How Do I Keep My Cats Water Fountain Fresh?

Every living thing requires water to survive, including cats. For a cat to remain healthy, its owner must make sure it has access to enough fresh, clean water.

If you own or are considering owning a cat water fountain, you may be wondering how simple it is to clean them.

In this article, we discuss a few of the top techniques to keep your cat’s water fountain fresh. So that your cat can continue drinking safely from it, you can keep it clean and sanitary.

Cat Water Fountain Vs Cat Bowl: Cleaning

There are many benefits to using a cat water fountain, including the ability to feed your pet fresh, clean water at any time of the day and the ability to stimulate their thirst for the flowing water.

The only major difference between a cat water fountain and a cat bowl is that cleaning a fountain is much more difficult than cleaning a bowl. In the case of a bowl, all that is required is a quick rinse and towel dry. 

You’ll need to do a little more than just rinse and wipe while cleaning a water fountain since some pieces will need to be disassembled. To use it, make absolutely sure it is hygienic for your pet.

Why Buy Cat Water Fountain?

Why is getting a cat water fountain or wireless cat water fountain so crucial? Due to their natural attraction to moving water, indoor cats typically don’t get enough water, even if they are given a water bowl. 

Investing in a cat water fountain is one way to ensure that cats have access to enough water, although they are more difficult to maintain than a simple bowl. But if you think your cat isn’t getting enough water, it might be worthwhile to buy one of these fountains.

Before We Get Started

Make sure the fountain is completely dry before cleaning, including the reservoir if one is present. You’ll have to disassemble it completely and wash every component.

Due to the movement, fountains are typically more hygienic than bowls of water. But bacteria can still proliferate, so it’s critical to clean them once a week.

It can be difficult to thoroughly clean fountains because of their infamously small crevices. A cleaning kit designed for cat fountains is also an option, along with a toothbrush. Additionally, you can get little brushes from an aquarium shop.

The various procedures for cleaning your cat’s fountain are as follows.

1. Dishwashing

Dishwashers are more hygienic than handwashing because they use powerful jets of extremely hot water.

Once you’ve disassembled the fountain, you can put every component in the dishwasher. When it’s finished, put the fountain back together, add a new filter (if necessary), and fill it with water. Easy as pie!

2. Handwashing

Plastic

If you don’t have a dishwasher or it didn’t clean the fountain as thoroughly as you wanted, you can clean it by hand with items from your home. Salt, lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda are examples of natural cleaners that fall under this category.

After cleaning the bowl and other fountain components with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water, you can turn the fountain on to cycle the solution through the system. Then, prior to actually filling it with fresh water for your cat, run clean water through it a couple of times to make sure there is no vinegar residue left.

Stainless Steel

Plastic fountains can be cleaned using some of the same methods. Lemon juice and a plastic mesh scrubber can be used to clean stainless steel, which needs to be cleaned with an acid-based cleaner.

Ceramic

Ceramics don’t scrape as easily as plastic does, but if you use abrasive scrubbers, it still might. Baking soda can be used to create an effervescence reaction that can help scour the fountain while distilled white vinegar can be used to soak. Scrub any stains away with a plastic scouring pad.

3. Replace the Filter

There are different types of filters for each fountain, and you’ll also need to spend money on replacements. The filter should generally be changed between once every two weeks and once a month. Simply read the directions provided with the filter replacements.

4. Clean the Pump

The pump is typically connected to the electrical cord, so you’ll presumably need to clean it by hand. You must remove the pump’s front to reveal the tiny fan. It may occasionally stop working if it gets clogged with fur. Open up the fountain and make sure it isn’t clogged if the pump seems to stop functioning. 

How to Keep Cat Water Fountain Fresh?

Cleaning your cat’s fountain is a simpler task if you maintain a regular schedule for cleaning and maintenance. Hard water deposits can be avoided by maintaining a routine.

Some individuals prefer to change the filter every two weeks and clean the fountain once a week. Cleaning it once a week will keep the water fountain fresh and will ensure the fountain’s effectiveness and longevity is to keep it clean.

Final thoughts

While maintaining a cat’s health over time and possibly even extending its life requires a little more work than maintaining a water bowl, or a fountain. The fountain should really be easy to clean if you own a dishwasher, but you can also wash the fountain by hand as long as you have the right supplies and use a gentle scrubber.

When it comes to cleaning your fountain, you should try to maintain a regular schedule. It’s usually best to change the water once per week, especially because some cats might not sip from it when the water is bad and stale.

Keep in mind that changing the filter only needs to be done once every two weeks to once per month. Your cat will appreciate it if you just follow a regular maintenance schedule for the fountain, just like you do for the litter box.