A bowl is fine for keeping your cat hydrated but it’s a poor second best in their mind to fresh running water. In the wild, animals gravitate to rivers and streams because they know the water is fresher and will taste nicer.

They will drink in ponds and puddles if they have to but it’s not their first choice. We can use that to keep the cat more content by using a fountain to simulate running water.

All cat fountains work in a similar way. There is a water tank to provide a ready supply of water, a bowl for the water to pour into and a quiet pump to maintain water flow.

The pump is mains powered and will draw water from the tank, through a filter and into the fountain part. Water will then flow where the cat can get to it and spill into the bowl underneath so nothing is wasted.

You do not need to connect your car fountain to mains water. Each fountain has a refillable tank you can keep topped up with fresh tap water. Depending on the size of the fountain you buy, this will be between 2-6 litres, enough for larger or more numerous cats.

You will need to connect the cat fountain to mains electricity. All are mains powered and come with around 3m of cable complete with a plug. They don’t use much electricity but a little too much for batteries to be sufficient.

You won’t need an electrician though, just plug the fountain into a socket and it’s good to go.

All cat filters sold by Closer Pets will have one or more filters. Some have two or three filters to help keep the water clean. One filter will keep debris out of the mechanism while any other filters will clean the water and remove any chemicals.

Some of our larger dog fountains should be suitable for large or even giant dogs. For example, the smaller two litre pet fountain is mainly for cats and small dogs due to the size of the bowl.

Tap water is clean but will contain traces of chemicals. While not harmful, not all animals like the taste. Filters can help with that.

Cat fountains require very little maintenance. Keep the water topped up, clean the bowl and tank regularly and ensure water flow and that’s it. Check the filters occasionally or if water flow is reduced and change when needed.

That’s all the maintenance you need!