When the pump stopped working in one of our cat water fountains, we decided to try out the Drinkwell Pagoda Water Fountain. Choosing this model turned out to be a great decision as we (and the cats) love it!
You can play the video above or keep reading to learn the four reasons why I love this cat fountain. Taco joined me in the first part of the video. He was the perfect cat model.
All links to Amazon in this article are affiliate links. I will receive a commission if you click the link and then decide you want to make a purchase.
#1 The fountain is quiet!
The pump is the quietest pump we have encountered. The low noise level could be because the pagoda model is ceramic and the other models we’ve tried have been plastic.
Our previous models have included Petmate Deluxe models (their small one and a larger-sized model) and Drinkwell Platinum. Perhaps, the vibration was different from the plastic.
The actual flow of the water of the pagoda fountain is NOT quiet out of the box. The water coming out the fountain and hitting the water below is loud. Thanks to an Amazon reviewer, I learned an easy trick to make it quiet.
The trick is to put a 5″ plate or small bowl under the lip of the fountain. Then the water gently slides down the bowl or plate into the holding dish.
With this trick in place, this fountain doesn’t keep me awake when napping on the couch as previous models did. The sound from it is barely noticeable. People with some hearing loss may not notice the noise at all when a few feet away.
My first attempt at making the video at our other fountain (same model). Kilala was wondering what I was doing on the floor next to the fountain!
#2 Cleaning is easy
This model has been easy to clean. The instructions say that the bowl and piece covering the pump parts are dishwasher safe. So far, we have only hand washed the fountain.
With the inside of the bowl being white (the outside comes in a few different colors) dirt in the bowl is easy to spot.
I haven’t attempted to clean the motor yet.
#3 Topping off the water is easy
With the Pagoda, the water bowl level is maintained at the full level by adding more water. This can be done by taking a cup of water and adding it to the fountain. There isn’t a separate holding piece to remove and refill.
Going to the fountain first may feel like a minor thing, but I find taking water to the fountain more convenient than having to remove a piece to refill.
In the left image above, there is a holding container on the back of the unit. The container does hold a large quantity of water which is a nice feature.
However, I still find it easier to dump a glass of water into the Pagoda (pictured on the right). Others may like the convenience of the large holding container resulting in less topping off.
#4 The cats like it!
All seven of my cats like the pagoda. For a couple of weeks, we had the Pagoda and the Drinkwell Platinum at the same time. Before that, we had the Platinum and the large Petmate model.
Out of all the models we have tried, the Pagoda seems to be the preferred model. We loved this model so much, and with the cats also liking it, we decided to get two.
Bonus information!
- The carbon filters for the Drinkwell Pagoda are available as a Subscribe and Save item on Amazon! You can select how often you want to receive new filters. The manual has recommended replacement frequency.
- Cat water fountains are one way to help your cats drink more water. We started using fountains many years ago when crystals were found in Buster’s urine.
- Your cat may play in or splash water out of the water bowl. My twins, Jake and Elwood, are the usual culprits in my home. You may want to place the fountain on a mat or something to help keep your floor dry.
- Remember to change the filters!
- If the water level gets too low, the pump will burnout. Most brands seem to sell replacement pumps. We’ve had pumps burnout from regular use on other models.
In summary, my favorite reason for loving the Drinkwell Pagoda Fountain is that it is quiet (when the trick noted above is used). Three more reasons are it is easy to clean, easy to top off with more water, and the cats like it!
Do you use water fountains with your cats?