buy and change out filters, usually monthly or more often.
Many of these fountains also have a connected app, which reminds you when to clean, replace the filter, and refill water. Many also track how many times your pet drinks throughout the day, week, and month to monitor your pet’s habits and track any changes. A cat drinking way more or way less water than usual can be a good indicator that something is wrong with their health.
I (and my cats) tested various models (and some of the technologically advanced) automatic water fountains for pets available right now to see which are worth the money.
Check out our related guides like the Best Automatic Feeders, Best Automatic Litter Boxes, Our Favorite Fancy Cat Furniture, and Our Favorite Cat Toys, Litter Boxes, and Other Feline Supplies. More of a dog person? We got you covered; see our Best Accessories and Tech Essentials for Your Dog guide.
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Why a Fountain?
Cats sometimes struggle to consume enough water, which can lead to potentially lethal UTIs and blockages in male cats especially. This is one of the reasons vets are moving more toward encouraging owners to give their cat at least a partially wet food diet, as this helps them consume more moisture, especially since cats don’t naturally consume as much water as dogs. Unlike dogs, cats are generally quite particular in their likes and dislikes, and cats can see stagnant water as potentially harmful. (If the cat was in the wild, stagnant water has more potential for harmful bacteria). Cats are more drawn to moving water in nature, and these fountains help encourage them to drink more by emulating what they’re naturally drawn to.
What I Looked For
Let’s be honest, a lot of these fountains are pretty much the same. I looked especially for the overall design—I am a fiend for stainless steel because of the potential of porous plastic harboring harmful bacteria. I also favor a wide reservoir without high sides to help reduce the chance for whisker fatigue. I prefer fountains that have a small basin reservoir of water available at all times, in case of low water levels or power failure. I took into account ease of setting up, refilling, and cleaning, as well as overall design. And of course, there were some that my cats took to straight away, and some they didn’t seem to favor as much.
How We Tested
I used each of these for a week as my cats’ main source of water. As mentioned, I noted the ease of setting up, evaluated parts and filters, and generally compared the various types of water fountains—spigot, bubbling, or waterfall. Some flows were continuous and some were intermittent (my cats didn’t prefer intermittent). Cats may also be intrigued and want to play with the machine rather than drink, so be sure to give them time and keep another water source around until they are fully adjusted to the new gadget.
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Overall
Petlibro Dockstream FountainWe tested several different automatic water fountains from our top Automatic Feeder pick’s brand, Petlibro. This fountain is fairly straightforward—it has a cordless pump (way more convenient and safer for cleaning) that takes water from its 2.5-liter water basin and pushes it through the top spout in a waterfall onto a small reservoir (and at 23 decibels, it’s virtually silent). This smart fountain is plugged in via USB with a chew-proof cord, and the basin sits on a dock to make cleaning and refilling the water easier. The stainless steel bowl snaps on top of the basin for further easy cleaning and refilling, and the basin itself holds 130 milliliters in the bowl at all times in case of power outage, which I really appreciated.
The fountain also has a low-water detection system, meaning that the fountain will automatically stop if water levels get too low. The four-layer vertical filtration system sits between the basin and the bowl and has nonwoven fabric to filter pet hair, activated carbon for contaminants, ion-exchange resin to soften water, and a high-density sponge to remove tiny particles. (An eight-pack of filters is $18.)
The fountain is connected to an app that records when your cat drank from it, how much they drank, and for how long. It also sends alerts of low water levels, when to change the filter, and when to clean. With purchase of the fountain, you get a one-week free trial of either Care ($60/year) or Care Plus ($130/year), which gives more insight into tracking your pet's health and has things like recommended feeding goals and expert insight. This fountain is ergonomically designed and always keeps the water cool and clean, and I absolutely love the water reservoir in case of power outage. I just wish the basin were made of stainless steel because of the potential of the plastic harboring bacteria.
★ Alternative: The Dockstream Cordless Fountain ($63) is essentially the exact same as above except it isn’t connected to an app and it’s cordless, so you can conveniently move it around in your house. The bottom of the dock lights up to indicate when charging, when the battery’s low, or when water levels are low. To conserve battery power, the fountain doesn’t run continuously and only begins to run when it senses a cat drinking and turns back off 40 seconds or so after it leaves. There’s about a five-second lag when it senses the cat in front of the fountain and when water begins to flow. Because of this, my cats avoided using it, since the water flowing would startle them when they were already bent down drinking. For the last few days, I kept it plugged in to have continuous flow and ensure they had enough water intake, but that eliminates the benefit of the cordless feature.
