I’ve tried multiple water fountains for my cat Tiramisu, a sweet Ragdoll boy whom I treat like my son. As a single mom who works too hard and loves her kid and never stops with gentle hands and a heart of a survivor, I’d do anything for that kitty. And he knows it too, which is a double edged sword sometimes especially with treats.

What was most important for me was making sure he was constantly hydrated, and with two self-cleaning litter boxes, I don’t mind his many trips to the potty. When I first rescued him, he went way more than frequently, but I think now after a couple years, he’s adjusted and goes regularly. Making sure he had healthy kidneys was number one on my list for getting him back to a healthy form as at the time, his bones showed a bit too much for my liking.

So I got a water fountain!

In my mind, he’d have constant flowing water, which would be way more hygienic than just a plain bowl (and also match/blend with my aesthetic more). I tried stainless steel ones, and ones with water flowing from the top. At the end of the day, cleaning them was always a hassle, and they always needed to be cleaned! Mostly, because with his long fur it would get stuck in the filter and clog it. It always had to be taken apart and scrubbed. I don’t mind the cleaning as I want him to be healthy but it became a nuisance.

The worst part for me was while being beneficial to him, it was also meant to be convenient for me. I work long hours (and never stop) so when I get home and curl up in bed, I’m ready for peace and quiet. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to find a quiet waterfall that doesn’t make it hard to fall asleep too. I have found some, which are relaxing, in like a tabletop water fountain at your therapist's office kind of way- which quickly became too much of a reminder of that.

The solution was to find a cute bowl that matched my aesthetic and also worked for Tiramisu. Once I did, each day I’d give it a quick clean, which was way easier than taking apart the water fountain by the way, and filling it with ice cubes and then water. He seems to like this way better. The fresh cold water each day is way better than recycled water over several days. I’ve found in a way, it has brought us closer. I feel way more attentive to his needs than just waiting for the red light to show up on the fountain. When I first wake up, I know I need to get him water and food for the day and then I go off to work and he’s content for the day.

Now I know water fountains may work in some families but for Tiramisu and I, we love the traditional way with his heart shaped water bowl! And I love knowing my baby is happy.

Photo by Koa'link on Unsplash