Cat Drinking Fountain

Because cats, dogs and other domestic pets need fresh water, a cat drinking fountain is an extremely useful appliance that is both convenient for you as a cat owner and strongly promotes good health for your cats.  A pet drinking fountain replaces the normal water bowl with a device that makes water flow instead of sit stagnant.  The basic idea with a cat drinking fountain is to provide both circulation and filtration for the water your cat drinks.  Although there are several different cat drinking fountain product designs, this concept is almost always at the heart of each of the cat drinking fountains that are commercially available.  The design of these cat drinking fountains will often take into consideration that some cats, unlike most dogs, can be sensitive to or even scared of running water.

Cat Drinking Fountain Health Benefits

All domestic pets need clean water to drink (with the possible exception of fish which need clean water to live in).  Cats, in particular, are susceptible to becoming dehydrated.  This can lead to severe health problems such as urinary tract infections (especially in male cats) and reduced kidney function and even kidney failure in both males and females.  If you’ve ever had to give daily subcutaneous fluids to a cat via a drip bag, you know what I’m talking about.  A cat drinking fountain is the perfect solution to keeping your cat hydrated.  With a constant supply of clean, filtered water, your cat is much more likely to drink more water than those cats that only have stagnant water available to them.  A good quality cat drinking fountain will improve the health and longevity of your cat.

Bestselling Cat Drinking Fountains

The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain – the latest and greatest Drinkwell pet fountain.

The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is the culmination of over a decade of producing cat drinking fountains and other pet watering and feeding devices to make sure your pets stay healthy and well hydrated.  Clean, pure water is at least as important as food to the health of your cat, if not more so. With the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Water Fountain, water is constantly recirculating.  The 5 inch water fall stream is intriguing to both cats and dogs and makes drinking water more interesting.  The ample reservoir makes keeping the fountain full easy and convenient.  When it’s full, the unit holds a full 168 ounces –  almost a gallon and a half of water.  The Platinum Pet Fountain comes with a  replaceable charcoal filter to prevent odor and taste problems and includes features like a snap on lid for the reservoir, which keeps it from becoming detached, and a pre-filter to prevent debris from being circulated through and reaching the motor.

The whole system runs whisper quiet because it uses a submersible pump. And a splash guard helps to keep the water from splashing out of the fountain while sturdy rubber feet keep pet fountain from sliding around. This award-winning system is veterinarian recommended and runs on a low-voltage with inline disconnect so the plug can be removed. The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain comes fully assembled, but comes apart easily for washing.  It comes with a 1-year waranty and sells here for around $45.

If you have a cat that shies away from running water, the Pioneer Pet 6022 Ceramic Drinking Fountain might work better for you.

This fountain is dishwasher safe and uses a charcoal filter system to provide the cleanest and tastiest water for your cat. The raindrop-shaped ceramic construction makes the Pioneer Pet Ceramic Drinking Fountain more attractive and sanitary for your cat than other plastic fountains and dishes. The system can hold up to a quart and a half of water at a time.

Although these pet supplies are sold in stores, the best deals are usually online.  Check out these and other bestselling cat drinking fountains and feeding & watering supplies by manufacturers like Petmate, CatIt and others for the good health and well-being of your cat.

Stainless Steel Dog Bowls

If you have a pooch who tends to overturn, chew up or knock around his food or water dish, chances are you’re looking into heavier sturdier stainless steel dog bowls to keep your dog from making a mess.  Aside from their durability, stainless steel dog bowls are great because they’re easy to clean and sanitize.    They avoid staining and holding on to the smell of dog food like can occur with plastic dog dishes.  And stainless steel dog bowls look better than other dog bowls.

Which of the Many Stainless Steel Dog Bowls is Right for You?

For those tired of looking at ugly dog dishes, stainless steel dog bowls come in many decorative designs.  The outer sides of the bowl are often coated in porcelain, enamel, ceramic or another non-metallic material and have many different, attractive and cute patterns.  If you have an issue with your dog overturning his dish, a design like the one below might be the best.

The wide, flat bottom edge keeps the bowl securely on the floor and deters your dog from being able to upend it.  If your dog also tends to slide the bowl around the room in which he eats, you could consider either a bowl with a rubber bottom rim or a rubber grip mat on which to put your dog’s water and food dishes.

If your dog tends to chew the dish or carry it around, most smooth, stainless steel dog bowls designed like the one above or a similar product should prevent this.

A Few of the Wide Variety of Stainless Steel Dog Bowls Available

For a decorative option, consider the Loving Pets Metallic Bella Bowl Dog Bowl.

The Bella Bowl is both functional and attractive.  The outer side of the dish comes in 5 different colors with the design show.  The inner dish is stainless steel.  The dish also comes with a rubber ring that fits underneath so the dish stays put and doesn’t make noise.  Remove the rubber ring and the bowl is dishwasher safe.  It comes in small and medium sizes.  The large sells for around $9.25 and the small sells for around $6.

