Reddit mentions: The best cat fountains

Your questions aren't silly! It's great that you're thinking about how you can make you both comfortable before you dive into a new situation. Always set yourself up for success! :)

> do I buy a litter box/food/scratch-post before I plan to bring a cat home?

That's generally a good idea, yes. Means less stress for both of you as you're scrambling to get everything ready for him. You might ask the shelter what food the cat has been eating, as cats can get an upset tummy when switching brands/types. Not a big deal, but he will have poops that are a bit stinkier/liquidier than normal poops. That should alleviate within the week. You can lessen the tummy troubles by doing a more gradual change, mixing the food he is currently on with the food he will be on more and more, until he is eating what you want him on. But you can honestly just do the change, too, and just deal with the sadpoops for a little while.

I suggest a couple of different scratching posts, if you have the space! Cats like having options, like a horizontal post and a vertical one. Cats also like being high up, so if you can swing a tall post with platforms, he will probably like that.

Get two litter boxes! A lot of people don't realize it, but the rule of thumb for number of litters you should have is NumberOfCats + 1. So, 1 cat + 1 = 2 boxes. Clean them often. Cats are very clean creatures (especially compared to dogs) and are MUCH more likely to have accidents when they feel they do not have a better option than peeing in your bed. That's not their fault. You wouldn't want to step on your own pee/poop either! If you have problems with litter getting kicked out of the box, a litter mat can be helpful.

> Do I need to buy a carrier for the cat?

Yep. You'll eventually need to take him to a vet in all likelihood, and a carrier will make that so much easier, as most cats despise the car. I recommend a hard carrier. The softer ones seem nicer in general, but the hard carriers are easier to clean out, and you never know how a cat will be in the car until... well. They're in it. One of our cats poops and pees every. single. time. So he always gets the hard carrier.

> Should I contact a vet before I get the cat?

The shelter might require you to have a vet already, so I'd probably at least pick one out from google search. They might require you to go get a checkup, but probably not. That's more of a rescue thing, I think. Most shelters have their own in-house vet, so it's not really necessary. Don't be afraid to contact the shelter if he seems to be coughing and wheezing. Upper respiratory infections are very common in shelter environments due to the crowded nature of them, but they are also very treatable, and the shelter will be able to give you medication for him.

> How do I train a cat?

Someone mentioned Jackson Galaxy, who I generally agree is pretty good for training if you have some problems. But most of the time, cats are pretty out-of-the-box ready pets. That is to say, if you have an environment that is good for cats (where you let them have some space, where you don't make a huge amount of loud noise, where they aren't prodded and poked at constantly), they generally don't need training. We've fostered tiny kittens that automatically knew how to use the litter box. We also have boy cats who were not fixed until well into adulthood and have never had problems spraying.
It's instinct to go in the box, especially once they're fixed and don't need to mark territory really.

> For those of you who own a cat/cats, any advice for this first-timer?

Give both of you time to get to know each other. Don't force it. He will come to you, given time and space, and you'll be able to cultivate a better relationship built on trust and mutual respect if he knows that you won't force him to do things that he doesn't want to do (especially at first--think about it like building a friendship with a person; you would trust your friends to do things that you would never trust a stranger to do, and it's the same for him).

Cooing and gentle words are generally pretty good for coaxing, as is letting him smell your hand/something that smells like you before you approach for pets. Think about it like introducing yourself. You wouldn't go up to someone you didn't know well and just touch them without at least saying hi.

Every cat I have ever known, male or female, fixed or not, will pee in a pile of anything if it is left long enough. They see it as 'trash,' and I think it just registers as litter. So, if you are the type to leave clothes on the floor... I would try to stop that.

Keep nails trimmed. Scratching posts are for sharpening nails, which is an instinct that they have to fulfill, and you're giving them an outlet for. Some people think it's for 'filing' the nails down, but it's not. It's for keeping them sharp enough to get prey. You'll have to trim them.

And this is just my own personal opinion, but... young--but not kitten--boy cats are best for first timers. I have one girl, and I absolutely adore her, but she is very high maintenance/prissy/touchy, whereas my three boys are all pretty chill. Each cat is different though, so obviously your mileage may vary! It's just something I've noticed in general in my time of owning and fostering cats, that boys are more laid back/forgiving than girls (and thus I think a little easier for a first timer). Young adults are also great for first timers because you have less accidents (though that's generally not a big concern anyway) and they're more able to be on their own for longer periods of time. Older adults/seniors are great too if you want a really, really chill, more stand-offish cat, or if you want a cat that you'll have for <10 years, but if you want a little more energy and time, a cat that's about 1-2 years old is a GREAT way to go.

Some toys that are great for cats include the classic laser pointer, the feather toy, catnip toys, and crinkle balls.

Cats prefer to drink away from where they eat, so place his food bowl and his water bowl apart from one another! Some cats also prefer running water to still water, so if you notice your cat likes drinking out of the faucet (or if you just want to spoil your cat like I spoil mine...) you can get a water fountain for him!

Finally, if it's not working out for some reason, like your personalities just don't mesh well... take him back. I know it sounds hard, but it's best for him if he is in an environment where he is understood and his needs are met. There's no sense in forcing both of you to be miserable. Some shelters let you do a foster-to-adopt sort of thing, where you sort of try each other out for a bit. I like this option, because you hope for the best, but it feels a little bit easier to tap out if you need to. Either way, there's no shame in tapping out. Sometimes things just don't work the way you thought they would.

Sorry for the novel, but I wanted to be as thorough as I could. My parents recently got their first cat, and it's been... an ordeal for them, getting used to it.
It's great that you have some experience with cats though, so I think you'll be fine! Seriously, cats are sort of the next level up from a goldfish as far as easiness. Should be fine.

I hope you and your new furbaby are super, super happy together! :)

Okay a few cat suggestions.

1. http://www.catgenie.com/ buy one of these. It will save you a LOT of scooping, and the soap cartridges it takes last a long time (months) and are cheaper than cat litter. Because this device uses a plumbing connection (water supply and drain) it flushes the cat waste down the drain so there is nothing to scoop or empty. Buy the normal retail unit, then sign up for the VIC program- over the course of a year they'll send you a ton of supplies, but it doesn't auto renew. The VIC supplies are cheaper than retail and work in the normal retail cat genie.
   
   
2. To litterbox train your cat, look up a product called Cat Attract spray. If you get the Cat Genie, DO NOT put the cat attract litter in it- it will clog and destroy the machine. Use the spray, or litterbox train the cat with a normal litterbox and then switch to something automatic.
   
   
3. Keep your cat inside. Inside cats live longer, healthier lives. However she should still have a collar and a microchip- cats can sometimes escape.
   
   
4. Learn to communicate with your cat. Cats do most of their communication through body language, not meows. Most domesticated cats adapt and use meows to communicate with humans to some degree, but if you learn to read the cat's body language that can be a big help. There are lots of resources on cat body language so I won't go into it much here. But a few tips- tail straight up plus long meow is a greeting when you get home, tail up generally indicates happy or curious, ears back plus cat/tail low to the ground equals pissed off. Staring straight at a cat can be a sign of hostility. However if you look at the cat and blink very slowly, sometimes the cat will return the sign- that is a sign of non-threatening familiarity. Same thing if a cat does it to you, do it back. Cats rub against things partially to scent-mark them- so the cat rubbing past your leg is partially an affectionate sign, and also marking you as part of the cat's property. If a cat rubs its face on you (especially your own face) that's a strong sign of approval, it's considering you to be part of its family. When a cat rolls over and exposes its belly this is a sign of trust, not necessarily and invitation for a belly rub. Some cats like the belly rub, some don't. If you want to try it, start at the top under the chin.
   
   
5. speaking of things cats like- scratching between the ears, rubbing around the ear sockets (there are a lot of little muscles in there which orient the ears), scratching lightly on the underside of the jaw and off to the sides below the cheeks. Some cats like having an ear lightly rubbed between two fingers. Right above the base of the tail is another good scratching place. Most cats would prefer having their legs and paws left alone.
   
   
6. Don't declaw your cat. Declawing in human equivalent is the same as tearing off the end of each finger at the last knuckle. Get a good scissor-type nail trimmer- petsmart has them in the dog aisle. The cat designed quick detector one doesn't work at all. DO NOT cut the 'quick'- the pink area inside the nail. That will hurt a lot and bleed. Nail trimming time should be when the cat is very tired and relaxed so she will sit still. Plenty of treats should be involved. It's not always possible to do all the nails at once, sometimes more than one session is required. If you absolutely must declaw your cat, only declaw the front paws. However a better solution is to get a good scratching post and reward the cat for using it. Get something fairly tall- cats like to stretch out when they scratch.
   
   
7. The more water your cat drinks, the better. Cats in the wild get most of their water in the meat they eat, so this is especially important if your cat eats dry food. This gadget works really well- cats instinctively know that running water is cleaner than stagnant water, so a bowl like this can encourage the cat to drink more. Proper hydration can prevent kidney and bladder issues.
   
   
8. It IS possible to train a cat. The difference is that unlike dogs, cats are not pack animals. With a dog, once you establish yourself as ahead of the dog in the pack order, the dog will naturally obey as long as it understands the command. Cats have no such compunction, so you have to train them that it's in their best interest to obey. Negative reinforcement doesn't work well with cats, positive rewards work much better. IE, if you want your cat to come to you when called, having a treat ready as a reward is more effective than punishing the cat who doesn't come. You can train your cat for 'OFF!' or some similar command- for a while, when you say OFF, if the cat doesn't move chase her off whatever she's on, then ignore her. You don't want to create the association that 'off' is the start of a fun hide and seek game.
   
   
9. If you need a punishment, a spray bottle full of water works nicely. It's totally harmless but cats don't like it. There are a handful of automated defense systems like static zapper mats and motion-detector compressed air spray things that work pretty well for training cats to stay off tables and stuff.
   
   
10. If the kitten gets low to the ground, looks at you, and starts wiggling her butt, prepare for a incoming kitty-missile.
    
    
11. Back on training- you can train the cat to not bite or use claws when playing. If you are playing with the cat and she gets a bit too rough, make a loud 'OUCH!' type sound, and end the play session (just walk away and ignore her). Then wash off your hands- any cat bite or scratch should be washed with soap and water.
    
    
12. All cats go through a phase where they bite all the time. The bites are generally soft play-bites that don't hurt.
    
    
13. Cats are smart. If you feed your cats by hand, they will usually figure out that rub against the leg + meow anxiously + be adorable = get food. Keep an eye out for when your cat is training you. Alternatively, get the cat an automatic feeder (only works well with dry food).
    
    
14. Keep your cat entertained. Get a bunch of balls and toys and stuff and leave them laying around. This is especially important if you only have one cat- two cats will entertain each other, one cat will be bored out of its mind when you are away. Many cats prefer toys that make noise of some kind. A cat tower is another good investment.
    
    Hope that helps!

Congrats on the MC!

I have two MCs....

1. Invest in a water fountain! Cats naturally don't drink enough water (which is why they tell u wet food is better to feed ur cat than dry food)
   
   https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Platinum-Fountain-Drinking/dp/B000L3XYZ4/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1542680300&sr=1-5&keywords=platinum+water+fountain
   
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   Also, cats don't like their food and water in the same spot . I found my cats tend to drink way more water and it stays cleaner when they are in different areas. Previously i was cleaning their water daily because my silly cats were dropping their kibbles into the water, or their food was getting sugar ants.
   
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2. Your new baby will need a scratching post he/she can grow into. My boys use this one religiously (we have 3 posts scattered around the house) but this is their favorite because they can stretch all the way to the top. WARNING: its massive. its very sturdy and pretty wide so if u have a smaller place this may NOT be the post for you.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Homes-Pets-Scratching-Extra-Durable/dp/B00JEADDCO/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1542679782&sr=8-9&keywords=cat+scratching+post+for+large+cats
   
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3. Food: my kitties were fed taste of the wild at the breeders, but I transitioned them to Orijen cat and Kitten Food. Extremely pricy but as far as dry food goes some of the best.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Orijen-Dry-Cat-Kitten-Food/dp/B01I3IBQG2/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1542680125&sr=1-4&keywords=orijen+cat+and+kitten+12
   
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4. Cat litter: My previous cats developed issues from the dust from clay based litters. We switched over to something more natural when i got these MCs...like walnut shells!
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Naturally-Fresh-Multi-Cat-Quick-Clumping-Litter/dp/B00BPA12MO/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1542680260&sr=1-7&keywords=blue+litter
   
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5. Cat Shelves - If you have a blank wall i definitely recommend this! We had to tweak ours a little because the shelves we purchased were entirely too small for Maine Coons. And also had to add supporting brackets. Everyday its a fight on who gets the cat shelves! and if its in a common area, its definitely a way for them to be present and still in their own space up high.
   
