So, are you thinking about buying your first fountain or a replacement fountain? There are at least a dozen different pet fountains in stores or on the web. Here are some factors you might consider before you make a purchase so you know that you have made the best choice for you, your budget and your pet:
Types of bowls
Plastic: The cheapest bowls are made of plastic. The two major problems with a plastic bowl are (1) plastics are porous and therefore can leak toxic chemicals into the water and (2) bacteria can live in microscopic cracks which are nearly impossible to get clean without melting or dissolving the plastic.
Stainless Steel: There are thousands of different grades of stainless steel. The highest grades of stainless steel will not rust; however, a small percentage of pets will become allergic to the nickel and other metals which can result in acne around the mouth or nose. The highest grade of stainless steel is very expensive, so the lower grades are used and therefore usually rust within six months. Carefully read the warranty concerning rust before you buy.
Ceramic bowls: Fountains with ceramic bowls are usually the most expensive except for bowls made outside of the USA. As there are no regulations outside of the United States, it seems wise to establish the country of origin before you buy. Ceramic bowls made in the USA can be cleaned and sterilized with hot water, common cleaning chemicals or even in a microwave oven. Do not microwave a ceramic bowl that is not made in the USA as the foreign glaze often contains lead and we all know that putting metal in a microwave oven can be dangerous.
Size of bowl: Cats and dogs need 1 ounce of water per pound of weight per day. Accordingly, three cats weighing 12 pounds each should consume 36 ounces of water every day. The tricky part is that many small dogs and most cats do not want to put their head more than about 1" below the rim of the bowl so an automatic refill system is needed to overcome a pet's reluctance not to be able to see an approaching predator because the sides of the bowl would interfere with their field of vision. Not allowing for this survival instinct will limit how much a pet will drink. The rule of thumb is that a small dog or cat will not drink water if the water level is equal to or greater than the distance between the animal's nose and the bottom of their eye which is less than 1 Ѕ" for most cats. A cat will drink up to twice as much water when the water level is less than 1 Ѕ" below the rim of bowl. Test this concept with your own pet if it does not make sense to you. A comparison of available refill systems is discussed next.
Refill System: There are only two materials used to refill fountains. Plastic refill systems have the same drawbacks as plastic bowls in that plastic can release toxins and are very difficult to clean. Plastic refills also have been associated with water leaking onto the floor because of the construction of the refill especially designs that have seams or sharp angles.
The other available material is glass. Glass is extremely easy to clean and keep clean. One company has a refill system that uses repurposed glass vinegar bottles that can be purchased from any grocery store. The company supplies a patent pending spout to prevent water from overflowing.
Electrical Safety: It should not be surprising to anyone to know that all fountains need a source of electricity. Common sense tells us that water and electricity can be a lethal combination so only using pumps that have a grounded plug makes a fountain safe. A grounded plug has two blades and a third prong below the two blades. Another safety benefit of using a grounded plug is that a GFCI receptacle can be used and using a GFCI is the ultimate in safety.
Filters: There are two areas within a fountain where a filter can provide important benefits. All pumps need to have a filter to prevent debris from entering the pump and shortening the life of the pump. Unprotected pumps usually last about six months. The second area where a filter is very valuable is the use of an inline charcoal filter. Certified water-safe charcoal has been proven to remove, via absorption, all sorts of chemicals including chlorine, as well as fireproofing chemicals applied to many household products such as curtains, carpets and furniture. A recent series of tests was reported in an article titled "Toxic Pets" from the Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org/reports/pets. How important is an inline filter? No car or airplane could operate without an inline fuel filter. One company actually infuses the carbon with nano-sized silver that eliminates algae, viruses and most all other microbes.
Water Temperature: It has been shown and common sense tells us that both animals and humans prefer cool drinking water. Research tells us that a temperature near 60°F will not only satisfy thirst but also increase water consumption in cats by as much as three times. Hundreds of cat parents have reported that their cats have stopped drinking from toilets and demanding cold tap water from a kitchen faucet if a fountain has chilled water. There is one company that provides a fountain having an automatic electronic chilling system.
Cost: Fountains can be purchased for as little as $25. These "starter fountains" offer the real advantage of seeing if a pet will actually drink from the fountain, if the pet parent can deal with the small vibration that occurs with all pumps and can the pet parent deal with the cleaning issues. Most pet parents discover within a month or two if a better fountain should be investigated or if a fountain requires too much time so investing the least amount of money initially makes a lot of sense. On the upper end, there are fountains that cost more than $200. These fountains have every medical, scientific and technical advantage available anywhere. Some veterinarians suggest a high-end fountain after a parent has tried a low-end fountain and offer some simple advice, "It's cheaper than one office visit".
Mold and Algae Control: Should you decide that an upper end fountain makes sense to you, get as much algae control as possible as chronic exposure to any antigen will stress the immune system. Recent evidence in the medical literature has shown that a weak immune system cannot successfully fight the viruses that have been associated with many life threatening and expensive diseases such as feline diabetes.
Barry is an award winning medical device inventor who holds dozens of foreign and US patents over the last 20+ years. Lately, Barry has been designing health related pet products that can benefit from his decades of experiences in microbiology, nutrition and pharmacology. Barry can be reached at barry@glacierpointforcats.com
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