Among the more popular stainless steel dog bowls is the Petmate Stainless Style Pet Bowl.

The Petmate Stainless Style Pet Bowl is made of melamine with a thick stainless steel insert.  It has non-skid feet, it’s dishwasher safe and comes in two colors and two sizes.  It runs from $8.25 up to about $16 depending on size and color.

Another great option is the PETCO Stainless Steel Diner.

Not only does the Stainless Steel Diner come with two stainless steel dog bowls, for both food and water, it also includes a sturdy frame that provides both stability for the bowls as well as a raised dog bowl for both eating and drinking – an especially handy feature for older and/or arthritic dogs.  It’s sold here for the reduced price of around $18.

Do you live in a cold climate?  If you have trouble with your dog or cat’s water freezing, check out the Farm Innovators 3-Quart Heated Pet Bowl with Stainless Steel Bowl Insert.

This bowl has its own thermostat to turn the heating element on and off only as needed to prevent water from freezing.  It comes with an anti-chew cord and sells here for around $33.

These are just a few ideas from among the stainless steel dog bowls available.  There are many more stainless steel dog bowls to choose from.

The Simple Convenience of Automatic Dog Feeders

For dog lovers, care and feeding are naturally a high-priority, which is why so many dog owners are turning to automatic dog feeders.  Automatic dog feeders provide a way to make sure their best friends get a good meal it their regularly scheduled time even if the owner is not there to do it themselves.  Technology keeps advancing to meet the needs and increase convenience for people with dogs and the so the choices in automatic dog feeders continue to expand.

Gravity Controlled Automatic Dog Feeders

There are simple automatic dog feeders that offer basic solutions to automatically feeding your dog like the Petmate Le Bistro Feeder.

This simple gravity controlled device provides food on demand for your pet.  If you’re dog, like many, tends to eat until all the food is gone, a food on demand option is probably not the best solution.  Luckily there are several programmable choices of automatic dog feeders that dole out food in pre-measured meal sizes.

Timed, Portion-Control Automatic Dog Feeders

The Petmate Le Bistro Portion-Control Automatic Pet Feeder doles out pre-set amounts of food for your dog to keep mealtime consistency while preventing over eating.

This programmable feeder holds 10 pounds of dry food, has a smart look, and delivers the portion size you specify within the range of 0.25 cups and 3.0 cups up to 3 times a day.  It’s state-of-the-art in the world of automatic dog feeders.  Programming is simple and can be done with the touch of a few buttons.  Keeping enough reserves of food in the hopper is easy to manage because it’s see-through, but the twist-locking lid keeps it secure.  The Petmate Le Bistro Portion-Control Automatic Pet Feeder is powered by 3 D batteries (not included).

If you have a small dog, you could use the Lentek 6-Day Automatic Pet Dish.

The six compartments in the Lentek Automatic Pet Dish hold up to two thirds of a cup of dry food or 5.5 oz. of wet food.  The fact that it can store wet food makes the Lentek unique among most of the automatic pet feeders.  Each meal can be programmed to be made available to your dog either every 6 hours, 12 hours or once per 24 hour day.  This feeder is made of plastic and the inserts are removeable for easy cleaning.  The Lentek 6-Day Automatic Pet Dish runs on one 9v battery.  Although this feeder is advertised as a six day feeder, please use care in determining if it is safe to leave your dog unattended for more than a couple of days.

There are many other brands and models to choose from so it shouldn’t be difficult to find something that suits your particular needs.  Click here for a more complete selection of automatic dog feeders, automatic dog waterers and other pet supplies.

Reasons to Consider Automatic Pet Feeders

Automatic pet feeders give pet owners the perfect solution to the problem of making sure their pets are fed on a regular schedule without the owners having to manually put the food in their pets’ dishes. Dog and cat owners find automatic pet feeders especially useful. Automatic pet feeders can be a life saver for those with dogs or cats that are insistent about being fed at very early and very late hours of the day or night. And for the owner that works long hours, automatic pet feeders allows pets to eat on a normal schedule without forcing the need for any sort of pet daycare.

The Different Types of Automatic Pet Feeders

Automatic pet feeders come in many shapes and sizes and provide various functionality to fit the needs of pet owners. Some automatic pet feeders provide a constant flow of food and keep the pet’s dish filled at all times which works well for those pets that are self-regulated regarding their food intake. And for those pets that tend to over-indulge, there are automatic pet feeders that electronically, or in some cases mechanically without electricity, regulate the amount of food and time interval at which the food is made available to the pet. Below is an example of a feeder that can be used for both cats and dogs.

The Petmate Le Bistro Portion Control Automatic Pet Feeder can be set to dispense from between ¼ and 2 cups of dry cat or dog food at a time.

