Reviewed & Fact-Checked By
Dr. Lorna Whittemore
Veterinarian, MRCVS
Reviewed & Fact-Checked By
Dr. Lorna Whittemore
Veterinarian, MRCVS
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Did you know that cats can concentrate their urine? It’s true1, and because of this, cats can survive on smaller quantities of water. The downside of this is that cats have a low thirst drive, which means they don’t always feel the need to drink as much as they should, which can lead to dehydration. Dehydration can cause serious problems like kidney or feline lower urinary tract diseases.
To prevent dehydration, you should offer plenty of opportunities for drinking. Ideally, your home would have two water bowls per cat.
Not all cats enjoy drinking from a bowl of standing water, though, which is why you might also consider investing in a cat water fountain.
Keep reading to find our reviews of the ten best cat water fountains currently available in Canada. Stick around to the end of our buying guide to learn what factors you must consider before choosing the perfect fountain for your pet.
A Glance at Our Top Picks (2023 Update)
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Parner Automatic Cat Water Fountain
Stainless steel bowl
Triple filtration system
Large capacity
Check Price
Best Value
Catit Senses 2.0 Cat Flower Fountain
Easy to take apart for cleaning
Affordable price
Three water flow settings
Check Price
Premium Choice
Pioneer Pet Swan Pet Fountain
Great for cats who love water taps
Quiet operation
Easy to clean
Check Price
Best for Kittens
isYoung Cat Fountain
Customizable water flow
Luminous LED light
Quiet operation
Check Price
QIUQIU Cat Water Fountain
Window to check water levels
Quiet operation
Water flow options
Check Price
The 10 Best Cat Water Fountains in Canada
- Parner Automatic Cat Water Fountain – Best Overall
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Capacity 81-ounces
Material Polypropylene, stainless steel
Special feature LED lights
Parner’s water fountain provides the best overall cat water fountain in Canada due to its quiet pump at just 40dB and low energy consumption. Its stainless steel design also helps it earn this title as it provides a fresher taste for your pet.
Check Latest Price
Capacity 81-ounces
Material Polypropylene, stainless steel
Special feature LED lights
The fountain has an auto power-off feature that will prevent the machine from running dry when the water runs out. Its LED light will stay blue when the fountain is in working mode but will light up red to let you know when the water needs refilling. The LED light function can be switched on or off.
The fountain has three different flow modes to suit the needs of your cats. The flow modes are flower waterfall, flower bubble, and gentle fountain. You can remove pieces of the daisy to achieve these varying modes.
The fountain uses filters with three layers – activated carbon, ion exchange resin, and non-woven fabric. This triple filtration system will ensure that the water your cat drinks is the purest it can be.
Pros
Stainless steel bowl
Triple filtration system
Large capacity
Different flow options
Low water LED light
Cons
Must buy replacement filters over time
- Catit Senses 2.0 Cat Flower Fountain – Best Value
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Capacity 3-litres
Material Polypropylene
Special feature 3 flow settings
Cat owners on a tight budget can still afford to buy their pets a high-quality fountain. Catit Senses 2.0 Flower Fountain offers consumers the best cat water fountain in Canada for the money with its low price point and still fantastic design. This fountain, similar to Parner’s, has three water flow settings so you can find the one that best suits your picky kitty. The fountain itself is small and won’t take up much floor space. Its dual-action water softening filter ensures your cat gets the purest drinking water possible. The fountain itself is simple to disassemble when it comes time to clean, and its ergonomic design can prevent whisker fatigue, ultimately making your cat more apt to drink.
Stainless steel bowl
Triple filtration system
Large capacity
Different flow options
Low water LED light
- Stainless steel bowl
- Triple filtration system
- Large capacity
- Different flow options
- Low water LED light
Must buy replacement filters over time
- Must buy replacement filters over time
Capacity 3-litres
Material Polypropylene
Special feature 3 flow settings
Pros
Easy to take apart for cleaning
Affordable price
Three water flow settings
Water softening filtration system
Ergonomic design
Cons
Must be willing to purchase filters ongoing
- Pioneer Pet Swan Pet Fountain – Premium Choice
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Capacity 80-ounces
Material Plastic
Special feature Dishwasher safe
If you’re okay with spending a little extra on a high-quality fountain, check out this option from Pioneer Pet Swan Pet Fountain. While it is close to twice the price as most of the others on our list, we loved its unique swan-like design that mimics a water faucet. If your cat can’t control itself around running tap water, we can almost bet that it would love this design. The fountain has an 80-ounce capacity that is suitable for both single and multi-pet households. It has a USB connection pump which will keep it running quietly.