Materials Plastic, stainless steel Filtration type Four layers: nonwoven fabric, activated carbon, ion-exchange resin, high-density sponge Capacity 84 fl oz Connected to an app? Yes Power source USB plug-in - Photograph: Molly Higgins
Runner Up
Petkit Eversweet MaxThis fountain became one of my top choices because my cats were obsessed with it. I had never seen my cats drawn to a fountain so quickly. Petkit has consistently upped the game when it comes to automating cat-related tasks, like its AI-powered litter box and other top-rated automatic litter boxes. I tested a couple of Petkit fountains, but this was my fave. This automatic fountain can be either cordless or battery-powered, and can last up to 83 days using only battery power.
It’s a long rectangular design, and the drinking bowl is made of stainless steel, but the reservoir is plastic. The water is pushed through a cordless, nearly silent pump and filtered through a high-density cotton and activated-carbon filter (five for $20). Because of the shape of the basin with the chunky battery and reservoir bowl, it’s a little awkward to clean. The app logs every time a pet drinks and compares it over time to determine whether your cat’s drinking habits have changed. The water flow can be standard flow, intermittent (three minutes on and off), or battery (where the water flow time and sleeping mode time are fully customizable), or you can pause the water flow altogether and just use the basin reserve. The app also keeps track of when the filter needs replacing, and when you last added and need to refill water. One of the only gripes I have is that the fountain doesn’t monitor or show you how much water is left in the basin; you have to manually check or wait for it to give low-water alerts. My pets loved this fountain, so I loved it too, but I wish the app showed water levels and the design made it a bit easier to clean.
Materials Plastic, stainless steel Filtration type high-density filter cotton, sintered activated carbon Capacity 3 L Connected to an app? Yes Power source USB plug-in
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best Cordless
ROLA Smart Pet Water FountainThis automatic fountain is cordless and runs on a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 60 days (although it can stay plugged in too). It has a wireless pump that uses magnetic induction—this pump was one of the easiest and most hassle-free to clean of all I tested. The fountain has a stainless steel top that holds a decent amount of water even when not running, so the water stays accessible. It also has a clear plastic reservoir. I love that the clear reservoir shows me how full the tank is without having to check the app (although I’m wary of plastic because of its propensity to harbor bacteria), and the stainless steel reservoir helps keep germs at bay. Unlike the other cordless we tested, this one had a solid range in front of it and started the flow of water before the cats approached, so they weren’t startled when drinking. It’s connected to an app, which like the others on this list, gives reminders of when the water’s low, the fountain needs cleaning, or the filter needs replacing.
The fountain also automatically stops dispensing water and sends you a reminder to refill via app. It also logs the number of times your pet drank and for how long, monitoring hydration patterns over time and comparing the stats to average time used. Although there is no way to tell which cat drank from it and the stats seem like a bit of a moot point—I’m not sure what to do with this info besides, “Yep, cats be drinkin’.” The sensing range goes very far and sometimes it would log that a cat was drinking when people were just passing by, so it's not entirely accurate. Pretty much the only gripe I have with it is that it wouldn’t stay on Continuous stream mode, even when plugged in, instead automatically switching to the Sensing stream.
Materials Plastic, stainless steel Filtration type Three layers; sponge near motor Capacity 2 L Connected to an app? Yes Power source USB plug-in and built-in rechargeable battery - Photograph: Molly Higgins
Best for Monitoring Pets’ Health
Petlibro Dockstream RFID Smart FountainLike the Petlibro One RFID Smart Feeder that I reviewed in the Best Automatic Cat Feeders, the RFID Smart Fountain uses a collar tag to monitor which cat is using the device and for how long, so you can compare and track health data. As I mention above, ensuring your cat is sufficiently hydrated is one of the easiest ways to monitor their health. The Petlibro app alerts you when your pet's consumption is down or up, and you can set hydration goals, which the app will let you know have been met or not.
