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 Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain By: Drinkwell Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 492 More Information Even better than the old model  On: 2010-09-01This was bought as a replacement fountain for the older model Drinkwell Pet Fountain. Out last fountain worked just fine, but after 6 years had gotten too grimy for us. I wanted something that looked cleaner and held more water. The new Platinum is great! It is quieter than our old one, and seems to hold a LOT more water as well. My cats have always liked the fountain, and this is a great way to keep their water fresh for days/weeks on end. Every so often I do have to add more water, and like that it is dishwasher safe. We will likely be Drinkwell customers for life! great fountain On: 2010-08-30I got this fountain because one of my cats was starting to only want to drink from the bathroom sink and then only from the faucet (not from the bowl). I was wasting too much water plus I had to stand there while he drank and it was kinda messy. I needed to get him something with flowing water. I chose this fountain because it was supposed to be quiet and the size was good since I have two cats. I think it would be good for households with more cats, too. It truly is quiet -- just the whisper of running water -- very nice. And both cats took right to it. So far so good! Cat Fountain  On: 2010-08-27Nice fountain, vibrates a lot on the tile floor, but if the resevior is kept more than half full this stops. My cat loves it, drinks a lot more water than he used to. Definitely needs to be cleaned weekly, but its not as difficult as some reviews make it out to be. Comes apart and goes back together quite easily. We, and the cats, love it. On: 2010-08-25We just upgraded to the Platinum fountain after owning the regular, smaller, fountain for a few years. The added size of the large reservoir is really nice. We now fill the fountain every 5-7 days instead of every 1-2. The cats seem to like it and it is quieter than the old model. Id recommend it! This product is amazing !! On: 2010-08-24my two cats love this fountain .. its easy to install and its so peaceful I only can hear the sound of water flow.. its not loud at all , plus this product has been shipped fast .. I have to tell u if ur cat love water its gonna be a littel messy ^_^ Terrific On: 2010-08-22Weve had two other fountains and this is by far the best. It is so much easier to clean and we only have to fill it every 4-5 days. Well worth the price. great fountain and we've owned many brands! On: 2010-08-21The platinum is well worth the money over the original due! Why, because the prefilter, better quality plastic (takes much longer to get slimy), quieter and larger capacity. It is annoying the resevoir doest stand on its own for refilling, but its not too big a deal to brace against something. Weve owned other drinkwells, catit, and petmate. Both drinkwells are far better quality and design then any of the others. cat it, was a pain to refill (cant just dump water into the bowl) and got very slimy even w/ filter. Drinkwell is better filter, better plastic. We have 5 cats and they all love it. Definately encourages them to drink more which is better for their health. Especially our 18 year old! Pre filter helps cut down on debri and hair into the motor and unit. We fill it w/ filtered (britta) water, so the filter and cleanliness last longer. I only have to wash it about every two weeks. It is very quiet, on low or low-medium I cannot hear it from 5 feet away (low is super quite even when 6 inches away). Highly recommend this product! nice idea On: 2010-08-20I have had the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain for almost a year. I got it for my Maine Coon kitten since he likes water and loves to hang out on the edge of the tub while the shower is going and tries to drink the water raining down on him. He definitely prefers the "fountain" of water as opposed to a bowl of water. In fact, when I observe him drinking he seems to have a much easier time getting to the water due to his size. I clean it once a week, which is very easy to do. I do not have a cleaning kit but have not seen a need. I regret that it is plastic because if a part breaks I know it cannot be replaced. My cat does nudge the cover off with his nose so that is always off and he does try to nudge the reservoir out of its place as well. So some mornings I am faced with a sopping wet floor...I am sure these 2 issues are due to his size. Since he seems to like it I live with these minor faults. Great for our multiple cat household On: 2010-08-16The cats love this fountain! It is very quiet and holds lots of water so works very well for our kitties. It is relatively easy to clean. Only a few things could be better. Id like a deeper well so the cats dont splash or a built in splash guard. We dont have this problem with our older, smaller Drinkwell. It would also be nice if the water stream was smaller and slower as the kitties prefer that. Drinkwell Platinum a must for cat owners On: 2010-08-13This is an excellent product. My four cats love it. They actually drink more since we bought this. The cats line up sometimes to wait their turn at the fountain. Previously, our cats would try to drink out of the fawcett, but since we bought the fountain, they do not get up on counters anymore. This is a must for cat owners as cats can tend to get dehydrated since they tend not to drink as much if the water is not fresh. Drinkwell fountain is a great fountain and very easy to maintain On: 2010-08-13This is a very easy fountain to maintain and clean. Everything is easy to take apart and put back together. If your fountain stops pumping more than not its a simple cleaning job is all that it takes to get it back pumping. Some times the small pump will get slimy juck in the slots that take in water and people think the fountain pump is broken but its not. If it seems to want to overflow ...well again it a VERY simple solution of 15 seconds to correct the problem. I have had my fountain 2 yrs now and our anamils love it. It stays quiet because it only gets loud when the water gets low or the pump starts stopping up and struggles to pump . Again all it needs is a dry paper towel cleaning , clean filter , and very little maintenace once a month . I am very happy with it and do not believe the horror stories of the pump that stops working in a year and its hard to clean. Mine just needs a 2 minute dry papertowel cleaning and a 2 minute pump cleaning and it pumps like new every time . The Cats Are (Finally) Impressed! On: 2010-08-11First, let me state up front my familys three indoor cats really like the Drinkwell Platinum. Here are the reasons I rate this product only a four out of a possible five stars: The fact that the Drinkwell needs to be plugged into the wall make it less than ideal. It works in our house but what about people whose cats are indoor/outdoor? Ideally, I would put this Drinkwell out on the back patio, but you cant, because it needs to be safely plugged into an electrical outlet. Is there some reason why this product wasnt designed with the capability to operate completely on battery power? The extremely thin power cord is unacceptable for any home with a curious kitten or any kind of a dog at all. One crunch and the product would be useless, because the power supply would be completely wrecked. My third concern is the flimsiness of the water flow control switch. This should have been made out of metal or at least a sturdier plastic. The flimsy plastic