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6. Pet insurance. If you can afford to get ur kitten Pet insurance I recommend this. Maine coons since they are a larger breed are prone to things like hip displaysia, HCM, and other genetic diseases. It makes caring for them a little easier as they get older. We use Healthy Paws Pet insurance for our two Maine Coons and i highly recommend them! I want to say as a kitten they started out between 10 and 20 dollars a month?
   
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   Everyone has given u a lot of wonderful advice here! Some of which i actually wish I knew when i was getting my babies! Good luck and enjoy your new kitten :)
   
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Hi there, what a great contest! :)

My Sofie kitty is 2, so not quite a kitten anymore, but she is such a sweetie pie and loves to play!

I found this, and thought it was really cool! Sofie likes to drink fresh water the best (directly from the faucet) and this seems like a neat alternative!

As I said, Sofie loves to play and I know she would love this mouse toy on my For the Kitty wishlist. :)

Thanks so much, I hope you and your kitty have a wonderful Christmas!

Hi TurbinePoweredVagina, sorry to hear about your kitty. I hope some of this information will be able to help!

First off, good on you for introducing wet food back into his diet! I also suspect that the change to all dry is triggering these blockages. The number one issue concerning cats with urinary crystals water consumption. Cats naturally have a very low thirst drive (as they get virtually all water from their prey, which is ~70% water), and often will not drink until extremely dehydrated. So a transition from a primarily wet diet (70-80% moisture) to a primarily dry diet (~10%) moisture would undoubtedly cause your kitty to consume less water. In essence, a uretic dry food isn't going to do much more for your kitty than if he were eating a generic dry food, as he is likely chronically dehydrated.

When looking for a canned food for your cats (and this applies to all cats, including healthy ones!), look out for a two important things:

• actual named protein source first and second on list of ingredients ("chicken" or "turkey" as opposed to "meat by-product")
  
• free of grains (rice, corn, wheat, etc)
  
  Cats are by design, obligate carnivores (teeth shape, short digestive tract to minimize bacteria in prey). They haven't lived with humans long enough to evolutionarily adapt to the consumption of high-carbohydrate diets, and thus, their bodies still lack the necessary enzymes to properly digest carbohydrates. Note that most dry foods are very high in carbs (30%+), due to the necessity of a starch to bond the kibble together. As a result, high-carb dry diets (upwards of 30% - 50% carbs) contribute to maldigestion, hairballs, obesity, kidney diseases, high blood sugar leading to feline diabetes, and chronic dehydration leading to urinary blockages.
  
  In terms of good common canned food brands, may I recommend Wellness (the 12.5 oz cans, look for the Grain Free yellow triangle) or EVO (13 oz cans)? The Wellness website often has promotions and will provide coupons for their products, and EVO offers a frequent buyers club, in which the 10th purchase is free. I find that buying the large cans in bulk (two boxes at a time) is enough to last my cat almost two months. They're pretty economical as the large cans (the EVO ones are $2.69 where I live, no doubt cheaper in the US) end up being around the same price if not cheaper than supermarket brands like Friskies or Fancy Feast, per gram. You should be able to find Wellness in big box pet stores like Petsmart and Petco, however EVO isn't as common and it might only be available in smaller or privately-run stores. If you're in a rush and need to get food fast, Fancy Feast actually isn't terrible; as their classic variety lacks grains and has named protein sources at the top of the ingredient list.
  
  As the main concern with a cat with urinary tract issues is water consumption, here are a couple things you can do to alleviate his condition:
  
  
• if your kitty is fascinated with running water, try getting him a pet fountain. The sound of running water encourages many cats to drink more.
  
• give him chicken broth, water from a tuna can, or a cat milk such as CatSip as treats
  
• add one or two tablespoons of water to his wet food each meal
  
  I leave you with some resources that you may find helpful:
  
  
• Feline Urinary Tract Health: Excellent feline nutrition website written by a veterinarian, very in-depth
  
• Feline-Nutrition.org: Library of interesting articles
  
• Forum for Cat Health/Nutrition: Knowledgeable people, can go to them for more advice
  
  tl;dr Cats naturally don't drink enough water so eating an all dry diet will cause dehydration and urinary blockages. Best solution is to switch to a primarily wet diet (grain free for optimum health), get a pet fountain, give tasty broth and lactose-free milk as treats, and add additional water to food during mealtimes.
  
  Hope this helped. Best of luck to you and your little guy!

Declawing is the same as surgically removing the last bone from each of your fingertips. Learn to keep the cat's nails trimmed correctly. Too short and if a cat's not used to it, they can't walk, run, or jump without wobbling until they grow back.

Not all cats like scratching posts -- mine prefers cardboard, but not the 'on-edge' cardboard cat scratchers, so my dad helped me add a wooden 'tray' to the top of the post in which I place flat squares of cardboard cut from boxes. She scratches and sleeps there, and sometimes just perches there to watch out the window. Don't get a carpet-covered scratching post or pad unless you want to teach your cat that scratching carpet is a good idea. =P

I have a Booda Dome for a litter box -- she still tracks some litter. I don't think there's a system out there that will keep cats from tracking any. Some litters are better than others. Covered litter boxes are nice for the humans, but not all cats will adapt to the flaps. Some litters are lower 'dust' than others, and this is better for cats' lungs and humans' alike. =)

Not all cats will respond to catnip or all types of toys. My cat is indifferent to laser pointers, and only likes the actual fur-covered realistic mice. She doesn't care for bell toys, but those little plastic springs drive her nuts (when she's in the mood). Her favorite toy is a wooden wobble 'bead' in which you can place catnip. Also a Da Bird Feather Cat Toy which you can make flutter to sound like a real bird. I'd suggest the non-collapsible one, as I'd suspect my cat would pull that apart. =P

Talk to your vet about what food(s) are actually good for your cat. From my research, you want to avoid bone meal products or and 'meal' products as they include ground bone which is hard on your cat's kidneys. Also avoid grains. Turkey is better than chicken; not all fish are terrible, but you have to consider mercury levels. You should consider only feeding your cat wet food, but this is more expensive, and difficult to manage with hurried schedules. Mine loves kibble and hates having to give that up, so I leave that out all the time and supplement with a big scoop of wet food at night. (These are the best quality, least expensive per-serving foods I've found.) A 6-lb. bag of kibble seems to last my cat ~3 months. At four days (servings) per can, the 12-pack of 12.5 oz. cans last about 1.5 months. You'll need two snap-on plastic can lids. My cat adores salmon as you may see. =P

Not all cats will like all types of cat beds.

Mine LOVES water (she literally demands 'cat showers') and she likes to play with the dripping tub faucet, so next I'm going to get a cat drinking fountain. Cats in general prefer 'fresh' or moving water, so mine always wants clean water in her bowl every time.

Because no one cat will like every toy or bed or litter box, you may have to buy more than one. Talk to your vet about what types to try and how to encourage a cat to like what you buy. I put catnip on my cat's things -- that seems to have worked, but not all cats respond to catnip.

Former veterinary nurse here. Everything you said is on point. As far as regular kitty maintenance, I cannot recommend a Litter Genie enough. It's definitely sold me on the concept, and if I ever have any babies, I'll definitely get one for them.

I will say though that timed feedings are a great idea if your cat will tolerate it, mostly because you end up knowing exactly how much kitty is eating. One of the first things to go when a cat is feeling unwell is their appetite, and they're notorious for masking symptoms until it's gotten bad. My sister has a cat in end-stage FIV right now for that very reason.

Oh, OP, by the way? If kitty is going to go outside AT ALL, you MUST do two things: parasite prevention and a microchip/FIV vaccine combo. Revolution is my personal favorite parasite prevention, as it's a monthly does and handles heartworms (yes, cats can get them), fleas, ticks, and most intestinal parasites. You have a ton of options, though. As for the FIV vaccine... Feline immunodeficiency virus behaves similarly to HIV/AIDS in humans. It's passed on through saliva, usually from deep bite wounds, as opposed to sharing a water bowl, but there is still some risk there. (This is probably how my sister's cat acquired the infection, as she spends a lot of time outside and has an ultra-nemesis cat that lives nearby.) The vaccine is effective, but it can cause a false positive result on a blood test. The only real solution is to have your kitty microchipped, which IMHO is something all kitties should have done. Here's the imaginary scenario which plays out all too often: Kitty is vaccinated for FIV but doesn't have a chip, gets picked up by animal control, get tested for FIV, and shows a false positive. Any cat that comes in the door with a positive FIV result is likely to be euthanized. However, the first thing anyone does these days is check for a microchip. If it's established that this cat has an owner, the medical workup will continue, but they can't just euthanize your cat anymore. It sucks and it sounds harsh, but it's the same thing as a puppy coming in with parvovirus.

As far as the rest of basic kitty care, a water fountain is definitely an excellent idea. We have one for our two cats and they L O V E it. It's cute and didn't cost very much, either. Here's a link: Catit Flower Fountain https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146QXOB0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_MWVmzbNH28CMW

This sounds ridiculous, but my cats learned to love their scratching posts because we would scratch them together. If one of them ever started to scratch the furniture, I'd go over to the Correct Scratcher™ and mimic scratching it, and they'd go bonkers running over to do it with me. It's pretty cute, tbh.

Wow my heart broke and also grew reading all this. Thank you so much for giving Pepe Le Pew (loved his name!) such a happy life. Roland sounds like he’s very happy with you and I’m so glad to hear he’s got such a loving parent! It takes a beautiful heart to want to do what you’re doing, and I think it’s just amazing. My condolences again friend.

If you don’t mind me asking, how do your cats drink water? I learned that cats don’t drink water often like dogs, and to help prevent kidney issues it’s recommended to get a cat fountain. They are pretty cheap, and I have noticed my cats drink SO MUCH more water now. You can find the one I use here

This is going to be fun. Across my multiple wishlists...

1.) Something that is grey.
Grey bedsheets.

2.) Something reminiscent of rain.
Pet water fountain.

3.) Something food related that is unusual.
Astronaut Ice Cream

4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!)
This Bruins banner is for my BFF Becky. She loves the Bruins more than anything. Hockey is her obsession. I put it on my list to remind myself to get it for her at some point. It would make her happy.

5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!
The Name of the Wind. Of everything I've read in the past 6 months, this one I devoured and have been desperate for the second book in (it's on my list to pick up this week, actually, if my paycheck EVER comes in).

Look, I hate... HATE... first person perspective. I see it as a sign of sloppy writing. However, this book had me SOLD on it. Kvothe is possibly one of my new favorite characters OF ALL TIME.

Avid reader doesn't even begin to describe me. I have my own library. I need books like air. And if I had to make a list of 100 books that were all I was allowed to have for the rest of my life, THIS WOULD BE ON IT.

6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!
This kindle book

7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...)
The most interesting cat toy in the world

8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it.
This choker. Enough said.

9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why?
The Breakfast Club Why? Because. It's a good movie. Whether you were the jock, the brain, the spoiled brat, the loser, or the troublemaker-- there's a character you can identify with, and it shows that whatever and whoever you are, you can get along with someone who isn't in your clique.

10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.
A Seed Vault

Everyone worries about fighting zombies.

Dumb. You see, when the zombies come, I'm holing up. A few weeks and if they are undead, they'll have rotted themselves to death. If they are fast moving, viral sumbitches, then they'll have likely ended up offing themselves through dehydration or whatever.

In any event, I'll wait them out. But then, I will need to rebuilt and eat.

(Besides, I have my trusty zombie-killing baseball bat, and a bow. Quiet. Efficient.)

11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals.
This book on Aztec and Inca expansionism. I'm back in school, and my focus is Mesoamerican Studies. Eventual degrees, here I come!

12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.
Zucchini seeds.

13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why?
A KitchenAid Mixer Why? I like to cook and bake. My mother has one that I used for years when I was a kid and still living with her. I'm 30 now. I remember she got it when I was like, 5. IT STILL WORKS. Over a dozen moves, being abused for holidays making bread and cookies and cakes, being used by my Dad (I swear, he looks at appliances and they break) and it STILL FUNCTIONS PERFECTLY.