This fountain is nearly identical in design to Petlibro’s Dockstream Fountain, with a stainless steel top, removable basin on a dock, cordless water pump, and app monitoring. The fountain has a small hood to make the area of drinking smaller, to better track the pet with the tracking collar. You can track the hydration patterns of up to five cats, and each wears a collar tag so that the fountain knows which cat is using it and when to track data and goals. I noticed my cats didn’t drink from it right away, and when I removed the hood they used it more, but the data didn’t track as well, so I had to leave it on. This fountain would be especially useful for pet parents of elderly male cats or those who have had health issues with UTIs to more easily monitor and track changes, as well as create drinking goals.
Materials Plastic, stainless steel Filtration type 4 layers: nonwoven fabric, activated carbon, ion-exchange resin, high-density sponge. Capacity 3 L Connected to an app? Yes Power source USB plug-in
- Photograph: Petlibro
An Ultra-Filtration Fountain
Petlibro Glacier Ultrafiltration FountainI had high hopes for this ultra-luxe fountain from one of my favorite pet tech brands. It has an “ultrafilter” that removes 99 percent of bacteria and lasts up to two months—more clean without actually having to clean? Hell yeah. A stainless steel tank and basin—less potential for harmful bacteria and that keeps water colder? Double hell yeah. The fountain has a large rectangular stainless steel basin with a steel water tray, and a large filtration unit on the back.
The entire filtration unit on the back detaches with the spigot, and you can lift the basin to refill the reservoir. The back also has lights to alert you when water levels are low or it's time to change the filter. This fountain only begins water flow when activated, which I’m not the biggest fan of; my cats tend to not drink as much unless it's continuously flowing, and they’re startled when the water begins flowing when they’re drinking. The ultrafilter is the main draw of this fountain—it lasts up to two months, longer than any other fountain I’ve tested, and it claims to eliminate 99.9 percent of bacteria. The filter is engineered with resins and uses ion-exchange fibers, activated carbon, and ultrafiltration membrane fibers to reduce heavy metals and odors.
There’s also a prefilter of a thin material that needs to be replaced every two weeks, which sits between the back filter system and basin. The bulky back filter only needs to be replaced every two months, but it is pricey at $32 for a two-pack. Plus, I don’t feel great about throwing away a giant plastic object every two months to sit in a landfill for eternity. The water was cold and clean, and I’ve been overall happy with it, except I wish it had an app. I haven’t had issues with my fountain, but reviewers online complain that it broke after several months, stopped sensing cats for water flow, and that it’s sort of weird that you can’t see what’s going on with the filter behind and can’t clean it routinely. I’ll be on the lookout for malfunction issues, but so far my only gripe is no continuous flow (and filling the landfill with plastic).
Materials Stainless steel Filtration type Ultrafilter of ion-exchange fibers, activated carbon, and ultra-filtration membrane fibers Capacity 2.5 L Connected to an app? No Power source USB plug-in - Photograph: Molly Higgins
A Fountain With UV Filtration
Petkit Eversweet 3 ProLike many other styles we tested, this circular automatic fountain connects to power via USB, holds 1.35 liters of water, and connects to an app to monitor water levels and remind you when it’s time to fill. It has a wireless pump that pushes water from the basin into the top lip and circulates continuously. The top part also has a small reservoir that keeps 60 milliliters of water in the tray at all times, ensuring your kitty always has access to water. The circular filter is made of a high-density-fiber cotton, with coconut-shell activated carbon and ion-exchange resin (replacements are three for $20); the pump also has a foam filter and UV light to further sterilize water by killing potential harmful bacteria.
The Petkit app monitors water levels, shuts off automatically when water becomes too low, and reminds you when to clean the device and change the filter. You can also schedule Do Not Disturb mode so the water stops flowing during certain times—though I don’t know why you would, since the fountain is virtually silent at 25 decibels. I had few complaints about this fountain: The stainless steel seemed to keep bacteria at bay, the water was always cold, and my cats took to it right away. However, when I went out of town, the fountain disconnected itself from the app, had trouble adjusting to the time change, and didn’t send me a notification that water levels were low. When I got back home, the machine had stopped the water flow. The tray still had water, luckily, but I wish there were a way to monitor the water levels from the app to know exactly how much water is left (rather than just being full or auto-shutting off when empty). The app really only functions as a way to schedule reminders of when to add water and clean, rather than providing more holistic insights or showing just how much water is left in the device.
