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Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain Medium, Bleached Linen By: Petmate       Average Rating: 3.5     Total Reviews: 254 More Information Superb water fountain for cats     On: 2008-10-06 I purchased this several months ago because my kitties were drinking a lot of water and I felt I was wasting a lot when I cleaned out their water bowl daily. The fountain is very quiet and requires only a weekly cleaning (my cats dip their paws in the water and put their mouths up to the lip). Its especially important to keep the area near the flow switch clean. If you use filtered water, the charcoal filters will last longer. I change the filters every 45 days or so, with 3 cats using the fountain. If you let the water level run too low for too long, or dont keep the fountain clean, the motor may wear out quickly (my first fountain wore out in 6 months) since it uses water for cooling. But my cats love the fountain, so I bought another one. Works Well, Great Price     On: 2008-10-05 Bought this to encourage my cat to drink more water after his third time in the emergency animal hospital for an urinary tract infection. Assembly was fairly easy and used less than a gallon of distilled water to initially fill. It was noisy at first, but after an adjustment of the flow tab its pretty quiet. My cat loves to drink right off of the ramp that water flows down, so Im glad I didnt purchase an expensive model where the water actually falls and splashes into the water below it. I clean it once every 2 weeks just for upkeep, but it never seems really slimy or dirty so it could probably go longer between cleanings. For the price, this is a great water fountain and Im glad I didnt buy the expensive models available. Pet Fountain Disappointment     On: 2008-09-30 Assembled the item as per instructions; the pump rattled loudly enough to annoy me and scare the cats; disassembled and reassembled everything - no luck; opened and cleaned pump (a miniature version of my aquarium pumps) as per instructions - no luck; company quickly sent new pump - success - for about two hours; repeated above steps - success for about two hours; tried a third time - same results; gave up. Great service.     On: 2008-09-30 The product works just like it is supposed to. The shipping was very quick. I am very happy with the service and the product. great for pets in a hot weather     On: 2008-09-30 It is great for pets and you dont have to replace the water often, just make sure you add some every 2 or three days. I wish it would have a timer... Cat Water Fountain     On: 2008-09-26 I am somewhat disappointed because I wanted a product where the water came out like a drinking fountain. The water in this product flows down a ramp. Cheap, noisy pump     On: 2008-09-23 We bought one of these at our local pet store. The first night we used it, the fountain was completely silent. I had to check it a few times to make sure it was still on. The next night, it sounded like a small refrigerator. Something must have gone off-kilter in the pump, causing it to vibrate, but I couldnt find anything stuck or broken. Back to the pet store it went! Solid choice for cat drinking fountain     On: 2008-09-20 Ive found that almost all cats strongly prefer to drink running water as opposed to still water. Cat eyes are attracted to motion. My cats drink much more often from a fountain than a water dish which makes me feel better about their health. Cats love this thing, the only cons are from the human maintenance side of things. Cons: A water fountain is more work than filling up a dish. You must plug it in, turn it on, clean the pump, replace the filter, and refill the resevoir often. This does get annoying but is not a problem unqiue to this fountain, and to me its definitely worth it for my cats. The fountain is pleasant looking, a perfect size, and very quiet. Petmate Fountain     On: 2008-09-14 The product works just fine, no complaints. The reason I ordered from the Amazon site is because the product was stated as white in color. I received a tan one which I could have ordered from many other places. Here is the description from Amazon.com.. "Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain Medium, White" I love it!!     On: 2008-09-14 I have been using this for a while now, and I have not had any problems!! It keeps the water moving and fresh, and somewhat cooler. I take it apart about once a week and clean it really well, but other that that, I never have to mess with it. I, however, only have one midsize dog..and I think if someone had a couple of dogs, or a large dog, they would have to get a larger water tank. Horrendously loud, don't buy this!     On: 2008-09-13 When I was in school, my cat used a Drinkwell fountain, which he loved. After I moved across the country to California, I decided to buy him another fountain, this time a Petmate Deluxe. What a terrible mistake. This beast is amazingly loud! The pump makes a very irritating grating sound, a lot like a fan thats misaligned such that the blades grate against the sides. Its an incessant grinding plastic noise that I can hear two rooms away. The Petmate sits in my kitchen and actually rivals the noise of the dishwasher. Although it wasnt enough to scare my cat, after three days I couldnt take it anymore and unplugged it. Now it sits there like an overpriced plastic water bowl. At least the Petmate was limited to a splashing water noise, which was actually somewhat calming. There is nothing calming about this. Had I not thrown away the box, Id return it today. Please dont buy this!!! Poor Quality Fountain     On: 2008-09-12 This is my 2nd Petmate fountain. My first one lasted about 1 year, then stopped working. This one never worked well. I have it on full flow, and water barely comes out. Not worth the cost of electricity to run it. Pay a little more, and get a better quality fountain. Great for short-term use...     On: 2008-09-03 This product is great for about 1-2 years. Over time, the motor will get bits and pieces of your pets fur and food, which causes the motor to break down, even with regular cleaning. I found no way to purchase a replacement motor, so I was really bummed (as were my cats!). I ended up purchasing a new fountain, but upgraded to the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. I highly recommend that fountain because it has a small guard that blocks food, fur, and other particles from getting into the motor and its reservoir. Kitty loves it!     On: 2008-08-31 We recently adopted an adult male cat from the local SPCA shelter. He was found abandoned, so there was no information on him. He has become a wonderful addition to our home, but he would only drink water out of a running faucet??? This is not convenient or practical. Looking for a solution, I happened to see the Petmate Fresh Flow Fountain. He loves it and is happy to drink from it--I think the movement of the water into the bowl makes it for him. Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Fountain medium.     On: 2008-08-30 I have two cats that took to it right away. I had seen it at my sisters and since one of my cats liked to drink out of the sink it seemed only natural hed like it, and he did. The only problem I have is the noise. Air always gets trapped in the chamber before the filter and creates and audible sound. But I have it in my kitchen so I notice it there. Overall, Id recommend it. Pet water fountain     On: 2008-08-21 Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain Medium, White No bad though kind of disappointed. The stream is not very forceful. My animals are used to the Drinkwell product. great, except for the motor     On: 2008-08-08 I originally got this about 2 years ago for my cats and they loved it. Its a pain to clean, and it has to be cleaned regularly or it gets a weird slimey film inside the bowl. The motor started dying this spring so I bought a replacement motor, for 2/3 the cost of the original unit. The replacement motor I got was faulty so it makes a very loud hum. Im going to try my luck with a Drinkwell fountain instead. Fresh water daily     On: 2008-08-08 My cat is enjoying having fresh filtered water daily from his new fountain. I keep it in the kitchen to dump out old water, rinse the bowl and put in new water every couple days. Hes not quite comfortable drinking the water while its flowing but enjoys the fresh water after the flow is turned off. Its also at the right height for him to drink from. Finicky Cat Owners Beware...     On: 2008-08-08 I think this is a great product. However, my finicky cat refuses to drink from it. I left it there for a month with another water bowl in a different location and she refused to use the pet fountain. I wound up giving it to a friend with 2 non-finicky cats. So, beware if your cat is attached to their water bowl. The best pet product ever!     On: 2008-08-07 I absolutely love this pet fountain. It was recommended by the cattery I purchased my cat from. Fresh water is always available for my pets. I would never be without one. Loud     On: 2008-08-05 One of my cats insists on drinking from the faucet. So I bought this fountain hoping to encourage more water drinking. Needless to say, my cats did not like this pet fountain. They went to the standard bowl of water instead. Also, it is loud. My husband commented on the noise as soon as he walked into the room. I had to take this fountain back. :-( Horrible!     On: 2008-08-05 We first bought this fountain for price and boy do you get what you pay for! We had actually been through 2 of these, because the first one didnt work properly, well the 2nd one didnt either. The flow is weak and gives out after a day or two and it needs to be constantly cleaned. I was really really disappointed with this fountain. We have since upgraded to the Drinkwell and I mean the difference was night and day. The drinkwell is a little bit more expensive, but it is worth it. Do your pet a favor and get the Drinkwell! Easy to use, good for your pets     On: 2008-07-21 One of the things responsible cat owners have to do is to make sure their felines are drinking enough, especially true if your kitties are on a dry-food diet. This can be a challenge since cats can be notoriously finicky or even lazy about drinking enough water. With this in mind, as well as keeping more water available during my frequent travels, I tried out this unit, was pleased, and bought an additional one. After about a year, one of them started to leak through the joint whre the water flows through. I replaced the unit with a new one that has not leaked yet. Ive had three cats use them. One loves the water fountains best and drinks from them pretty much exclusively; that senior kitty cant crouch very well so she drinks from the top of the flowing part, while standing up. Another cat alternates between normal bowls and the bowl of the fountains. A third one never used the fountains. For the people complaining about noise or burned out units, keep in mind this product uses a submersible pump (like in an aquarium), it needs to be completely immersed to function properly and to cool itself. Letting it run dry makes it both noisy and damages the pump (after a while). Keep it filled and its fine. The fountain will be noisy for 1-5 minutes when you first re-fill it, but otherwise its just a quiet hum. Caveats: Its hard to tell when the filters are gunked up enough to affect the taste of the water, and replacing them creates some added cost. If your animals shed a lot, fur can get stuck around the pump and eventually impede water flow. My cats prefer if I change the water in the fountain regularly (much more often than Petmate suggests). Other thoughts: I checked with my P3 International P4400 Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor and discovered the unit only uses a miniscule 2W, less than most nightlights! For the price and the health of your animals, these are a bargain. Recommended! Second One Works Well!     