I cannot think of a kitchen appliance that would be more useful.

14.) Something bigger than a bread box. EDIT A bread box is typically similar in size to a microwave.

This loft bed

15.) Something smaller than a golf ball.
How about 7 somethings? A set of dice.

16.) Something that smells wonderful.
Italian Herb Bread Mix It smells good when you open the box. When it's mixed. While it's rising. While it bakes. After it bakes. As you've slathered butter on it and begin to nom.

17.) A (SFW) toy.
Hawkeye is so SFW I would bring him in to put on my desk.

18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.
This book, of course.

19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.
Funko Tyrion Lannister because even a small man can cast a great shadow.

20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.
This.

No one will understand the magnificence of this plushie.

It is a rotund, cuddly, snuggly Cthulhu.

But Cthulhu does not cuddle. He does not care. When the stars are right, he will rise from the deeps and from his seat Ry'leh, devour his cultists-- and everyone else-- by the millions, and bring forth an end to all things.

But how can you deny his Elder God wrath? HOW?! Look at him, all squishy and warm and soft. Look at his little T-Rex arms, reaching out for your love and devotion. His eyes, his wiggly little face tentacles. YOU MUST SNUGGLE HIM.

fear cuts deeper than swords

What do we say to death? NOT TODAY.

=) we love to help fellow kitty owners!

I have found that if you play with your kittys paws while they are very sleepy or asleep you'll have a much easier time clipping their nails as they get older. Of course, I always recommend nail grinding over clipping because its smoother, lasts longer and it tickles vs pinches however, shes a baby and that will take some training!

get lots of toys! and play with her often. remember, just like your puppies need walk and play time, she does too! you can even train a cat to talk on a leash so you can take her with you on your walks with the dogs.

i have found my cat likes moving water and will absolutely NOT drink water from a bowl or anything thats sitting still. I use this fountain instead. Makes for happy kitty. hydration is very important!

as others have said, scratching posts are important. don't forget your flea, tick, and heartworm medications. Also, kitties should be brushed. My cat is scared of brushes so I use this which he adores and gets very excited when he sees it.

dogs like to eat cat poop for whatever unexplainable reason. please do yourself a favor and invest in a closed litter box sorta like this. its worth it!!

First, I suggest listening to the vet :) Kittens grow quickly and are quite active so they need more calories per pound that an adult cat. If your vet thinks he'll grow into it, he probably will.

There are a few ways to tell if your cat's weight is appropriate for his size. You can apparently tell by feeling his ribs or the base of his tail to see how easy it is to feel bones. This seems like a pretty solid resource. I've had trouble with this method since I thought my cat was fine, but turns out she was just a bit overweight.

My cat is pretty much as grown as she'll be. So now I weigh her, which seems much more precise to me. It's tough to get your cat on a scale, but an easy way to do it is to pick him up and hold him while you're on the scale, and then weigh yourself alone and note the difference. It's not quite as exact as a scale made for cats, but it's got the benefits that 1) Your cat is more likely to sit still in your arms for a few seconds than in a scale you put him in every so often 2) it doesn't cost you any more money. It should be accurate enough for the purposes of monitoring weight changes as they can change by as much as 1lb without you noticing otherwise. It doesn't seem like a lot to a person, but for a cat 1lb can be a lot!

It's good that you're getting your cat on quality food. Again, as a kitten, personally I would not worry so much about the feeding pattern as long as it's consistent and he's getting what he needs. If you have a strong bond and he's vocal, there's a good chance he's going to whine for food a lot anyway (my cat makes the most pathetic sounds nearing feeding time, but she's perfectly healthy). I fed my cat 3 times a day as a kitten but now that she's grown she gets fed once in the morning and once in the evening. Unfortunately I can't leave any food for grazing since she'll just eat it all as soon as I fill the bowl.

Also, especially if you're feeding a lot of dry food, make sure you have water available for your cat and that he's drinking it. Cats naturally tend to get most of their water from their prey and have a low thirst drive. That doesn't exactly work when you're feeding them dry food so dehydration is a problem for some cats. They tend to like running water more than still water (you may notice he's interested by a running tap) so an inexpensive fountain like this one works for my cat.

Good luck, and I wish you and your new buddy a long healthy time together!

My cats are Sammy and Mittens! Sammy is the older cat at almost 8 years old and Mittens is only 3. My boyfriend got Sammy six months before he met me and we adopted Mittens together. Sammy is a grumpy old lady who's life revolves around meal time but she is also super cuddly and loveable. Mittens is like a picture perfect cat, she is always insanely adorable and posing, but she doesn't like to cuddle to much.

I would like an amazon gift card please because I am trying to save up for a drinking fountain for them. Mittens is prone to having a UTI and needs to be encouraged to drink more water.

I don't have a dog yet, but I plan on adopting one in the future. I bet your dogs would like this toy you stuff it with an empty water bottle instead of stuffing so they won't get stuffing everywhere and they love the krinkly noise it makes!

get a covered littler box... and get the arm and hammer double duty cat litter... it's the best I have come across so far to absorb odors...

also, you will probably have to promise her to clean the litter box all the time... if you decide to get multiple cats, you need at least one litter box per cat... plus one more if you get several cats... but that's a little down the line... gotta get the first one in the door first...

what you may have to do is just go out and get one... get a kitten because who the hell can resist their perpetual cuteness... she should fall in love instantly... but, if you don't want to take a chance of having her kill you and want her to be in on it, one thing to know, that I have experienced, when you get a kitten, the person who holds it on the ride home will become it's mom/dad (this may be theory, but it has happened with all our cats) so you may want to have a friend take you so the both of you can be there to play with it on the way home...

whatever you do, DON'T get a cat declawed... it's wrong and mean and needless if you have the proper scratching things for them to... well, scratch on... our cats like those disposable cardboard scratchers you see at the pet store...

you'll probably want a cat tree too... something where it has places to hide and a platform to get up above most of the action... if you have the tools and ability, you can even make your own out of wood and carpeting... cats will even scratch on those...

when you bring them home for the first time, open their carrier and let them come out at their own pace... don't force them out... and if they do bolt out and hide somewhere, let them stay hidden until they come out on their own... but have plenty of toys for them to choose from... I suggest one of these and one of these because our cats love them...

as for food, get the appropriate food for their age... preferably an indoor formula that helps with hairballs... because they WILL hork up hairballs regularly... be ready to clean those too... for water, I suggest one of these since cats love to drink from the faucets... so break that habit before it even starts so you're not here in three to six months asking about cats and drinking from the sink...

umm... that's all I can think of off the top of my head... I am by no means a professional, but just someone who cares about their cats (and I have a girlfriend so I am not a crazy cat guy)

any other questions, just ask... someone will be able to answer what I can't

TL;DR: none. it's a lot to read, but it's good info as far as I understand...

I have a puker. Things that really improved his pukeyness was a cat supplement that helps them with their gut. (Links below) Its advertised to help with poop issues, but will definitely help with puke issues as well.

You also need to make sure that there is NO grains in his/her food. Cats shouldn't have any grains in their food. Lots of cheap pet food use that as filler. Secondly, a lot of cheap food uses sub par ingredients. Check your cats food for chicken by product. It's bad for them. Its basically all the parts left over from taking the good stuff from the chicken. Wikipedia defines it as "It is made from grinding clean, rendered parts of poultry carcasses and can contain bones, offal and undeveloped eggs, but only contains feathers that are unavoidable in the processing of the poultry parts." Sounds pretty yucky, huh? You wouldn't eat it, so why should you feed it to your cat?
Crappy cat foods use a ton of fillers that are basically the equivalent to a bag of cheetos to humans.

Switch to a brand that is grain free and uses whole meats such as the wellness I linked below. Blue buffalo is also a good alternative. Do you feed your cat wet food? If not, try feeding a good wet food (Linked below). My cats love the core wellness wet food and really eating wet food is better than an all dry diet.

All this stuff is a little pricey, but its worth it in the long run. Taking him to the vet all the time is probably more expensive than switching to a better food. Do it slowly as well, like over a week or two.

Basically anything you can find in your grocery store's pet isle you shouldn't be feeding your pet. Its all junk. Even the "high end" purnia foods. Junk. I know purina makes a sensitive stomach formula for cats. I tried it and it didn't help my furry little puke machine at all. All these crappy foods don't really fill your cat up as much as a good food will so they will be hungrier more often because the quality of the food is just crap.

How I solved my cat puke problem was feeding them wet food in the morning and evening and leaving out a small bowl of dry food for them to snack on throughout the day. If your cat isn't really super hungry than they will eat a bit slower and that'll keep her from throwing up. Some cats don't handle the self regulating diet and instead just end up eating more food, so figure out if your cat(s) can handle grazing between wet food meals.

You can also try getting a cat water fountain and placing it somewhere separate from their water. Cats are weird and don't like their water near their food. Cats get most of their water from their food but having a flowing water source can really help them up their water intake. If cats don't get enough water they are prone to developing kidney and bladder problems. The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is really good. I have mine in my bathroom and my cats really enjoy playing with the water and getting their paws wet and licking them etc etc.

As for the stains, the stain remover I linked below is a god send. It's a good product that cleans up stains really well. It even does cat pee. I have light carpets and this stuff takes it right out and leaves no marks behind. It should even work on your old stains, you just have to leave it a little longer.

I know all this stuff adds up to a ton of money but its so worth it not to have to clean up cat puke all the time. I did a ton of research for my puke machine and he went from puking 3-4 times a week to puking maybe every 3 months and then its usually just a hairball. His coat also looked better and he was softer.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'd be happy to help you figure this out and field any more questions about how I solved my cats puke problems.

Wellness


Core Wellness Wet Food


Stain Remover


[puke helper](
http://www.amazon.com/Purina-Fortiflora-Feline-Nutritional-Supplement/dp/B001650OE0/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1368101518&sr=1-2&keywords=fortiflora)

Cat Nutritional Supplements

I am very sorry to hear about your family member. I hope you and your family have wonderful memories of them and that they were able to accomplish what they wanted to in life. I'm sure they were very loved by you and the fact that you celebrate their memory by giving is wonderful.

---

My highest priority items are this outdoor habitat and this pet fountain for my cat and this bag for myself.

I ask for items for my cat in every contest I enter, because I want her to be happy and I can't afford anything for her right now. Once I start working again I will be getting her everything on my list. But until then she is my priority!

The bag is something that I'd like to have because my current purse-thing is starting to wither. I also would prefer a cross-body strap because it would be better for my back. Also, it's pretty. :D

Sort my priorities Candroth, I BESEECH YOU.

• For future reference: for each cat you have, make sure to have +1 litter box for the total amount of cats you have. For instance, you have one right now? Try to have 2 if you have the space for it.
  
  
• Doggy bags have been great for us when cleaning our cat's litter contents (lol), but we also invested in a litter genie which is honestly the best purchase. This litter deodorizer comes at a close second.
  
  
• The Furminator is great for brushing, but some cats don't like it. Mine likes the Kong Brush, but we also tested out grooming mitts and fine tooth combs too. It completely depends on your little one.
  
  
• I've seen a few comments on r/pets about Blue Buffalo dry food being tied to more urine crystals, but I generally try to limit how much dry food I give my cat since she doesn't tend to go to her drinking fountain as often as we'd like.
  
  
• If you haven't already got a cat tree/scratchpost/tower, check out your local Marshalls or TJ Maxx. They have really great options and for much cheaper than some pet stores and they're usually assembled.
  
  

Whatever you get, go for a ceramic or metal one. Theyre easier to clean than plastic, and last longer. I put my ceramic one in the dishwasher.

You do have to clean it regularly every 1 to 2 weeks, so get one with less awkward shaped pieces to clean.

I'm pretty sure all of them have this, but make sure it uses a good filter.

Honestly cat fountains are awesome and every owner should get one. Cats that eat dry food usually do not get enough water with a normal bowl since they instinctually avoid drinking from standing water (also, avoid putting the water next to their food). Also, you have to fill it up less! It's only a minute at most every day, but it's nice not having to worry about it.

