We’ve had a cat water fountain running in our house for years. We have three cats, and getting them to drink enough water has always been a priority — especially since dehydration in cats can lead to kidney disease, urinary tract infections, and bladder crystals. Cats are naturally drawn to moving water (an instinct from their wild ancestors who knew still water could be stagnant), so a fountain makes a real difference.
The problem is that most cat water fountains are disgusting to maintain. We went through four different plastic and ceramic fountains before landing on one that actually stays clean and doesn’t make me dread refill day.
Quick answer: The Rellaty Stainless Steel Cat Water Fountain Check price on Amazon is the best we’ve used — 108oz capacity, all stainless steel (no plastic touching the water), easy to fully disassemble and clean, and it has a blue LED light that looks great at night. About $30 and it’s lasted us longer than any fountain we’ve tried. Pair it with a silicone mat underneath and stock up on replacement filters.
Why Your Cat Needs a Water Fountain
This isn’t just a nice-to-have. Cats have a naturally low thirst drive — their desert-dwelling ancestors got most of their hydration from prey. Domestic cats eating dry kibble don’t get that moisture, and many won’t drink enough from a still bowl.
Chronic dehydration in cats leads to real health problems:
- Kidney disease — The #1 cause of death in older cats. Kidneys need adequate water flow to filter waste from the blood. Well-hydrated cats show significantly lower rates of chronic kidney disease.
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) — Concentrated urine creates a breeding ground for bacteria. More water means more dilute urine, which means less bacterial growth.
- Bladder crystals and blockages — Dense, mineral-heavy urine promotes crystal formation. In male cats especially, urinary blockages can be life-threatening and require emergency vet visits ($1,000+).
- Constipation — Dehydrated cats have harder stools. Chronic constipation can lead to megacolon, which sometimes requires surgery.
Studies show that roughly 79% of cats drink more water from a fountain than from a still bowl. The movement catches their attention, the filtration keeps it tasting fresh, and the continuous circulation prevents that stale taste that makes cats turn their noses up at day-old water.
Our Pick: Rellaty Stainless Steel Cat Water Fountain
The Rellaty Stainless Steel Cat Water Fountain (108oz/3.2L) Check price on Amazon is the one we’ve been running for years now, and it’s outlasted everything else we’ve tried.
Why stainless steel matters: Plastic fountains develop biofilm — that slimy pink or orange residue you can’t fully scrub out of textured plastic surfaces. It grows in crevices, around pump housings, and in the tiny gaps of snap-together designs. Plastic also scratches over time, creating microscopic grooves where bacteria thrive. Stainless steel is non-porous, doesn’t scratch the same way, and you can actually see when it’s clean.
What I like about the Rellaty specifically:
- Fully disassembles in about 30 seconds — every piece comes apart, no hidden chambers you can’t reach
- 108oz capacity — with three big cats, a full fill lasts about a week
- Blue LED light — I’m not sure the cats care about it, but it looks cool in the kitchen at night and makes it easy to check water level in the dark
- Quiet pump — you can hear a gentle water trickle, but the motor itself is nearly silent
- 18-month warranty on the pump — they’ll replace it free if it dies
The honest truth about cleaning: You will not escape cleaning a cat water fountain. Period. Every fountain, regardless of material, needs regular maintenance. But stainless steel makes it the least painful process possible. Here’s what our routine looks like:
- Every refill (about weekly): Dump the old water, scrub down all stainless steel surfaces with a Scrub Daddy Check price on Amazon, rinse, refill. We use these for all our dish cleaning — they hold up way longer than regular sponges, and you can control the firmness with water temperature. Cold water makes it stiff for scrubbing stubborn buildup, warm water softens it so it shapes into corners and curves. Takes about 2 minutes.
- Every month or two: Use the included pipe cleaner brush to clean out the pump intake and the water channels. There’s a small tube inside the pump housing where buildup can happen — the pipe cleaner reaches it easily.
- Occasionally: I’ll run a small amount of rubbing alcohol through the pump for 30 seconds or so, then rinse it thoroughly with clean water several times before putting it back. This kills anything growing inside the pump that you can’t physically reach. Just make sure you rinse it extremely well afterward — run clean water through it at least 3-4 times before your cats use it again.
One important warning: This fountain requires electricity to circulate water. If the power goes out, your cats can’t drink from it. If you’re going on vacation or leaving cats with a pet sitter, always leave a regular backup water bowl out. A power outage while you’re away and no backup bowl could mean your cats go without water — don’t risk it.