On: 2008-07-12 I recently ordered the PetMate fountain because one of my KittenKats had one episode of a urinary problem and I want him to drink more water. After two hours of trying to assemble and get the flow lever to fit the pump; I decided "its not me" and the part was defective. I called Amazon and was immediately provided a postage-paid return label and confirmation of a replacement. Even with the free shipping option, I received each unit within two days! The replacement was easy to assemble, and I was able to see that yes, the first flow lever was defective. So far, it is working very well and is quiet. I left the flow lever on the "Low" position as recommended and it produces a moderate flow of water down the ramp, creating just a little movement of water in the bowl (which is preferrable to Kitties). I am also very pleased with the long power cord, so the bowl can be placed near their food. Even though they get bottled water, I went ahead and used the carbon filter too. Be sure to rinse it well first. BTW: if you use bottled water, check the label for Magnesium content (magnesium sulfate). Magnesium is the primary mineral found in cat foods that can cause urinary crystals and blockage (a veterinary EMERGENCY that must be treated in less than 24 hours!). I am happy with this purchase, especially for the price and free shipping and great customer care. And kittens are fascinated Love it!!     On: 2008-07-09 I bought this product three or four months ago to stop my cats from drinking out of the toilet/tub after we were done showering. It worked! They immediately stopped drinking out of both of them and instead started drinking out of the fountain. While I will admit this does take a small amount of maintenance, it is still a wonderful product. Okay, sure, you need to clean it every week or so; but shouldnt you do that with a normal cat bowl anyways? Its just a tad bit harder with this bowl because of the small crevices. I plugged in the filter on the first day and it was as silent as ever. I couldnt even tell that it was running! I originally was so scared that it was going to be a loud filter, causing my cats to run away from it but boy was I wrong. The filter does need to be cleaned out every now and then from the cat hair and debris, which people have been complaining about. But I would much rather have to clean out the pump every week than have that Cat Hair & Co cycle through my fountain until the water became murky and gross! My fountain has started to "leak" just recently, but I have yet to determine if that is condensation from the high humidity or actual leaking. All in all, I love this fountain. Like I put earlier, it does take a small amount of maintenance, but that is understandable. Great for Cats!     On: 2008-07-06 I got this system to be used by my cat and my dog. My dog is only 15 lbs but she quickly drinks the system dry. Sometimes within the same day. I have the standard size. When I got it, there were no other sizes available. My dog also tends to leave debris in the water from her whiskers and beard. It clogs the hole where the water is taken to be recycled through the filter. I decided to put it up out of reach of my dog and use it for just the cat. I have also not been able to find something like Drinkwells "aqua garden" for the system I currently have. However, the system is great for my cat. I just wish I could find a cat grass thing for it. Nice Pet Water     On: 2008-06-29 I love this waterer. Believe it or not - it is easier to clean and care for then just a plain bowl of water. I refresh the water every few days and rinse it out. Our water is hard- so this is my second Petmate- and I use bottled drinking water exclusively- no lime buildup in this one! It is nearly silent- and my cat loves it- he drinks more water than he ever used to. He never drank out of the bowl anyway- he would jump in the sink to drink tap water- this makes him nearly as happy- and he can play in it a little... I highly recommend it. His first Petmate I got second hand- but it built up with lime and then the motor died- hence the reason for bottled water only in this new one. It makes a HUGE difference. Good fountain!     On: 2008-06-28 This is my second fountain from Petmate. I ordered the same model because it was only through my own fault that the first one stopped working. I am very pleased with its design and longevity. I think its one of the least expensive models. It wouldnt be good for large dogs. The cats love it and so do I.     On: 2008-06-26 This is a great product. I compared the Petmate Deluxe with the Drinkwell but decided on this one. My cat likes to drink water that is moving but pooled rather than dripping vertically. The Petmate Deluxe is silent and I have noticed the cats drinking more frequently. The only problem I have with it is the pump; the screen which should filter out cat hair doesnt block everything. Its not a hassle or anything to clean out but I am finding I need to clean out the pump every 2-3 days in a three cat household. One of our cats likes to take pawfuls of litter and dump it in the bowl and that has not altered the performance at all (we just change the water very frequently). I also keep it in a shady area in the house and I have not experienced any slimy buildup (but then again, I change the water often and take it apart to get to the filter). My cat likes it so much that he will not drink out of a standing water dish anymore. He was locked out of the bedroom once for a whole afternoon and when I got home he bolted in to take a drink despite the other bowls of standing water all over the house. Satisfied so far     On: 2008-06-25 This fountain was amazingly quiet for the first few days, and then began to make a loud humming or vibrating noise. Nothing I tried made any difference, and the noise continued for almost two weeks - when all of a sudden the noise ceased. It has now been running absolutely silent for a week. And my kittens love it, though they havent lapped at the waterfall yet. The quality of the reservoir cap bothers me a bit. Im afraid to over tighten it and break it, so I have been refilling it without removing the cap. Doggy said "no thanks."     On: 2008-06-25 My dog hates drinking stagnant water. I had to change her water bowls at least 3x a day. I figured Ill solve my problem with this little cool invention... After sitting for a bit, the "filter" proved useless when dust and little odds and ends are floating in it, obviously NOT being filtered.... also, just because the water is supposedly SLOWLY circulating, doesnt mean the water is "fresh." I literally felt compelled to take this thing apart once per day to clean, and even then, break it down at least 2-3x a week to thoroughly get in the nooks and crannies... not an easy job when you cant really get into the water reservoir where I imagine all sorts of mildew and mold, bacteria and algae will eventually accumlate. A BIG waste of money, a HUGE waste of time, an even LARGER inconvenience. Im back to my old ways of changing both her indoor and outdoor water bowls at least 3x a day, whenever I walk pass it, and just washing a simple bowl out at the ened of the night... cheaper that way too... no electricity to use, no fear of electrocutng my doggy, no pricey carbon filters to buy. Used it for 2 weeks and now its in another "bad buy" pile.... My cat drinks and drinks from this fountain!     On: 2008-06-22 I had only had my cat for about a month, rescued from the Humane Society. I noticed she barely drank any water from the water dish I set out for her with water changed daily. After reading many reviews of various pet fountain products I chose the Petmate Fresh Flow hoping this would entice her to drink more. My new kittie now drinks lots of water and I couldnt be happier with the Petmate Fresh Flow fountain. Its fairly quiet and although a little tough to clean becauses of its nooks and crannies and odd spaces its not that bad- it can be done with a toothbrush or other type of small brush. My cat and I are both very pleased with this product. Very Pleased     On: 2008-06-20 I was very pleased with the speed of arrival. The product is very handy and is almost identical to an old one I had before I moved a year ago. It is a little louder than the old one, but other than that, great. Diminished Quality     On: 2008-06-16 I have an older PetMate Pet Fountain purchased about 4 years ago. It is still running, and running well. This new purchase is for an outdoor kitty who recently "found" us. First off, the manufacturer is making the unit smaller, which is actually a good thing, as it really does not have to be that big to do the job, so I was happy about that. What I was NOT happy about is the quality of materials, particularly and especially the water pump, which is the guts of the unit. They are obviously cheaper (materials) and Ive had some noise issues here and there (meaning not constant, but I have to take the fountain apart and mess with the pump). If I had known this, I probably would have looked at an alternative. I am guessing all of the manufacturing and assembly is done oversees, so, as with all other things, this product will just get cheaper and cheaper quality-wise. Its sad, really. So, really, its a crap shoot. Well see if this one lasts as long as my older, better quality unit. Oh, and BTW, for years I owned (more than one) Drinkwell Pet Fountain. The pumps on those are REALLY noisy, no matter what, which is why I had switched to the Petmate. Just an FYI for those of you researching pet fountains. Good Luck!! quiet, wonderful pet fountain     On: 2008-06-13 This fountain is very quiet. It keeps my pets happy. My cats have been drinking more water since I bought this. It will help keep them healthy and happy, which will make me happy. Previous model better     On: 2008-06-09 Petmate 24860 Deluxe Fresh Flow 50-Ounce-Capacity Pet Fountain, Medium, White The color of white over blue is great, but the new water pump is very noisy and without the filter guard it is more difficult to clean. Fortunately I was only buying a new FreshFlow for the looks. The previous one had worked beautifully, so I was able to pirate the motor and filter from the one that I was retiring. So together they have made a good combination. Too Noisy     On: 2008-05-25 This device is too noisy for a small apartment or loft-style condominium. I have a one-bedroom, 1100-square-foot-condominium, and I can hear it throughout my condo. I even tried placing a towel beneath the unit to absorb the sound of the electric motor. The motor noise fluctuates, so I dont even know if its working properly. For $40, this thing should be whisper quiet -- given the low cost of the plastic housing and low demand on the pump to move the small amount of water. Other people seem to rate this device with 5 stars, but I cannot imagine why. It gets returned tomorrow! Not big enough for three cats     On: 2008-05-14 This would probably be good for one, very dainty cat, and an owner whos home all the time. However, the instructions say not to leave it on when youre not around - and indeed, the reservoir is so small that it runs out of water in 1 to 2 hours anyway. I have three cats, all of who love to splash in the water so crud gets into the dish and just stays there until I clean it out. My old inverted-jug waterer is easier to clean and change the water, and doesnt have a carbon footprint except for when it was made. Im going back to that. My 2 cats LOVE this     On: 2008-05-12 My 2 cats LOVE this thing. We had one for 3 years until the motor died. I went and got them a regular water bowl, but missed watching them drink from the fountain and having to wash the bowl every day. With this, it is filtered and I only wash it every week or more. The water is clear and clean. Good Fountain,cats and dogs love it. A little difficult to clean     On: 2008-05-06 I have had this product for about 5 years with no issues. The cats and dogs love it. I had been filling it at least twice a day so I also purchased the Drinkwell. Which is also good, but not as well liked by the dogs. They prefer the Petmate. Most of the parts are dishwasher safe on the top rack and it does a great job of cleaning it. I usually clean both fountains by hand about every two weeks. The tight areas are a bit difficult to clean. I find that the Drinkwell is easier to clean. But the hassle of cleaning it is worth it to keep the cats urinary tract and kidneys in good shape. I have had no issues with the pump in all the years I have had the product. Which ever brand you choose it will be great for your cats! Great, you just need to clean it!     