Edit: I originally had this one (or one like it) and you can see from my recommendations above the issues I had with it https://www.chewy.com/drinkwell-platinum-pet-fountain-13/dp/48102?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Drinkwell&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoKzsBRC5ARIsAITcwXGTnem57Axg6L0moqegE58nIB1v2jwT6YttNSD-ryPTYB7L0l9PSxQaAm8TEALw_wcB

I now have this one and love it: PetSafe Drinkwell Pagoda Ceramic Dog and Cat Water Fountain, White, 70 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD3UN8C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zG3IDbR8SK0P6

I totally hear you. Good luck! It's so stressful but worth it Our 3 yr old male kitty had crystals and was hopitalized for 4 days in December. He's great now and even happier than before, playing even more vigorously. I haven't read as many research papers as I'd like to about it but we kinda feel like stress and dehydration/dry food might have factored in though I know that there are cats with other urinary tract issues with different causes or prognosis. He loves drinking out of the tub and we had multiple foster cats/kittens getting in his life and added quite a bit of stress then most of them left but my husband got really ill, my parents visited, so there was even more home stress then he got blocked after a few weeks of me thinking he was marking due to the momma cat he hadn't liked but I think in reality was him having urinary issues.

Anyways, we buy the prescription Royal Canin food on Chewy.com but I am thinking of phasing him over to the over the counter Purina Pro Plan Urinary. He's happy now, plays even more, loves the tub water and his fountain. Got stainless steel to avoid kitty acne but keep it clean! I wish you the best and hope it's a smooth recovery and he makes it through! Ours was on anti spasm meds for awhile after and it took him some time to get back to normal due to the trauma of the catheter. He was dripping and acting quite weird but eventually got back to normal.

I would definitely take the cat to the vet first off to make sure to get a good exam and that it is up to date with shots. Definitely get a litter box and litter. When it comes to feeding be sure to feed both dry and wet food. For food definitely look for food that has chicken as the main ingredient. I recently learned grain free is the best. As for water source I use a drinking fountain for my boys. (I got it on amazon and here is the link. https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Multi-Tier-Pet-Fountain/dp/B0056ASTES/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1478818021&sr=1-5&keywords=drinkwell+pet+fountain) Definitely have a range of toys: from dancers, little balls, laser points, etc) Have treats when they do a good deed. Give him time to explore and let him come to you rather you force him to snuggle and cuddle, etc. Hope this helps and keep us posted and post pictures too!

Some cats don't like a water bowl near their food bowl, so you could try moving the water dish elsewhere. I have a cat that will simply refuse to drink out of a still water bowl (and doesn't care for wet food), but loves to drink out of the faucet when I turn it on, so now our two cats share this fountain: Drinkwell Avalon (70 oz)

There are various sizes, but we've had ours for a couple months now and we're quite happy with it. The pump is quiet and it's easy to clean. Probably the biggest issue is just the ongoing purchasing of filters, but I've just got them on a subscription from Amazon.

Lastly, get with your vet as a precaution so you can make sure there's not an underlying issue. Keep us updated (with pictures :) )!

Not a foster but we've got two greys (both been through foster homes), one we've had for two years, the other for one year.

They do take some time to really settle in. For both of ours they were pretty relaxed from the get go but after around 3 months we saw a really big change in them. They'll start getting a little cheeky and trying to push the limits so just make sure you're firm with them during this period. But it's also the time they'll start being more affectionate and relaxed enough to roach.

Four days is still really new, I wouldn't worry about it yet!

BTW, our hounds will drink from the toilet too, I think it's the 'fresh' water that attracts them. We've got one of those recirculating water bowls (this one). They'll use this over the toilet bowl any time but will go back to the toilet if the recirculating bowl empties - even when there's fresh water in a regular bowl they could drink out of.

Pet Fountain Cat Water Dispenser - Healthy and Hygienic Drinking Fountain Super Quiet Flower Automatic Electric Water Bowl with 2 Replacement Filters for Dogs, Cats, Birds and Small Animals Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079DL32QY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_craHDbM24GBPT

^link to the water fountain.

http://imgur.com/a/oXh55OZ

^some pics of my set up so you can see how I increased the capacity.

Basically just added a tube between two points and as the fountain lowers in levels so does the tub.

Bonus pic of buns at end

*Tips

Needs to have a an enclosure so buns cant chew wires

Sand around the drilled openings so the glue sticks better

Use silicone glue as it is water proof and food safe

Use rubber grommets on the openings makes for a better seal

Use a bigger tube then I did because it take forever for the water to redistribute

I have valves on mine so I can disconnect the system so the parts can be washed.

Put the powerstrip(if used) on top of the water container so if you have a leak you dont electrocute yourself, your buns, or your house

Make sure you have the right parts before you start. (Bought a drill bit that doesnt work with my drill, and couldn't find grommets the size I needed for the size of the hole I drilled, I made it work though)

Test for leaks before you fill with water (put the tube under duress or itll pull out as your filling with water)

Make sure you know how to use the tools properly so you dont hurt yourself

Have fun haha

2 days? perfectly normal for many cats. as others have already said, you have nothing to worry about. I'm just going to echo what others have said: let him have hidey holes, and make sure there are accessible perches that are even higher than you so kitty can watch everything when he decides to come out.

Maybe every once in a while lay down near his hole, and lay down some treats, maybe in a little line from right near the entrance to right up next to you. Close your eyes, take a little nap or something, let him explore in his own good time. Then get up and leave after a while (15 minutes or more) if he hasn't come to you. But don't stare at him or watch him during this time. Do that every few days just to see how close to you he's come in eating the treats.

also, regarding water, i STRONGLY recommend this water fountain. it's great, easy to clean, doesn't need to be cleaned often, and most cats love it. healthier to have moving water too.

Wet food naturally has moisture so cats will drink less anyways.

After my cat had a urinary obstruction, I also switched to wet food. In addition, I add a little filtered water to their wet food to increase its moisture even more (like an 1/4 cup per can) and I got a pet fountain. The cats now have plenty of moisture in their diet, and while they do drink less than with wet food, I still see them playing with the fountain and licking water from their paws / drinking from it occasionally. I know you already have one, but I got this one and it's awesome and super easy to clean. Maybe it might be worth switching it up?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0037NKDSG/ref=zg_bs_2975263011_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=W5GYSRYZ2RJ9ZNBFDFKT

Also, don't keep your water directly next to the food supply- cats have a natural instinct to find clean water, and avoid water sources near their killed prey to minimize contamination. Try moving the water further away and see if it helps!

I'm so glad your cat is alright!

I'm so sorry you're having to treat infections, it sounds like your cat has a more severe case! :( I am happy to tell you what has worked for us.

To cure this particular flare-up, we added water to her food for hydration and gave her some tuna (more pungent so she would eat it even with her nose clogged).

We also purchased this moving water fountain. She slurps out of that thing where she wouldn't even look at her water bowl before. We also ran a humidifier for a while. She might have been on the up and up anyway, but all of this seemed to do the trick.

I mainly try to reduce her stress by keeping everything consistent, especially the kind of litter I use. If you're not already, do consider using a dust-free corn based litter like World's Best. Their lungs are smaller and the dust can really aggravate them.

Anitra's Vitamineral Mix is something you might want to look into as a wet food supplement. I considered using Feliway like one poster here suggested, but the price kind of kept me from pulling the trigger and we've been fortunate to not have another outbreak.

You might have known all of this already, in which case just ignore me, but I really hope your kitty gets feeling better. The Natural Cat is a book that really helped me after I first adopted. I don't agree with everything she prescribes and she's big on holistic treatments (avoiding the vet and medication as much as possible) but the lady knows her cats and I think everyone has something to learn. When nothing else has worked, it might be worth a shot! Take care!

i've been in a similar financial situation before so i understand. hopefully some of this advice helps:

the kitten will need vaccinations at 8 wks, 12, wks, 16 wks. call around, this shouldn't be extremely expensive. i would get kitty fixed by 16 wks at a low cost clinic (humane societies have these), that will give you time to budget for everything. low cost clinics are usually around $50. get a microchip too, again at the clinic (expect around $10ish).

this tidy cats litter is my favorite on a budget. it will last a very long time and it's good too.

you'll want to provide two types of scratching posts: a floor kind like this that you replace as needed, and a tall kind like this that the cat can stretch their vertical muscles on. this is important for the cat's health and for training them to leave your furniture alone.

this fountain is amazing and extremely low maintenance otherwise don't feel bad about just having a bowl of water that you change daily. don't keep the water next to the food, the smell of food in their water can weird them out.

as for food, you want to feed both wet AND dry when they're a baby. you must expose a cat to both types of food in case someday in the future they need to switch due to health reasons. additionally, kittens are little eating machines and need food access 24/7, hence having dry out constantly. this dry food is inexpensive, will last a long time, and is perfectly adequate, but honestly whatever is in your budget will work at this stage. it's temporary and kittens self-regulate.

you will also want to do supplemental meals of canned food (such as breakfast/dinner). this should be a low carb pate (not gravy etc). you'll want to feed at least two different brands of wet food. Fancy Feast Classic is excellent and cheap, as well as pates from Friskies. two other good foods are Chicken Soup for the Soul and Natural Balance but they're also a bit pricier.

you want to transition the kitten to their adult diet around 7-9 months old. that means taking away the dry food and exclusively feeding canned food twice a day. the high moisture diet that comes with canned food can potentially mitigate several future health problems, saving you money in the future.

also don't use plastic dishes as a rule, plastic irritates some cat's skin and it becomes a whole thing lol. basically it's easiest to just get ceramic or metal and avoid that problem entirely.

i think those are the most important things. i agree with whoever said to use a bell... 8 weeks is sooo tiny, it's easy to lose track of a kitten this size!

We got this PetSafe Ceramic Fountain because one of our cats got a UTI and bladder stones.

It’s pricey AF, but worth it in our eyes. Our cats love drinking from it. They drink way more water now than they did when they just had bowls, which is keeping them both healthy (but especially the one who got the UTI). It’s also pretty easy to clean and has replaceable filters.

How often do you play with Finn? Does Finn have any type of routine with you in the evening?

Even though Finn has cat buddies, that doesn't mean he is entirely entertained by them 24/7. I would suggest dedicating a good 30 minutes to play time in the evenings, every day. Cats need to "hunt" every day. Finn sounds like he would really benefit from a cat toy like THIS.


Also, perhaps a different type of "watering hole". Cats like to think that they are drinking fresh water. Think about it like nature... cats in the wild tend to drink from bodies of water that are at least, slightly, moving. Still water breeds sickness. Maybe try THIS.

If those options don't work.. try the vet.

Of course I do! :-D We used the Drinkwell Platinum 360 and our cats love it! It's really sturdy, and a great thing about the stainless steel is that you can put it right in the dishwasher. I'm not a fan of the plastic ones, as they can sometimes harbor bacteria (even after cleaning) that can cause chin acne, and I find them harder to get clean. I think some of them are top-rack safe in the dishwasher, but the stainless steel ones can just go wherever you can fit them and get nice and clean. :)

Very similiar! You can find it [here!] (https://www.amazon.com/Catit-Design-Fountain-Softening-Cartridge/dp/B00CO527IC/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=catit+fountain&qid=1572796419&sr=8-5)

And [these] (https://www.amazon.com/Catit-Fountain-Replacement-Filters-Dispenser/dp/B0748H3GKN/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia?keywords=catit+filter&pd_rd_i=B0748H3GKN&pd_rd_r=0aa67d04-ff09-4587-aff7-72bb77ce26f7&pd_rd_w=vhElM&pd_rd_wg=VgmWT&pf_rd_p=1cb3f32a-ccfd-479b-8a13-b22f56c942c6&pf_rd_r=K52HZ8PZ7PB3C8C6RJN0&psc=1&qid=1572796532) are the replacement filters I get, best quality I've found!

Edit: also, I've had it for 3 years and it still is great -- and when you clean it out, you should clean out the water pump thing too! Great fountain :)

Weasley looks like he could be a cat model! He needs to be on tv selling me cat food! He's so handsome!

If your cat likes to drink out of the faucet I would recommend saving up for one of These it's how we stopped our cat from drinking from the faucet, and allowed us to actually turn it off lol. It's the stream of running water they are attracted to. Our Voltron loves it, he drinks way more water now also. It is by far the best thing we have bought our cat, Drinkwell has all sorts of different fountains that have running streams that range in price and material (ceramic/stainless steel/plastic), we decided stainless because it looks nice.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NIZAH6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share I think you could find it at PetSmart too

This is a great fountain because you can easily change how many spouts of water there are, a cat can either drink from the basin or lap up the streaming water (which my boys love to do) It is VERY easy to clean and take apart, you could even put most of it in the dishwasher if you wanted to. I've never had an issue w it causing more acne w my youngest cat, who is prone to get clusters on his chin since he doesn't really clean himself v well. He had more of it when I was just using ceramic bowls as water dishes actually.

