The Best Cat Water Fountains

This automatic fountain is cordless and runs on a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 60 days (although it can stay plugged in too). It has a wireless pump that uses magnetic induction—this pump was one of the easiest and most hassle-free to clean of all I tested. The fountain has a stainless steel top that holds a decent amount of water even when not running, so the water stays accessible. Although I’m wary of plastic because of its propensity to harbor bacteria, the stainless steel reservoir helps keep germs at bay and the clear plastic easily shows how full the tank is without having to check the app. The app gives reminders of when the water’s low, the fountain needs cleaning, or the filter needs replacing, plus it automatically stops dispensing water and sends you a reminder to refill via app. It also logs the number of times your pet drank and for how long, monitoring hydration patterns over time and comparing the stats to average time used. Pretty much the only gripe I have with it is that it wouldn’t stay on Continuous stream mode, even when plugged in, instead automatically switching to the Sensing stream.

Very similar to our other cordless pick above, Rola Smart Pet Water Fountain, this fountain can be used as a traditional fountain plugged in on its base, or can be detached and moved around the house with 30 days of battery life. I don't love that this fountain is all plastic, but it's easy to see water levels from the outside, the top and filter layers are super easy to remove, clean, and replace, and the wireless (basically silent) pump makes it a whole lot easier to clean. Plastic doesn't keep the water as cold or clean as stainless steel, so you'll have to clean it a lot more often. The fountain only begins bubbling when a cat (or human) approaches to save battery power, and there's no option to control the flow (and no connected app). I like the wireless pump, option to have it unplugged, and how portable and easy to clean this fountain is—but after testing nearly 20 fountains, I'm really over plastic at this point.

Like the Petlibro One RFID Smart Feeder that I reviewed in the Best Automatic Cat Feeders, the RFID Smart Fountain uses a collar tag to monitor which cat is using the device and for how long, so you can compare and track health data. The Petlibro app alerts you when your pet's consumption is down or up, and you can set hydration goals, which the app will let you know have been met or not. This fountain is nearly identical in design to Petlibro’s Dockstream Fountain, but has a small hood to better track each pet. Each pet wears a collar tag so that the fountain knows which cat is using it and when to track data and goals. This fountain would be especially useful for pet parents of elderly male cats or those who have had health issues or UTIs to more easily monitor and track changes, and set drinking goals.

We Reviews team testers are big fans of stainless steel pet fountains due to steel’s being less likely to foster bacteria, mold, and other yucky stuff, but I have a new favorite pet fountain material—glass. This fountain from Brook is simply constructed yet looks like a sculptural art piece, anchored by a heavy, 10.25-inch straight-sided, flat-bottomed glass bowl. A suction-cup-bottomed pump can go wherever in the bowl your cats like to drink (front, back, side), and pushes water up through a glass tube to cascade over a clear glass bell. There are two different sizes of flow reducers to keep the burbling at a lower level (highly recommended, as my two cats were terrified to drink out of it without the lowest-flow reducer), and a blue LED light adds visual interest.

I was worried the open design of the 90-ounce bowl would act as a reservoir for old bits of food, fur, and other items that fall in, but the sides are tall enough that the water stays clear. I also like that, in the event the power goes out, cats will still have access to the water. The pump is also totally silent. The only downside is that it does require a pretty large footprint, but this also makes it ideal for households with both dogs and cats. I only had to clean it about once a week, whereas the previous plastic fountain I was testing needed to be cleaned and have its filter replaced multiple times a week. —Kat Merck

Like many other styles we tested, this circular automatic fountain connects to power via USB, holds 1.35 liters of water, and connects to an app to monitor water levels and remind you when it’s time to fill or change the filter. The top part also has a small reservoir that keeps 60 milliliters of water in the tray at all times, ensuring your kitty always has access to water. The circular filter is made of a high-density-fiber cotton, with coconut-shell activated carbon and ion-exchange resin (replacements are three for $20); the pump also has a foam filter and UV light to further sterilize water by killing potential harmful bacteria. When I went out of town, the fountain disconnected itself from the app, had trouble adjusting to the time change, and didn’t send me a notification that water levels were low. When I got back home, the machine had stopped the water flow. Luckily, the tray still had water, but I wish there was a way to monitor the water levels from the app, and stopping when I needed it most concerned me.