On: 2008-04-30 This fountain has worked great for my 3 Maine Coons who are traditionally hard on everything. I clean it every 3 days and it stays immaculate. It takes about 4 minutes. I also add something the vet gave me to prevent gingivitis, the cats love the fountain, they drink and play in it all the time. waterfall     On: 2008-04-27 This is the third Petmate I have gotten. My cats seem to enjoy drinking fromt the flowing water and it does stay cleaner than standing water. Im not sure why they seem to start leaking after about a year and I have tried other types of flowing fountains but come but to this one. It was easy to put together and is quiet. My cats love it     On: 2008-04-27 I have two of these--one upstairs and one down. Im lazy so I keep bottled water next to each of them in order to top them off every other day. I clean them once a week and my cats seem to like drinking from the slide. Ive have one for three years with no problems and the other old one died when I my pet sitter didnt keep it filled up. It does take from 5-10 minutes to clean, but I prefer that to washing a bowl every day. I also like that my cats are enticed to drink more water. My cats fround the other brand too noisy, although if you have a cat that loves drinking out of the tap when it is half force, they may prefer that one. Decent, but had flow problems from the reservoir, and it needs pre-filter for larger crud     On: 2008-04-07 I got it because it was a bit shorter, front to back, and I thought the cats would prefer the water slide. From the start, the water in the reservoir never trickled out when the water level dropped in the bowl. Six months later it seems to be working, go figure. It has a fabric and charcoal filter, which may look clean, but you have to remove it to see that green slime is building up inside it. It also needs a pre-filter for hair and other crud, because the pump gets clogged. Sure, you need to clean it regularly, but a small screen would give you a visual indication. The Drinkwell Platinum has one, which I intend to purchase. Noisy little thing..     On: 2008-04-01 I recently bought this waterer for my cats. I read all the reviews and decided to give it a try. Its made of good quality plastic which is a plus. I assembled it, pretty easily, and placed it in the room. It was really noisy, like an aquarium. The cats were not amused and stayed away from it. I kept their other water source nearby so that they would get used to the new one. They dont really seem too interested in it, but I like the fact that the water isnt stagnant.It also has a lever to control the water flow but I really cant tell much of a difference between the speeds. It comes with two filters, which is good cause I didnt buy any extra ones. So far it seems to work well, and hopefully it will encourage the cats to drink more. Noisy but good..     On: 2008-04-01 Ive been reading the reviews for this product and othes similar to it. I broke down and bought this one. It wasnt hard to assemble. The blue part is a resevoir of water with a floater to continually add water to the bowl as it gets used up. It comes with a replacement filter. The motor is small and makes quite a bit of noise, like an aquarium. It also has an adjustment lever to control the flow of water. The cats were afraid of it at first but once they got used to the sound they started to use it. Ive noticed them drinking a lot more water. I put a couple of ice cubes in the bowl everyday so that they have cold water. They seem to appreciate having clean water with no woozies in it. They lick their own butts, but dirty water, they aint havin that. One cat likes to wash her feet in the bowl, which I appreciate since she sticks her foot in my nostrils while Im sleeping. Overall, this is a product that I would recommend to other pet owners. Better than the others, but still short of perfect     On: 2008-03-30 Compared to the Drinkwell fountain I had previously - its a much better fountain for a number of reasons. Good things: - Quiet. When its running properly, you cant hear a thing. - Doesnt make the water too warm. This is important because with the Drinkwell fountain, the motor would get hot and warm the water - not only do the cats dislike this, but it leads to an increased chance of bacteria formation. I honestly dont know how it keeps the water cool, but it does. - Filters are cheap. You can get 2 or 3 packs at Petsmart for cheap, or get them from Ebay for even less. - Material is easy to clean. The entire unit is made of a very smooth plastic that makes it very easy to clean. The Drinkwell fountain was made of a rough material that "trapped" food particles and made it difficult to clean. As much as I like it, there are some things that definitely need to be improved: Bad things: - The motor traps hair easily. Hair gets caught in the motor and you have to remove the hair almost weekly. If not, youll find the fountain doesnt work properly and you have to keep turning it on and off. - Theres a plastic piece on the main water reservoir thats so thin that it breaks easily. Ive broken it twice when cleaning it - luckily customer service is great and they send me free replacements. - Theres an issue with the motor where if you turn it off to add more water, then turn it on, itll make a loud bubbling noise as it tries to get water up to the top. It fixes itself if you turn it on and off repeatedly, but its a pain. I usually let the fountain run 2-3 days. By then, the reservoir is more than half empty so Ill empty the entire thing, give it a quick wipe, then refill it with fresh water. Once a week, I clean it with dishsoap and use a Q-tip to clean out the motor. Im told it isnt necessary, but I like the idea of a clean fountain. Overall, this is much better than the Drinkwell fountain. Not perfect, but definitely one of the best out there. I paid $50 and its since dropped to just over $25, which is a great deal. Best Pet Bowl For Your Money     On: 2008-03-29 3 years ago, when I was still living with my mother, we decided to purchase this cat fountain. My cat, Sally, always had a desire to drink from the fresh running water of the sink, but wouldnt be nearly as eager to drink out of the automatically filling plain water bowl that we had. We bought this fountain and shortly after, the previous still-sitting water bowl was entirely abandoned by all three of our cats. They all switched over, exclusively, to the Petmate bowl. They seem to enjoy the running water and the fact that the water is continuously moving and that its filtered. We no longer see bits of cat food sitting at the bottom of the bowl, mucking the bowl up. I occasionally saw stray strands of fur floating at the top of the water in the bowl, but the cats would drink from the little slide the water ran down. We were easily able to just scoop the little bits of fur out of the water. We also found we were easily able to monitor the cats water intake by watching the resevoir levels, which helped us keep an eye out on the cats to see if any of them were getting sick. The fountain isnt very hard to clean at all, so Im not sure why everyone is complaining. We refill the resevoir when it starts to get low, empty the water out and rinse it with hot water before refilling it with cold water and replacing it. We change the filter every 4-6 weeks and the bowl, itself, is easy to clean using hot water and dish soap (like a regular pet bowl). I find it stays clean a lot longer than a regular sitting-water pet bowl. I cant imagine what a persons cat must be doing in these bowls for them to have slime of any sort on any of the components or to find themselves needing to clean it daily. Even weekly seems rather meticulous for this bowl. Our cats are drinking more water than they did with the old bowl, were happy we dont need to clean their bowl so often, and its very quiet. You can hardly tell the fountain is running at all unless you were to see the water running. The filters are cheap and its really a good luxury for any spoiled or well loved pet. The price really just cant be beat! And now that I live in an apartment with my cat, Im buying another one just for her. Theres no way Id switch and theres no way Id cheat my cat out of this fantastic treat. Ive never once had a single problem with this product. Its perfect. Disappointing.     On: 2008-03-14 I am disappointed with the PetMate. I bought a large size Deluxe Fresh Flow first for my cat who has kidney failure, and needs to drink as much water as possible. The box claimed that the unit runs silently but it lies! The fountain was really easy to put together which is the only reason I gave it two stars instead of one. However, a day after I had started it running, the motor was grinding and popping like it was full of mineral deposits. I tried different water levels to no avail. I returned it to where i bought it (PetSmart) and exchanged it for the small size version hoping I had just had a dud, but no luck. Two days after I put together the small Fresh Flow the motor had to be turned off in the middle of the night because it was so loud it woke me up! I am taking the second one back too and going with a different brand. blah     On: 2008-03-11 It worked fine for a week and then its just a giant pain to keep working properly. Even with the water level at where it should be, the petmate makes odd sounds. I prefer a regular water dish after using this product. NOT AS APPEALING     On: 2008-03-06 not as appealing to my 3 cats as i had thought, also water gets dirty even with the filter? so its harder to fill and clean than just there plain old bowl? Do Not Buy This!!!     On: 2008-03-06 Fresh Flow Pet Fountain by PetMate : Size DELUXE DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.It will clog very easy. Then it sounds like the garbage disposal running. Buy a drinkwell.my wife works for a cat rescue. they have drinkwells and they work great. Not completely happy     On: 2008-02-26 Pet Fountain is a little noisy. Weve had it a month and cat hasnt used it yet. Hope he will get used to the noise. THe price was good but maybe you get what you pay for. Cat loves it !!     On: 2008-02-22 I had previously purchased the Petmate (blue) from a store near me. It started to leak in about 3 weeks. I returned it, received a refund and ordered the Petmate (white) DELUXE from Amazon. My cat loves it! He drinks more water than ever. The motor is very quiet. I am happy that I decided to go with the DELUXE model for less money than the other one. I would recommend this item to anyone who has a cat(s) that dont usually like to drink alot of water. I think this fountain makes a great difference in the amount of water they intake. Works great!     On: 2008-02-15 Works great. Just need to keep water in it otherwise it gets kinda loud. My cats LOVE it! Dependable if you clean it occasionally     On: 2008-02-15 Weve been using this unit with multiple furry cats who like to dip their paws in the water. It has lasted well over a year. You do need to take it apart and clean it once a month or so. Every 3-4 months clean out the pump as well. The submersible pump is fully servicable: if you snap off the screen over the water intake you can take out the impeller and rinse any muck off of it. When I did this the one time the pump got stuck.. it ran like new ever since. I do wish this unit was easier to clean, but I havent seen a better model yet and the price is very resonable. If you are willing to keep the water level from emptying (which keeps it quiet) and are willing to clean this unit and replace its filters regularly, your cats will love it. I think this fountain is a good value overall. If I were to change anything, I would have designed the filter to get the water before the pump does. This would probably mean you would never have to clean out the pump. great apart from burnt out pump     On: 2008-02-13 We have three of these and they work great, they prefer this to the large dog size Drinkwell that we have, we have LOTS of cats. The only problem so far is one of the pumps has stopped working and I am trying to find a replacement for it, with no luck so far. The pump is a Jebao, obviously whatever pump replaces it needs to be "pet friendly" i.e. no oil etc. Ive tried various search words on the internet but not come up with anything satisfactory. Suggestions anyone?Petmate 24960 Deluxe Fresh Flow 50-Ounce-Capacity Pet Fountain, Medium, Planet Blue fountain     On: 2008-02-13 it was ok for what it could do, except that you have to keep filling the 50 ounce water container if there is no water missing from the main water dish. Petmate Deluxe Pet Fountain     On: 2008-02-08 My (6) kitty babies LOVE this fountain. They come running to see what I am doing to THEIR drinking fountain when I try to clean it on the wkend. I have to clean out persian cat hair from the pump intake every now and then because my kitty likes to sleep with her head on the edge of the fountain. Once you get the hang of undoing the hinges to get to the pump its simple to clean. It has stopped them from hanging out in the sink and tub looking for dripping water. It is VERY quiet. happy customer     On: 2008-02-05 The pet fountain is great. It came quickly. We are satisfied with it. My Basenji loves this drinking fountain!     