Replacement filters are essential. The Rellaty Replacement Filters (8-Pack) Check price on Amazon use a triple filtration system — cotton layer, activated carbon, and ion exchange resin. I swap them every 3-4 weeks. An 8-pack runs about $12 and lasts most of the year. Don’t skip the filters — they’re what keep the water tasting fresh enough that your cats actually want to drink it.
The Fountains We Tried Before (And Why We Ditched Them)
Before the Rellaty, we went through a rotation of fountains that all had the same core problem: impossible to truly clean.
Plastic Fountains (Multiple Brands)
We tried two different plastic fountains early on. Both developed biofilm within weeks — that slimy pink residue that grows on plastic surfaces exposed to moisture. You can scrub it, but it comes right back because the plastic is porous and scratched from cleaning. One had a snap-together design with internal channels that you literally could not reach without a tiny bottle brush, and even then you couldn’t see if you’d actually cleaned it. Threw both away after a few months.
Plastic fountains also contribute to feline chin acne. The bacteria on degraded plastic transfers to your cat’s chin every time they drink. If your cat has recurring chin acne, switch to stainless steel or ceramic — it often clears up on its own.
Ceramic Fountains
Ceramic was better than plastic — easier to clean, no biofilm issue, and they look nice. But ours cracked after about six months. Ceramic is heavy and fragile, and one accidental bump during cleaning chipped the rim. Once ceramic is chipped or cracked, it’s no longer food-safe because bacteria gets into the unglazed surface. At $40-50 per fountain, replacing them every time they chip isn’t practical.
Other Stainless Steel Fountains Worth Considering
If the Rellaty isn’t available or you want alternatives, here are two other stainless steel options with good reputations.
Veken Stainless Steel Cat Water Fountain (95oz)
The Veken Stainless Steel Cat Water Fountain Check price on Amazon won a Pet Innovation Award and has a water level window so you can check the level without lifting the top. At 95oz it’s slightly smaller than the Rellaty’s 108oz, and it comes with replacement filters and a silicone mat included. About $36. If you want a slightly more polished-looking option and don’t mind the smaller capacity, this is a strong choice.
PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum
The PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Check price on Amazon is the big-name option at about $40. It has a large reservoir and adjustable water flow. PetSafe has been making pet fountains longer than most brands, so parts and filters are easy to find everywhere. The downside: it’s louder than the Rellaty, and the multi-piece design has more crevices. Good for multi-pet households that need the larger capacity.
What About the Catit Flower Fountain?
The Catit Flower Fountain Check price on Amazon is one of the most popular cat fountains on Amazon. It’s mostly plastic though. The flower design is cute and the modular snap-together construction makes it easy to take apart. But the plastic issue applies here — biofilm, scratching, and potential chin acne. If you’re set on the Catit, get the stainless steel top version. At about $30 it’s affordable, but I’d spend the same $30 on a fully stainless steel fountain instead.
The Silicone Mat: Don’t Skip This
Put a silicone pet feeding mat Check price on Amazon under your fountain. Cats drip water off their whiskers after drinking, and that water ends up on your floor. The mat catches it. Ours sits on tile and without the mat, there was always a small puddle around the fountain that attracted dust and cat hair.
We actually use two of these mats — one under the fountain and one under the food bowls in a separate location. If you have a long-haired cat, you’ll also find loose fur collecting around the fountain — regular grooming cuts down on the hair that ends up in the water. Which brings up an important point:
Keep food and water separate. Cats instinctively prefer their water source away from their food. In the wild, water near a kill could be contaminated. Your house cat still has that instinct. We keep the fountain in the kitchen and the food bowls in the dining area, about 15 feet apart. When we moved the water away from the food, all three cats started drinking noticeably more.
Product Comparison
| Product | Type | Rating | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rellaty Stainless Steel Fountain | Stainless steel fountain | ★★★★½ | Overall best, easy cleaning | $30 |
| Veken Stainless Steel Fountain | Stainless steel fountain | ★★★★½ | Water level window, award winner | $36 |
| PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum | Stainless steel fountain | ★★★★ | Multi-pet, large capacity | $40 |
| Catit Flower Fountain | Plastic fountain | ★★★★ | Budget, cute design | $30 |
| Rellaty Replacement Filters (8-Pack) | Replacement filters | ★★★★½ | Keep water fresh | $12 |
| Reopet Silicone Feeding Mat | Silicone mat | ★★★★ | Catch drips, protect floors | $10 |
| Scrub Daddy Sponge | Cleaning sponge | ★★★★½ | Scrubbing fountain surfaces | $14 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do you need to clean a cat water fountain?
