# Cool Water Fountains



## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

I just came across these cat water fountains on a web site. How cool are they?! If money were no object, I'd order one right now just for looks, if nothing else.

Ceramic Cat Fountains Pet Fountains & for Home by CatFountains


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Yes, for the cat that has everything and the owner - scratch that - guardian that has more money than sense! I am over fountains. I have 5 of the weirdest cats in the world. They are afraid of the fountains (except Zipper) and are all totally ignoring my brand new 73" cat tree. I have 2 fountains I can't use and a cat tree taking up room.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

i saw those when i was looking to order a fountain last week. if i'm not mistaken, you can buy certain parts separately and make your own fountain out of any ceramic piece that will work. i decided to get a pioneer pet teardrop ceramic one for under $40 to see if my cats will even use it before i get all fancy like that. i hope it's here today!

Marcia, i think your cats are just spoiled. do them like kids: take away everything except their food and water dishes and litterboxes. then tell them cats in Africa would be happy to have a cat tree and even just clean water, forget the fountains.  and they have that big screen tv right on the water, too.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

I know what you mean -- my Murphy keeps having different reactions to things than you'd expect too. I hand him a tiny piece of tuna and what does he do? Sniff it and walk away. I've toyed with the idea of a fountain, but I have a feeling he'd just be afraid of it.


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## Wannabe Catlady (Aug 6, 2012)

I adore those fountains. Ive been planning on making one, ever since I discovered that my mom has owned a pottery wheel for years, and the "laundry table" in their basement is a freaking kiln. 

So many years of pottery making possibilities lost! Lol


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

I think people are looking for objects to have in their home which are pretty but functional. These make the cut! I was reading about their business and they've now moved into a commercial space from being a home business. Everything is still made by hand. 

I was trying to see what kind of pump they use. That is what seems to give a lot of people trouble with their cat fountains. Esp if you live with hard water.


Its nice to see people devoted to cats and making a living at it. Thumbs up for this company.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I love these! I think that this might be my next in home 'crafty' project. Making a big fountain for the living room that will double as a water bowl for the cats.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

I would love to see pictures of your DIY project MowMow.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

cinderflower said:


> i saw those when i was looking to order a fountain last week. if i'm not mistaken, you can buy certain parts separately and make your own fountain out of any ceramic piece that will work. i decided to get a pioneer pet teardrop ceramic one for under $40 to see if my cats will even use it before i get all fancy like that. i hope it's here today!
> 
> Marcia, i think your cats are just spoiled. do them like kids: take away everything except their food and water dishes and litterboxes. then tell them cats in Africa would be happy to have a cat tree and even just clean water, forget the fountains.  *and they have that big screen tv right on the water, too*.


I know, right?? and were does Missy sleep? In the dark half bath (may be because of her eyesight so she gets a pass). Lacey likes the cooler temps of the LR and Zip and Maddie prefer the IMAX theatre which is the screened in back porch. Jack prefers my bed - my side of course! Yes, they are spoiled. I know starving kitties in China would LOVE this cat tree that is being totally ignored (have I mentioned yet today?) and those water fountains that I have in the attic.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Mitts & Tess said:


> I would love to see pictures of your DIY project MowMow.


It second on my list right after my suitcase pet bed. That one should be done in a few weeks (if I get my butt in gear).

I'm thinking I'll have lots of time to plan/shop/ and create the fountain when I'm unemployed August/Sept/October.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

yay my fountain came today, but i'll put a review elsewhere so I don't kidnap your thread and more than I already have.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

*pioneer pet ceramic teardrop fountain review*

this is my first fountain, so I just started with the smallest, least expensive one available. the thing I never understood about cat fountains was that they made them out of plastic, and I've used ceramic water dishes ever since my first cat got feline acne, about '94. the pioneer ones are really very attractive. I got a black one. it doesn't look that big on amazon, but i'd say it holds about 40 oz., which I think is plenty for three cats. and it's extremely quiet. you can barely hear it when you're right by it, so there's nothing to scare the cats.

mine were totally climbing all over it when I was washing it and putting it together, they were like YAY a new toy. I was really afraid the youngest one would figure out there's not really anything holding the top piece on, it just sits there because it's heavy. he's the master at messing with things and making them do something they weren't made to do, but he tried I guess and it doesn't move easily so we're okay there. I do know though that some of you have cats who are rougher with stuff than mine are, so that might be a potential issue for some. if that's the case, I wouldn't keep it on a hard floor because it would break, but somewhere, someone's cat is going to be able to break the top of this. a one-piece bowl like the ones on etsy would be the solution, but those are also fairly expensive.