Easy to take apart for cleaning
Affordable price
Three water flow settings
Water softening filtration system
Ergonomic design
- Easy to take apart for cleaning
- Affordable price
- Three water flow settings
- Water softening filtration system
- Ergonomic design
Must be willing to purchase filters ongoing
- Must be willing to purchase filters ongoing
Capacity 80-ounces
Material Plastic
Special feature Dishwasher safe
The fountain is simple to clean as it is dishwasher safe. It comes with a replaceable charcoal filter that helps ensure the water is the cleanest it can be and an adjustable flow switch that allows you to control how fast you want the water to flow.
Pros
Great for cats who love water taps
Quiet operation
Easy to clean
Adjustable flow
Cons
Expensive
- isYoung Cat Fountain – Best for Kittens
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Capacity 1.5-litres
Material Polypropylene
Special feature LED light
If you have small cats or kittens in your home, you need a slightly smaller fountain to make accessing water easier for them. This option from isYoung Cat Fountain is a bit shorter, which will allow your kitten to reach the water reservoir with ease. It has a free-falling water stream which may entice some cats to drink water. The flow speed is also adjustable so you can choose the flow rate that your pet likes best. Its LED light makes finding the fountain in the dark easy.
Great for cats who love water taps
Quiet operation
Easy to clean
Adjustable flow
- Great for cats who love water taps
- Quiet operation
- Easy to clean
- Adjustable flow
Expensive
- Expensive
Capacity 1.5-litres
Material Polypropylene
Special feature LED light
The water pump is silent with low power consumption, and the fountain has a sponge to eliminate any water circulation sound. The fountain has a multi-stage filtration system to keep your pet’s water clean and tasting fresh.
Pros
Customizable water flow
Luminous LED light
Quiet operation
Free-falling stream
Cons
Requires filter replacements
- QIUQIU Cat Water Fountain
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Capacity 2-litres
Material Polypropylene
Special feature 180-ml emergency storage
The QIUQIU water fountain is one of the quietest options you’ll find on the market at just 30dB (which is akin to whispering sounds). Its patented outlet pipe ensures that the fountain is quiet even when the water level is low. It has three different water flow options and a triple filtration system to remove bad tastes and odors, soften the water, and filter out impurities.
Customizable water flow
Luminous LED light
Quiet operation
Free-falling stream
- Customizable water flow
- Luminous LED light
- Quiet operation
- Free-falling stream
Requires filter replacements
- Requires filter replacements
Capacity 2-litres
Material Polypropylene
Special feature 180-ml emergency storage
The fountain is made of BPA-free materials and has a 180-ml emergency water storage to keep your cat hydrated if there are power outages. The transparent window and LED light allow you to see the water level inside the fountain without having to take it apart so you know when it’s time to refill it.
The fountain is a little difficult to put together, but the manufacturer has uploaded videos to help with the assembly process.
Pros
Window to check water levels
Quiet operation
Water flow options
Triple filtration system
Emergency water storage
Cons
Difficult to put together
- NPET Fountain Dispenser WF050
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Capacity 1.5-litres
Material Polypropylene
Special feature Fully transparent tank
This fully transparent water fountain from NPET has a faucet-style design that may appeal to cats that love drinking from your water faucet. It has an ergonomic design that slopes slightly forward to reduce any tension on your cat’s cervical spine while they drink. You can adjust the height of the faucet by taking out or setting up the middle section or you may even opt for “gentle spring mode” with no faucet components at all.
Window to check water levels
Quiet operation
Water flow options
Triple filtration system
Emergency water storage
- Window to check water levels
- Quiet operation
- Water flow options
- Triple filtration system
- Emergency water storage
Difficult to put together
- Difficult to put together
Capacity 1.5-litres
Material Polypropylene
Special feature Fully transparent tank
The pumps’ quadruple filtration system ensures your cat has healthy and fresh water free of impurities. The pump is detachable and replaceable if you ever find the need to replace it. The manufacturer does recommend cleaning the pump often to extend its life.
Pros
Transparent design
Quadruple filtration
Large capacity bowl
Ergonomic design
Cons
Must clean pump often
Must buy replacement filters
- LEMONDA Automatic Water Fountain
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Capacity 3-litres
Material ABS
Special feature Transparent tank
LEMONDA’s transparent tank looks a lot like NPET’s but there are some differences between the two. This fountain has the largest capacity design available on the market right now at a whopping three liters (100 ounces). This makes it a no-brainer for households with multiple pets that’ll be using the fountain. That said, there are some reports of the fountain overflowing if it is filled too much.
