It’s already well documented that plastic pet fountains can cause chin acne in cats, as many unhappy cat owners have discovered. This is not simply a matter of a few pimples, but can be an ugly and painful rash of open, raw sores around the mouth. Fortunately, there are now several manufacturers of stainless steel cat fountains and ceramic cat fountains that can eliminate this threat. This article is a brief review of those available.
Drinkwell’s Lotus Pet Fountain is advertised as ceramic and the top and bottom bowl are, however the large central tower through which the water is delivered is plastic. Although relatively attractive, it’s a tricky unit to clean, requiring considerable dismantling, and since water is constantly in contact with the plastic, it seems to defeat its very purpose. This unit sells for around $100 and is made in China.
Pioneer makes a stainless steel cat fountain and a ceramic model. The design is sleek and modern and the unit is quite simple and easy to maintain. Both models are made in China, however, and there is no certification as to food safety or whether the ceramic model’s glaze is lead-free. Customers have also reported that these fountains splatter. They sell for around $49 – $59.
There are several manufacturers of ceramic cat fountains in the United States. Glacier Point makes several ceramic models. All models are made up of rectangular boxes, cast in molds and each have inverted glass bottles on top that provide a large water capacity. Except for the high-quality, food-safe tubing and fittings, they are 100% food-safe ceramic and, unlike plastic models, are non-scratch, so they don’t harbor harmful bacteria that grow in scratches on kitchen counters. plastic sources. Glacier Point’s refrigerated units keep water cold, possibly making it more attractive to pets, which induces better hydration.
On the downside, refrigeration makes the fountain more expensive to maintain. Also, Glacier Point pet fountains are definitely not designed with aesthetics as the guiding value. This brand is probably for those who take a purely hands-on stance when watering their pet and don’t care much about other issues like appearance.
While all of the aforementioned fountains are manufactured, there are at least two people in the United States who make ceramic cat fountains by hand, using food-safe ceramics. Both sell their products on the online handmade goods store, Etsy. The shop, NoodleDoo Designs (http://www.noodledoodesigns.etsy.com) sells many other items besides cat fountains. It does a very whimsical job of it, and while its cat fountains leave a lot to be desired (the pump cord covers the rim, for example), at least it offers an alternative to plastic pet fountains, which aren’t made in China. Fountain prices start at around $100.