How Are ThirstyCat Fountains Made? They are Handmade.
Given how many products are mass produced these days, including almost all cat fountains and most indoor fountains, it can be difficult to appreciate just what handmade means because very few of us practice it or even own handmade items. Of course, we know what it means – it means made by hand but when it comes to fountains what does that mean?
Since all our ThirstyCat fountains are made of ceramics it means every process, from ‘wedging’ the clay to make it throwable, to the throwing on the wheel, the trimming, the creation of the tower type of leaves, flowers, Piazza’s etc, the carving and glaze-painting, the glazes themselves and the application of the glazes, are all done with two hands, not machines. Of course we use tools, but it is us using them. Each creation is an individual, not a result of mass production.
As the image on the left shows, we throw the bowls on a pottery wheel. An ancient yet highly important tool in the creation of pottery. Without one there would be no truly round vessels. We use cutting tools to trim them, a kiln to fire them and sprayers to glaze them. And of course, many other tools are used to turn a piece of clay into a beautiful and beautifully functioning cat fountain.