doesnt look as if it would hold up under any kind of real handling. The positives: My cats really like the Drinkwell. Theres some kind of an instinctive wild-animal behavior which this product brings out in them - they think theyre bad-a-- mountain lions sucking down water from a mountain stream. I swear to it - they strut over to the Drinkwell like theyre a bunch of cougars. Something about the waterfall is particularly appealing, at least to my cats. I may need to buy a second Drinkwell, because one of the moutain lions has taken to guarding the first Drinkwell, protecting it from the other two mountain lions (aka fat lazy housecats). The final positive is the fact that I no longer have to worry about the waterbowl being tipped over or emptied out by playful cats. If you have more than one cat, I definitely recommend spending the extra money to buy the slightly larger Drinkwell Platinum. Another observation: it took my three cats an entire week to decide they wanted to use the Drinkwell. I expected an instant paws up/paws down review, but of course, these are three housecats, not Einsteins little brothers. Now they all drink from the Drinkwell and play with the waterfall, which is absolutely hilarious to watch. So if you dont have a problem with a cat who chomps on cords and you also have a place where the Drinkwell can safely be plugged into an indoor wall socket, I definitely recommend this product. Love the Drinkwell Platinum and so do my cats! On: 2010-08-10I received the Drinkwell Platinum on a timely basis. After having the Original Drinkwell for a little over a year, I decided to go to the Platinum. (the original motor stopped working.) My cats loved their original and kept tapping it when it stopped working to, what appeared to be, try to get it to work again. They were devastated without it. We set up the Platinum on the night it arrived. My cats are in heaven again. They drink more water again! I like the Platinum because it is easier to remove and clean the motor and it has an external water tower in addition to what is in the unit itself. I take it apart and clean it once a week and I dont have to add extra water in between because of the extra external tank. My boys hope to never be without Drinkwell again! Water dispenser for thirsty pets On: 2010-08-09The water dispenser Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is a great way to provide water for your thirsty pets. Pros: 1. Holds a weeks worth of filtered water before changing (2 average size cats) 2. Can leave your pets with water for a weekend or more- have a friend just check water level. Prior to leaving- estimate rate of water use for a week or 2. 2. For extra thirsty pets you can add more water to reservoir while fountain is running 2. Easy to clean and replace water 3. Quiet water fountain 4. Easy disconnect inline cord from the electrical adapter -when cleaning the fountain 5. Add ice to reservoir to provide cool water 6. Info provided for motor maintenance Cons: 1. Takes up space 2. Pricey replacement filters 3. Took my one cat a week to get accustom to the water fountain Drinkwell vs Petmate fountain On: 2010-08-06I had a Petmate for years, very reliable, my cat liked it. After the fountain died I decided to go to a Drinkwell to give my cat a new experience. My first experience with the Drinkwell was that it was a very loud water fountain, water noise. It was disturbing. My cat decided he didnt want anything to do with it. I tried different settings and it was still too loud and than one day, before dissembling it and getting rid of it, I decided to turn the water setting all the way down. The fountain became very quiet, and finally my strong willed cat began to drink from it. The water flow is acceptable. I am happy. I like it better than the Petmate, it contains more water in its reserve bottle and is a little bit easier to clean. If you are buying a cat fountain because you want less work, filling a bowl daily is much, much easier. You do need to clean these fountains every few weeks or sooner depending on various factors. It is a chore but brushes makes it a bit easier. I just use hot water a sponge and brushes without soap until it feels squeaky again. The pre-filter before the pump is great idea, the carbon filter is easy to replace but a bit expensive, but it is a good idea to keep it as clean as you can. The only negative is the slight hum when the top lid is not on tight, you can make it go away, but from time to time it comes back. It is larger than the Petmate but for me it is nice having more water available. If money is a factor, the Petmate is a good deal, mine lasted for three years, I could have replaced the pump for 19 dollars. My cat immediately liked the Petmate. I actually ran the thing out of water for a while and it still worked without burning up the pump. Love it! On: 2010-08-04I love this fountain and so does my persian cat and amazon offers a great deal on it. great job drinkwell On: 2010-08-02Having read several of the reviews for the drinkwell platinum I decided to buy it. Amazon had the lowest price as well. What a difference from the original! I have been going through fountains like crazy and I finally found one that not only has a gigantic water reservoir but is so much easier to clean! It all comes apart so easy so you can really get down to the parts that accumulate the hair and sludge. I do wish it was stainless steel or ceramic though. Its better for the cats and easier to clean than plastic. Other than that its a wonderful fountain. I bought 2. I have 3 cats and they are quite happy. The size of the unit was shocking at first, but I am happy that I dont have to fill it up all the time or buy an add on reservoir. It is a quiet unit, though I have it turned to the middle so I can listen to the slight sound of a waterfall. Theres a little something from this fountain to make us all happy! Drinkwell Pet Fountain On: 2010-08-01I purchased this product for my cat but both he and my golden are having a great time. Knowing that ahead of time I would have purchased a bigger model. Works great HAPPY KITTY On: 2010-07-31Duke my precious Persian has always loved drinking from a running faucet. He gives me that "I am dying of thirst" look; whenever I am near a sink. He is 14 and like many senior cats has the early stages of kidney problems. Drinking lots of water is recommended, for him, by my vet. The Drinkwell, is shared, with him, by my Yorkie, who drinks from the bowl. The unit is easy to clean and the slight tinkling of the running water is pleasant to the ears. Health Saving Choice! On: 2010-07-27This fountain is a blessing! My rescue cat was not drinking water and developed a urinary infection. After trying other fluid introduction to no avail, the future looked grim. I noticed his underbite. Although slight, it interfered with his ability to comfortably drink from his bowl. Running water in the tub allowed him to drink, but the waste of water was crazy. AMAZON TO THE RESCUE - AGAIN! The fountain was delivered quickly. It was very easy to set up. I placed it on a plastic placemat, but the splashing is minimal and due only to my cat. It makes no more noise than a decorative fountain youd see in homes. It did not scare the animal & his water intake is 100% improved. Having purchased the cleaning brushes enabled me to clean the unit expediently & with no difficulty. Our local water department increased chlorine levels & the filtration system eliminates the slight odor. This is one item any pet owner would be smart to purchase. It is well worth the price! Works great! On: 2010-07-26after a few mnths the water ran all over the floor. i was discouraged and just left it sitting in a corner, and today i scrubbed it down with a brush and it works great again. Guess it just got clogged up or something. very nice looking and very quiet. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2010-07-26Our three cats love this fountain and started using it immediately. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to give their cat(s) a treat while encouraging them to drink more H2O. Our very intelligent Snow Shoe Siamese immediately looked around behind the fountain to see where the water was coming from! The Drinkwell Does it's Job On: 2010-07-25After reading all of the reviews about the Drinkwell fountain, I was hesitant to buy it merely because it seemed to focus on cats. However, I knew my dog loved running water as he always runs outside to drink from our fountain so I decided to give it a try. He loves it! And hes getting more water which he needs since he has hypothyroidism. I would recommend this product to anyone. Although its not exactly attractive, I keep it in the kitchen where he has access to it at all times. If you keep it clean, the motor is quiet. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain Cat's love it. On: 2010-07-25This is my fourth Drinkwell Fountain. My cats love them all. This one is my favorite though. It is larger and much quieter. All drinkwell fountains are great. They are long lasting and my cats drink twice the water than they did before we had these. By the way, I first saw this at a pet store. I price checked it and amazon had the best price, I saved almost $20.00 buying from amazon. Too loud to recommend  On: 2010-07-21Love my Original Drinkwell, but when a clueless housesitter melted my reservoir in the dishwasher I decided to upgrade. The Platinums motor is much louder than the Original. If youre getting this for your garage, God bless you, but if you want to live with it in an enclosed space, think again. It will drive you crazy. good buy On: 2010-07-21I have this item for a few weeks now, It seems well made and of good quality and am very pleased with it so far. Now, if I can re-train the cat to completely use it instead of trying to make me turn on the faucet ... Cleaning On: 2010-07-17Nice product, not sexy but works great. Although skeptical at first, my cat loves it. Doesnt splash like a was afraid it might. The amount of cleaning that is required to maintain it free of calcium build up, etc. is annoying. So if you arent going to maintain it, dont get it! Otherwise, pretty nice. Started Out Great, But... On: 2010-07-14I debated getting this product because of the high cost and uncertainty as to whether or not my cats would even take to it. I read a lot of reviews. Some complained of it being noisy, others said the pump stopped working after a short time. Still, the majority of the comments were positive, so I went ahead and bought it. Three of my four cats started using it right away. One cat is still on the fence. I have noticed no problems with the motor being noisy no matter what flow rate its set to. I clean it thoroughly once a week and use filtered water. But alas, one month and 12 days later, the pump appears to be failing. The water output is slowing to a trickle even when set at the fast flow rate. Im less than two weeks past 30 days from purchase from Amazon, so I cant return it for an exchange. Guess Ill have to call the company and see what they will do for me. Lets see if Drinkwell will stand behind their product and do the right thing by sending me a replacement. Remains to be seen. Ill post again after I contact them with the results. Loved the product initially, but now Im really disappointed. My cats love it On: 2010-07-14My cats love the Drinkwell. Ive had it for almost two weeks now. It took them less than a day to get used to it and drink out of it. The first couple hours after it was set up were hilarious because one cat was so upset about the water he kept trying to hit it with his paw but got wet instead. Anyway, they drink so much water now, Ive noticed. My only problem is I have to keep refilling the base every couple of days because the reservoir never empties out. It just stays in the container and sits there. I dont understand why it does that. I even moved it to another portion of carpet to make sure it wasnt an issue with the floor being uneven. Does anyone have suggestions? Ive gone through the FAQ at the drinkwell site and there is nothing regarding the reservoir not properly working. Any suggestions are very welcome. very good On: 2010-07-13This fountain does exactly what it says its very quiet wont bother u at nights if u keep it in your bedroom. You do have to clean it every week because cat/dog hair will fall on water. Overall the fountain was a good purchase my cats love it. great for older faucet drinkers On: 2010-07-13I only gave 4 stars because the Drinkwell Platinum has just been operating a few hours. No information from me on cleaning or long term pump action. My 18 year old cat with kidney disease insists on being picked up and placed on the bathroom vanity to drink from the faucet. She cant jump that far anymore. She drank from this pet fountain within 20 seconds of seeing it. Now we can actually go out of town for a few days without finding someone to spend the night at our house for cat lifting duty. My younger cat sneaked up on it because of the slight motor sound and then drank from it. If you have aging, faucet drinking cats, try it. Im in love. Exactly what I needed!!! On: 2010-07-12The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is exactly what I needed for my kitty, Luna. It delivers fresh water from a continuously filtered system. Luna loves to drink from the steady stream of water that pours down into the bowl. There is a little bit of a hum from the motor and little bit of a noise from the water pouring out, but what do you expect from a fountain??? My cat drinks A LOT more water than she used to because she loves drinking it from the waterfall. Keep up the good work Drinkwell!!! Best fountain I have found - and cheaper than the Drinkwell Original if comparing apples to apples! On: 2010-07-12We have two very finicky cats - one insists on drinking from the faucet every morning - loud, incessant complaining until we turn it on! The other is scared by anything and everything. A fountain with even the softest hum from the motor scares her. We have gone through several different fountains to get to one that works for us. I would call the Drinkwell Platinum the best by far of what we have tried (PetMate, Drinkwell and CatIt). That said, I know different people swear by different fountains, so good luck :) My summary: +s of the Drinkwell Platinum - Well built - Fairly easy to clean - the catch guard before the motor catches a lot of pet hair and dirt - love it - Good sized resevoir without requiring an additional purchase (The Drinkwell original will cost you $32, but you have to get the add on resevoir to have decent capacity - another $15) -s of the Drinkwell Platinum - the first one we had, out of the box, has a silent motor. Could not say that about the Drinkwell Original, PetMate, or CatIt) We tried different types before settling on the Drinkwell platinum and personally would not go back. The Platinum is quieter, just as easy (or easier) to clean (the small catch guard for pet hair and dirt before the entrance to the motor reduces cleaning frequency for us), and holds a decent amount of water without the flimsy attach-on reservoir. MOST IMPORTANTLY - Our cats drink more from it than any other