With all compartments of the Le Bistro Automatic Pet Feeder filled to capacity, the unit holds over 10 pounds of pet food. It can be programmed to provide as many as 3 separate pet meals in a 24 hour period. This is a sophisticated device which allows the time of each meal to be specified as well as the size of the portion. This includes the ability to have each of 3 meals to be a different portion size ranging from ¼ to 2 cups. The sturdy dish section, which is made of plastic, is easy to remove and simple to clean. The Le Bistro Automatic Pet Feeder is also simple to program and provides the user with prompts to accurately set the portion size and feeding times according to preference. The unit is electric and runs on 3 D-sized batteries which should last for up to six months.

Other Automatic Pet Feeders

For those not needing a portion control solution, a simpler and more economical choice might be the Petmate Le Bistro 5 Pound On Demand Feeder. This feeder is simply a large hopper with a shoot that feeds a serving dish. It works on gravity and keeps the dish filled as long as there is food in the hopper.

Using one of these units or one of the other various automatic pet feeders we’ll look at on the other pages of this the site are a convenient way of seeing to it that your pet gets fed regularly even if you are gone for several hours. Couple the right feeder with a pet water fountain to provide a continuous supply of fresh water for your dog or cat for extra convenience and added care.

If you are away more often than not or are planning an extended time away, make sure someone visits your pet daily.  Needless to say, neither automatic pet feeders nor pet water fountains are meant to replace human care.

Why Do Your Animals Need Pet Water Fountains?

Pet water fountains make sure dogs and cats have fresh water to keep them healthy and happy.

They also conserve water by using either a recirculating pump, a censor or some other on-demand mechanism.  These two facts are the main reasons why pet water fountains have become so popular.

Pet water fountains are electric devices that most often function by circulating and filtering water like an indoor stream for your pet to drink from.  Pet water fountains come in different sizes and types, smaller for small dogs and cats, and larger for bigger dogs.

Benefits of Pet Water Fountains

A few of the many health benefits that fresh water provides for your pet are improved digestion and kidney function.  If you’ve ever had an older cat for whom you had to provide subcutaneous IV fluids, you know that felines in particular are susceptible to kidney problems.  Avoid these and other veterinary problems by providing fresh water on a consistent basis.

A Few of the Many Pet Water Fountains Available

Some of the more popular brands and models of fountains can be found for very competitive prices online.

The Drinkwell Big-Dog Water Fountain, as the name implies, with a capacity of well over 2 gallons, is a pet water fountain suitable for big dogs or households that have a number of pets. It’s patented free falling water stream and large charcoal filter, remove bad tastes and provide your dog with days of fresh water.  It lists for around $75 but you can find it for under $60.

The Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain uses the same free falling stream of water and charcoal filter but has a smaller capacity.  It’s ideal for small pets, lists for around $50, and can be found for under $35 here.

Petmate makes the Fresh Flow Cat Fountain which has an adjustable water flow and water ramp to prevent splashing, ideal for cats that are sensitive to noise or water. It also has a carbon filter to remove impurities and improve taste.  Suggested retail is $40, get it here for under $30.

There is also the CatIt Drinking Fountain which has a unique dome design.  Water flows on the outside of the dome as opposed to in a stream.  This fountain is popular and functional.  Price is normally $50, get it here for under $35.

Check out these and other pet water fountains.

A Dog Water Fountain To Keep Your Dog Healthy

Since dogs’ sweat glands are insufficient to cool their entire bodies, especially in hot weather, it’s important that they have fresh, cool water to drink, which is why dog owners should consider a dog water fountain.  Water is essential to your dog’s healthy kidney function, to prevent dehydration and to keep your dog happy.

Even if you provide your dog fresh water each morning, unless you are home all day, the dog’s water probably becomes stagnant or even collects bugs and debris.  Veterinarians recommend giving your dog fresh water 3 times or more each day.  This can be difficult or impossible when pet owners are away from home for long hours.

Dog Water Fountain Vs. Dirty Puddle Or Worse

As we know, dogs are not particular about their source of drinking water.  Dirty water is as suitable to your dog as is clean water.  Muddy water puddles, plant basins or water from any other place it can accumulate is fair game for a thirsty dog.  As distasteful as it sounds, dog owners know it often happens.

Drinking from the toilet is another issue for many owners.  It’s not only unsanitary, but it presents a drowning danger, especially for smaller dogs.

A dog water fountain offers an excellent solution to making sure your dog gets all the fresh water he needs.  And the combination of constantly circulating or on-demand water along with a filtration system makes certain that the water he drinks is potable and of good quality.

Dog Water Fountain Choices

If your dog remains mostly outdoors, the WaterDog Automated Pet Fountain might be the perfect solution for you.  The WaterDog connects to any outdoor spigot and uses an ultrasonic sensor to automatically turn on the water flow when the dog approaches to take a drink.  When he finishes drinking and moves away, the sensor turns the water off again.

Other types of dog water fountain like those from Petmate and Drinkwell are mainly for indoor use.  They are designed to keep fresh water circulating through a filter system and running continuously to enhance taste and freshness.

Whichever dog water fountain you choose, you’ll rest easy knowing that your dog always has fresh water when you are away.

If you don’t see anything that suits your needs, there are other types of dog water fountain available.