As far as the acne on the chin, if your cat can't groom there and it seem to be bothering him, there are wipes and things you can get to help keep clean.

I would do the same, and change out my cats' water bowl each morning. They were particular about fresh water as well. And as soon as I got them a fountain, they started drinking from it A LOT more often. They loved it! Mine has a little charcoal filter in the intake, so it's been lasting pretty well. Cats really prefer moving water, which is why they love it so much. Mine specifically drink out of the mini waterfall part. Cats also usually like it better when their food and water are separated, in different spots.

My cat was super picky - fresh water every morning wasn't even good enough for him! I had a different fountain for a few years and recently got this one - stainless steel, and several options for water flow. https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Multi-Pet-Stainless-Fountain/dp/B002SB91QS

It's super easy to take apart, just the cone and bowl, then the pump, spout, and tube connecting them. There's a filter around the pump to catch bigger things like fur and debris, and a charcoal filter just before the spout. It's pretty easy to clean, too.

As for hard water, my cat was spoiled - I would use filtered water from the fridge or gallon jugs at the grocery store.

This is the one I bought for my pets and it works wonders. It's completely silent, easy to clean and fill, cheap, and all my cats and dog drink from it. Give it a shot, Amazon does free returns if they don't like it.

Dogit Design Fresh and Clear Dog Drinking Fountain, Original https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OHQUUY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_arCUzbYA30D6Q

Edit: like someone said below do watch out for chin acne. Keeping it clean will help.

http://www.amazon.com/Drinkwell-Platinum-Pet-Fountain-168oz/dp/B000L3XYZ4

Its awesome. Only fill it about once every few days, and I clean it every week or so (though Ill admit sometimes I get too busy and forget).

It dismantles into bottom, middle, cover and the motor. The motor has a few little parts to be taken apart, but its all easily done and cleaned in about 5-10mins.

Ive had it for YEARS. Since 2010 I think. I thought it stopped working the other day, turned out the motor had just gunked up and I had not cleared it out well enough.

He loves it too. Better than him drinking out of the damned tub.

Oh and you cant see it, but i also have this
http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Planet-Programmable-Electronic-Feeder/dp/B00ATJSH4S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1422348072&sr=1-1&keywords=animal+planet+pet+feeder

2 times a day, half a cup. Keeps him from chowing down and me from overfeeding him. I wipe it out when I refill it, but its pretty cool.

He does get antsy though and will start yelling for food about 2 hours before the thing goes off.

I have the Pioneer Raindrop fountain (here) for $30 and I use these filters. I only need to replace the filter once every one to two months. Totally worth it because of how much the cats love it, and it gives me peace of mind knowing that it's helping them stay healthy.

Our first cat, Roger (whom I originally bought the fountain for), was terrified of it at first. A month went by before he finally had the courage to drink from it, and then he quickly adored it. Unfortunately he passed away, and we adopted two kittens. Simon and Chloe instantly loved it as soon as we brought them home. So there's a chance she may hate it at first, but running water is very natural and appealing to cats. I think she would grow to like a fountain very quickly. :)

Just any higher quality soft food, to be honest. They will probably try to sell you on the Science Diet food that is supposedly formulated for urinary tract issues. A good quality soft food that isn't, say, friskies, offbrand, or fancy feast, will be good. Iams is pretty decent with their soft food, but it has been a while since I used that brand. As for water fountains, ones with removable carbon filters tend to work best. They do require thorough cleanings every now and then because cats saliva will always get into the water dish and cycled through so it eventually makes it dirty and a bit slimey. I use an old toothbrush to clean the harder to reach spots. Takes me about fifteen minutes every two weeks. This is with multiple cats, though. I'm not too sure how long you can go between cleanings for less than three cats.

This fountain is generally well-recommended and works decently. It has replaceable carbon filters so once they get pretty nasty you can just replace with a new one.

As for the methionine, if it ever comes to that, you can order it online, I believe. They sell it in some sort of meat flavored chewable tablets for cats, I believe. We crush them up and mix in with their soft food and that's that. It's not super expensive to order, either. My mom has always had a very limited budget and we have managed perfectly fine.

Honestly it's alright to keep feeding your cat some hard food, too, just read the ingredients beforehand. Ash is what you want to look out for. The main thing is to just introduce more moisture into your kitty's diet. We usually will mix a small handful of hard food with a can of wet food and feed them that way.

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Stainless-Multi-Pet-Fountain/dp/B002SB91QS/ref=zg_bs_2975263011_20?th=1

This is unfortunately pretty pricey($65~) but it is the best fountain that my girlfriend and I have found. We got tired of buying $20 and $30 fountains and having them break after only a few months. This one has been going strong for well over a year now and it is as good as new.

There is a plastic version of it but I liked the idea of stainless over plastic as it won't hold tastes and is much more durable.

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-360-Pet-Fountain/dp/B001NIZAH6?th=1

I got an answer for this! I too noticed a while back my cat loved drinking from the sink more than his bowl, and it turns out almost everyone who has a cat has the same issue!

So after some researching it turns out that cats are not fully domesticated (this is why they have such a strong need to hunt) and because of this they don’t drink water the same way dogs do.

A cat won’t want to drink water from a bowl, however if a cat hears running water it’ll kick start their instincts (just like when a cat sees a bird, something inside them clicks) and they’ll want to drink as much water as they can.

Without the sound of running water, a cat will get most of its water from wet food, because they will only drink when they are very thirsty. This is why it’s so common for cats to get kidney and bladder problems.

The best thing you can do is get a fountain for your cat.

There are some on amazon that very affordable, I use the catit water filter. I like it’s design and the way it uses it’s filters. You can also use it without filters, but if you make sure to clean out the water more often. Like once every day or so.

You’ll also have to keep an eye on the fountain, they’ll need to be cleaned often because if it it can get mold.

It’s a little bit more work, but it’s a HUGE difference. My cats drink so much water, it even reduced the stench of their urine.

Please consider doing this for your cat, and spreading the awareness. This alone can make your cat live so much longer and healthier.

cat fountain that I use

I also had to duct tape the bowl when we had that feeder. lol. Most cats are little shits that will figure out how to destroy anything you don't want them to mess with. Our cat is pretty well behaved but eventually she started messing with that feeder to the point where it had to go. There are zero issues with the new feeder due to the great design and quality of it.

That feeder I linked may be slightly cheaper somewhere else and it certainly costs way more than the other one but man, it has made all the difference. You have so much more control with the schedule and portions. I can feed her less food more frequently so her metabolism kicks into high gear. It's amazing what losing a pound does for a cat.

Also, since cats prefer running water to still water, she has been drinking tons of water since we got this- https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Platinum-Pet-Fountain/dp/B000L3XYZ4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1480447163&sr=1-1&keywords=drinkwell+platinum

Works great but does need to be cleaned every week or two.

Another note on water dishes: actually wash them with dish soap from time to time unless you want your cat drinking whatever's going to grow.

Water fountains like Drinkwell (my dad gifted me that model, but there are cheaper by even the same brand) are a great idea if you can swing it, though definitely not mandatory. Cats like running water and some may get into the habit of "demanding" you run the sink for them, so it's just a nice way to play into their instinct of seeking running water. These also need to be cleaned, but they're filtered.

We currently have this Cat It one and ours really like it, so do we. It's not so much a fountain, more like a bubbler? There's no stream of water, but it is constantly moving. Has filters, the whole bit. Our 5 cats drink a ton, so we really like that it holds more than most fountains, and it's super easy to clean.

We used to have this frog one and, while cute, it was a bitch. The pump was finicky(it went into super mode and poured out its entire contents on the table we had it in more than once), it was ridiculously hard to clean(some parts were even impossible to get to), and finding replacement filters was like searching for the holy grail.

I have this. Just got it not even two weeks ago. It is very, very easy to clean and stays cleaner than my old automatic waterer and much cleaner than a bowl. You can use it with or without a filter, it came with one and I plan to always use a filter but the filter does get mucky pretty quick.

The first day I had the fountain, my dog stuck his entire face in the bowl and the water stream.

I like it though. It's infinitely easier to clean than the old one I had.

Agree with everyone here. Got this for my cat when he was about 6 months. He didn't have a problem before but he always liked the shower water, so I figured I'd try it. He loves it so much he plays and splashes in it (but also drinks!). Highly recommended.

I have one of these in plastic, which isn't a bad idea if you aren't sure about it yet. http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Stainless-Fountain-Raindrop/dp/B0037NKDSG/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1369948231&sr=1-3&keywords=pet+fountain

Jumping on your comment to say: My vets have advised me that the first ingredient in cat food should be some sort of whole meat - not a grain or meal (corn meal is popular) or vegetable. Cats are obligate carnivores and need to eat meat.

Also, if your cat won’t eat wet food (mine won’t, the tiny asshole) make doubly sure to provide water. Cats generally like their food and water sources to be separate, for some reason. I keep the litter box, food and water in three separate rooms. My cat is particular about his water fountain but really likes this one: Catit Flower Fountain: 3L Cat Water Fountain with Triple-Action Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146QXOB0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_B8YyDbEX56WVY

All this said but cats are super individual. They aren’t very good at adapting to new situations, so you have to meet them (more than) half way.

I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Drinkwell-Platinum-Pet-Fountain-168oz/dp/B000L3XYZ4/ref=sr_1_17

and the buns drink from the bowl part, the cat likes to drink from the running water streaming down. Our two buns are just little (~1.5kg?) but they seem to like it.

It does have a cord that you may have to protect, of course. The best part is the big reservoir on it, surprising how fast three small mammals go through water.

This is the one I have...

It has been working great for 3.5 years but has to be taken apart and cleaned with special brushes I had to get for it. (Otherwise there is gunk buildup in the nooks and crannies.) Every time I go to clean it I tell myself that I'm going to just throw it out and buy a model that's easier to clean. However, once I'm done with the nightmare, I just keep using it, "well, it still works fine."

I don't have an issue with a $45 pet gate. The pet gate in particular, if you read the post, is only an issue because my family members who have grown up on a farm and taken care of dozens of animals think I would be babying the cat by placing these protective measures. Since I am living in their house at the moment, it would be a little difficult to override, but not impossible. The first thing I am going to do upon getting the cat is indeed to bring it to the vet.

To give an example of what an appropriate expense is (to me), I've already bought this water bowl for her. It's $42, but I would be willing to do this to prevent her from getting UTIs or anything else associated from dehydration. No one would comment on it, because it's unobtrusive. The gate on the other hand, cordoning off places that people actually walk through, is going to bring me a lot of trouble. As I've already stated, it's trouble I'm willing to deal with. They are not unreasonable people, but there is a cultural difference.

All I am asking is what the best option in this type of situation seems to be, since most of the advice I've researched on the internet seems to be directed at adult or baby kittens; not 6 month old cats. (Somewhat in between?)

If she got sick, there would be no expenses spared. I am well within my means to support a cat.

Which other part of the story sounds like an unideal environment? Why do you feel that I am rushing it? I am genuinely concerned; please do not take these questions as a defensive retort.

Do you feel that based on what you read, I should not be adopting a cat at all?

The purpose of the original topic was to ask whether or not I should seclude the cat: if anything an answer to this question in particular would be deeply appreciated.

ALSO it just occurred to me, would a pet gate even keep in a six month old cat?

If you're going to be out for long stretches of time every day, I would suggest not getting a kitten and instead looking for an older cat who is house trained and accustomed to being alone during the day.

As far as vacation is concerned your best bet is to find a friend/relative who will be willing to drop by your house once a day to put down food/clean litter/play with the kitty for a bit. If you are only heading off for a long weekend these things can easily be taken care of by using pet fountains, automated feeders, heck you can even get self cleaning litter trays. Any longer than that though and it's best to get someone to come round and take care of these things.

One more thing, whilst feeding you cat and providing litter may be reasonably cheap, vets bills can be INSANE. I would definitely recommend getting pet insurance.

We have one of these and our cats love it. It's a pretty cheap investment, and it honestly stopped a lot of yowling in our house. They have 'em in white and steel too. Best thing I ever bought, it's built like a tank.