fountain. Whichever fountain achieves that objective for you is the one to go with! This one keeps our cats off our counters asking for running water, and out of our toilets :) Awesome On: 2010-07-12My 3 cats love the fountain. I replaced a very old Drinkwell that I used for years. This new improved version is even better. Cats Love It On: 2010-07-11I purchased this fountain in November and have been very happy with it. At first the cats were cautious of it, but within a day or two I saw every one of them drinking out of it. One drinks from the bowl, one from the stream, and another licks the outlet. They all love it. I also bought the cleaning brush kit and found them very efficient at getting to all the small places inside the unit. I clean it about once a month using white vinegar. Its easy to take apart and reassemble. The fountain is placed very near my bed and runs night and day. I have found that the pump remains whisper quiet. The peaceful sound of the water is all I usually hear. The occasional hum is corrected by re-seating the pump or the top of the fountain. My only complaint, and its not big enough to warrant taking a star away, is that I wish the water reservoir had a flat top so that I could sit it down after filling it but before carrying it to the fountain. I know this wouldnt be as aesthetically pleasing, but it would be much more convenient. I love this product and so do the kitties. I am going to buy an additional one very soon. drinkwell platinum pet fountain On: 2010-07-09Nice product, surprisingly large volume capacity, very quiet, just wish it came with an automatic timer to allow customer to allow filtration when desired(to run a few hours a day or at multiple times during the day)-instead of having to have it run continuously and wasting electricity. BUYER BEWARE: Amazon Refund Insufficient + Quality Issues On: 2010-07-08Bought one in January--still working great and 2 cats love it. Bought second in April; pump impellers seized up in less than 4 weeks, despite appropriate cleaning and handling. Amazon replaced. Replacement pump did same thing in same time frame. Amazon wont replace a second time & is only refunding 80% of the purchase price. Dont understand the source of the problem; wish I could find a second one that works as we have 2 houses and want one in each. WARNING - Refused by two cats!!!  On: 2010-07-06After reading about this product on the internet, I decided that nothing was too good for my kitties. Well, thats not now it turned out. One of my cats is kind of skittish, so it was not a surprise that she rejected this thing, but my male cat drinks out of the faucet in the bathroom sink, which seemed to be the indicator of the readiness of a cat to use the fountain. I tried EVerything to get him to use it and he WOULD NOT. I have passed it along to a friend who has a cat and hopefully she will use it. I dont intend to pay for return shipping on this, so LET THIS BE A WARNING. Not every cat will use this. BEWARE of buying this online and then being stuck as I am - either springing for the return shipping and getting back a fraction of my investment or giving a very pricey gift to a friend. I realize with 455 other reviews, this is very likely to be missed, but I did my best to caution potential buyers against buying this online. Love the Drinkwell Platinum better than Drinkwell Original! On: 2010-07-06I usually cant be bothered to take the time to review a product. But this one is worth reviewing, especially for anyone considering a Pet Fountain for their pet. I have three cats. I first purchased the Drinkwell Original, which arrived promptly from Amazon. I set it up which was very easy, turned it on, and the motor seemed way too loud for me. I called the manufacturer who suggested cleaning the motor as sometimes small fragments could get in during manufacture causing the noise. This was not the case and the motor noise was still too loud for me. Not everyone is bothered by it, but I was. So I did some research and was also told by the manufacturer that the Platinum version was more quiet since the motor was submerged. Due to Amazon being the great company it is, I returned the original and replaced it with the Premium. Wow, what a difference. The noise was reduced significantly to a quiet hum. I can live with this one. Yay! My cats LOVE it...the first one put one of my cats off with the motor noise, but this one doesnt both him and all three cats are happily drinking from it. Personally, I still take a few minutes each morning and replace the water, but I understand you dont have to. I have a new kitten that tends to want to wash his feet in there, lol. The motor is easy to clean...I already tested that out. And though the unit is a bit larger it still fits the same space I had the Original set up. When I refill it, I take the reservoir off the back first, then dump the water and rinse it out. I place it empty back on the floor, then pour the water from a pitcher into the bowl and the filter area...the reservoir gets filled and replaced and the motor turned on. Its really easy! Another feature (Platinum over Original) I like is that the connection to the electrical outlet from the fountain is not a direct plug in. There is a cord link feature from the cord to the fountain, and the one that connects to the outlet. Much easier than dragging an entire cord to the sink when changing water. I highly recommend this fountain and feel is some of the best money Ive spent. Cheers. Good Water Dispenser On: 2010-07-06I delayed buying the water fountain because I did not think the cats or the dogs would adapt to it. I was wrong about the cats; they love the flowing water. The dogs...only my Chihuahua will drink from it that I have personally seen. The Boston Terrier and my circus ugly midget of a dog have not been spied using it. I purchased this so I wouldnt have to be filling two water bowls in the house daily. The fountain has to be filled every 2 to 3 days but the upside is that I put lots of ice in the container and the cats love the icy water that flows. The downside is the cleaning of the motor, filter and what all has to be done once a week and that is time-consuming. The filter, while kind of pricey, only needs to be replaced every 3 weeks or so. I would rate this higher if I personally knew the dogs were using it. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2010-07-05I LOVE this product! I have tried other pet fountains and have found this to be the best! Just fill it and forget it! You do not need to change the filter for quite some time, plus, it has a small pre-filter to catch pet hair. If your cat likes to drink from a faucet, this is idea. Or...if not, it has a large bowl area and a super-sized reservoir that is super easy to refill. It is well worth the money!!!! What are the colors? On: 2010-07-03What color has every ones Drinkwell platinum from Amazon came in? I have saw off white and Platinum. Does it come with filters or do I need to buy them? So far it looks great ill order when i know what color it comes in.Can someone please make another review and answer my questions. A great purchase On: 2010-07-02My cats and I love the Drinkwell Platinum fountain, weve had it for over a year and no problems. 