Materials Plastic and stainless steel Filtration type High-density fiber, coconut-shell activated carbon, ion-exchange resin, foam filter, UV light Capacity 1.35 L Connected to an app? Yes Power source USB plug-in
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
A Stainless Steel Budget Option
Pawtners Stainless Steel Cat Water FountainThis 4-liter-capacity water fountain from Pawtners is made of stainless steel and is BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, and corrosion-resistant. The fountain bubbles water through a center spigot, and the shallow, square stainless steel top has a small slit where the water recycles, passing through a four-cartridge panel filter before water is stored in the basin below. (The replacement filters and sponges are available in a pack of eight for $17.) The basin has marks on the inside and a circular window to monitor water levels, and the window glows red when the levels are low. I also noticed that the stainless steel tends to keep the water colder than the plastic options, and the pump is nearly silent at 30 decibels.
Cleaning is super easy—you just take off the top layer and wash all of the stainless steel parts, soak the new filters before replacing, and use the included brush to clean the connecting tube. However, it isn't wireless like most on this list, so be careful not to get wiring wet. I love that the stainless steel helps in keeping the water clean and cool—I’ve had no complaints about this fountain, and at only $30, it’s a steal.
Materials Stainless steel Filtration type Four cartridge panel with activated carbon, ion-exchange resin, medical stone, covered in nonwoven fabric Capacity 4 L Connected to an app? No Power source USB plug-in - Photograph: Kat Merck
A Cute Budget Option
Wonder Creature Cat FountainMy two cats have cycled through several water fountains over the past few years, but this no-nonsense version has been my favorite. The inside is lit by a blue LED (bright enough to glow in the dark), and a clear viewing window on the side makes it easy to monitor the water level from afar. I also like the dishwasher-safe metal bowl and the fact you can remove parts of the yellow and white “flower” to create a fountain configuration your cat likes (waterfall, low bubble-up, tall bubble-up).
It does make a slight but definitely audible splashing noise when the water is below its max level, but I got used to it over the course of the week. It’s easy to fill the 2.4-liter reservoir (which I find myself needing to do every few days with cats who eat a mix of wet and dry food) from the top, and replacement carbon filters are reasonably priced at eight for $12. The only major downside is that there is no reservoir to hold water in case of power outage or pump malfunction, so when we go on vacation we have to swap it out for an old-school gravity dispenser. —Kat Merck
Materials Plastic, stainless steel Filtration type Prefilter sponge; filter with cotton layers, coconut-shell activated carbons, and ion-exchange resins Capacity 2.4 L Connected to an app? No Power source USB plug-in
- Photograph: Simon Hill
A Whimsical Fountain
Happy & Polly Gothic Cat Drinking FountainIf you prefer gothic decor to neutral blandness, this ghostly ceramic cat fountain from Happy & Polly may tempt you to bite. The water bubbles up out of the top of the ghost and pools on the ceramic top. It’s fairly quiet at around 35 decibels, but it gets loud when the water is running low, and I worry about the motor burning out, as the 1.5-liter capacity can run dry fast. While the ceramic finish is easy to clean, it is fiddly to take apart. You will want to clean it once a week to prevent it from becoming slimy, and you must change the filter once a month. —Simon Hill
Materials Ceramic Filtration type Filter sponge, volcanic rock, medical stone, tao carbon ball Capacity 1.5 L Connected to an app? No Power source USB plug-in - Photograph: Simon Hill
A Fountain With a Large Reservoir
Oneisall Stainless Steel Pet FountainThis drinking fountain is about as simple as they come. As it's designed for cats or small dogs, it has a large bowl, but some cats will prefer that. I love the mostly stainless steel construction, as it's easy to keep clean and less prone to dirt and bacteria buildup. You can even stick parts into the dishwasher to clean. This fountain can also hold up to 7 liters of water, so you don’t have to refill as often. It’s fairly quiet at around 35 decibels, but it gets louder when the water is running low (a red light warns you when it needs a refill). You should clean once a week and rinse the filter. The filter packs are relatively affordable at $15 for a pack of eight, and you need to swap them once a month. —Simon Hill
Materials Stainless steel Filtration type Nonwoven fabric, ion-exchange resin, activated carbon, prefilter sponge Capacity 7 L Connected to an app? No Power source USB plug-in
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
A Fountain Better for Small Dogs
Whisker City Free Fall Cat FountainThis Whisker City Free Fall Cat Fountain has a large 150-fluid-ounce bowl and a waterfall design. Like others on this list, the simple pump pushes the water back into the basin as it flows from a small curved spout. The water is filtered from the basin to the pump with a replaceable filter that’s made of activated carbon and cotton with a second mesh covering in front (filters are eight for $15).
