Will Cat Eventually Drink From Fountain?

It’s no secret that our cats deserve the best, and caring for them is hard but rewarding work. One of our most important responsibilities as cat owners is to always have fresh, clean water available to them.

One way you can invest in your cat’s health and ensure they are properly hydrated is by providing them with a drinking fountain. Cat drinking fountains are a great investment for many reasons, including:

They constantly circulate water through the filter, which discourages bacterial growth and makes it easier to ensure the water is fresh and clean.

Drinking fountains encourage your cat to drink more water, as cats naturally prefer running water.

They entice your cat to increase their water intake, which can help protect them from urinary or kidney disease.

8 Tips for Training Your Cat to Drink from a Cat Drinking Fountain

1) Clean and Rinse the Drinker Before Use

Even though drinking fountains come packaged in a box, that doesn’t mean they are clean and ready to use. Wash the bowl with soap and water, and make sure to rinse the filter. Rinsing the filter thoroughly helps remove loose debris before use. By rinsing, you can ensure that debris doesn’t circulate through the filter and into the water, contaminating it.

2) Keep the water fountain closed until they are comfortable

If your cat is wary of the noises the water fountain makes, turn it off until they are used to drinking from the fountain. This can help them slowly get used to the new fountain and help prevent dehydration from lack of water.

3) Let them explore

Perhaps your cat is too cautious to approach the water fountain or doesn't notice that there is water in the bowl. While they are watching, place your hand or finger in the bowl and hold it to their mouth. This will let them know that there is water in the bowl and help them understand what the new device is.

4) Keep food away from the water fountain

If your cat drinks from the water fountain and the water splashes onto their food, they may be reluctant to drink from the fountain for fear of getting their food wet. Fortunately, some pet water fountains come with adjustable water flow settings. However, if your cat is always messy when drinking, it's best to keep their water away from their food.

5) Provide fresh water in a different bowl

If turning on the waterer doesn’t work well, be patient and continue to provide them with an alternative source of clean water. It is not a good idea to force them to drink from the waterer by removing other water sources. This may cause them to have negative associations with the waterer.

6) Reward your cat for using the waterer

When you see your cat drinking from the waterer, give them some cat treats even if the waterer is turned off. This will let them know they are doing something good and provide positive reinforcement for using the new water source.

7) Turn on the waterer and continue to reward them

Once they respond to the positive reinforcement and start drinking more from the closed waterer, turn the waterer on and see if they will drink from it. Remember to be patient and don’t stare at them expectantly as this can make them nervous.

8) Slowly remove the secondary water source and gradually reduce rewards

When your cat starts drinking from the waterer, monitor how much water they drink. This will help you determine when you can remove the secondary water source. Keep in mind that cats need one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. Once they have developed a positive association with the water fountain, you can slowly reduce rewarding them with treats and instead give them verbal praise.

Cat Water Fountain Care

Remember to clean the bowl frequently and provide them with fresh water every day, just as you would with a regular water bowl. Also, be sure to change the filter as needed. Usually, this information is in the instruction manual or by looking up the water fountain manufacturer's information online.

Unfortunately, these tips may not work for every cat. It's important not to give up and keep trying to get them to drink from the water fountain.

The process of getting your cat to drink from the water fountain can be difficult, but it's worth it. Afterward, you can rest assured that you're providing them with a filtered, fresh, and clean source of water.