Every time you refill it — wipe down all surfaces with a sponge and rinse. Deep clean the pump with a pipe cleaner brush every month or two. There’s no getting around the maintenance, but stainless steel makes it a 2-minute job instead of a 10-minute scrubbing session fighting biofilm in plastic crevices.
Do cat water fountains actually make cats drink more water?
Yes. Studies show about 79% of cats drink more from a moving water source than a still bowl. Cats are instinctively attracted to flowing water because stagnant water in the wild can harbor bacteria. All three of ours drink noticeably more since we switched from bowls.
Stainless steel vs ceramic vs plastic — which is best?
Stainless steel, and it’s not close. Plastic develops biofilm and can cause chin acne. Ceramic is hygienic but fragile — one chip and it’s no longer food-safe. Stainless steel is non-porous, virtually indestructible, and you can actually see when it’s fully clean.
Should I put the cat water fountain near the food bowl?
No. Cats instinctively prefer water separated from food — it’s a survival instinct from the wild where water near prey could be contaminated. We keep our fountain about 15 feet from the food bowls and noticed our cats drinking significantly more after making the switch.
Bottom Line
- The best fountain: The Rellaty stainless steel fountain ($30) has lasted us longer than any other fountain and is the easiest to keep clean. The 108oz capacity handles three cats for 4-5 days between refills.
- Don’t buy plastic. You’ll fight biofilm forever and end up replacing it within a year anyway. Spend the same $30 on stainless steel.
- Stock up on filters. An 8-pack of replacement filters ($12) lasts most of the year. Swap them every 3-4 weeks.
- Get a mat. A $10 silicone mat under the fountain saves you from cleaning whisker drips off your floor every day.
- Separate food and water. Put the fountain in a different room or at least across the room from the food bowls. Your cats will drink more.
A cat water fountain is one of the cheapest things you can do for your cat’s long-term health. Kidney disease treatment runs $500-2,000+ per year. A stainless steel fountain and filters cost about $45 for the first year. The math is simple.
If you’re working on other cat comfort projects, check out our hidden litter box cabinet guide for a clean, furniture-integrated setup, our guide to keeping cats off furniture with products that actually work, or our best heated cat house for outdoor cats if your cats spend time outside.
Products Mentioned in This Article
Rellaty Cat Water Fountain Stainless Steel 3.2L/108oz
All stainless steel cat fountain with 108oz capacity, blue LED light, and a quiet pump that has lasted years.
- Fully disassembles in about 30 seconds for easy cleaning
- 108oz capacity lasts about a week with three cats
- Quiet pump with an 18-month warranty
- Blue LED light for checking water level at night
- Requires electricity — cats can't drink if power goes out
- Still needs regular cleaning despite being stainless steel
Rellaty Replacement Filters (8-Pack)
Triple filtration replacement filters with cotton, activated carbon, and ion exchange resin.
- An 8-pack lasts most of the year at one swap every 3-4 weeks
- Keeps water tasting fresh enough that cats want to drink
- Affordable at about $12 per pack
- Must be replaced regularly or water quality drops
Scrub Daddy Original Sponge
Temperature-responsive sponge that changes firmness — stiff in cold water for scrubbing, soft in warm water for curves.
- Lasts way longer than regular sponges
- Cold water makes it stiff for scrubbing stubborn buildup
- Warm water softens it to shape into corners and curves
- More expensive than basic sponges
Reopet Silicone Pet Feeding Mat
Silicone mat that catches water drips from whiskers and keeps floors clean around the fountain.
- Catches whisker drips and splashes to protect floors
- Easy to wipe clean or rinse off
- Works under both fountain and food bowls
- Can slide on smooth floors if not positioned carefully
Veken Stainless Steel Cat Water Fountain 95oz
Pet Innovation Award winner with a water level window and included replacement filters and silicone mat.
- Water level window lets you check without lifting the top
- Comes with replacement filters and silicone mat included
- Polished, premium-looking design
- 95oz capacity is slightly smaller than the Rellaty
- More expensive at about $36
Catit Flower Water Fountain
Popular budget fountain with a cute flower design, though it is mostly plastic.
- Affordable at about $30
- Cute flower design that's visually appealing
- Modular snap-together design is easy to take apart
- Mostly plastic — develops biofilm and scratches over time
- Plastic can contribute to feline chin acne
- Better to spend the same $30 on a fully stainless steel fountain
PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Fountain
Large-capacity fountain from an established brand with adjustable water flow and widely available parts.
- Large reservoir for multi-pet households
- Adjustable water flow settings
- Parts and filters are easy to find everywhere
- Louder than the Rellaty
- Multi-piece design has more crevices to clean
- Most expensive option at about $40