That is a very nice fountain... Bonus that I think it's pretty ascetically pleasing for humans also. I plan on upgrading soon to a porcelain one... For now my two cats like this one as well...
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Stainless-Fountain-Raindrop/dp/B0037NKDSG/ref=zg_bs_2975263011_2

My cat loved the sink, so I bought her a Drinkwell water fountain. It gives her a constant stream of running water. Some of the water fountains don't have a dripping stream (they have fresh water upwelling from the bottom). My cat LOVES this one. Best $30 I have ever spent. When I turn it off, she sits and stares at it until I turn it back on.

I too would stay away from the raw diet. Cats (especially kittens!) have very specific nutritional/vitamin needs that are better provided through cat food.

We free feed our kitten dry food and then give him a bit of wet food 2-3x a day. In terms of hydration we have a cat fountain that our kitty loves and he seems to stay well hydrated! This is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Fountain-Cat-Water-Dispenser/dp/B079DL32QY/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?adgrpid=64576521348&gclid=Cj0KCQjw84XtBRDWARIsAAU1aM0HcZTmkAuU8eKysHDuiUiHYZSoCruZ9hs1AH6b1YE79CzA6m22eHcaAn-MEALw_wcB&hvadid=274872094982&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9029968&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10434210853613776326&hvtargid=aud-647006051489%3Akwd-147515345&hydadcr=12186_10197801&keywords=cat+water+fountain&qid=1570914412&sr=8-15

I've found he drinks more with the little bubbler attachment than with the flower attachment though. Also we live in a small apartment and keep the water next to his food and it hasn't appeared to impede his drinking.

You guys look super nice today ;)

I would like this cat water fountain as gift one because my new kitten should be just about ready to move in about a week or maybe less!

For gift two, this strange plunger-looking washing device should come in handy in my new apartment as it doesn't have a washer/dryer. C'mon...gimme.

Thanks for the contest guys!

Here's the one I have and I've been very happy with it. There are plastic parts inside (the pump and its housing), but I wash everything about once a week or every other week and that takes care of any junk in there. The housing is dishwasher safe so that makes cleaning that part easy.

I bought these two fountains for my cats who were sink/faucet drinkers up to that point (I've noticed that they drink more water now, which is a good thing!):

https://www.chewy.com/drinkwell-multi-tier-pet-fountain/dp/48096

https://www.amazon.com/Catit-43742-Flower-Fountain/dp/B0146QXOB0/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1500244627&sr=1-2&keywords=catit+flower+fountain

Just a head's up to pass along in case your friend decides to buy one of these fountains: be sure to buy some filters since you need to change those about once or twice a month, depending on your muni water's quality.

Here's a good bargain on those replacement filters:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CO1NY5A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You also need to clean the fountain every couple of weeks or so to get rid of any debris, cat hair, "slime" etc that accumulated over time.

Have you thought about a water fountain? I got one because my dogs loves playing with her bowl but the fountain is almost impossible to tip. It's also helped some of her sloppy drinking habits, just because there is so much surface area for her the slop over (it is still on top of a yoga mat just in case). Also, the reason we got one is my friends cats have one and will only drink out of that. After being there a couple of hours, Soph doubled her water intake, so I got one straight away. I actually have the Big Dog one because I can't accurately judge sizes online and thought it couldn't be that big but it is massive! It solves to slop and tipping problem but unless Echo and Guinness are always drinking out of it, it might be a bit much (it is definitely too much for my 1 30 lb dog, haha)

Okay, I think your cat might be experiencing dehydration, which might account for the highly concentrated ammonia smell. Try switching to wet food. Don't do it cold turkey - start with 50% Iams ProActive Health as normal, and 50% wet food. Over 2-3 weeks, gradually reduce the dry food content to none.

Keep him on a wet food diet for at least 6-8 weeks and see if the smell gets any better. It will be normal for him to have soft poop for a couple of weeks while his system adjusts to the new food.

I would also recommend investing a few bucks in a cat drinking fountain to encourage him to drink more water. Here is a cheap one with good reviews on amazon.

A Hurom masticating juicer I bought at auction for $15. Makes awesome juice. It's an older model, but I figured I would keep it awhile and see if I used it enough to make buying a newer one worthwhile since they're like $400.

I also found a pet fountain I kept for my cats, but l knew those existed before I found it. It's a Catit Fresh and Clear and I found it brand new for $8 at Savers.

https://www.amazon.com/Catit-Fresh-Stainless-Drinking-Fountain/dp/B016DQU5NQ

We got a filtered flowing bowl. Aside from having to dig cat hair out of the pump (the enclosure is shit and pops open) it works well and all three of our cats like it

Edit: this is what we got

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EFVQDC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_IeA2xbT98SYWH

Im pretty sure our cats live better than most people. Thats okay, i like them better than most people.

We have the catit fountain and my cats love it. My little girl was putting her paws in it within minutes and our boy was terrified. For a while, he would get close and then hiss at it. My roommate’s cat has had fountains before so he started drinking from it immediately. I spent some time dipping my finger in it and letting our boy lick the water off. Now, my cats love it. They prefer to drink from the fountain more than a dish of water. I use it without the yellow center of the flower after some trial - my cats like being able to drink where the water bubbles in the center and from the streams down the petals.

My local shelter has larger water fountains that look more like these. If your cats really like faucets they may like this better. The Catit isn’t very loud/splashy.

Haha, I know! Cats much prefer fresh water, so I'm thinking of it as more a preventative measure. They drink more water, and stay healthier?

I'm on mobile, but if you give me a second, I'll link to the one I bought! :)

Edit: This is the one I bought, and it appears to have gone down in price! Yay!

> As far as the rest of basic kitty care, a water fountain is definitely an excellent idea. We have one for our two cats and they L O V E it. It's cute and didn't cost very much, either. Here's a link: Catit Flower Fountain https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146QXOB0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_MWVmzbNH28CMW

Seconding this, it was absolutely worth the purchase. Running water is much, much better than stagnant, and the filter keeps it clean. The basic water bowls I bought before would always get incredibly gross, but this thing has been wonderful for my cat.

Here you go! https://www.amazon.ca/Pioneer-Pet-Stainless-Fountain-Raindrop/dp/B0037NKDSG?th=1&psc=1
Just make sure you clean it regularly (once a week or at least biweekly) and change the filter at least twice a month and your cats will be happy 😸

Oh! I also have a somewhat elderly cat. No kidney problems yet, thank goodness, but I noticed she wasn't drinking as much water and it got me paranoid. I got her one of these guys. They have smaller versions as well, and I bought a big value pack of the filters, and it's lasted me a good long while (I can't remember exactly when I got it, sorry). Both my cats love it, and it's saved me a lot of time not having to fool with their water every day. I wash it once a week, and refill it every couple days.

Edit: It's a cat drinking fountain. I need to be more descriptive about my links. >.<

I have that one and this one.
If you can spring for the latter, it holds more water (even with the optional reservoir you can get for the former) and it is much easier to clean. You can buy a reusable filter for it and cheap charcoal from the fish section of the pet store and save quite a bit of money over time! My cats love both fountains.

They sell them at pretty much any pet store. They're not that expensive, either unless it's the really nice models.

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Original-Pet-Fountain/dp/B00063446M/ref=zg_bs_2975263011_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2T3DW7SFWKRYVQW4JDXP

I basically got this one and it works great. Just replace the filter every month or so. Filters are like 10$ for a 3 pack.

I bought [this one](Catit Flower Fountain https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146QXOB0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4EDUzbK1CJR56) on Amazon for my cats. It's only $30 and surprisingly sturdy. It's really easy to take apart, clean, and put together, and my cats love it.

Word. I heard this about bought one of these for my kitty.

He absolutely loves it. He doesn't drink out of the dish on the bottom, he drinks out of the stream pouring out the top. He even plays with the water with his paw sometimes and it's adorable.

When we have to clean the device and it's in the dishwasher, he gets really vocal because he wants his water thing back. Spoiled kitty!

I have a cat, but the Pioneer Pet Big Max is nice. Way easier to clean than the Drinkwells, and they come ceramic and stainless steel which is lower on bacteria growth.

Here or here

Pioneer Pet Raindrop Ceramic Drinking Fountain for Pets, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LVJM4I/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Li9vub1RA9HKH

They have a stainless steel one also but I read the ceramic is easier to keep clean. I believe there's a larger one for dogs as well (or a larger number of cats) but for my two this size was plenty. Be aware there's a little bit of maintenance involved, replacement filters and cleaning, but I do think it's worth it. My kitties seem to drink lots more since I got it.

I use a 6' one mainly b/c my cat will try to eat the food, but from what I have heard they aren't really necessary.
Also if you are shopping for that type of thing consider this water bowl I LOVE it. I only have to change the water every couple of days and my boy likes to dink right from the fountain.
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Fountain-Multiple-Households/dp/B000FGIUV0

Pet lover pro-tip!

Have any of you tried the pet water fountains? I have tried a few and really hate the plastic ones. For one, they are plastic. Two, the design is always such that they really need to be washed daily because they clog with pet fur really badly. Three, not easy to get in the dishwasher (some you can't get in the dishwasher at all).

A couple of months ago I can across this fountain on Amazon and decided to try it. And it's amazing! It's a really simple design so it goes together and comes apart in minutes. The design is such that it does not clog with pet fur the way the original ones did. And it goes in the dishwasher easily.

Highly recommend to my fellow pet lovers!

I bought this one because my cat is a jackass and likes to push his water bowls around. It's ceramic, so it's heavy and he can't move it no matter how hard he tries! Ha!

Between him, a fat-ass 20-pounder, another cat who weighs about 7 pounds, and a small dog, I have to refill it about every third day, which is less often than before I had the fountain. It makes a dreadful sucking noise when it goes empty, but other than that, it's awesome--I've been thinking of it as an alarm. Super easy to put together, even looks relatively nice considering what it is. I take it apart once every other week or so and wipe down all the components and I've never had a problem getting it back together.

My cats were very unfamiliar with the fountain at first, and just gave it the side eye as they walked past. But it didn't take long for them to get used to it. We did end up swapping the original one out for This one once they got a little taller, as one of my idgits likes to dab her paw in and watch the water drip off her fur. Unfortunately that resulted in a frequently clogged filter, as they are long haired. The new filter is designed differently so she can't do that as much, and whenever I check the water in the tank it is wonderfully clean and fresh looking with nary a hair to be seen, which I like.


We did find that we had to move the fountain a few feet away from the food, as someone was apparently getting a drink with food still in their mouth, which would drop into the water, get all boated and contaminated, and be gross. But just make sure the water is always fresh and topped off, and she'll get the hang of it soon enough.

Ooh, I love this! I have 4 cats. Here's a pic of my baby girl helping me write this response.

>We're looking to adopt a young (not kitten) shorthair cat.

This is great! Adults are much harder to home than kittens. If you're not home much, consider getting two. Some shelters have BOGO deals.

>We live in a decently-sized two-bedroom apartment in the middle of a big city. Tips for apartment life?

Set aside a corner for cat bed, cat scratching post, toys, etc. Also a corner in your bathroom for the litter box. They're a bit pricier than your run-of-the-mill cat furniture, but Molly and Friends makes the best cat furniture I've ever bought. It's sturdy and well-made, i.e. it won't fall apart with 4 cats scratching on it. Do some research on where your cat may like these things placed. Putting the furniture by a window is great - it's like kitty TV. Litterbox should be somewhere quiet, private, and with a hard floor, in case of accidents.

>We have money set aside for initial supplies (litter box/scoop, carrier, bowls, and brush), the shelter donation, food/litter subscriptions from Amazon, yearly vet visits, and some emergency money. (My cat at my parents' home has epilepsy and food allergies, so I made sure this was a priority.) Am I forgetting anything?

Collar, tags, microchipping. Also neutering if it isn't already done. Check with your landlord if you have to pay pet rent and/or a pet deposit. Some landlords may even add a pet clause holding you responsible for potential pet damages.

I would also consider a pet water fountain. Cats won't drink much water of their own volition, so they're often dehydrated, and they generally don't like stagnant water. I have this one - it's actually made for big dogs, but with 4 cats, it's the right size. I refill it daily.

