Choosing a Fountain Size

We receive quite a few calls at ThirstyCats from people who want to buy a fountain but are unsure what size they need for their circumstances. We create a fairly wide range of sizes so this is an important consideration. Here we address this.

There are several elements which factor into the decision of how large a fountain to select:

• Number of cats
• Their size
• Their diet
• Your schedule

Which makes it sound like it’s really complicated but it’s fairly simple. The more cats, the larger (higher capacity) the fountain bowl, with a few modifying factors. Even our smallest fountains are fine for a single adult cat but if you have two or more cats we recommend a bowl that is at least 10 inches in diameter and holds at least 9 cups. The two cats combined will probably drink in the vicinity of a little over two cups a day but you don’t want the water level to get too low for the sake of the pump. The dimensions and cup capacity of all our fountains are listed in the fountain description in our shop.

Larger cats generally drink more water than smaller cats and older cats may drink more too so let those elements figure in.

If your cat eats wet food they won’t need as much water (but still very much do need moving water). And finally, your schedule. If you are there a lot and can top off the fountain you can get by just fine with a smaller fountain. If not, go larger. So a general rule of thumb:

• One cat – any size from app. 9” – 5 cup capacity, larger if you travel a lot.
• Two cats, Minumum of 11 cup capacity or larger. If you’re there a lot and or they eat wet food you can go smaller.
• More than two cats, a large capacity or more than one fountain.