the manual says that sometimes cats take 2-3 days to drink out of it, but I saw Diotima head for her water dish after she ate (like usual) so I just picked them up and steered her to the fountain and she drank a* lot*. Houdini then proceeded to christen himself in it, letting it run on top of his head, then rubbing his face in it. I thought he was going to jump in and have a bath but he stopped and drank some. Baci hasn't yet that I've seen, but generally if Diotima does something or eats something he's not sure about, he'll copy her.

it does not have a spout of water, which I kind of wanted at first, but after seeing how it runs down a long slide, they can drink from that or from the reservoir.

the main two complaints I saw on amazon about it were that the pump just stops working (in 2-3 months with some of them) and water overshoots the side of the bowl and goes all over the floor. but there's a place you can easily buy replacement pumps now so i'm not too worried about that. 

the second one isn't even really a problem if you read the manual first. it tells you to turn the pump down to its lowest flow setting. then it runs perfectly.

I don't know how often you're supposed to clean the pump and change the filter, i'm thinking it says once a week for the pump and every 2-3 weeks for the filter. I know i'll take it apart and at least wipe it down every day and change the water. it won't show that pink saliva stain but I wouldn't want to drink water that had spit in it even if it WAS moving lol so I don't see why i'd expect my cats to drink it. I know some cats will drink out of the toilet, and Diotima will if she gets a chance, but I think that's really less than ideal.

I've seen on every single model and brand that the pumps are cheap and wear out too fast, but after putting it together, i'm wondering why the pumps are immersed period. maybe it looks better, but I remember having aquariums as a kid and every single filtration system had the motorized pumps on the outside. so I wonder if that makes any difference, because it seems like it would.

wannabe cat lady, you are SO lucky to have access to a pottery wheel and kiln. I made some things in high school and i'd love to make a cat fountain bowl. for awhile they had those places where you could go and pour slip into a mold and then paint it yourself and they'd fire it, but I don't know if those still exist or not. 

anyway, this fountain is *so* cute. I think i'm going to try to make a garden-ish area (maybe some rocks, moss--like that's going to stay there with Houdini but you never know). just not too ornate because i'll be moving it every day and it's pretty heavy. they also make a larger one that would be good for people with dogs or lots of cats. additionally, because it's ceramic, if you keep it out of direct sunlight and start with chilled water, it probably keeps cooler longer.

I give it 5 stars for looks, 5 stars for performance and being quiet, but I really can't rate its life span yet because I've only been using it about five hours lol. my fingers are crossed that it doesn't wear out too quickly. I might buy a replacement pump now so that I have it on hand if it does decide to stop. it is made in china, and while I can't exactly vouch for its quality, it looks well-made and properly fired. the test is usually to put it in the microwave for a few seconds. a poorly fired dish will heat up really quickly, so if it's good, it should not. I should have done that first but I didn't think of it, so I will the first time I put it in the dishwasher.

there are several videos on youtube about operating and cleaning this model. actually I think there are videos for all different brands. the other thing I liked about this one is that it doesn't have nooks and crannies to clean, so you don't have to buy special cleaning brushes for it. I can't even imagine it needing a toothbrush taken to it. 

so tl;dr and probably more than you wanted to know about a pioneer fountain.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

The pump needs to be underwater because its job is to recirculate the water to keep it moving and thus inhibit the growth of bacteria, etc. The filter also helps to strain the water to keep it palatable and free of "bugs".

Btw Cinder can you post what kind of pump the tear drop is using? I need a new one for my set up and not sure what it needs. Thank you.

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread about cool water fountains.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

They have Utube video on how to take apart fountain pumps and clean them so they work better. I take mine apart periodically when they quit working, clean them and shzam they work again!


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

For the DIYers, you might want to read that page on the posted website about the glazes they use. Make sure the glaze you are using is food grade so that it doesn't have any potentially harmful metals, colorants, or other chemicals.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

These cool ones on the web site said they're silent, but I was wondering how that's even possible.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

Leazie said:


> The pump needs to be underwater because its job is to recirculate the water to keep it moving and thus inhibit the growth of bacteria, etc. The filter also helps to strain the water to keep it palatable and free of "bugs".
> 
> Btw Cinder can you post what kind of pump the tear drop is using? I need a new one for my set up and not sure what it needs. Thank you.
> 
> Now back to your regularly scheduled thread about cool water fountains.


I understand the intended function, I was just saying that the same kind of filter/pump whatever you used for an aquarium (carbon filters actually IN the water, plus a tray in the bottom under the gravel), the actual electric motors were OUTSIDE the tank. so i'm kind of surprised these put the motors* in* the water. obviously the filters have to be submerged, but I don't understand why the motors do. i'm far from an engineer, but I would think this would lessen the life but I could be wrong. 