I also use those poop bags that dog owners use for their walks, when I scoop the litterboxes daily. It could be considered an unnecessary expense, but I don't like to use grocery bags because I like to dispose of the used litter immediately rather than throwing away a 10% filled grocery bag (wasteful!) or holding onto the bag to fill it up (gross!).

>What's your opinion on declawing? We're not that concerned about damaged furniture but neither of us has experience clipping kitty toenails.

I think there's been enough already said in this thread. If you're worried about how to do it, I'm sure your vet can demonstrate and give you tips.

>Does anyone have any experience with travelling with a cat? My partner and I live a few hours from our parents, but we'd like to visit for a week or two over Christmas and can't really leave the cat in the apartment by itself. Will travelling that distance stress the cat out? And when we get there, will the cat adjust to being in a new environment for a week? We'd bring the litterbox and stuff obviously.

Probably. We had to drive 13 hours over 2 days recently to move, and it was miserable with 4 screaming cats in the back seat. I recommend Feliway wipes, sprays, and diffusers to bring the stress down to manageable levels. However, I'm more concerned that the stress will cause the cat to act out once you reach your destination, especially meeting stranger-cats (your parents). Can you get a petsitter, friend, or a cat boarding service?

My cat was not all that happy with a water dish but would drink because it was available...he's not the type to drink from a water glass.

I got him a pet fountain and he loves it. It filters and circulates water so it stays fresh and it keeps quite cool.

Maybe that would be a solution for your kitty? As to what your aunt said, I don't keep his fountain in a separate room from his food (they're in the same corner of my kitchen), and he doesn't seem to mind.

If you're going to stick with a bowl, I'd recommend using ceramic, stainless steel, or glass; cats don't tend to like plastic bowls.

That's a good idea. I have this one. It works great, my puppies love it.

You need to listen to my advice here. Seriously, you really need to listen to a random stranger on the internet and do exactly what they tell you without question:

Buy this: http://amzn.com/B000L3XYZ4

You can thank me in two months via message after you realize how wonderful it is and how much your cat appreciates it. I have four cats and can go two weeks without having to change their food or water and they are happier with that arrangement than ever before. It's a win/win.

Daughter talked me into buying one of these things. Used bottled water, but it took a LOT to fill it, especially daily! The filter was not able to handle bio contaminants like giardia (1 micron). Chlorine doesn't kill the little bastards either, as it turns out. Resorted to just using regular water bowls, and refreshing as much as we can. Didn't matter. Silly cat just loves to always stick his feet in the dish before he drinks, no matter what. Help! Send duct tape. 😂

I have this one. My mom bought it a few years ago for her senior chocolate lab and chihuahua. Both loved it. Once her lab passed she gave it to me for my GSP puppy. We've had it for over a year. Actually just had to buy a replacement reservoir (sister's lab ran into it while playing. It cracked and duct tape can only hold so well for so long). I usually rinse it out once a week and then do a deep clean every few weeks.

I'm a huge fan of it. If I had just a regular bowl, I'd have to refill it multiple times a day. With the fountain, I have to refill every couple of days.

Here are three kitty drinking-fountains I saw:

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Platinum-Pet-Fountain/dp/B000L3XYZ4

https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Mate-Pet-Fountain-Fluid/dp/B001TY5D6C

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EFVQDC/

Hope that's useful; best wishes to your cat!

One of my cats does this, the other doesn't. We kept the regular water bowl but got them a Drinkwell Platinum and they both love it and drink more. The vet encouraged us getting this anyway because the one who smacks at the water was having problems with not getting enough water in his diet and therefore was getting UTIs. This seems to be better overall for their health. My boyfriend's Mom also got her cats this one and they won't go near it. I guess it depends on your kitty.

Here's the link for the one we got:
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Platinum-Pet-Fountain/dp/B000L3XYZ4

My lil guy (Cheeto) had UTIs and the vet said he had to go on a specific diet and be forced pills to help and he would have to go on that diet for life. Well 3 weeks later and after all the pills and diet change he wasn't any better, but we noticed that he wasn't really drinking and he wasn't eating as much wet food, especially with the new diet which was all hard food. Got the following water fountains and all our cats love them (3 different cats, but only the one had UTI problems).

https://www.amazon.com/Catit-Flower-Fountain-Drinking-Triple-Action/dp/B0146QXOB0

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Stainless-Fountain-Raindrop/dp/B0037NKDSG/

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Platinum-Water-Fountain/dp/B000L3XYZ4/

Take your pick on water fountain, one cat each has a favorite!

My Siberians both seem to like their Drinkwell Platinum fountain. I really like it because it has a large tank and it's easy to clean!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000L3XYZ4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have 3 cats. There was a stray cat running around my neighborhood and we decided to bring her in and take care of her. Apparently she was pregnant. She had 5 babies and we kept 2 from the litter. Anyway, here are a couple random pics of them. They're my little babies 😍 My cats would love this!

Get this one, I have it and fucking love it. Easy to clean too.

I've got this tiny fountain, and my cats generally don't spill a drop as long as I keep it clean.

God forbid a floof of fur gets in there, though, then they go mad trying to "fish" it out... but that's about the only problem I've run into. They both really love drinking from it, probably the single best investment I've made for my cats.

Perhaps something about the tap water is off-putting.

Have you considered a fountain type water bowl?

It has a charcoal filter to help eliminate funny smells and tastes from tap water, helps the water taste fresher by keeping it circulating, and sometimes they will be attracted by the sound of running water.

My last dog drank noticeably more water after I made the switch.

You posted a picture of your pet, so here's your standard "your pet is in dire medical straits" post :]

My cat used to drink out of my water cups all the time, even though I had a bowl out for her. She eventually got a urinary stone, which was the result of both feeding her too much meat (changes the pH of her urine) and not drinking enough water. I changed her diet, but also got her a waterfall bowl. Cat's really prefer running water, which from an evolutionary standpoint would be safer to drink than stagnant, still water. Once I put out the waterfall bowl she took to it instantly, and stopped drinking out of my cups. Even putting medical conditions aside, it's just a nice treat for your pet! Thought you might find this info useful.

Seconding the water fountain. Running water is infinitely more attractive to cats. One with a charcoal filter is even better. This is what we have. If you live in a place with horrible water, use filtered stuff from a Brita pitcher or bottled.

Mine loves the taste of ice, as well (yes, it has a taste). I plunk ice cubes in his bowl on hot days. He runs right over and slurps away.

Don't keep the water next to the food bowl. For some reason, cats don't like that! As /u/libcrypto says, several bowls out at strategic locations will help with this.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000L3XYZ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_a.6oDbFM1NB93


This is the one I've had for two years now. It's worked out really well for my cats but my only gripe with it is that it's not the easiest to clean, and you do have to fully clean it from time to time. Otherwise, the motor gets really sludgy and dirty. With you having just one cat, you shouldn't have to do it too often though. I have 4 cats who all love drinking out of it.

Thanks :) Amazon! ww.amazon.com/gp/product/B00063446M/ should help fix someone's little bird-soup problem, haha.

I also recommend a cat fountain. We got our kitties

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Pagoda-Ceramic-Fountain/dp/B00BD3UN8C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=17GPADNI1FRW7&keywords=pagoda%2Bcat%2Bfountain&qid=1550231265&s=gateway&sprefix=pagoda%2B&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&th=1

We like it because the whole thing comes apart and is dishwasher safe. You can buy off brand filters on Amazon too which are significantly cheaper than the drink well brand.

I love water fountains for my cats. Cats have difficulty judging where the water's surface is if it isn't moving. This is why he splashes.

I have this one, and I love it. I wish it was ceramic, though.

When the pump on my old Drinkwell went out, I switched over to the 360. My kitties like it much better and it's easier to clean. It does have a larger footprint, but it's very good for multiple pet homes.

Same here, but I got mine (and her two other feline housemates) the Drinkwell Platinum because I thought it looked the most like a faucet, ha. She was scared of it for a few days because she's a weirdo but she loves it now :)

The filters are meant to be changed periodically, just like filters in anything else. Some people just rinse the filter off and stick it back in the fountain, and then wonder why it has science experiments growing in it. You can back flush it a couple of times, but then it's time to change it.

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Stainless-Fountain-Raindrop/dp/B0037NKDSG/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1348170912&sr=1-4&keywords=cat+fountain

That one works well for our cats, although only one of them likes the running water. The other drinks from the bowl. We wash it once a week or so and do filter maintenance once a month. Works fine.

Cats like fresh, moving water. We got ours this water fountain and while she still splashes at it a bit she has yet to knock it over since it's pretty heavy. Before we bought the fountain I had her dish in a big shallow storage box so if she did spill the water it didn't spread out all over the floor. Or like the other suggestion: place a few bowls around the house.

Try putting water down for her in various parts of the house, and also try containers of different shapes and different materials--stainless, ceramic, glass, etc. You can also try raising a bowl to toilet height. My current dog likes this fountain, which doesn't hold a lot of water but works OK. He also likes to drink water from big, heavy glass beer mugs.

You NEED these truffles
This pet fountain is pretty spectacular
A genius who loves you and wants you to be warm invented these ear muffs

For those of you who don't want to DIY: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Raindrop-Drinking-Fountain/dp/B005LVJM4I/ref=sr_1_17?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1454175913&sr=1-17&keywords=cat+fountain

Easy to clean, has optional carbon filter, cat loves it, although it took him 2 weeks to start drinking directly from the fountain and not the bowl part.

For those of you who don't want to DIY: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Raindrop-Drinking-Fountain/dp/B005LVJM4I/ref=sr_1_17?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1454175913&sr=1-17&keywords=cat+fountain

Easy to clean, has optional carbon filter, cat loves it, although it took him 2 weeks to start drinking directly from the fountain and not the bowl part.

some cats like to drink moving water. http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-6022-Drinking-Fountain/dp/B00329RZFE/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I14B750CCCQ3MM&colid=13RZLIOESRU0R

different problem here. my cats love drinking out of our glass water cups, so we started putting cups of water out, and they love it... they think they are human.

ESH. You because even though your heart is in the right place, this is wasteful and a great way to get your cat used to only getting water from the shower and refusing it in any other form. Your husband because even though he's right that this is wasteful, it doesn't seem like he's open to other methods of dealing with this issue, since you said he refuses to get another cat and threw out the fountain you tried after a few days.

Try a different fountain. https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Fountain-Filtered-BPA-Free/dp/B001NIZAH6 is the one I have; It comes with five spout options so maybe if you switched them up regularly, it'd hold her interest longer.

I switched my cat to a metal water fountain with a little charcoal filter and she loves it! My cat drinks at least 10x more than she ever did before. I clean it once a week and have had no issues with water build up and it's really easy to clean. My weird cat likes to drink with her paws so the fountain gets gross
fast, but if you have a normal cat you could probably clean it even less. This is the filter I have -- Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Fountain Raindrop Design , 60oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037NKDSG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_eE5TBb4RFSS8S

I got one of these for my kitties. It was a GoldBox deal a while back (years ago), but now it will run you about $35. Keeps the water circulating, which they like, and it won't mess with your job :)

I avoid plastic. It can cause cat acne, and a plastic fountain will never really be clean. I used to have a white ceramic one but it was hard to keep clean. I switched over to this and love it.

This one I have is the best and really cheap! Had it for a yr and still going strong :

Catit Flower Fountain: 3L Cat Water Fountain with Triple-Action Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0146QXOB0/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_qShzCbZS47G4Y

Hi, I'm interested in getting a cat fountain (never knew any of this before!). I found two that might be what you're describing, what do you recommend? Thanks for the information!

https://www.amazon.ca/Catit-Design-Senses-Fountain-Softening/dp/B00CO527IC

https://www.amazon.com/Catit-43742-Flower-Fountain/dp/B0146QXOB0

We have this fountain for our cats: http://www.amazon.com/Catit-Design-Fountain-Softening-Cartridge/dp/B00CO527IC/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1413468457&sr=1-1&keywords=catit+fountain

It only has a low gurgle/bubble, so it's not like falling water. The sides stay relatively still and the bubble of water doesn't spurt very high from the top so it may be something that is attractive enough, but not too animate.

Not my video, but this is what it looks like in action.

Watch out for shit like this though.

Nice.

Cat fountains are totally worth it if you're ever looking for a standalone version.

Our cat loves this one :
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008HRJS24/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_cQ6bub16TSQF0

Every night as I use the bathroom I run the water in the bathtub for a bit so my cats can have a drink from the faucet. They love it. Would recommend this to anyone who doesn't have a dedicated cat fountain.