On: 2008-01-30 I purchased this pet fountain from my local Petsmart about a year ago and find it to be the most excellent way to provide my dog with fresh, crisp and healthy water. I really did my research before deciding to invest in a fountain and I ultimately chose Petmate for its quality and reliability. This fountain has provided my dog with more sanitary and healthy drinking water in comparison to a standard water bowl. The constant re-filtration not only maintains cold, crisp and clean water, but it also eliminates any impurities and removes any floating sediment such as hair. The clear reservoir also allows me to note when the unit is low on water. All that needs to be done is to refill this "bottle" once it empties and replace it all without having to turn off the whole unit itself! My favorite feature is the long cord featuring a toggle switch. This permits the pet owner to place the fountain in nearly any desired location and to turn on/off the unit with ease. This product performs flawlessly and has never let my pet or me down. I have not experienced any leakage, pump malfunction, cracking, or clogs as stated in many of the other reviews. I could not ask for anything more. Also, the unit assembles and disassembles very easily to provide the user the ability to thoroughly clean it in no time at all! I clean mine about every week and make sure that pump is functioning properly. My only suggestion is to make sure that the pump itself is properly cleaned often to prevent any algal buildup. This is as easy as using a scrub brush, soap and hot water. I cannot be any happier with this drinking fountain from Petmate. If you are looking for an excellent solution for healthy, crisp, filtered, oxygenated and cold water for your pet, this fountain shines above the rest. You and your pet will not be disappointed! Great product     On: 2008-01-28 I have a Jack Russell and a Siamese.. used to have to keep 2 separate bowls.... my husband was so negative when i brought this fountain home. He thinks it is the greatest now. Easy to assemble. Fresh water, if you have a pet/s that is water "finicky" buy this product. Medium size is perfect size for a corner in the kitchen. Cat Hated It     On: 2008-01-28 Its not the prettiest product--kind of looks like a toilet, and I think the sound of the motor was what put our cat off. The cat, who usually steals our water in whatever form or location, wont go near this fountain when its on. For your reference, we also have a Siamese, which can be a picky breed. Great fountain, nice price     On: 2008-01-25 Ive been using several months & am well pleased. Its silent unless its running low on water, which is great, because Id forget to check it otherwise. The cats like it and it keeps the water fresh and clean. I take it apart and clean out the hair that gathers around the pump once or month or so. Best item I ever bought for my pets     On: 2008-01-22 I have owned one of these for three years now, and it is the single best investment I have made for my two cats and one dog. All of them love the water flowing down the ramp, especially the cats. Very quiet and low maintenance item. Yes, I do go in and clean off the pump intake once a week (have a long haired cat). About a year ago, the pump stopped working. I went online and found simple directions as to how to get it going again. Worked like a charm, and no problems since. I do take it apart once every few months for a check and cleaning if need be. My model (just like the one pictured on Amazon) does an amazing job of "sucking up" all the smaller bits of grass, hair, and gunk that get into the bowl on occasion. No pump this size will keep the bowl totally pristine, so I do keep an eye on it, and pick out larger "stuff" (bugs, blades of grass, etc...) All I can say is: I LOVE this device, and my animals give it a big paws up. The cats drink more water than when I had a regular bowl of standing water out for them. The cats love it     On: 2008-01-15 I bought this originally for my one cat, and have had it for some time. She loves the moving water, and if you fill it completely, it lasts for several days. Since I got it, I moved in with my fiancee (now wife) who has two cats of her own. They love it too! Yes, it gets a little slimy after its been running for a couple days, but - its water that youre leaving out, so you should expect to have to freshen it up! Cleans easy, works well, just remember to keep it filled up so the motor doesnt run dry. Great stuff, Id buy it again (and probably will!) Noisy, but the cats love it     On: 2008-01-14 We bought the petmate 50oz fountain for our cats, and for the first three weeks, it worked perfectly. We have two cats, and they both loved it. The fountain worked silently, and holds a large amount of water in a reserve tank that is removable for easy refilling. Unfortunately, after about three weeks, the device began making noise. It now sounds like many of the small desktop fountains people will buy for home to generate white noise from the water running over rocks. Luckily, this is not a particularly annoying noise, but it is enough noise to keep me from giving the fountain a better score. So be advised: the product works well, if you dont mind some extra white noise in your house. faucet cat loves it -- shy dog took a bit longer     On: 2008-01-14 The results were great for the pets. It was a hit with my mostly-Siamese cat, who loves to lounge in the sink and begs water to be run on her for "spot drinks" and will drink faucet drips even if theyre almost a shower. And, once my Sheltie decided it wasnt going to bite her, she liked it, too. It beat her dog bowl that seemed to collect every bit of hair and debris that made it that far. And they both seem to prefer the fountains filtered water to nasty local tap water. (I dont drink it, so why should they have to?) And that she delayed may have been my fault. The pump made a lot of noise til I turned it on full force and got it filled properly. One must remember the capacity of the reservoir means you have put nearly half a gallon of water in it for it to run right! The blue reservoir holds about a cup or so, and will have to be filled several times. If you can hear any sound from it, you need to add more water to the reservoir, which is easy to do even as its running. My rule of thumb is that I refill the reservoir til it doesnt bubble and drain out if I find it low or I can hear the pump running. I havent had to clean it yet, and almost dread that, because my major trouble was getting it apart at the outset to assemble the parts that werent set up. If you have problems with arthritic hands as I do, it can be a little aggravating, but its do-able. To clean it, Ill try pipe-cleaners to get into the intakes, but keeping debris out of it in the first place makes frequent cleaning less a necessity. Id have given it a higher rating if not for the difficulty of disassembly, but somebody without arthritis would not have that trouble. The cats love it!     On: 2008-01-12 Both of my cats used to cry every morning to get the previous nights water replaced. They hated stale water! The fresh flow dish gives them fresh moving water that is never stale. They absolutely love it! So-so     On: 2008-01-08 Pros * Filter * Automated * Oxygenated water Cons * Filter needs frequent replacement * Prone to malfunctioning Works great!     On: 2008-01-07 I gave this to my mother for Christmas. She has an old cat who loves to play in water and she had always talked about some day getting him a pet water fountain. I had read a few other reviews and was a little leery as to how well this would work, but gave it a try. Her cat loves it! From day 1 there have been no problems with it. And best of all, it VERY quiet. You cant hear it at all! She has it set up in her living room. I didnt even know it was there. I would just make sure you always have it filled with water so the pump doesnt burn out on you. Because cats drink so much water with this, when you first get it, you should watch the water levels so that you get an idea on how often you should replenish the water supply. Absolutely great product! So-so     On: 2008-01-07 Pros * Filter * Automated * Oxygenated water Cons * Filter needs frequent replacement * Prone to malfunctioning Quiet and helpful     On: 2008-01-05 We bought this about a week ago because our cats were drinking out of the fish tank filters, and we figured they could use their own clean water dish. Before, they were constantly tipping and spilling their water, or getting yucky stuff in it. With this waterer, it was very easy to set up. I wish it had batteries in addition to a/c power but it has been no problem so far. For the first day, the cats walked around it, sniffing at it and poking it with their paws. Then they were kind of afraid of it. By the time wed had it a couple days, though, they drank from it frequently. They seem to really like it. Unlike other reviewers said, it wasnt noisy, it wasnt difficult to use, and it doesnt get dirty. There is absolutely nothing in the bowl except clean water. The reservoir also holds enough water that as long as you glance at it every day or so (you cant let it run dry...it says so right on the pump and in the instructions, so if thats why yours breaks, thats your fault) there are no problems. We are pleased, our cats like it, and it solved a lot of little problems for us (no more drinking out of the fish tank!). Quiet and helpful     On: 2008-01-04 We bought this about a week ago because our cats were drinking out of the fish tank filters, and we figured they could use their own clean water dish. Before, they were constantly tipping and spilling their water, or getting yucky stuff in it. With this waterer, it was very easy to set up. I wish it had batteries in addition to a/c power but it has been no problem so far. For the first day, the cats walked around it, sniffing at it and poking it with their paws. Then they were kind of afraid of it. By the time wed had it a couple days, though, they drank from it frequently. They seem to really like it. Unlike other reviewers said, it wasnt noisy, it wasnt difficult to use, and it doesnt get dirty. There is absolutely nothing in the bowl except clean water. The reservoir also holds enough water that as long as you glance at it every day or so (you cant let it run dry...it says so right on the pump and in the instructions, so if thats why yours breaks, thats your fault) there are no problems. We are pleased, our cats like it, and it solved a lot of little problems for us (no more drinking out of the fish tank!). Great Product     On: 2007-12-31 I would highly recommend this product to any pet owner. My 2 cats love having the fresh water to drink at all times and I love not having to change their water constantly. I will say they were aprehensive at first, but once they got used to the new device they really like it. Great product at a great price!     On: 2007-12-29 We have had this product, liked it, and needed to replace it after about 2 years of use, mainly due to corrosion of surface and motor. Found the same model at this website at a much better price than at local retailers. I loved it; my cat didn't     On: 2007-12-28 I think this is a super idea but my cat thought it was scary. She prefers running water out of the sink (no we dont keep it running 24/7). Although I thought the motor was quiet, she was scared of it. Thats a cat for you! Cat Water Fountain     On: 2007-12-28 I have had this product for over a year and it is still working well. It does need to be taken apart and cleaned about once a week but if you have picky cats who will only drink running water, this is worth the investment. Works pretty good, but it's a bugger to clean!     