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One of my cats is borderline obsessed with drinking from the bathtub faucet. No matter how frequently we freshen his bowl with cool water, he makes a beeline to the tub every time someone enters the bathroom. Sound familiar? A preference for running water is common with cats—which helps explain the appeal of cat water fountains.
Theoretically, the water’s movement and bubbling sounds should encourage cats to drink more. Cat water fountains help hydrate your pet, and they can make life easier for you, too.
After hours of research and hands-on testing, we’ve chosen the Petlibro Dockstream Battery-Operated Water Fountain as the overall best cat water fountain you can buy. With helpful indicator lights, dishwasher-safe construction, quiet operation, and a three-level filtration system, the Pioneer Pet is a smart, efficient fountain.
But it’s not the best option for everyone. We bought and tested Ten water fountains and identified where each one’s strengths and weaknesses lie. Whether you’re focused on budget, need a stainless-steel fountain to fight acne, or have both dogs and cats in the home, there’s something here for you.
Overall Best: Petlibro Dockstream Battery-Operated Water Fountain
Cat water fountains are an excellent tool for boosting your cat’s hydration, but they don’t always fit where you want them to. Most cat water fountains use a power cord, which means you’ll have to find a spare outlet in a location your cat tends to frequent.
The Petlibro Dockstream cat water fountain is a more convenient alternative. Because it’s battery-operated, there are no wires to trip on. Simply charge the 5,000mAh lithium-ion battery and enjoy up to 30 days of continuous power. The unit is equipped with a high-level waterproof charging port that ensures consistent and long-lasting performance.
This fountain offers a generous 2.5L (84-ounce) capacity with a detachable water tank for easy cleaning and refilling. It features a vertical filtration system that draws water from the bottom of the tank through a wireless water pump and dispenses it into the stainless-steel water tray. The water then passes through a 4-layer filter to remove pet hair, heavy metals, odors, and other contaminants before returning to the reservoir.
The Dockstream from Petlibro has several helpful features that make operation and maintenance easy. Intelligent indicators on the base of the unit tell you when water or battery levels are low, and the Foreign Object Detection (FOD) system automatically shuts off the power when a metal object (like a collar) touches the charging base.
With this water fountain you can choose from two water modes. Continuous flow mode creates a 24/7 flow of fresh water while radar induction mode activates the flow only when your cat is detected within 80cm (31.5 inches). In radar induction mode, flow is activated for 20 seconds every hour as well.
While the Petlibro Dockstream fountain is full of convenient features and designed with both cats and cat owners in mind, you pay for it. The fountain is pricier than other options at $70. It’s also a new release, so there are very few reviews available online. That being said, the majority of the customer reviews available so far are positive.
Best for Multi-Pet Homes: PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Cat & Dog Water Fountain
For multi-pet households, the Petsafe Drinkwell 360 is hard to beat. This fountain has a huge capacity of 128 oz and provides 360° access for multiple cats or even small dogs. Additionally, it has several water spouts, which means more than one pet can drink at a time. Although it takes up a lot of floor space (14.3 X 14.3 X 9.3 inches), I’d say it’s a fair tradeoff considering the number of pets it can cater to.
The fountain comes with five interchangeable spouts, which offer different flow options. You can adjust the strength of the flow by turning them.
We have to admit this was the hardest fountain to assemble, and the cord clips holding the center cone in place were tricky to remove. It was also one of the loudest fountains, mainly because the water travels the longest distance from the spout to the bowl below.
Best Quiet Water Fountain: Petlibro Capsule Automatic Pet Fountain
While many cats enjoy drinking fresh water, the sound of a pet fountain can be alarming. The Petlibro Capsule Automatic Pet Water Fountain is one of the quietest models we’ve tested. In fact, the Petlibro features a special patented valve that quiets the fountain’s noise right at the start. It also integrates noise-insulated tubing for added noise dampening.
In addition to running silently, the Petlibro offers strong filtration to keep the water smelling and tasting fresh. With the fountain’s stacking design, water flows through the filter after being pumped into the drinking basin, so pet hair and other debris get trapped in the filter tray before being cycled back through the reservoir.