EDIT: This is the fountain I personally own though, would also recommend. Keep your kitties hydrated

Yes! I’ve got this one. It’s easy to clean and my cats can’t knock it over (which they used to do with plastic dishes.)

I've owned a few different cat fountains now. My cat has refused to drink from standing water since she was a kitten. She prefers running tap water but that felt wasteful.

The biggest issue with cat fountains, without question, is cleaning them. Every single cat fountain for sale is probably going to be decent out of the box. Some are louder and some are quieter but they all do about the same shit.

You may already have thought about this, but you need to actually scrub the hell out of the fountain once a week. Slime/scum builds quickly on the pumps inlet and the charcoal filters can only do so much. Once you let it get dirty, it's way harder to clean.

I'd personally recommend this fountain. Cat Fountain
if only because it's the easiest one to clean that I've found so far.

If you're set on building one, just make sure you can take it apart. Fully. I have to take my pump apart once per month to clean it. Anything you seal had better be air and water tight, otherwise you'll be better off leaving the connection loose.

I second the pet fountain - you may want to get a ceramic or stainless steel one instead of plastic, however, as plastic can easily harbor bacteria and can lead to outbreaks of "cat acne". I have this fountain:

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Fountain-Ceramic-Capacity/dp/B00BD3UN8C/ref=sr_1_12?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1495836250&sr=1-12&keywords=cat+fountain

It's pricier, but worth the investment.


BTW - your kitty is a "Domestic Shorthair" - this is a catch-all term that basically covers all non-pedigreed cats of a certain fur length (the other terms are Domestic Longhair and Domestic Mediumhair, for long- and medium-furred cats, respectively). This basically means a moggy/"mutt" cat. Unless you know for certain a cat is a specific breed, with a pedigree from a breeder, they are referred to as "Domestic (fur length)hairs".


Tabby is a coat pattern, not a breed (it is the stripy pattern you see in a lot of cats). Your girl would be called "bicolor" or "tuxedo" in terms of coat color/pattern.

It's probably really small. I don't know how big your dog is but most of those are more suited for cats.


Something like this would work better.

https://smile.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Stainless-Steel-Fountain/dp/B008HRJS24/ref=sr_1_26?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499139108&sr=1-26&keywords=pet+fountain



Also there are these


https://smile.amazon.com/Petmate-Replendish-Gravity-Waterer-Microban/dp/B0057LAGO2/ref=sr_1_14?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499139108&sr=1-14&keywords=pet%2Bfountain&th=1

Is he lethargic? Is he eating his wet food? If neither, then I agree with the other commenters to not worry.

I also agree with the suggestion to get a fountain. Here's the one we purchased. Both my cats love it and drink so much more since purchasing it last year. One of the cats just stared at it for about a week before trying it, but now loves it.

We used to have a Drinkwell Platinum, and our cats were OK with it. Then we switched to this Catit Fountain the the kittehs really loved it!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0146QXOB0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got my cats this model. They can't get enough of it.

I like it better than the "waterfall" style fountains because its higher up off the ground and doesn't get gunked up as easy with dust and stray cat hair and such.

http://www.amazon.com/pet-supplies/dp/B00063446M

I bought my Charlie a ceramic version of this and he drinks water now like all the time, even when its near his food bowl. He also likes to touch the stream with his paw, it fascinates him.

Put down the lid. They have lids that close slowly and don't slam, makes it easier to do every time. I have a Catit fountain that all my cats have loved. Catit Design Senses Fountain with Water Softening Cartridge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CO527IC/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_DRfSub13B6WJN

I haven't done links here before, so fingers crossed this works!

We bought this one from Amazon and it's been great. We've got 3 cats, 2 small dogs, and a parrot who all drink from this. (The parrot doesn't have to, but prefers this to water at his cage.) I fill it up about every other day, and thoroughly clean it once a month.

PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Multi-Pet Stainless Steel Dog and Cat Fountain - Filtered Water - 128 oz. Water Capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002SB91QS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MBsODbXFWP9KK

They like to drink running water because it is more likely to be fresh. Also, they tend to not drink out of bowls near their food source because in the wild the water would have been contaminated. Get one of these and the cat will be in heaven.

http://www.amazon.com/pet-supplies/dp/B00063446M

I've had great luck with this fountain. Well made, quiet, adjustable flow and the filters are inexpensive. http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Platinum-Pet-Fountain/dp/B000L3XYZ4

They deserve to be spoiled :)

This is the fountain I'm using, been working great so far.

amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000L3XYZ4/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1535908889&sr=8-5&keywords=petsafe+water+fountain&dpPl=1&dpID=41Nw134kqpL&ref=plSrch

A water fountain that circulates the water might help so that she can see the water moving. It seems like that would address why she is drawn to it after she sees it refilled.

I've had a good experience with this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00063446M/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1526973104&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cat+fountain&psc=1


It’s for cats and dogs but they love it!

I'm not sure how much support you're getting for raising a blind dog, but you might consider getting him some Doggles. Since he can't see where he's going, Doggles will protect his eyes from getting scratched by branches or sticks on walks. Another good idea is a fountain for him to drink from, since he'll be able to hear where the water is.

The Catit Flower Fountain. It looks nice, and my cats love it.

She might like a cat water fountain. My girls love theirs!

My 3 love it. I have the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain, I highly recommend it

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Platinum-Fountain-Drinking/dp/B000L3XYZ4

I have one. Clean it every 2-4 weeks, refill it every few days and you're golden. My cats love it. Also healthier for them since they drink more water.

My 8yr old cat will take any opportunity to drink from the faucet and just passed a complete physical with flying colors. You might try something like this just to keep it happy.

Still, if you are worried, you should take it in for a checkup.

Some cats like a water fountain. My cat prefers the mini culligan bottles, but to each their own.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001NIZAH6/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1479957906&sr=8-8&keywords=cat+water+fountain

Also, I haven't seen anyone mention a collar or harness. If you get a collar make sure it's a breakaway. I'm a fan of personalized IDs that attach to a collar with the cat's name and your cell.

We tried many different kinds before finally finding this one, http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Stainless-Multi-Pet-Fountain/dp/B002SB91QS/ref=zg_bs_2975263011_14
It's the easiest to clean, and has lots of adjustability. Highly recommended.

It is this MOSPRO brand. I would highly recommended it, the cats love it and seem to drink more water since we got them this fountain. Here is the link for it!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079DL32QY?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

My cat would do that as well and I did some research that some cats are super finicky about drinking "fresh" running water. Bought one of these and took care of the problem.

http://www.amazon.com/Drinkwell-Platinum-Pet-Fountain-168oz/dp/B000L3XYZ4/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1406385483&sr=1-2&keywords=pet+fountain

Which one is it? I've found 3 that look like yours.

Cat Water Fountain Stainless Steel, Intelligent Auto Power Off Pump

Catit Flower Fountain: 3L Cat Water Fountain with Triple-Action Filter

Vekonn Water Fountain

When I first adopted my cat, she got really sick, vomited foam, and started to act lethargic. I called the vet and he said that she was probably dehydrated - that she had probably learned to stay away from standing water during her days as a stray, and to turn the tap on and see if she'd drink.

I couldn't coax her out from under the table to bring her to the sink, so I crawled under there with her and slowly poured water from one bowl into another as she slowly lapped from the stream between them. After an hour of that, she stood up and crawled into my lap. Best buds ever since :)

I bought one of these the next day, and she loves it!

I have a finicky water drinker and eater too. Make sure you have wide, shallow bowls (non plastic) so the sides won’t touch his whiskers.

A fountain is also a great idea. My cats always come running when I turn on a faucet so I decided to get this one from Amazon. I also keep their food bowls in a different place than their water. Some cats won’t drink if their water is too close to their food source.

If you get one of these, it might save you from having to leave your water faucet on all the time! Cute cat, by the way.

If you have a cat that stalks the water faucet, I suggest getting a water fountain. I bought one for my cat and he absolutely loves it. As an added bonus he no longer begs for me to turn the faucet on and he drinks more now than he ever did before.

I had that one. It got to be quite a nuisance to clean. This one is 100x better.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SB91QS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I suggest the Catit fountain, extremely easy to clean and doesn't cost an arm & a leg. I bought it for $19.99 a year ago and I'd buy it for the $24.99 it is now. There's a new model that is exactly the same but comes with a flower attachment which makes streams as if the water is coming out of a faucet.

my cats did the same thing until i got them this,http://www.amazon.com/Drinkwell-FWB-RE-Original-Pet-Fountain/dp/B00063446M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396110795&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+water+fountain

it has a container in the back and just cycles the water from the basin. it's pretty neat and needs minimal cleaning.

My cats have this fountain. It's great! It bubbles at the top.

I don't recommend a large bowl of food, that will lead to over-eating and when my cats get a little too much dry they tend to vomit it back up when it expands a bit in their stomach. Also that's how people get obese cats and that is very unhealthy. A high quality food that costs more now should save you in the years down the road when you're not paying for vet bills as a result of poor diet.

Just feed him before you leave and when you get back. Leave some toys out, even some balled up pieces of paper are fantastic toys.

Also consider getting a cat water fountain like this one. I have it and it lures the cats in to drink more because of the moving water which is a natural attractant.

We have this for our cat and he loves it:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NIZAH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T1_P1QtzbCTW12V4

It is easy to maintain and the filters are not expensive. I would recommend buying the brush set for cleaning as plastic will grow some bacteria on it and the pump and tubing will need to be properly cleaned.

My cat was obsessed with playing in her water until I got her a water fountain and it solved the problem. Turns out the "pawing" wasn't so much for fun as it was to "stir" the water to make it more appetizing. Would highly recommend!

I have this one

you know they sell cat fountains for this reason right?
Changing their water everyday multiple times seems excessive and im lazy. anyways this: http://www.amazon.com/Drinkwell-360-Pet-Fountain-128oz/dp/B001NIZAH6/ref=zg_bs_2975263011_13

Buy it and save yourself some time. We dont bother with water bowls anymore and as long as you bleach and clean it once a month it stays fresh.

I got this one.

One of them loves the water stream and bops at it and will drink straight from the stream. It beats the boring metal bowl. You can also wash it in the dishwasher. I highly recommend it.

I have a water-picky cat as well, and Mr “You need to refill the bowl RIGHT NOW before I’ll drink from it” has been very receptive to the [Pioneer Pet Big Max fountain] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EFVQDC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that I got from Amazon. I get the replacement filters on Subscribe & Save, and clean/refill the fountain about every 7-10 days.

I've used this for about a year, and it still works well: https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Drinkwell-Multi-Tier-Fountain-Automatic/dp/B0056ASTES/ref=sr_1_17

​

Generic replacement filters are pretty cheap on Amazon too

I have two cats and a husky and all of them drink a lot of water. I found myself constantly refilling their water dishes so I invested in the Drinkwell Big Dog fountain. It works great and all the animals seem to like it. A few problems I had it with it is the dog splashes a lot of water out while drinking, so I ended up buying the plastic floor mat for underneath it. The cats also like to stick their paws in the water and play with the streams, so it does collect some dirt from that and I have to wash it out about once a week.

Only other major problem I have is due to our hard water in my area. It causes an ugly calcium buildup on the sides and builds up in the motor. About twice a year I have to take the whole thing apart, soak in vinegar, and chisel out all the calcium build up. Even using filtered water doesn't seem to help.

I've had it for a year and it's still going strong, so I consider it a good investment.

Like most things in my home, amazon

Also,
Chewy has it if you don't like Amazon.
I use them for a lot of pet supplies and they are great.

Thank you for your advice! She is normally on a mix of wet and dry Urinary S0 (and we always mix the wet food into more of a soup), but we can definitely give her more wet. I hadn’t thought of that.

I don’t have a pic of my sink at the moment, but the water fountains I have are the Pioneer swan fountain and the Catit flower fountain.

Fountains do help. We've had a few. We found one easy to clean and the cats love it.

Its how we stopped out cats from knocking over the bowl. And we still have a couple that like to put their paws in the water, but its fine.

And no, they will still drink from a regular bowl. All of ours do if needed. Minus the one that refuses to drink unless it's running or in an actual glass.

The one we have https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0146QXOB0

I bought this one. It can be completely disassembled and it's mostly ceramic except for the pump so it's easy to clean. You do have to clean it once a week but it's like doing a few dishes.