On: 2007-12-18 All in all weve done ok with ours, but after about 5 years, I was looking at a new fountain. After this long, it gets harder and harder to get this thing completely clean. However, before we get a new one, I wanted to share the experience of our PetMate Fresh Flow ownership. Pros: * The boys (2 cats ages 4 and 11) drink more water with it than without * It wasnt overly expensive to get * Filters are, for the most part, reasonably priced * Pretty quiet when its running on a full bowl * Has been running for almost 5 years straight * Easy to disassemble/reassemble Cons: * Impossible to thoroughly clean the reservoir * Lots other of nooks I cant get into to clean * That means you have to clean it fairly often. * Food bits, hair,and litter dont get pre-filtered * Gets noisy when dirty or low on water * Bowl and ramp quickly get grimy even after cleaning * Filters can be hard to find * Even when using filtered water, filters quickly get incredibly yucky * We still constantly have cats trying to drink out of the faucets. Notes: * Even though you can operate many pet fountains without a filter if youre using filtered water at home, I dont recommend it with this one. We tried it for awhile and it was gross in a matter of days. Great product     On: 2007-12-12 I have owned many of these fountains and my cats love them. The only problem is cleaning it is a bit of a hassle, but its worth it. Water Saver     On: 2007-12-11 Finally, my cat no longer jumps up on the kitchen counter or the bathroom sink to beg me to turn on the faucet! What the Petmate Pet Fountain costs in electricity cant compare to the high water bills I had because Id walk away from a running faucet and totally forget about it for two hours! Now I know my cat is getting all the water he should be drinking. Loved it for years..     On: 2007-12-05 Weve had this fountain for several years now.. My husband got it for the kitties for Christmas in 2004 because they loved drinking directly from the water faucet. They love it, the water bowl is a hang out spot for them now, it does hum when it runs low (which reminds me to fill it), or needs cleaning. Ive always found it easy to take apart, throw in the dish washer, take an old tooth brush to the pump, and put in a new filter. I do it about every other month (with four cats) and it still runs like a champ! If this were to ever go out (or a dog chews the cord, which is known to happen occasionally), well defiantly buy another one! kitties like it, but they don't do the cleaning     On: 2007-12-01 We have one of these and one Drinkwell, and the kitties seem equally happy with either one. The Petmate is a bit quieter, but is even more difficult to clean, which needs to be done more often than Id like. Neither one is a day at the beach to clean, but the Petmate has even more little nooks and crannies and narrow little spots that are almost impossible to get the gunk out of. And as soon as youre done and fill it with fresh water, it starts getting icky again before you know it. Since theres no obvious useful purpose for all the little hard to reach spots, I can only conclude that whoever designed these things likes cats OK, but hates their owners. Three pugs and two weenie dogs     On: 2007-11-21 We have five little dogs and I really like this product. They all drink from the fountain and the bowl. We used to have a two and a half gallon water bowl that just never seemed fresh enough. So I desided to try one of these fountain water bowls. I have to say it is much better then before, it does a good job of cleaning out stuff that gets in the bowl. It will run a little louder when the water is getting low. I fill it every other day, just to keep up with it. We change the filter every 30 days mostly because of the amount of usage. I really think the dogs all drink more water, I am sure with their sensitive smell it has got to taste and smell better the stagnent water. The only thing I would do different is get one wih more capacity. This thing SUCKS!!!     On: 2007-11-17 This is my third unit I have purchased. I like the way it looks and what it does when it WORKS!!! It is definitely not for more than one pet. When I had one pet it worked for about a year. Now that I have three it lasted 4 months. Wish they would fix the problems. My pump no longer works. It makes horrible noises even when full. Just not a great addition to someone trying to save time and give their pets good water. kitty water fountain     On: 2007-11-17 We have had one of these fountains in the past and our kitty drank so much more water. This was the best value compared to the pet stores. Thanks for offering this product. Quiet and worry-free     On: 2007-11-16 Excellent price, quiet, and my cat enjoys this product. Strongly recommend it for those who have a single cat. Low maintenance, easy to refill. Great! Quiet and worry-free     On: 2007-11-15 Excellent price, quiet, and my cat enjoys this product. Strongly recommend it for those who have a single cat. Low maintenance, easy to refill. Great! Perrrfect Product     On: 2007-11-12 I find it interesting that some people have a horrible experience with this product. My experience has been absolutely wonderful. I have four cats who can be a bit messy at times, and it has been a breeze to clean and maintain. A few people mentioned that the pump didnt work for them, but if the device doesnt have enough water in it the pump of course doesnt work. The filter works just like a fish tank filter, so it is easy to change out; I find that it lasts about 3-4 weeks. I would recommend this product to anyone who has prissy cats like me! disapointed!     On: 2007-11-10 I thought this product sounded like a good idea. Fresh water for the cats through a filter. It was hard to clean, hard to fill, and the cats kept going to the other water bowl. Better idea was to give them a clean bowl of fresh filtered water each day, much easier. Bad Quality -- broken immediately     On: 2007-11-08 I bought this item and only used it for twice. Guesswhat!! It didnt work anymore. What a bad quality control! Harm its brand seriously! Dont waste your money on this item. Very happy with this!     On: 2007-11-07 I was concerned that our 2 cats werent drinking enough water. They went for toilet bowls, which made me uneasy. I changed the water in their bowls often, and tried ceramic bowls (thinking that was part of the toilet attraction), but it didnt make a difference. Finally, with the Petmate, they are drinking appropriately. I have to refill it every other day, which is fine. I appreciated the suggestions in the box for how to introduce it to your cats. Even my skittish cat is using it. Wed had no problems previously with their health; but Im much relieved that their urinary tracts will likely be in better condition. Tested by six cats     On: 2007-11-07 Product easy to set-up, be sure motor is fully submersed before operating. It took about a week for our cats to accept it and now they drink more water than ever. Our oldest cat still prefers the bathroom faucet for running water and the youngest seems fascinated with it, the others seem to think it is a fine addition to their lifestyle. Terribly disappointed     On: 2007-11-07 Fairly easy to put together. Within two days the unit started to make lots of noise; vibrations, grinding, etc. This unit is obviously not put together very well. I recommend buying something from this company in stores to avoid the hassle of shipping back for refund/exchange. Petmate pet fountain     On: 2007-11-01 I had one of these I bought when they first hit the market because I have a cat who loves to drink from faucets. He loved the fountain! After about 8 years of working great the water flow valve broke. I bought this one a couple of months ago and even though the fountain works great and my cat is happy with it, the auto fill cap on the bottom of the reservoir doesnt work at all. I cant figure out why and have tried every thing I can think of to get it to work. The first one worked fine, filling the bowl automatically as the water level went down. With this new one I have to do it manually. I make sure the bowl is filled to nearly overflowing every morning so that I dont have to worry about the water dropping so low that the pump doesnt have enough water to pump while Im at work all day. Not sure if this one is just a lemon or if the design has been changed??? When I replace this one, it will be with a different model! It's just ok     On: 2007-10-30 My cats really like this fountain, but after I clean it & change the water it makes a vibrating noise(very annoying) which lasts about 2 days. After that it runs pretty quiet...I tried trouble shooting like they suggest but it still does it. All in all its ok...I just wish I didnt have to wait 2 days for it to quiet down. It's OK...not great because of noise issue     On: 2007-10-24 Delivery time was great - only one day! But the box was not taped securely. Only one piece of tape was used to close the lids of the shipping box, when 2 or 3 should be used. If it had been in transit any longer, the box would have opened. The fountain is OK. It took a few days for our kitty to decide it was OK to drink from, and in that sense its doing a good job, since she definitely drinks more when there is moving water available. At first the pump was completely silent, but it has started making more noise as time goes by. Sometimes it makes noise because the intake is blocked by hair, which is easy to solve, but in general it makes more noise than it should. EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!! VERY LOW MANTENANCE !     On: 2007-10-16 Talk about EASY!!!!!What a pleasure!Easy to assemble. Unlike many pet fountains, it doesnt get slimey & dirty, every week.Actually, Ive had it for about a month...and I only cleaned it once, only because I felt I should...but it didnt need it.All I had to do was just run the pump under water to flush any minimal debris away.Its perfect!My cats are used to fountains that have a spout, but they quickly got used to the flow.And the design/size is nice & compact. You just have to fill the water reservoir every day,but thats easy too!This fountain pretty much takes care of itself! Cats need flowing water, but NOT THIS PRODUCT!     On: 2007-10-14 The concept is great. My cats love flowing water. BUT do not waste your money on THIS product. LOUD AND BADLY DESIGNED. I actually like the sound of running water far better than a constantly humming motor. People that reviewed this product and said the motor is quiet either have TV on constantly or have small noisy children running around to mask the CONSTANT humm. I agree that you have to take it apart to clean the motor from pet hair and that a nylon stocking helps eliminate that problem. However, what the other reiewers forget to tell you is that it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to put the product back together again each time, due to poor product design. The pump has to line up with a rigid plastic hole while you hold the rigid plastic gate in place and keep the rigid plastic cord keeper from falling off. If you manage to get all those pieces lined up, then there is still all the plastic nipples that have to go in the plastic holes to hold the top in place. It is a nightmare of poor product design! Why should I have to put a nylon sock over something to make it work when I purchased it because it says it works??? It also says the motor is quiet. It is not, even with a sock. If people actually like this product for convinience over its faults it is because we, as Americans,are too used to wasting our money on poor producuts and bad designs then throwing them away and purchasing more. Do not waste your money on this product. Not so Fixed!!!!     On: 2007-10-13 I have had this fountain for a year when suddenly this week the motor stopped. I had been cleaning it weekly, even inside the front cover of the motor. I got on the Petmate website to order a new motor, and the website instructed me NOT to buy a new one until I made sure the old one was completely clean. It gave instrucions on how to take the motor apart further than I had been and clean it. It worked! I saved $ and my cat remains happy! UPDATE----After cleaning, the motor only lasted one more month!! I have now started using the Drinkwell fountain, and I think my cat likes it even better. Also easier to take apart and keep clean. Change rating to 3 stars for this petmate. Fixed!     On: 2007-10-13 I have had this fountain for a year when suddenly this week the motor stopped. I had been cleaning it weekly, even inside the front cover of the motor. I got on the Petmate website to order a new motor, and the website instructed me NOT to buy a new one until I made sure the old one was completely clean. It gave instrucions on how to take the motor apart further than I had been and clean it. It worked! I saved $ and my cat remains happy! An upgrade!     