Transparent design
Quadruple filtration
Large capacity bowl
Ergonomic design
- Transparent design
- Quadruple filtration
- Large capacity bowl
- Ergonomic design
Must clean pump often
Must buy replacement filters
- Must clean pump often
- Must buy replacement filters
Capacity 3-litres
Material ABS
Special feature Transparent tank
The pump operates very quietly to not spook any of your cats. There are four different flow modes including fountain, faucet, waterfall, and leaf-shaped so it’s easy to find one that your cat likes most.
Unlike some of the other models on our list, the filters included with this fountain are washable and reusable, which will cut back on future spending.
Pros
Large capacity
Transparent tank
Reusable filters included
Different flow modes
Quiet operation
Cons
May overflow if overfilled
Some reports of faulty pumps
- PETLIBRO Cat Water Fountain
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Capacity 2-litres
Material Stainless steel
Special feature Adjustable water flow
PETLIBRO’s stainless steel fountain is BPA-free and rust-resistant. It is easy to clean and dishwasher safe (aside from the pump and filters). The fountain is very quiet while in operation (below 30dB which is nearly inaudible). The handle is ergonomic, which makes picking up the fountain or taking off the lid to clean inside it easy.
Large capacity
Transparent tank
Reusable filters included
Different flow modes
Quiet operation
- Large capacity
- Transparent tank
- Reusable filters included
- Different flow modes
- Quiet operation
May overflow if overfilled
Some reports of faulty pumps
- May overflow if overfilled
- Some reports of faulty pumps
Capacity 2-litres
Material Stainless steel
Special feature Adjustable water flow
The fountain has a splash-proof and leak-proof design to keep the water inside the fountain and not all over your flooring. The adjustable water flow level allows you to choose how fast or slow you’d like the water to flow.
When it comes time to replace the filter, the manufacturer recommends buying only PETLIBRO filters and no off-brand options.
Pros
Leak-proof design
Sanitary stainless steel construction
Dishwasher safe
Quiet operation
Cons
Must replace filters often
Reports of faulty pumps
- Petmate Fresh Flow
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Capacity 102-ounces
Material Blend
Special feature Waterslide design
Petmate’s Fresh Flow fountain has a unique modern design that claims to be no-splash, thanks to its patented water slide design. This design also reduces the sound of trickling water, and the gradual slope of the water will ensure the floor surrounding the fountain stays dry.
Leak-proof design
Sanitary stainless steel construction
Dishwasher safe
Quiet operation
- Leak-proof design
- Sanitary stainless steel construction
- Dishwasher safe
- Quiet operation
Must replace filters often
Reports of faulty pumps
- Must replace filters often
- Reports of faulty pumps
Capacity 102-ounces
Material Blend
Special feature Waterslide design
This fountain purifies the water and keeps it oxygen-rich by recirculating its flow and running it through a filter before it gets back to your cat. The reservoir will fill gradually as your cat drinks from it to ensure they’re always getting the freshest water. The transparent window on the side of the fountain allows you to keep tabs on the water level so you know when it’s time to refill it.
Pros
Quiet operation
Splash-proof
Oxygen-rich water
Quiet design
Cons
Must buy additional filters
Difficult to clean
- Wonder Creature Cupcake Fountain
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Capacity 2.1-litres
Material Porcelain
Special feature 360 degree multi-directional streams
This porcelain fountain from Wonder Creature doesn’t only have a unique and beautiful look, but its design is unique as well. Porcelain is a safe and durable material that’s resistant to scratching so the fountain will last a long time. It is very easy to put together and disassemble for cleaning purposes. It has 360° multi-directional streams so your cats can pick any side of the fountain to drink from. The three-layer filtration system removes bad tastes and smells, captures hair and debris, and purifies the water from bacteria and residues.
Quiet operation
Splash-proof
Oxygen-rich water
Quiet design
- Quiet operation
- Splash-proof
- Oxygen-rich water
- Quiet design
Must buy additional filters
Difficult to clean
- Must buy additional filters
- Difficult to clean
Capacity 2.1-litres
Material Porcelain
Special feature 360 degree multi-directional streams
Pros
Pretty design
Durable material
Quiet operation
Easy to clean
Cons
Porcelain is very heavy (6 pounds)
Very expensive
Must buy filters often
Buyer’s Guide: How to Find the Best Cat Water Fountains in Canada
As you can see, there are many different styles, sizes, and material options to choose from. How can you narrow down our top ten list even further so you can pick the best fountain for your needs? Keep reading to find out.
