# They won't drink from the Fresh Flow fountain



## Palanggingging (Oct 10, 2004)

I got them a Fresh Flow fountain 3 days ago to try to stop them from drinking from the shower and toilet. They NEVER drank from their water bowl anymore. Anyway, the fountain is set up, and the bathroom door is always closed to encourage them to drink from the only source of water.

Well, it has been 3 days, and we are quite confident they haven't taken a single sip from it yet. One of them played with the water flow a little, but no drinking. I guess they're only getting water from their wet food at the moment. I'm worried about them, are they actually stubborn enough to dehydrate if they can't get their water from the shower? Or might the wet food be enough for them?

And how do I make them drink from the fountain?


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## Lori (Jun 8, 2003)

I seem to remember Velvet was a little hesitant to drink from the fountain at first too. She was very curious, but it took her a little while before she took to the concept of drinking the water. 
I wash the fountain with a little dish soap and I have to be very careful to competely rinse it out before refilling the water. Sensitive kitty noses don't like any soap smells. :wink: If you haven't already, I would try cleaning and rinsing it again. 
Cats do get a lot of liquid from wet food, so that is good they are on a wet diet. I bet they start drinking from the fountain though. Velvet is just like that, in that she will only drink running water and that fountain is her favorite thing in the world! 
Good Luck!


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## Palanggingging (Oct 10, 2004)

If they don't like soap smells, then why do mine lick the water droplets off the floor of the shower as soon as I turn it off, where all that soap and shampoo had landed? 

I'm actually thinking of putting the Fresh Flow in the tub (when not in use!!!); maybe they'll get confused and drink from it.


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## Lori (Jun 8, 2003)

Palanggingging said:


> If they don't like soap smells, then why do mine lick the water droplets off the floor of the shower as soon as I turn it off, where all that soap and shampoo had landed?
> 
> I'm actually thinking of putting the Fresh Flow in the tub (when not in use!!!); maybe they'll get confused and drink from it.


Good point!! :lol: 
Velvet is one of the few cats who does not drink from the floor of the shower, maybe she is just unique.


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## Palanggingging (Oct 10, 2004)

So far, Snowball has been dropping mice into the fountain. No drinking yet, though.


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## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

You may want to put it in the bathtub...it says to put it next to their old water source. Yours just happens to be unique.  

I don't think it could hurt....well, just don't shower with it in there.


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## LoveMyKitties (Nov 12, 2004)

Malcolm and Ophelia took about 1 second before they started drinking from theirs....guess I was lucky!

I am sure that your kitty will adjust and begin using the fountain soon!


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## Maleke (Jul 2, 2003)

I guess my boys are troopers, they drank from it right away. But then, they are the 2 most CURIOUS cats I have EVER encountered. They have to be involved in absolutely everything I am doing at all times.


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## lolakitty23 (Aug 17, 2004)

How often do you feed them wet food? I've read posts where Dr. Jean has stated that if a cat is on a mostly wet diet, they don't need to actually drink water from any source since there is so much water in the food. Perhaps this is why your babies don't want to use the fountain as often as you'd like?

My thoughts on moving it: I wouldn't suggest putting the fountain in the tub. It needs to stay where they can rely on finding it if they do want to use it.

My boys drink from their fountain just fine and tub water seems to just be a fun thing for them. They hop in as soon as I'm done! Maybe your kittens are the same way?


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## Palanggingging (Oct 10, 2004)

I'm feeding them nothing but wet food, and quite a bit of it. (How do they eat so much anyway??)

Last night, I watched from a distance as the kitties plopped themselves down right in front of the fresh flow and just laid there watching it, like someone would gaze at a lava lamp or a fish tank. That continously flowing water seemed to be very mesmerizing to them. They watched for something like an hour. But, no drinking.


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## lolakitty23 (Aug 17, 2004)

Yeah, if they get nothing but wet food, they won't drink much from a water source. They may use it once in a while, but don't expect to catch them in the act!  Don't worry about it. They'll find it when they need it.


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## Rayona (Jul 24, 2003)

I'm not sure how long it took my girls to start using their fountain, but it was definitely more than a week. You might try unplugging it for a while. I unplugged mine to clean it, put it back down on the floor and they started using it. Now I leave it running at the slowest setting and they use it, but not that often.


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