On: 2007-10-10 I upgraded from the regular fountain to this. Not much difference although the white lets you know sooner if the fountain needs to be cleaned. The adjustable flow really has no factor for me. The first deluxe I bought had a problem. The water reservoir was open on a corner and would empty into the bowl causing overflow. The replacement however works great. My cat now drinks fresh water; no longer toliet water!     On: 2007-10-05 The quiet stream of constant flowing water makes my cat drink more water now than previously, when I used just an open water dish. The unit is very quiet, easy to set up and maintain and cleaning is a breeze. Best of all is I noticed immediately that my cat is drinking more water each day. This unit is a great asset to my home; it works as advertized. Well worth the money for peace of mind, knowing my loving cat is getting fresh water everyday. It's great!     On: 2007-10-01 This is a great pet fountain, super quite, you cant hear it at all and the cat loves it. I clean it out once or twice a week, I make sure the water level never gets too low and its been working great! Didn't Appeal to my Cat     On: 2007-09-27 While many cats like drinking from the tub/sink faucet, this product does NOT mimic that experience very well at all. I wouldnt expect every cat to like this fountain when the water moves so smoothly and somewhat uninterestingly down the ramp. I thought the water moving would attract my cat but it is pretty hard to see the water at all. My cat was interested for 10 minutes and was done with it for good. The fountain is quiet, and yes, you have to clean it and monitor it so the pump doesnt burn out. Overall it was more trouble than it was worth. Not recommended. I would try the fountains that bubble or have the water free-falling down from the spout. At least it would attract my cat. Great Product for Kitty and Me     On: 2007-09-19 I read many reviews on this item ranging from "dont buy it" to "great product" and I was worried when I finally decided to buy it. However, this product works great and I am beginning to wonder about the people who wrote the bad reviews. This product does not leak, it is not noisy (when kept properly filled with water) and it does not collect mildew and mold or the other horrible things mentioned by other consumers. The plastic is extremely easy to clean and it takes me less than five minutes to clean it. The only "problem" with the product is the pump. The problem is that the pump supposedly clogs easily and you must take it apart to clean it etc., but I did read a helpful hint about this: wrap the pump in a piece of pantyhose and no fur and crumbs will enter the pump. So I did just that and I have had no problems with any part of this machine. My cat is not afraid of it nor is she angry I took her stagnant bowl away. I do suspect that if your kitty like to drink falling water, such as from a faucet, she may enjoy the "other" product more. Keep in mind that the "other" product is noisier (falling water). This product on the other hand is extremely quiet. Best of all, this product costs almost 50% less. In my opinion, this is a better product to start the cat off with getting aquainted with fountains not because it costs less but because it more mimics the stand alone bowl. Then maybe when the cat gets adjusted to this fountain you can buy the "other" fountain that lets the water fall in a stream. There is nothing wrong with two fountains anyway, my cats had bowls all over the house. My guess is that it adds some fun in their day. Cats love it!     On: 2007-09-19 I really like this fountain. Setup was a breeze and my cats love it. Yes I have to add water every couple of days but that just assures me the cats are staying hydrated and the water is fresh. As for noise, I barely know its there unless the water level gets too low. I am completely satisfied with this purchase. (Also the price is $20 cheaper than the exact same one at a local major name pet store.) The cat loves it     On: 2007-09-18 The cat loves this fountain. Ive never seen him drink so much water before! Great Product for Kitty and Me     On: 2007-09-18 I read many reviews on this item ranging from "dont buy it" to "great product" and I was worried when I finally decided to buy it. However, this product works great and I am beginning to wonder about the people who wrote the bad reviews. This product does not leak, it is not noisy (when kept properly filled with water) and it does not collect mildew and mold or the other horrible things mentioned by other consumers. The plastic is extremely easy to clean and it takes me less than five minutes to clean it. The only "problem" with the product is the pump. The problem is that the pump supposedly clogs easily and you must take it apart to clean it etc., but I did read a helpful hint about this: wrap the pump in a piece of pantyhose and no fur and crumbs will enter the pump. So I did just that and I have had no problems with any part of this machine. My cat is not afraid of it nor is she angry I took her stagnant bowl away. I do suspect that if your kitty like to drink falling water, such as from a faucet, she may enjoy the "other" product more. Keep in mind that the "other" product is noisier (falling water). This product on the other hand is extremely quiet. Best of all, this product costs almost 50% less. In my opinion, this is a better product to start the cat off with getting aquainted with fountains not because it costs less but because it more mimics the stand alone bowl. Then maybe when the cat gets adjusted to this fountain you can buy the "other" fountain that lets the water fall in a stream. There is nothing wrong with two fountains anyway, my cats had bowls all over the house. My guess is that it adds some fun in their day. Petmate Fountain -- Thumbs Up!     On: 2007-09-17 I had one of these before years ago when I had cats and just got one again as we have new little fur balls : ) They love it just as much as the last. Fountain is well designed and good quality. NO splashing of water onto floor. Canister is easy access for quick refill, which is every day for us--3 cats. Filters water well also. Definitely worth the $. Pet Fountain     On: 2007-09-06 This product is OK, but my pets arent as attracted to it as I hoped Great product - solved drinking problem for 15 year old cat     On: 2007-09-05 I had a 15 year old cat who only wanted fresh flowing water from the bathroom sink --which got to be a pain to deal with besides her not being able to get water when I was not around. I had doubts that I could change her habit but inside of a week she is happily drinking from her fountain!! I do use bottled water to save damaging the pump but that is only because of my well water, not any fault of the fountain. I have a second cat who adapted as well and the fountain usually lasts a day or so before needing to be filled. Working fine so far     On: 2007-09-04 I had no problem installing this, though one other reviewer here did. It was considerably cheaper from Amazon than it was at Pet Express. The only addition I would have liked would be an option to have the water fall down as from a faucet rather than flowing down a slope, since I had gotten the device because my cat liked to drink from a dripping faucet. I jury-rigged a plastic straw so that the stream of water could fall from the straw into the bowl. My cat now does always like to drink from the stream that comes out of the straw. happy cat     On: 2007-09-04 It has taken our kitty 2 months to accept to use the fountain, but he has finally begun drnking from it, so be patient. He was still expecting to be able to drink from the water tap and has finally given up. The sound of the trickling water finished by seducing him. Good product. water hogs     On: 2007-09-03 this is the second water dish i have purchased. the first one was the "weenie" cat dish- i bought the dog size the second time. its very easy to clean and the cats love it. a little too much. the mainecoon spreads his twenty pounds of bulk over the top of it so his sisters cant drink. i think he feels its HIS dish, although his sisters dont agree. the filters are hard to find around here- walmart no longer carries the dish, so i order bunches of filters online. the cats are very happy with the dish and ive had the second one for a couple years now, with no problems. My cats are ignoring their new water fountain     On: 2007-08-24 The pet fountain runs just fine, it is quiet, and there are no problems except that my water-loving cats will not drink from it. These cats jump on the sink when I brush my teeth, and are often in the tub when someone gets out of the shower, so I thought this would be great for them. Im thinking they would like it better if the water wasnt so quiet -and was more of a splashing fountain. Its been about three weeks, and no interest. Theres no convincing cats - either they like something or they dont! Freash Flow     On: 2007-08-24 Ive got 2 of these and my cats all 4 of them just love it.They drink more water now and thats good for a health cat. easy to clean, but you do need to clean it at least once a month. Freash Flow     On: 2007-08-23 Ive got 2 of these and my cats all 4 of them just love it.They drink more water now and thats good for a health cat. easy to clean, but you do need to clean it at least once a month. Great Product!     On: 2007-08-09 My cat was constantly begging at the faucet for running water- she would just sit in the sink waiting for the water to be turned on. This got old rather quickly and I found this product. She must like the constantly running water because she has stopped begging at the sink. I find that it is quiet and does not need to be refilled often. Once a week I clean it completely and refill it. Cleaning can be a bit of a hassle, but its not too bad. The parts separate easily and with a toothbrush or q tip you can reach all of the crevices. I usually fill the reservoirs with brita water and skip out on the filtration cartridges to save money. I have had this product for 2 years and it still works great. I definitely recommend it for your thirsty kitty. FABULOUS PRODUCT!     On: 2007-08-07 I received this product from my son who claimed his cats were afraid of the horrific noise it made, but after filling it correctly and turning it on I found very little noise. What I did find was he filled it incorrectly, did not fully saturate the filter before inserting, did not fill to capacity in the filter chamber or the bowl unit. After successfully and correctly filling the unit within a few minutes I found very little noise, VERY little. Basically it makes a very pleasant low gentle trickling water sound, which is what a fountain does and it does attract the cats, plus they LOVE it! I even like the soft gentle trickling sound, as it is relaxing and a sound you find on many sleep units for adults. It is important to remember when this unit starts to run low on water or it is not filled properly it will indeed alert you via more noise, as the pump doesnt have enough water so you fill it and POOF the noise is gone. Of course you are buying a, "Cat Fountain" so to speak and therefore it will generate more noise than a bowl of water because it is a fountain which pumps constant water. For this unit to be silent it would merely be a bowl of water, but that is not what you are buying. As for cleaning...........of course you need to clean it, but you also need to clean bowls of water and other non-pump auto water units. Actually I have found this unit to require less cleaning and stay cleanier than bowls of water or noncirculating auto water methods because the water it contains is constantly circulating, it has a filter and therefore stays pretty clean. I clean my unit once per week with antibacterial soap, rinse it well, wipe it down, etc., but when I used water bowls or sedentary auto water units I was cleaning them daily. Of course it will collect airborne particles and some debris, as it is open and cats are using it however since it does have the circulating water and filter this problem is very minimal. Actually with the other non-pump auto water units and bowls I found they would collect a lot of debris and also mold despite my constant cleaning since the water just sits there. You must also be certain to clean your pump portion in order to keep it running properly and this is very easy..........pop it out and rinse it off. I do this once per week, as I have noticed it will collect a bit of cat hair under it, which I think is normal and no problem