In terms of setup and maintenance, the Petlibro is very easy to set up. Its unique design makes it easy to refill without having to completely disassemble it. You simply remove the filter and water trays, then carry the unit to the sink to refill.
The biggest downside with the Petlibro is the cost of maintenance. Petlibro recommends replacing the filter every two weeks, though you may be able to make it last for three or four weeks in a single-cat household. You can purchase replacement filters in a 4-pack for about $16, which puts your annual maintenance costs near $100 if you follow through with two-week replacements.
Though the Petlibro is one of the more expensive options we’ve reviewed, we love how easy it is to set up and maintain. The transparent tank makes it easy to monitor the water level and we appreciate its quiet performance as well.
Best Budget: Catit Flower Fountain
The fountain’s easy assembly, whimsical design, and low price have made the Catit Flower Fountain a perennial favorite among cat guardians.
The water fountain has a generous 100-ounce water capacity and is easy to assemble. After you fill the bottom bucket with water, insert the filter disk and waterfall attachments, then start it up. Depending on how you adjust the center flower, the fountain can create free-falling streams, gentle bubbles, or calm streams.
Though it’s not noiseless, the Catit Flower Fountain is a quiet unit. The motor produces a faint, almost imperceptible hum.
By virtue of its plastic construction, the fountain isn’t as hygienic as a ceramic or stainless steel unit. Though it’s easy to disassemble and easy to clean by hand, Catit doesn’t say the fountain is dishwasher-safe. Many customers, however, say they’ve successfully cleaned it in a dishwasher.
According to some customer reviews, the filter has a tendency to get dirty fast. The carbon filter is seated right under the waterfall top, exposing it to any debris and hair that drops in. With no prefilter to catch large particles, everything goes straight to the activated carbon filter.
During our hair test, the Catit fountain was the only one to catch hair on the carbon filter. Though it’s the cheapest fountain on the list, its exposed carbon filter needs to be replaced frequently, adding up to at least $30 in annual filter replacements.
The water fountain isn’t the sturdiest on the market, so it’s not the best option for particularly rowdy homes. The top of the fountain sits on top of the water reservoir without anything holding it in place. This means that if you have dogs or active cats, they can easily topple the fountain or knock off the top in the heat of playtime.
Best Wireless: PetKit Eversweet 3 Pro
In an earlier version of this article, the PetKit Eversweet 2 made our top pick. PetKit has since released a newer model, the Eversweet 3, which includes some thoughtful updates and design modifications, as well as a tech-forward app.
One upgrade I found particularly useful is that the motor is powered by a detachable base. This makes cleaning much easier since there are no cords to fuss with—just lift the main unit and go. Additionally, PetKit has redesigned the pump to be wireless, a nice safety feature.
The Eversweet 3 has a compact and modern design. Unlike its predecessor, the interior walls are made of stainless steel. While it’s a nice feature, the brand’s claim that this is a “stainless steel fountain” is slightly misleading. Yes, it incorporates stainless steel, but the drinking dish itself is actually made of plastic.
Like the Eversweet 2, this model has a 3-layer filtration system that effectively flushed out hair during testing. However, it has a slightly smaller water capacity than the Eversweet 2 (1.35 L vs. 2 L).
This model is also compatible with an app that lets you switch to a power-saving mode. In normal mode, water flows continuously, but the smart mode allows you to reduce pump wear and tear by adjusting water flow and sleep mode times. When you make flow adjustments, the app gives you an updated estimate of how long the filter will last.
The app also sends reminders to clean the fountain and shows the number of days left for the filter, how many times the water has been purified, and electricity consumption. Three indicator lights on the base alert you when the filter needs replacing, when there is a water shortage, and when there is a power failure.
One possible drawback is the fountain’s water flow. It’s more of a subtle bubbling dish than a full cascade of water. While this will be sufficient for most pets, cats that prefer a more dramatic flow may not be interested.