This stainless steel, BPA-free fountain bubbles water through a center spigot, and the shallow, square stainless steel top has a small slit where the water recycles, passing through a four-cartridge panel filter before water is stored in the basin below. (The replacement filters and sponges are available in a pack of eight for $17.) The basin has marks on the inside and a circular window to monitor water levels, and the window glows red when the levels are low. I also noticed that the stainless steel tends to keep the water colder than the plastic options, and the pump is nearly silent at 30 decibels. However, it isn't wireless like most on this list, so be careful not to get wiring wet. I love that the stainless steel helps in keeping the water clean and cool and it's a steal at around $30—I’ve had no complaints about this fountain except that I wish it had a wireless pump.

This solid, all-stainless steel fountain is pretty pared down and basic—there's no connected app, and the pump isn't wireless. But it is all stainless steel, which keeps water cold and clean, and the spout is easily adjustable to allow control of the flow based on your pet's preferences. It uses three-layer filtration made of non-woven fabric, activated carbon, and high-density sponge, and has a large 3-liter reservoir. I wish there were a little window to easily see water levels from the outside, and wireless pumps are a lot more convenient. But this is a solid, whisper-quiet stainless steel fountain that has worked reliably. I love the adjustable spout, and my pets seem to prefer it more than some other models I've tried.

My two cats have cycled through several water fountains over the past few years, but this no-nonsense version has been a stalwart. The inside is lit by a blue LED (bright enough to glow in the dark), and a clear viewing window on the side makes it easy to monitor the water level from afar. I also like the dishwasher-safe metal bowl and the fact you can remove parts of the yellow and white “flower” to create a fountain configuration your cat likes (waterfall, low bubble-up, tall bubble-up). The only major downsides are the fact it requires very frequent cleaning and filter changes due to the plastic body, and that there is no reservoir to hold water in case of power outage or pump malfunction. When I go on vacation I have to swap it out for an old-school gravity dispenser. —Kat Merck

If you prefer gothic decor to neutral blandness, this ghostly ceramic cat fountain from Happy & Polly may tempt you to bite. The water bubbles up out of the top of the ghost and pools on the ceramic top. It’s fairly quiet at around 35 decibels, but it gets loud when the water is running low, and I worry about the motor burning out, as the 1.5-liter capacity can run dry fast. While the ceramic finish is easy to clean, it is fiddly to take apart. You will want to clean it once a week to prevent it from becoming slimy, and you must change the filter once a month. —Simon Hill

This drinking fountain is about as simple as they come. As it's designed for cats or small dogs, it has a large bowl, but some cats will prefer that. I love the mostly stainless steel construction, as it's easy to keep clean and less prone to dirt and bacteria buildup. You can even stick parts into the dishwasher to clean. This fountain can also hold up to 7 liters of water, so you don’t have to refill as often. It’s fairly quiet at around 35 decibels, but it gets louder when the water is running low (a red light warns you when it needs a refill). You should clean once a week and rinse the filter. The filter packs are relatively affordable at $15 for a pack of eight, and you need to swap them once a month. —Simon Hill

This Whisker City Free Fall Cat Fountain has a large 150-fluid-ounce bowl and a waterfall design. Like others on this list, the simple pump pushes the water back into the basin as it flows from a small curved spout. The water is filtered from the basin to the pump with a replaceable filter that’s made of activated carbon and cotton with a second mesh covering in front (filters are eight for $16). Although the basin has a small splash pad to help offset the waterfall noise, this was one of the loudest fountains I tested. The evaporation from the waterfall-like system also caused me to refill it every other day. Because of the structure of the fountain, my cats had to bend their head at an awkward angle. They tended to avoid drinking from the basin because of that, and their heads got slightly wet from the splatter of the waterfall. The basin is also not angled so crumbs and debris sit at the bottom of the bowl. Although this fountain is marketed for cats, I think it may be better for dogs.