whatsoever. It is also important to change your filter approximately once per month so your unit will continue to provide clean water. My 4 cats LOVE this unit and actually it serves 2 purposes, as they think it is a toy, thus play in the water and also love drinking out of it! When my cats hear our electric ice maker in the fridge, which I must say is much louder they come running because they want those ice cubes placed in their fountain so they can bob and bat at them. Actually I have a new high end refridgerator and that makes more noise than this cat fountain. After my son gave me the unit claiming it was too noisy he came over and found it was not noisy in the least when filled properly so he went out and bought another one, filled it properly, saturated the filter and filter chamber and POOF no noise! His cats love it too! I feel good about the fact my cats are now drinking more water, which is filtered and circulating, thus cleaner plus they love it. I have had my unit for 2 years of constant use and finally the pump died, so I am ordering another one since my cats now sit in front of the existing one, which is no longer working and bat the water around like they are hoping it will start working again. Actually I had no idea their fountain wasnt working, as it is that quiet, but then I noticed the whole gang was sitting in front of the unit just gazing at it, as if to say, "What the heck happened to our fountain?" I got 2 years out of my pump, which I think is fabulous especially because the cost of the unit is so reasonable, so I have assured the boys they will get a new one soon. I think this is a fabulous product, much more sanitary, easier to maintain and the cats love it. Currently I know at least 5 people other than myself who are using this unit for their cats and none have reported noise while all have reported this is a great little water fountain, which their cats love! My cat loves it!     On: 2007-07-30 My cat was not drinking his water because he wanted fresh water all the time. He loves his fountain. Its great because I fill it once a week and my cat doesnt try to drink the shower water anymore. It does take filters but they last a while. A true disappointment     On: 2007-07-17 I thought I was doing the right thing by my cats when I brought this Petmate water fountain home. Wrong. Right from the start, the pump has sounded like a small jet aircraft at take off. Ive done it all -- dismantle and reassemble the pump, dismantle and reassemble the entire unit, drain and refill with cool clear distilled water. No. It is too loud to use near human habitation, and it is too loud for the cats to bother approaching it for a drink. And as someone observed here, it fills with junk and clogs in a heartbeat. Nope. I am resigned to leaving a faucet dripping and a bathroom door ajar around the clock to make sure our two cats get enough fresh water. This product has been a bust. disappointed     On: 2007-07-16 I also called the company and they said they could not help me except to offer advice on filling and cleaning. I have been filling and cleaning the unit the same way for 18 months and all of a sudden it started to leak. The woman said that many units were sent back because of leaks and they couldnt get them to leak. Seems like there are a lot of us out there that CAN get them to leak.We cant all be wrong. I told the woman there are a lot of comments on amazon about the leaking units. My cats love the filter and I want to use it because my cat once had a UTI before I started using it. I just dont want to buy another one after only a year and a half. You would expect it to last longer. A true disappointment     On: 2007-07-16 I thought I was doing the right thing by my cats when I brought this Petmate water fountain home. Wrong. Right from the start, the pump has sounded like a small jet aircraft at take off. Ive done it all -- dismantle and reassemble the pump, dismantle and reassemble the entire unit, drain and refill with cool clear distilled water. No. It is too loud to use near human habitation, and it is too loud for the cats to bother approaching it for a drink. And as someone observed here, it fills with junk and clogs in a heartbeat. Nope. I am resigned to leaving a faucet dripping and a bathroom door ajar around the clock to make sure our two cats get enough fresh water. This product has been a bust. Improve your cat's health     On: 2007-07-07 We bought two of these fountains-- this one and the "planet blue," after our vet recommended getting an automatic fountain for one of our cats who is in the early stages of having urinary tract problems. We found out that cats usually dont drink as much as they need to, and this can lead to crystals in their urine, blockages and severe health problems including organ failure. Our vet also told us that cats drink less out of traditional bowls because their whiskers tend to hit the sides which is uncomfortable for them. The bowl of this fountain is wide enough to accommodate whiskers and therefore cats will tend to drink longer. After a day or so of being timid of the fountain, our cats took right to it. They are drinking probably four times the amount of water they used to drink from regular water bowls. The water trickling does make some noise, just enough to entice the cats and be soothing to nearby humans. It is so much easier to deal with than changing water in bowls twice a day; when the water gets low you simply pop out the reservoir and refill it. The water stays cleaner because of the filter. This is a great product and highly recommended to help prevent and manage urinary tract issues that can be aggravated by not drinking enough water. This fountain was recommended to us by my mom who has owned one for several months with no problems. Below Average, Needs Constant Cleaning / Disassembly     On: 2007-07-01 The water pump is designed such that it will constantly take in cat hair and other miscellany, meaning youll be unclogging it constantly as water flow diminishes to an almost invisible trickle. The device is only slightly more convenient than just pouring a bowl of fresh water daily. Not recommended. Below Average, Needs Constant Cleaning / Disassembly     On: 2007-06-30 The water pump is designed such that it will constantly take in cat hair and other miscellany, meaning youll be unclogging it constantly as water flow diminishes to an almost invisible trickle. The device is only slightly more convenient than just pouring a bowl of fresh water daily. Not recommended. We were fooled!     On: 2007-06-14 Fooled into thinking this is the best product around. the product was intentionally designed with a flaw to destroy the moter and force one to buy a new one. (why else would the company sell the motors and offer them as soon as the item was produced). Any intelligent engineer would have designed the product to have the filter BEFORE the motor, insuring the motor stays clean as well as the output water. we have to clean out the moter every 6-8 weeks so that it doesnt burn out from being clogged from dust and cat hair. I hope they redesign it and when they do, I will then write another review. He loves this fountain - a must for your cat by: hrose    On: 2007-05-29 My cat loves this product, will only drink from this fountain. And I add to the reservior and freeze it (do not fill to top)and then put into the fountain - always cold water. Highly recommend this product. Great item for the price by: n9xnj    On: 2007-05-26 This is a great pet fountain for the money. If you dont use a fountain for your cats, you should. Drinking lots of water is good for us all, but it is critical for cats, especially male cats and older cats, to prevent polycystosis. We have used the PetMate fountains, and always found them to be good, reliable products. Our cats love drinking from the top of the slide where the water is coming out of the filter chamber. A tip for anyone using a pet fountain is to use reverse osmosis filtered water in the fountain. This cuts down on the frequency of necessary cleaning tremendously. You will need to clean the fountain out regularly, including the pump. To keep the pump going, learn how to take it apart and clean it well. One point should be made here - we have many cats (we have a cattery) and the reservoir is too small if you have several cats drinking form it. You will need to fill it more than once a day. If you have several cats around as we do you might want to go the extra expense of the Drinkwell pet fountain. It has a 12 cup capacity with the extra reservoir option. But if you only have one or two cats, this is a great unit. It runs quietly, is reliable, and the cats really seem to like drinking from it. Great item for the price     On: 2007-05-25 This is a great pet fountain for the money. If you dont use a fountain for your cats, you should. Drinking lots of water is good for us all, but it is critical for cats, especially male cats and older cats, to prevent polycystosis. We have used the PetMate fountains, and always found them to be good, reliable products. Our cats love drinking from the top of the slide where the water is coming out of the filter chamber. A tip for anyone using a pet fountain is to use reverse osmosis filtered water in the fountain. This cuts down on the frequency of necessary cleaning tremendously. You will need to clean the fountain out regularly, including the pump. To keep the pump going, learn how to take it apart and clean it well. One point should be made here - we have many cats (we have a cattery) and the reservoir is too small if you have several cats drinking form it. You will need to fill it more than once a day. If you have several cats around as we do you might want to go the extra expense of the Drinkwell pet fountain. It has a 12 cup capacity with the extra reservoir option. But if you only have one or two cats, this is a great unit. It runs quietly, is reliable, and the cats really seem to like drinking from it. Decent product, not worth the price. by: teerdropzzz    On: 2007-05-25 I bought this product for my 3 cats and they rarely drink it. Maybe because they were so used to drinking from the sink faucet that they want something a little more fresh? The product itself is hard to clean and maintain. There are two filter bags that comes with the product, and I dont even know when it loses its effectiveness. The filter bag does get dirty quickly and Im sure it gets pricey to keep on replacing it. Overall for me, I should have just bought a Brita filter and attach it to the sink for the cats to drink. pet mate by: katrina55@frontiernet.net    On: 2007-05-12 great product, great service. Would surely recommend this site to all my friends LOVE IT by: Anonymous    On: 2007-05-04 My kitty loves this new water dispenser! I noticed her drinking more water everyday! Very healthy for her! I would recommend this to anyone who loves their kitty! Action Water     On: 2007-04-11 Its the funniest thing to watch you coats first use. Mine waited for at least 1 day before the trusted it and even then they were cautions. Its entertainig and healthy. Action Water     On: 2007-04-10 Its the funniest thing to watch you coats first use. Mine waited for at least 1 day before the trusted it and even then they were cautions. Its entertainig and healthy. Loved It At First     On: 2007-04-03 When I first got the water fountain, I loved it. It was perfect for my cat who will only drink running water!! Problem is, the motor stopped working after I had only had it for 6 months. I dont know how long they are supposed to last, but 6 months seemed a short amount of time. Works great!     On: 2007-03-30 While it does require some maintenence, my cat loves it so I dont mind the weekly cleaning. It is dishwasher safe, which makes it easy, and for those of you having problems with the pump, try this: run the pump in a bowl of a mixture of vinegar and water. The acid in the vinegar cleans the pump thoroughly (no slimy gunk or lime buildup), and its not toxic if traces of vinegar remain when you reassemble. I had a tough time getting my cat to drink from anything other than a sink or tub faucet, but she loves the water coming down the slide, so its worth it for me to take a few minutes a week to clean it. Fresh Flow Cat Fountain     On: 2007-03-30 I received the product timely in good condition. It works very well and the cats seem to have taken to it quite well. Works great!     