Pretty design
Durable material
Quiet operation
Easy to clean
- Pretty design
- Durable material
- Quiet operation
- Easy to clean
Porcelain is very heavy (6 pounds)
Very expensive
Must buy filters often
- Porcelain is very heavy (6 pounds)
- Very expensive
- Must buy filters often
Materials
Most water fountains on the market are made of plastic or stainless steel. Ceramic or porcelain fountains are also available but aren’t as easy to find.
Every material type comes with its own pros and cons so one isn’t inherently better than the next.
Plastic fountains are cheaper to make, so they’re less costly to buy. They tend to be lighter, so it’s easier for your cat to knock them over. Some poor-quality plastic fountains can get scratched easily which can then cause bacteria to lurk in the scratches. Luckily, the plastic options on our list are all cat-tested and parent-approved so they’re not going to scratch easily.
Stainless steel is great at preventing bacteria growth and tends to be more hygienic than plastic. It is very expensive, however, and most fountains made of this material will be very costly to buy.
Porcelain is another great hygienic material and will make for a heavy fountain that will prevent tip-overs. Its weight can be a con, however, as the fountain will then be difficult for you to pick up when it comes time to clean it.
Capacity
The capacity of the fountain will ultimately determine how often you’ll need to fill it in. When considering a fountain’s capacity, take into account how many pets you own. If you have a multi-cat household, you should opt for a fountain with a larger capacity so you won’t need to fill it as often.
Noise Level
Not only are excessively noisy fountains annoying and capable of ruining the ambiance of the room they’re in, but they could be scary for your pets, too. If your cat is afraid of the sound of its water fountain, it isn’t going to go take a drink as often as it would if the water source were quieter.
Sadly, you can’t tell for yourself just how noisy a water fountain will be until you’ve bought it and put it in your home. Most of the manufacturers above include approximate decibel levels so you can compare what the fountain will sound like to a well-known sound. Most range between 30dB and 40db. The Hearing Health Foundation has a chart on their website that suggests a sound that’s at 30dB is similar to that of a whisper, while 40dB is roughly the same noise level of a running refrigerator.
Ease of Use
Another factor to consider is how easy the fountains are to not only set up and refill but how simple the cleaning process is.
Some fountains will require cleaning more often depending on the filtration system and the quality of the filters. Some are dishwasher safe, while others require hand washing only.
Are Water Fountains Better Than Water Bowls?
Not inherently, no. Some cats prefer to drink from a standing bowl of water, while others will only drink from flowing water.
Does your cat often put its paws into its bowl of water? This may be because it prefers its water to be moving. If you notice your cat’s paws are wet after taking a drink from its standing water bowl or the floor around its bowl is wet, you might consider giving a water fountain with flowing water a shot.
How Do I Clean a Cat Water Fountain?
The fountain will need to be maintained as per the instructions included with your purchase. If you don’t clean it often or as directed, you’re risking the growth of fungi and slime, which can harm your pet. You might also consider keeping the fountain out of direct sunlight to prevent algae growth.
Generally, most fountains will be cleaned the same way. You’ll need to unplug it from the power source, drain the water from the tank and canals and then disassemble it to ensure a thorough cleaning.
- See also: 10 Best Cat Trees in Canada
Our Top Pick for Cat Water Bowl:
Gone are the days when you have to mop up water spills after your pet goes for a drink. With the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl, you’ll never have to worry about water spills again. Two stainless steel bowls sit inside a wide tray to catch every little dribble that falls from your pet’s mouth. Your furry friend might not be the cleanest drinker, but now they don’t have to be! Click here to purchase your own and say goodbye to water spills for good. At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Gone are the days when you have to mop up water spills after your pet goes for a drink. With the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl, you’ll never have to worry about water spills again.
Two stainless steel bowls sit inside a wide tray to catch every little dribble that falls from your pet’s mouth. Your furry friend might not be the cleanest drinker, but now they don’t have to be! Click here to purchase your own and say goodbye to water spills for good.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Conclusion
The best overall cat water fountain in Canada is Parner’s stainless steel flower fountain for its large capacity, flow options, and auto power-off feature. The best value fountain in Canada is the Catit Senses 2.0, thanks to its water softening filtration system and affordable price.
We hope our reviews have helped narrow down your list of potential water fountains. You can’t go wrong with any of the high-quality and highly rated options above.
Featured Image Credit: rihaij, Pixabay