I don't have the pump model right here and i'll have to wade through the comments because I saw it but didn't save it, it's under ratings on this page:





 
_Sorry to hear that you are having issues with your pump. We have found that the impeller which is held in by a magnet can become off balance. There is a quick fix for this problem. If you look on page 9 & 10 of your manual there are instruction on how to take apart the pump. If you no longer have your manual you can go to - Pioneer Pet and go under instructions/products and they will show you how to take apart your pump. When you do this and remove the impeller after you put it back in give it a few spins this will help it stay in balance. You should be doing this once a month when you change your filters._
_If this does not work, Please contact me at [email protected] _

plus there's that where you e-mail tina. i'll go through them later tonight and find it.



Mitts & Tess said:


> They have Utube video on how to take apart fountain pumps and clean them so they work better. I take mine apart periodically when they quit working, clean them and shzam they work again!


yes they do, and the manual is also quite detailed. the reps seem to be helpful, but I haven't tried to contact anyone yet. I think cleaning the pump is the first step, and after that if it still won't work I believe I saw that the replacement is $19.95 or something but don't quote me. there's a year warranty on it as well.



October said:


> These cool ones on the web site said they're silent, but I was wondering how that's even possible.


the etsy ones? (sorry I made my review a separate thread but it was moved back so I guess it's more pertinent here). I've seen other people complaining that the pioneer pet one is too noisy, but I can hardly hear mine when i'm right next to it--it's even quieter than water filling back in the tank of the toilet after it's flushed (not the flushing sound) so I'm baffled. the only thing I can think of is that they have the flow setting turned on high. someone else said there's no way to adjust it and that isn't true. it's on the side of the motor, there's a plus and a minus sign and a slide knob that goes either way.

mine is so quiet because the water doesn't actually spout, it kind of bubbles up and runs (trickles) down a slide into the reservoir. if the flow is set higher, it probably does run on the floor and make noise. you would be able to control or lessen the sound depending on how high your flow rate is and how the tap is situated. if it doesn't make an actual spout that falls into water, it won't be noisy but will still move.

other people complain that they can't see the water line on a black one but I can see it just fine. if you measure 40 oz. there's no problem, and if they're complaining because they can't see to fill it, that wouldn't affect me because I change the water daily. it was also noted that it becomes too slimy because you can't see the algae. um, well, I would suggest to those people that they clean it on a regular basis before algae accumulates. biofilm (the pink stuff) builds up much faster anyway, that's why I rinse water dishes at least once a day.

I don't know if some people think the point of a fountain is that you won't have to change the water as often, but it's just recirculating, not fresh water continually pumped in. it's not a much bigger deal that changing the water in a bowl except it's bigger so you have to be careful because if you drop it, it will break. I checked it this morning and it's decent grade ceramic, not the best in the world but it's only $38 so I wouldn't expect it to be. some ceramics will survive a drop, but I can tell this wouldn't. plus it's on the floor, so obviously dirt, dust and cat hair is going to get in it (among other debris). the filter will trap some of that, but it seems like a hair trap in your bathtub. if you don't take the hair out frequently, it won't work. I would think that letting too much stuff build up in the filter would also be hard on the motor.

I wonder if unplugging it at night would save the motor some.


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## tezster (Jun 4, 2013)

I think there's a price point between the standard plastic pet fountains and these more aesthetically pleasing ones that would make sense. I currently have a 'standard' fountain, and would like to get one that doesn't look like it's out of place, preferably one that fits snugly in a corner. 

It doesn't necessarily need to be a ceramic and look like a piece of art, but certainly something better than a cheap-looking plastic fountain.


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## stellar981 (Apr 17, 2013)

I actually have two fountains myself. I have the Drinkwell 360 and the Pioneer Big Max Ceramic. I had a lot of trouble with my pioneer. I had the issue with water going everywhere. I was upset too, because it is SO easy to clean! I would think the model you have is less likely to overflow, but I don't know for sure. The ceramic looked nice, but it got dirty really quick. So needless to say, I am back to the 360. My cats LOVE this one, because the water actually comes down more like it would from a faucet. They liked the pioneer, but were really excited when I put the 360 back out. The 360 also filters the water better, IMO. It has two filters. one to catch the hair, and the other has the actual carbon in it. The 360 is really pretty easy to clean too. I used to have the original drinkwell fountain, and there were so many nooks/crannies for gunk to build up. I hated cleaning that thing. 

These decorative fountains that you posted a link to are awesome! I wish I had that money to get one! Someday, maybe.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

October said:


> These cool ones on the web site said they're silent, but I was wondering how that's even possible.