'I like it', but the cats hate it On: 2010-07-02Cats are afraid of the noise (not that it makes a lot of noise). Cats continue to drink water from the container we have under a dripping faucet in the tub - same concept a lot less $$$ (water is always fresh) Second try. this one is good! On: 2010-07-01The first one I bought leaked but Amazon promptly refunded my money. Ive had this one a month and it works well. My spoiled cat wont drink enough water from a regular bowl and prefers the faucet. This is a good compromise and he gets more water. Thats important for his health. It has a great water capacity and makes no noise except the soft sound of the water falling. No splattering, either. it was great at first  On: 2010-06-30This fountain was great, and is overall, EXCEPT for it keeps wanting to flow over. This is two times now,once in Oct and it is now June. The first time I called customer service, and they sent me a new reservoir. The lady that answered the phone there explained that the old reservoir had a glue that was seperating, and the result was the fountains not maintaining the correct balance and therefore overflowing. I called today as I am having the same thing happen again, and was told that I misunderstood - there has never been glue in the product, that I didnt clean it properly, that I dont know what I am talking about even though I was standing there LOOKING at the thing, and that I needed to clean it good. This AFTER I had told her that I clean it every other week, I follow the instructions and that I soak it in bleach because of a mold allergy, I am kinda wierd about anything that contains water. The filter had the same glue looking stuff all over that it did back in OCT. I am sick of paying a lot of money for things that fall apart and then the customer service sucks. I will not be buying this or anything from this company ever again. Perfect Fountain for all your pets!! On: 2010-06-27I am so happy with the Drinkwell Pet Fountain. I bought it for our cat Zoe. She loves drinking from running water I noticed, since she I found her drinking from the fish tank filter (gross), then the washing machine drain. I didnt think any of those places were healthy water supplies , so I bought this fountain, and she LOVES it! She no longer is drinking from the yucky places she did before the fountain. We also have 2 small dogs who love it too. It is so easy to fill and keep clean. I would buy another in a heartbeat. If you are wondering if this product is worth it, then I hope my review is helpful in your decision, I think you will be pleased too. I would recommend it HIGHLY! :) pet fountain On: 2010-06-25The cats and dog just love it. They hesitated in the beginning but once they started they have had a ball. The only issue Ive had is that Ive had to put raise the front a bit or I find water on the floor. I do have to re-fill frequently but I have 7 cats so thats a given. Its a pleasure to see them enjoy it. A great pet fountain On: 2010-06-25Have been using this product continually since I received it. My cats love it and it works fine. There is some slight motor noise and the sound of running water, but it isnt unpleasant. I keep it in the kitchen so the noise doesnt bother anyone. I do think my 2 cats drink more water since getting the fountain. I have to refill it at least every third day. My Blue Heeler LOVES Her Fountain! On: 2010-06-24My dog Josey is a blue heeler and weighs about 50lbs or so. I got her when she was about 18 months old and the people who had her before me let her drink from the toilet. YUCK! Ive had her for just over a year and had not been able to break her of that disgusting habit. We had to be very vigilant about putting the lids down on the toilets and even then she would sometimes poke her nose under the seat portion and just let it rest on her neck while she slurped water out of the toilet bowl so then we were having to take big bottles of shampoo or other products and place those on the toilet lid as well to keep her out. VERY INCONVENIENT - AND she had a big doggie bowl of water next to her food dish in the kitchen. She would only use that as a last resort no matter how often I changed the water in it. The fountain is a GODSEND! The instructions were concise and it was very easy to put together and add water. Before I even got it plugged in Josey was drinking out of it and she LOVES the stream of water that comes out near the top of the unit. I also like that I can add ice to it if I want to. At first I was sort of wishing it was a bit bigger because Im topping it off at least twice a day and sometimes more but after cleaning it, I see that if it were any bigger it would just be too unweildy for me because I can take the water "tank" portion off but theres still water in the actual unit and you have to be careful not to slop it around while moving so this is a good size for me. The downside to this unit is the removable tank. You turn it upside down to fill and the portion that would be resting on the counter is curved so you cannot turn loose of it or itll topple over and spill. I live in the boonies and have well water that is somewhat hard so I dont use my tap water in the unit. I fill it with the same water we drink (huge bottles of water) that are delivered to my home. I have small hands and trying to hold onto the tank and work our home (human) water fountain is kind of a pain in the neck, especially if your hands are wet. It would be so much nicer to just be able to set the tank thing on the counter and use a pitcher of bottled water to fill it or if it had some kind of a better handle to grasp while filling. I had a floor fountain in my livingroom for a time and our tap water created a build-up over time that kept pretty much destroying the pumping mechanism and I think that would also apply to this pet fountain. No matter how many times I cleaned my floor fountain, the water would still eventually form hard-water scale on the pump and ruin it. I dont think this fountain is hard to clean at all. I rinse it in my kitchen sink every few days and use a couple of paper towels to wipe it off inside and its good to go. My husband found a flat plastic tub at the local hardware store, cut the sides down to about 2 inches from the bottom, put this "strip" stuff on the raw edge and we put down one of those super absorbent shammy cloths in the bottom, placed the pet fountain on top of that and theres almost no mess after Josey drinks from it. Before he got the tub, I was using a fabric placemat but she does slop the water a bit while drinking and having to lift the unit up to keep replacing the damp placemat so it wouldnt damage my hardwood flooring was just not feasible. So far this unit us super quiet. Even sitting in the kitchen, you can hardly hear it working and I cant hear it from the livingroom at all, even at night with the TV off, I could just barely hear a murmur from it. Ive not had this fountain for long but so far, were loving it. It was worth every penny. Great fountain! On: 2010-06-21I already prefer this fountain/filter to the Petmate one that I used to have. The cat prefers it because the water comes out like a faucet. The old one ran down a slope so it wasnt as fun for her. Great product! Ive already recommended it to friends. Scares my cats On: 2010-06-20I replaced my older drinkwell with the platinum model (since it got good reviews). My cats loved the old fountain & I thought this would be an upgrade. The required water level is too high for them. They like some more space on top. A couple have difficulty judging the water level. Also, when the level goes down (even a little), the tank dispenses more water & this gurgles & also scares them. I (they) much prefer the regular drinkwell. Let the Cocktail Hour Begin! On: 2010-06-20I mulled over the purchase of this automated drinking fountain for several months, as the automated cat litter pan was a dismal failure a few years back. The cats (3 adults)loved to play in the litter pan