A mature cat should drink between 30 and 40 millilitres of fluid per kilogram of body weight daily. This daily requirement is higher if you feed your cat dry food, as well as on warm summer days or when indoor heating is in use. Drinking enough fluids is important in many ways: for example, it can help cats prevent diseases of the urinary tract. With its running water, a cat fountain encourages your cat to drink. For cats that are especially prone to drinking too little, a drinking fountain is usually very helpful in getting them to consume a sufficient amount of water.

A cat fountain is equipped with a bowl or basin filled with water. A pump transports this water up through a hose to the top of a water cycle. From there, it flows either from a tap or over a ball or another smooth surface back down into the bowl of the cat fountain. It is important for the drinking surfaces to be smooth. This is generally more hygienic.

The frequency with which the water needs to be changed depends on various factors. This includes the number of cats drinking from it, the room temperature, and the location of the fountain. At least once a week, however, all the water should be replaced and the cat drinking fountain should be cleaned. On most models, the bowl can be easily removed, emptied, and cleaned under running water.
As with a conventional water bowl, cat hair, saliva, and dust settle in the basin of the drinking fountain. You should change the water and clean the basin as soon as you see any dirt lining the bowl, if not sooner. In general, the more often you change the water, the better.

In order to teach your cat that it can drink from the drinking fountain, the pump should remain switched off the first time you introduce the fountain. The buzzing could otherwise unsettle your pet or frighten a very anxious cat. To begin with, only fill the fountain with enough water for your cat to easily drink from it. If this isn’t possible, you can leave the lid open to allow your cat to drink.
Once your cat has become familiar with the fountain, you can turn on the pump. If the water flow is adjustable, set it to the lowest level during the habituation phase. The drinking fountain will generally make less noise this way. Later, you can adjust the settings as needed.