The Hidden Dangers of Automatic Water Fountains for Cats: A Pet Sitters experience
Hey there, fellow cat lovers! I’ve been wanting to talk about this for a long time. I have seen these fountains popping up in lots of clients homes and have always eyed them suspiciously. What’s so hard about washing a water bowl especially since most people have dishwashers. While these nifty devices may seem like a convenient solution to keep our fur babies hydrated, if you’re not vigilant about maintaining them they can pose serious risks to your cat’s health. As a dedicated cat parent and professional pet sitter who values the safety and happiness of all our fur babies, I’m here to share my experiences with these so-called convenience devices.
Bacterial Growth: This is the big one. These fountains have filters and pumps that require weekly maintenance to prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria. Cats are highly susceptible to bacterial infections, and if the fountain isn’t meticulously cleaned weekly and the filter changed monthly, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to urinary and GI tract infections and other health issues.
I’ll spare you the gruesome photo of one fountain I cleaned at a client’s home. The filter was a veritable Petri dish. It had never been changed. It was no wonder their cat was on meds for chronic digestive issues.
Another client bought a sleek looking fountain for both his dog and his cat to share. This is not a good idea. The ‘filter’ was all of .5″ W x 1.5″L and their dog was a GS mix and constantly shedding so the filter couldn’t begin to handle the amount of fur that fell into the bowl and required cleaning every day; not to mention that he was a 75 lb dog and these fountains are not nearly large enough to meet a big dog’s water needs. They’re suitable for cats and small dogs but give the big doggos an appropriately sized water bowl.
Mechanical Failures: This is an easy one, if it stops working, chuck it. A big plastic apparatus with stagnant water sitting in it for several days is not going to be healthy for your beloved companion.
Motor noise: While cats are known for their curiosity not all of them are going to be curious enough or interested in learning to drink from a water bowl that makes noise. If you know your cat is shy and sensitive and incurious maybe stick with the ceramic or stainless steel water bowl, they’re just going to reject the noisemaker.
Electricity: If you’re blessed with one of the rare cord chewers an electric water fountain is probably a pass unless you can hide the cord under something immovable and impenetrable.
While the idea of automatic water fountains for cats might seem appealing, it’s important to know yourself and your cat. If housekeeping isn’t normally your ‘thing’ and your cat is super sensitive to noise or anything new then stick with the tried and true water bowl and spend that money on some primo catnip for that precious feline. They will love you for it.