and make it operate, but simply refused to pooh in it. Would the same thing happen with the automated water fountain? Apparently not. They are not afraid of it but totally ignore it in my presence. Were they drinking out of it? The kitchen faucet was no longer magically turned on during the night so they must be using it. I finally saw a few cat hairs in it with a small play toy. They arent dehydrated or begging for water. As an added bonus it has helped divert their trips on the kitchen counter when we are not in the room as there is no more unexplained "thuds". As the fountain is in the laundry room (where they are also fed) I dont notice any motor noise, but I do like the sound of the running water. I use filtered drinking water in it that we also use. It holds enough liquid to easily water my 3 hoodlums without going dry for 24 hours or more. It doesnt seem to get as dirty as I had expected it would from the cat hair. You really dont need the mat (unless you are placing it on laminate or tile which may carry sound more)as splash outside the fountain is minimal at least at this house. If the motor sound does bother you, go to a discount store and purchase a coco fiber mat. So a month after being in use I have to say the fountain is a success! Any moment I expect them to request a cocktail hour, after all, lets not fool ourselves we are just the staff. Let the Cat Tail Hour Begin! On: 2010-06-20I mulled over the purchase of this automated drinking fountain for several months, as the automated cat litter pan was a dismal failure a few years back. The cats (3 adults)loved to play in the litter pan and make it operate, but simply refused to pooh in it. Would the same thing happen with the automated water fountain? Apparently not. They are not afraid of it but totally ignore it in my presence. Were they drinking out of it? The kitchen faucet was no longer magically turned on during the night so they must be using it. I finally saw a few cat hairs in it with a small play toy. They arent dehydrated or begging for water. As an added bonus it has helped divert their trips on the kitchen counter when we are not in the room as there is no more unexplained "thuds". As the fountain is in the laundry room (where they are also fed) I dont notice any motor noise, but I do like the sound of the running water. I use filtered drinking water in it that we also use. It holds enough liquid to easily water my 3 hoodlums without going dry for 24 hours or more. It doesnt seem to get as dirty as I had expected it would from the cat hair. You really dont need the mat (unless you are placing it on laminate or tile which may carry sound more)as splash outside the fountain is minimal at least at this house. If the motor sound does bother you, go to a discount store and purchase a coco fiber mat. So a month after being in use I have to say the fountain is a success! Any moment I expect them to request a cocktail hour (or perhaps a Cat Tail hour), after all, lets not fool ourselves we are just the staff. Too Loud! On: 2010-06-18My cats are afraid of it. They both love drinking out of the running sink but they wont go near this fountain. Its so loud, I have to keep the laundry door closed at all times (it has a kitty door) to be able to watch TV 2 rooms away. Its ridiculous! Whomever engineered this obviously doesnt have cats nor do they care about quality. It is very inexpensive and easy to build a simple and quiet water pump these days so there is no excuse for this. Its going back! So unfortunate. Happy Cat On: 2010-06-14This works great. Our cat drinks way more water than before and cleaning the fountain is really simple. Wish we had purchased this sooner. Great product, humming a tad loud On: 2010-06-12Im glad I purchased this water dispenser for the sake of cleaner & aerated water for my cats. They were a little wary of the humming it produced, but I think their thirst overcame their apprehension. Eventually it just becomes another hum like the refrigerator or computer, blending into the background. I think since its on my tile floor, I could place it on a small piece of thin dense foam (like the ones used in exercise routines) and the hum would be unnoticeable. With the added tank on the backside, the supply is ample, and Im glad for the charcoal filters to rid their water of slime which was typical of their other water bowl that had stagnant water. I would definitely recommend this product. Cats Avoided It On: 2010-06-07My cats like to drink from the faucet in the bath tub. I thought they would like the Drinkwell Platinum Fountain. We tried it for over a week and they avoided it. If I turned the pump off, they would drink so they knew it was water. I think they did not like the noise of the pump and/or the water flow in the fountain was too fast. When they drink from a faucet, it has to be a fast drip. There is a flow adjustment on the Drinkwell, but at the slowest, it is still faster than my cats will drink from a faucet. I returned the fountain. works great at first then it keeps overflowing On: 2010-06-02When we first received the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain it worked great. About 6 weeks into using the product it would start overflowing. I clean it completely every time I refill it, which is about every 2 days. I do not know what else to do. I do not have the box it came in so I can not return it. I am very unhappy about the out come of this product. My cat loves the free flowing water. Two Cats Love It On: 2010-06-01We have two cats: one 3-year old and one 1-year old. They both instantly drank out of it once we showed them that it was water. Havent had any problems with it. Motor isnt too loud, but Im sure it will eventually go out. Its a motor that runs 24/7, people. They dont last forever. Loves it On: 2010-05-24My Cat loves this seems how she would only drink out of the bathroom sink this was not a hard transition AWESOME FOUNTAIN On: 2010-05-24I had a fountain that kept giving me problems so I looked into this one. I read the negative reviews and as far as Im concerned they are bogus. This is a fine fountain. It works flawlessly and the hair trap is ingenious, its quiet too,except for the water sound but if that bothers you dont get a fountain. My cat loves it. I love that she isnt always trying to get on our sinks anymore. If youre looking for a fountain get this one. You wont regret it. Best Fountain We've Tried So Far On: 2010-05-19The Drinkwell Platinum is great. We were constantly filling up our old one, but the reservoir on this seems to last my two cats for quite a while. I also really like the pre-screen before the pump. It keeps all the cat hair and various bits out of the pump, which means it is much less likely to break. Runs quietly and no loud gurgles and sputtering like our old Petmate, and the cats love it. The only issue we have with it has been mentioned several times, and that is that it appears to splash a bit too much and there is always water around it on the floor (easily enough that it could damage wood floors). I suggest buying the $12 mat that is made to go under it as the lip on it keeps the water from spreading, or find something else waterproof to set under it. This is definitely the best pet water fountain weve used so far, and is a much better price on Amazon then from the pet stores. I like it more than my cats do On: 2010-05-18I have two cats, who both like to drink from the spout in the bathtub. Hoping to break them of this habit, i thought this product would be a great solution. Unfortunately they are scared to death of it. They wont go near it. Wonder if I can return