Product Review: PetSafe Drinkwell water fountain and my scaredy cat

Can you teach an old cat new tricks?

PetSafe sent me this Avalon water fountain for my pets. Lulu is a scaredy dog when it comes to water, and cats should have lots of fresh water to avoid urinary issues, so I put it on Galadriel's bathroom counter.

The fountain is stoneware. It doesn't seem fragile enough to break though. It was pretty easy to assemble too -- the instructions were easy to follow, and the fountain came together quickly.

I plugged it in, and at first I thought the rush of the water through the pump was really loud. The first night it sounded like I'd left a faucet on all night. Now it doesn't bother me at all.

The cat, on the other hand, is very confused. She sniffs it, she looks at it, but so far I don't think she drinks from it when it's on. Sometimes I think I hear her drinking from it, but she won't do it in front of me.

I guess I should have expected this. Sure she likes to sit in the sink, but she has never been big into water either. She's a cat, so that's not shocking.

But she won't drink from it.

She walks up, sniffs it, then backs away. And is not drinking.

Fortunately, I can shut the fountain off. So the fountain is off in spurts to get the cat used to it. But I do put the fountain back on from time to time to filter the water. That is, after all, what it's for, right?

PROS:

• Keeps the water circulating so that it's fresh. (Most) Pets prefer the fresher water to water sitting in a bowl all the time.
• It's fountain is quite soothing, once you get used to it. 
• You can unplug the fountain, so your pet can get used to drinking from it.
• The replacement filters are relatively inexpensive.
• PetSafe sells a wide range of fountains -- from pretty ceramic ones to stainless steel and even plastic fountains.
• The fountain holds 70 ounces of water. 

CONS:

• The filters only last two to four weeks, depending on how often you use it.
• You need to place it somewhere it can be plugged in. The cord is longish, but it may require rearranging things.
• Everything is 
• If your pet is not used to it, it may take a while to get them to drink from the fountain.

You can find the PetSafe water fountains and filters at most major pet stores, at Amazon and at PetSafe's website. 

HOWEVER -- if you wait until Saturday, you can win one! I'll be giving away a fountain Saturday on Life With Beagle.com. So stay tuned!

DISCLAIMER: I received the fountain from PetSafe for free, but opinions are my own.