My new fountain is silent! My S/O said the noisy old fountain made him feel like he wanted to pee!!!:crazy


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## Merlin_Guinevere (Sep 2, 2012)

I have a fountain for my cats, and I wouldn't go back. My cats always have fresh, ice-cold water at hand, just the way they like it. They were scared of it for the first hour, maybe, but once they figured out what it was, they loved it. My newest cat came after I got the fountain, and she took to it immediately. Mine is just a cheaper, plastic model, but still, it does the job. When I had water bowls for them, it didn't matter how often I cleaned them out, they always had bits of food and other debris in them, and the water was room temperature. My cats prefer it this way.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

Leazie said:


> Btw Cinder can you post what kind of pump the tear drop is using? I need a new one for my set up and not sure what it needs. Thank you.


here you go: *replacement pump from amazon for pioneer pet raind**rop*

*







Great QUIET pump!, October 8, 2012 *
*By *




 


*Amazon Verified Purchase(



) *
*This review is from: Jebao PP300LV Water Pump 40 GPH (Lawn & Patio) *
*I own a Pioneer Pet Fountain (raindrop design) and the original pump went out after quite a long time of service. In looking for a new pump, I called Pioneer Pet and their replacement pump was $18.99 PLUS $7.50 s/h. This pump is almost the EXACT same pump that came with the fountain, including the disconnect between pump and plug. It runs very quietly and fits the filter clam shell perfectly. So if you are looking for a replacement, this is your pump! *





 
it's 14.99 and probably qualifies for super-saver shipping if you order more stuff even though it doesn't say. I might have paid shipping twice in the last five years because it was stuff from other vendors.

I checked the pioneer site and they want 17.99 + 7.95 shipping.



tezster said:


> I think there's a price point between the standard plastic pet fountains and these more aesthetically pleasing ones that would make sense. I currently have a 'standard' fountain, and would like to get one that doesn't look like it's out of place, preferably one that fits snugly in a corner.
> 
> It doesn't necessarily need to be a ceramic and look like a piece of art, but certainly something better than a cheap-looking plastic fountain.


take a look at this one: 

Amazon.com: Pioneer Pet 6022 Ceramic Drinking Fountain, Raindrop Design: Pet Supplies


black, white or stainless steel. I think $38 is close to what any of them are. you can get it for less if you want to buy a used one, as well.



stellar981 said:


> I actually have two fountains myself. I have the Drinkwell 360 and the Pioneer Big Max Ceramic. I had a lot of trouble with my pioneer. I had the issue with water going everywhere. I was upset too, because it is SO easy to clean! I would think the model you have is less likely to overflow, but I don't know for sure. The ceramic looked nice, but it got dirty really quick. So needless to say, I am back to the 360. My cats LOVE this one, because the water actually comes down more like it would from a faucet. They liked the pioneer, but were really excited when I put the 360 back out. The 360 also filters the water better, IMO. It has two filters. one to catch the hair, and the other has the actual carbon in it. The 360 is really pretty easy to clean too. I used to have the original drinkwell fountain, and there were so many nooks/crannies for gunk to build up. I hated cleaning that thing.


I know, I really wanted a stream as well, but since my cats don't know the difference, they're none the wiser.  did you turn down flow speed on the actual little pump (that fits inside the clam shell which also holds the filter)? it's just a little slide tab on the side, and you have to look pretty closely to see the + and - indicators but they're there. the big max is a lot bigger than mine though and I notice it's made somewhat differently. but there really is a very small area for the water to flow back into the bowl from the slide and if it were going faster, i'm positive it would spill over. I almost got the one you have because this raindrop one looks tiny in the ad, but it's plenty big. I fill it with 40 oz. (because my water bottles are 20 oz. and I just grab two out of the fridge) but it says it would hold 60. i'd be afraid it would splash all over the place if I put that much in. there's about an inch left from the top in the reservoir.

they sell brushes to go with this one too but I can't see why anyone would need them. just like anything else, if people will buy it, they'll sell it.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Thanks Cinder. Now I just have to use up all the filters that I have for the 360 so I can go back to the tear drop.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

no problem, I needed it for myself (hopefully later than sooner). sell your filters on amazon. I've only sold books and dvds on there but they have a huge used market. you probably wouldn't get what you paid for them though, so you might as well use them.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Has anyone tried this cat fountain from Frontgate? 

Id be interested in feed back!


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

that one looks just like this drinkwell lotus at amazon: 



I considered it, it just cost more than the one I bought and I didn't even know if my cats would drink out of one.

I like mine so far so good, more importantly the cats do. diotima seems to drink out of it a lot more, but I don't see much of a change in the others. Houdini plays in it from time to time but I guess it isn't much fun.


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