it? Not the solution I thought it would be On: 2010-05-17We have three cats and a small dog. I hoped that this pet fountain would help keep clean water available for a longer time and that the pets would enjoy drinking from the stream. We only had moderate success with those issues. On the downside, the motor was noisier than I thought and the running water noise was not the pleasant "water feature" sound I expected. No matter how we adjusted the flow it sounded like water being poured into a bowl of water. Pros: The fountain doesnt have to be cleaned every day like the old water dish. Two of our cats did enjoy drinking from the running water. The water is not stagnant, so it is aerated more and I expect it is cooler than from a dish. Cons: Still have to clean the unit more than once a week with the animals we have. A water dish is pretty easy to stick in the dishwasher or wash by hand and youre done. Cleaning the Drinkwell is quite a chore and has to be done more often then I thought it would need. It gets more hair and debris the bowl then I expected - and the pump and water flow doesnt keep it sucked up and filtered out. Much of it just sits at the bottom of the bowl. Our dog wanted nothing to do with it, so we had to leave a water bowl out for her. One of the other cats preferred using the dogs water dish. Only two of the cats took to the fountain (and they sometimes would use both). Noisy water pump - not super loud but still loud enough to be annoying. You do tend to tune it out, but I expected no more than just an electric hum. Once, the water grate clogged and caused the bowl to overflow until almost all the resevoir was empty. Good thing we have vinyl floors! Inital cost is pretty expensive. I did save quite a bit by buying it on Amazon rather than at the local Pet store. Replacement resevoirs, which they recommend to be replaced often, are not cheap! Overall I think it performs as claimed. Perhaps my expectations were too high. Great Pet Fountain On: 2010-05-15My 6 year old male cat has never been a good hydrator- and he ended up with a a blockage. I purchased the fountain and both he and his younger brother drink a lot more. Its easy to set up, and clean The fountain is quiet and attractive. Pain to Clean but otherwise AWESOME On: 2010-05-14We have two cats and a couple years ago our female cat MooShoo started making a mess with her water. At first she started batting the water dish around, spilling water everywhere. So we took steps to immobilize the dish so she couldnt push it around. Then she started using her paw to splash the water around, again, making a mess. It was pretty clear that she wanted her water moving. We bought this thing and never looked back. I take very good care of my fountain. I clean it about every two weeks, and I clean it thoroughly. I bought the cleaning kit offered by drinkwell. That, along with a kitchen sponge and dish soap do a good job. I havent tried putting it in the dishwasher. I change the filter about once a month (or when I think it starts to look gross) but I rinse it when I wash the fountain otherwise. Our cats LOVE it. Our female cat kind of takes a bath in it since she likes to drink the water that is falling. She doesnt mind the extra water falling on her head and doesnt play with her water at all. It has totally solved the wet floor water problem. Its worth having to clean it. Just remember, bacteria loves water! Ive had my fountain for 2 years and it still works great. great for my finicky cat On: 2010-05-09My silly cat thinks hes human and needed to drink from a glass while the water ran in the sink. I got really tired of going to pour him a glass every time he needed a sip of water. He loves the fountain and now goes to get his own drinks. Its wonderfully easy to take apart and keep clean. The only problem was the filter made the motor and interior parts feel slimy. I just took that out and problem solved. Great Product! On: 2010-05-07We have three dogs and they love it. We put ice cubes in the bowl and they love to pick them out. Always fresh water, not stale. The tank in the back is plenty big enough. One of our dogs sheds alot so we have to clean the filter and whole thing daily. Thanks Amazon for sending this so fast. Love it! On: 2010-05-04This has been a life saver. I never have to wonder whether my dog has fresh water! Bravo Drinkwell Platinum! On: 2010-05-02We have a household where there are both multiple indoor only cats & one very special canine who loves his feline brothers, but I have been searching & researching for quite some time on cat water fountains. I was heisitant at first to purchase this item because of the price which was highly reasonable but pricy in this recession, but for the amount of use my cats have already gotten out of it, the fountain has paid for itself triple fold. My oldest cat which is the alpha male is a rather particular kitty, but this was the cat I was hoping would use this because he has a thyroid condition & I was trying to think of any way I could encourage him to drink as much water as possible & this was the way to go! It took a few days for all of our four cats to adjust, but my oldest absolutely loves it & we couldnt be happier! He drinks it from the actual spout that pours the water out from, but my two youngest drink from the circulating water in the bowl & my fourth kitty drinks from both the spout & bowl, but weve noticed that they all have been drinking a significant amount since this wonderful product arrived at our home! This is by far the best of the best in pet water fountains, especially if you have a home where there are multiple cats. We also have rather finicky cats who prefer fresh water & this fountain is clearly the winner! The water stays fresh due to the constant flow & circulation & the filter traps any unwanted fur or undesireable debris that gets in the fountain & prevents our cats from ingesting it. The fountain is fairly easy to clean except for the product being cumbersome. The reservoir that holds the water is awkward because of its rounded sides, so its impossible for it to stand on its own so I always have to wedge it up against something. This would never cause me to not purchase the product again in the future, but I do think that Drinkwell could improve on this. That is my only complaint. The recommendation for replacing the charcoal filter is suggested every 6 weeks, but 8 weeks is fine to wait & thats with a household of four cats using it. I clean the fountain weekly in the warmer months as it can tend to get a bit slimy then, but a small amount of gentle soap & water with a soft sponge does the trick. Our cats stand in line waiting to use the fountain when they see that Im cleaning it. They look forward to me putting ice cold water in the reservoir & they love when I put ice cubes in it too. Im the type of consumer that always researches products before I buy them & I seldom purchase items on a whim. I will continue to buy Drinkwell Fountains because any product that can get our cats to engage in drinking water as frequently as the Drinkwell fountain does; is well worth it just for that fact alone. Pet owners care about the health & happiness of their pets & knowing that one of the keys to a happy & healthy kitty, but more important; the longevity of their kitty is a kitty that drinks plenty of water & the Drinkwell encourages cats to do just that. The fountain entices all of our cats & they love to wash their faces & play with the fountain also! A true gem of a product in a world where there are so many pathetic gadgets & gimmicks that are miserable flops & failures that