This fountain came mostly assembled, so setup was easy. Although the basin has a small splash pad to help offset the waterfall noise, this was one of the loudest fountains I tested. The evaporation from the waterfall-like system also caused me to refill it every other day. Because of the structure of the fountain, my cats had to bend their head at an awkward angle. They tended to avoid drinking from the basin because of that, and their heads got slightly wet from the splatter of the waterfall. The basin is also not angled so crumbs and debris would be at the bottom of the bowl. Although this fountain is marketed for cats, I think it may be better for dogs or cats who still like having a basin of water.
Materials Plastic Filtration type Activated carbon and cotton Capacity 4.43 L Connected to an app? No Power source Electricity plug-in - Photograph: Molly Higgins
An Easy-to-Use Fountain
EverSweet Solo SEThis very simple, straightforward fountain has a square-shaped body, is translucent to easily see water levels from the outside, and has a nearly silent 25-decibel cordless pump to circulate water from the basin to the top level, where 60 milliliters of water is always available for drinking, even in case of power failure.
Like other Petkit fountains, this has a high-density-fiber cotton, coconut-shell activated carbon, and ion-exchange resin filter (replacements are three for $20) placed between the storage basin and the top, along with a foam filter on the water pump. The device sits on a base that's connected to a wall plug-in via USB, making it easier to clean by just removing the basin. All parts come apart, making it super easy to clean. This fountain doesn’t have multiple modes or an associated app—you’ll have to manually check water levels. I noticed this fountain wasn’t as cold as some of the others (I think because stainless steel naturally keeps water colder), and because of the design of the top, debris often pooled in the dipped areas, and I had to take off the top layer every three days or so and rinse the brownish debris that would start to sit.
Materials Plastic Filtration type High-density-fiber cotton, coconut-shell activated carbon, ion-exchange resin, foam filter Capacity 1.85 L Connected to an app? No Power source USB plug-in
Photograph: Molly HigginsOthers We Tested
We Liked These, but They Weren't Our Top Picks- Petkit Eversweet Solo 2 ($50): I love three key features of this fountain: The bowl sits on top of a wireless charging base, so you don’t have to fiddle with cables, it is super easy to clean, and it's very quiet at around 25 decibels. A flashing light warns you when the water is running low, and you can check when the filter needs to be changed in the app (it’s annoying that only the more expensive models will notify you, but it’s a standard once-a-month job). There’s an optional smart mode that pumps intermittently and a night mode to turn the light off. Pleasingly, all three of our cats drink from this fountain, though that does mean I have to refill it often, as it only holds 2 liters. Sadly, the filters are very expensive at $20 for five. —Simon Hill
- PetSnowy SNOW+ Automatic Pet Water Fountain ($60): The SNOW+ automatic fountain from PetSnowy is very simple—it’s a curved square design where water is pumped through a hole in the top and the residual water is cycled through a circular filter system. This fountain is connected to an app that doesn’t do much but act as a reminder to clean it, and it has a countdown to when the filter needs replacing. Unlike others on this list, this fountain doesn’t really have a top reservoir to store water in case of power failure—when turned off, very little water remains in the top area. But the water has a gentle bubbling, and the fountain is virtually silent in use. Refilling it is a little tricky without taking off the top, and water often spilled. It works well and is virtually silent, but I still prefer to use a fountain with a bigger top reservoir and stainless steel to lessen any potential bacteria growth.
Photograph: Molly HigginsNot Recommended
Avoid These- Cat Mate 3-Level Pet Fountain ($28): This tall automatic Cat Mate fountain sets itself apart with three tiers for cats who like to drink at every level. Like others on this list, water is powered via a pump that pushes the water up, and after the water pools it spills to the basin below, creating a waterfall-like effect. The water in the basin is then recycled back through the polymer-carbon filter and pushed back up top. Setup was easy, although the directions were a bit vague and confusing. However, cleaning the motor requires disassembly using tools and extended soaking. Because of the long space that the water has to travel, evaporation caused the water to need to be refilled about every other day. Plastic also harbors bacteria, and previous plastic models I’ve owned have had mold issues. The basin is quite large and sits flat. Because of this, I noticed that some debris would sit in the bottom and front of the large basin rather than moving back to the filter system behind. The plastic material and lack of ergonomic gravity design caused this fountain to be dirtier than others.