On: 2007-03-29 While it does require some maintenence, my cat loves it so I dont mind the weekly cleaning. It is dishwasher safe, which makes it easy, and for those of you having problems with the pump, try this: run the pump in a bowl of a mixture of vinegar and water. The acid in the vinegar cleans the pump thoroughly (no slimy gunk or lime buildup), and its not toxic if traces of vinegar remain when you reassemble. I had a tough time getting my cat to drink from anything other than a sink or tub faucet, but she loves the water coming down the slide, so its worth it for me to take a few minutes a week to clean it. Thank you! thank you! thank you!     On: 2007-03-08 Our cat would only drink out of running faucets. As a result contstantly drinking out of bathroom or kitchen sinks. As soon as we got this, he started to drink from the water that flows down to where any normal cat would drink. The machine is quiet, easy to assemble and maintain. my cats love this!     On: 2007-03-05 if you need your cats to drink more water, or even if they drink enough but you want to make them happy, this is the ticket. they love the running water. i have only 2 complaints: 1. it gets dirty really quickly (is this a flaw of the filters? i dont know) and its a pain to clean! its not like a regular water bowl that you can wash in 5 seconds. you must disassemble it and wash each part carefully. 2. you need to buy filters. i guess these are supposed to help keep it clean? i assume also to provide filtered water, but i think thats a little silly, since even people drink tap. but, since my little darlings are so happy, i like this product despite the cons. my cats love this!     On: 2007-03-04 if you need your cats to drink more water, or even if they drink enough but you want to make them happy, this is the ticket. they love the running water. i have only 2 complaints: 1. it gets dirty really quickly (is this a flaw of the filters? i dont know) and its a pain to clean! its not like a regular water bowl that you can wash in 5 seconds. you must disassemble it and wash each part carefully. 2. you need to buy filters. i guess these are supposed to help keep it clean? i assume also to provide filtered water, but i think thats a little silly, since even people drink tap. but, since my little darlings are so happy, i like this product despite the cons. The cats love it!     On: 2007-02-26 I bought this three months ago for my two cats. It was reasonably easy to assemble. You have it keep the reservoir filled up daily, or it will be noisy. If thats a problem for you, then buy the larger capacity one. Its also good to clean the water intake area as cat hair will collect there. Overall, a good value. great for hydration     On: 2007-02-25 This product does everything that it claims to do. It was easy to assemble, and seems dependable. The constantly circulating water has increased my pets hydration, and health noticably. great for hydration     On: 2007-02-24 This product does everything that it claims to do. It was easy to assemble, and seems dependable. The constantly circulating water has increased my pets hydration, and health noticably. Product Pros and Cons     On: 2007-02-11 Here is a short list of things to consider before purchasing this product. Pros: 1. Vet recommended - my cat has a history of urinary tract infections and this product has definitely encouraged her to drink more, which in turn has lead to the overall better health for my pet. 2. Prevents stale water - When water is allowed to sit for long periods of time, air cannot circulate in it. Thus, the water no longer has air in it, which makes it taste fresh. This product allows for the constant flowing of water thus preventing it from going stale in the bowl. 3. Silent - this product is virtually silent, the only time you will hear it make noise is when the water supply is low, a good reminder to add fresh water. 4. Attractive product - This is a small, compact unit that is simple and sleek. Cons: 1. This is not a one time cost. Filters have to be purchased and replaced every 60-90 days. They cost about $2 each. 2. If the water flow does not appear to have the power it once did, check the pump. Cat hair and food has a tendency to collect and clog it. I would recommend checking this once to twice a month dependent on the number of cats you own and their shedding habits. 3. General upkeep: water changes, filter changes, and the periodic wipe down of the entire dish (material tends to accumulate in the bowl section after a while). As with every product, this is not perfect. However, if you are a pet lover you will quickly agree that the pros of this item greatly outweigh the cons. Loved it for about 6 months - then it went south     On: 2007-02-07 I bought the Petmat Fresh Flow on sale at my local pet store for only $19.99. At such a low price, I thought it was a good deal, and both of my cats love to drink from the faucet. Theyll meow for hours on end for us to turn on the water. The first six months we had this fountain, it worked wonderfully. The cats loved it, it filtered well, and it ran quietly. The water did need to be refilled frequently, as I dont think 50 oz is sufficient, but overall, it worked well. Then, after six months or so, it started to become very loud. The sound could only be ameliorated by filling the fountain REALLY full - within millimeters of the brim, and even then, it would take 30 minutes to fully quiet/settle down. It also started to collect a lot of dust and general dirt. I would attempt to wash it, but it never seemed to get clean. Eventually, we just got rid of it - the noise was getting too troublesome. Recently, Ive purchased a Drinkwell Platinum Fountain (with 168 oz capacity), and I hope that it will be more durable than the Petmate was. Great Product As Long As It Is Maintained     On: 2007-02-03 Like most other products on the market with moving parts, this fountain works well as long as a few simple steps are followed. I have three cats, all drink out of the fountain regularly. Ive had this product for almost three years, and so far it has operated flawlessly. I refill the water reservoir daily - even if there is water left in the reservoir I empty it and refill it with fresh water. The entire unit gets taken apart and washed out probably once every 6 weeks to 2 months, and I replace the charcoal filter three or four times a year. The most important thing with this fountain is to keep it clean of fur - the loose fur tends to clump at the inlet of the submersible pump, starving it of water. Rather than taking the pump completely out every month to clean the hair out of it, I used an old pair of my wifes panty-hose to make a bunch of little pre-filters. I put put a small hole near the top of the piece of material, slide the hole over the speed control, and anchor the bottom in place with the removable housing. The home-made screen catches the pet hair and other debris before it enters the pump chamber, and I just scoop it away every couple of days with my fingers (sometimes I use the tines of a fork). Great Product As Long As It Is Maintained     On: 2007-02-02 Like most other products on the market with moving parts, this fountain works well as long as a few simple steps are followed. I have three cats, all drink out of the fountain regularly. Ive had this product for almost three years, and so far it has operated flawlessly. I refill the water reservoir daily - even if there is water left in the reservoir I empty it and refill it with fresh water. The entire unit gets taken apart and washed out probably once every 6 weeks to 2 months, and I replace the charcoal filter three or four times a year. The most important thing with this fountain is to keep it clean of fur - the loose fur tends to clump at the inlet of the submersible pump, starving it of water. Rather than taking the pump completely out every month to clean the hair out of it, I used an old pair of my wifes panty-hose to make a bunch of little pre-filters. I put put a small hole near the top of the piece of material, slide the hole over the speed control, and anchor the bottom in place with the removable housing. The home-made screen catches the pet hair and other debris before it enters the pump chamber, and I just scoop it away every couple of days with my fingers (sometimes I use the tines of a fork). Petmate Fresh Flow Cat Fountain - 50 oz. capacity     On: 2007-01-22 Have tried several other models and makes, but this model is the best, most reliable drinking fountain I have ever used and am still using. Easy to keep clean and the cat loves it. Only one cat is using the fountain, and I set it at about half speed, which seems to work well for me. I highly recommend this model and make to any one who wants the best for their feline.. The price is well placed and the filters are also rather inexpensive compared to other models Petmate Fresh Flow Cat Fountain - 50 oz. capacity     On: 2007-01-21 Have tried several other models and makes, but this model is the best, most reliable drinking fountain I have ever used and am still using. Easy to keep clean and the cat loves it. Only one cat is using the fountain, and I set it at about half speed, which seems to work well for me. I highly recommend this model and make to any one who wants the best for their feline.. The price is well placed and the filters are also rather inexpensive compared to other models My cat enjoyed this but read on...     On: 2007-01-21 My cat really dug his kitty fountain but my overall experience with this thing was kind of bad. Yes it recycles the water a bit and keeps it fresher than say a stagnant water filled bowl but it seemed to collect lots of crud and hair that never makes it through the tiny hole to the filter. The reserve tank was useless...the water level never went down when the water was circulating so it was a pretty big waste of water. Also, the thing makes terrible noise when not completely full (but the reserve tank never worked) so you have to dump water in it all the time or else listen to this loud grinding sound. After, 7 or 8 months the pump conked out completely and so I went and bought a Drinkwell for my boy today. The Drinkwell is superior in every way and kitty is happier with it. Did not last long at all!     On: 2007-01-21 I bought this fountain because my cat loves drinking running water and for the first couple of months I loved it. It would have to be refilled constantly but I didnt mind because my cat was deliriously happy with it. Then the leaking started. Just a small dribble out the side so I cleaned it (which I did every week anyway) to no avail. The leak kept worse and worse and made my kitchen floor a mess. I had only had it four months and was pissed! My story is by no means the only one. My friend had the same thing happen to her after about 6 months. Just dont waste your money. works but needs maintanance     On: 2007-01-20 cats love it but you do have to clean it and clear hair and debris from pump intake. mine also died but all you have to do us pull off the front of the pump and clean the inside, also pull out the impeller (its just held in place by magnets). started right up Petmate Fresh Flow Cat Fountain     On: 2007-01-15 This was a major disappointment. I dont know how they call it a "fountain" when all it does is drizzle out of a lame little hole. There is NOTHING "flowing" about it. Dont waste your time on this hunk of junk! Would be great if it didn't leak     On: 2007-01-13 The cats like the fountain, but it leaks unless the water level is very low. Since many people dont have this problem I suspect that it depends on how tight the joints between the various parts are. Sealing the joints wont work because the device needs to be taken apart for cleaning. If you get one, be prepared to send it back if it leaks. Edit: While the bottom of the fountain appears to be cast as a single piece, there is a small square plate on the bottom of the unit where the pump fits. Over time the glue loosens and this leaks where it is attached. This can be fixed by a bit of epoxy around the seam. Doesn't work for long     On: 2007-01-13 I purchased one of these fountains in December 2005, and loved it at first - I recommended it to a family member who also purchased one the following month. Despite regular cleanings and making sure that water level did not get too low so as to prevent damage, both fountains had stopped working by March 2006. I was very disappointed that they both broke within 3 months. Would be great if it didn't leak     On: 2007-01-12 The cats like the fountain, but it leaks unless the water level is very low. Since m