the consumer unfortunately pays a dear price for. This product is not one of those, in fact as long as we have cats, which will always be, the Drinkwell will be a permanent staple in our home. We even plan on buying one for the new puppy thats about to become a new member of our family! You have a loyal customer with my family Drinkwell! Our cats give it two paws way up! They finally stopped jumping into our bathroom sink! On: 2010-04-27Our cats used to jump into our bathroom sink every time we turned on the faucet. It was a kitty magnet, and I was tired of them popping up right in front of me as I was about to spit out my toothpaste! However, ever since buying the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain, I have had no problems with our cats trying to drink out of MY faucet. They are content with their OWN drinking fountain now and we are all happier! Other pluses: The water is cleaner (as advertised) and the sound, which is very quiet and pleasant, does in fact attract them and hopefully they are healthier because they are drinking more. You wont be disappointed with this purchase. Convenient On: 2010-04-27Very convenient with clean water. Only complaint is that the pump fills up with "gunk" easily. Made my life easier On: 2010-04-26This product is everything the ads say it is. I was so tired of washing and filling several small water containers every day. I set this waterer up and plugged it in. I have 5 Chihuahuas. They drink from it daily. I think they are drinking more than they used to which I believe is good for them. It also feels good to know that their water is fresh and clean because of the charcoal filter system. This is a great invention. There are three different ones to choose from by this company. This would be the Platinum" the middle sized one. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain My pets took to it immediately On: 2010-04-21Not only did my pets take to this fountain immediately, so did my kids. The pets like to drink from it, the young kids just like to look at the water flow. This fountain seems well made, and is fairly quiet. Overall it seems to be well built. There is no light on it, which disappoints the kids most. In terms of its intended purpose, this is a great product for watering pets. TOO BIG!!! On: 2010-04-20We have 5 cats and wanted to change over from the original pet fountain to this one since it claims to be quieter and better, but it is huge and makes the same amount of noise! If you care about your cats like we do then you will be unhappy to hear that there are a lot more parts to take off and clean and even though we bought the Drinkwell cleaning kit - it wont even reach all of the corners in the back tub! You literally cannot clean the lower corners unless you make your own cleaning tool or improperly bend one of them. Drinkwell is the only filtration system recommended by vets, so I would still buy their systems over others, but even with 5 cats this is way too big, too hard to clean and disappointing. We are sticking with our old model (even though it has begun to leak) and we are just going to replace the ring or motor if needed. Fountain is Perfect Solution for Multiple Animal Household On: 2010-04-19I purchased this fountain at the suggestion of our holistic vet; my dog couldnt stop drinking the water from the fountain in her waiting room. Im not sure if my dog was attracted to the curious-looking fountain, the soothing noise the water created as it fell to the basin or if the filtered water simply tasted that good. We have four dogs and one cat; they all drink from the fountain. Our cat enjoys it the most, tho.....cats do not like "still" water by nature, rather they prefer running water and this fountain fits the bill. In fact, our cat no longer tries to get the faucets in the bathroom to drip so he can drink from them. Im not sure if Ill replace the filter when the time comes, as we have good well water and Im not sure it will be necessary. I highly recommend this fountain. Its sits securely on the floor and will not tip over, even with four big labs fighting for their turn at the fountain. It holds one gallon of water and is very easy to refill. It easy to wipe clean and makes a wonderfully soothing sound. My cats love this fountain! On: 2010-04-14I bought this item about 2 weeks ago at Petco. It was expensive but it was worth it! It is very quiet, I can barely hear it and it is a foot away from me. My cats love the fountain. I got it because my older cat would rarely drink water and anytime I turned on a faucet she would jump up near it but she wouldnt drink from it because it scared her but she seemed like she wanted to drink from something similar. So I bought them the fountain and they both love it. I have noticed that they have been drinking a lot more water since I got it. It is very easy to take care of. The filters apparently only have to be changed once every 2 or 3 months. It is very convenient because it filters the water and collects the hair that the cats get in it. When I used to only have a ceramic bowl, I would change the water and then it would almost instantly get hair all in it. I bought this version because I had read reviews about a lot of different fountains and this one seemed the best. It was money well spent. Some people said that it is tricky to put water in it but it is actually very simple. Sometimes a few drops of water fall out but it isnt enough to be a big deal at all. You can switch the flow speed so it is calmer or stronger. Both ways are quiet. I have mine on a towel in-case any water spills but so far none has. I have the smallest version. It is obviously bigger than a normal bowl but it isnt super huge. I didnt purchase the optional big reservoir but the standard one holds enough water. It is easy to assemble. Just follow the instructions. I got mine together with no problem in less than 10 minutes. Just make sure that the water level doesnt fall below the black filter thing or else i guess the motor can blow. it takes a long time for the water to diminish anyways. I have two cats and I add more water three or four days. I have no complaints about this product at all. Me and my cats love it! Just follow the simple assembly instructions, they are easy and quick. I got mine in a store because I didnt want to risk damage during shipping. It is made out of plastic but it seems pretty good quality to me. I highly recommend this product. My cats are very happy and hydrated now! :) At first I was slightly confused when I filled up the water container because when you plug it in it drains all the water into the fountain. That is supposed to happen though. It stores it in the middle chamber where the filter is also located. So you can open it up and check if it is getting low. It automatically regulates the bowl to be almost full so dont panic if it seems to be filling the bowl up too much because it will stop at the right level about 1/2 inch from the top. After it drains the water from the container in the back you can remove it again and add more water to it so that you dont have to change it for longer. It is seriously very easy to set up and manage. I doubt you will have any difficulty. You should get this to make your kitties happy! Excellent Product On: 2010-04-14When our cat first started getting in the bathtub and meowing for us to turn on a trickle of water, we thought it was cute and entertaining. It got old quickly. The hair and bits of litter in the tub were no good and she became more demanding about it more often. Her waterbowl wasnt good enough for her anymore. She took to the drinkwell immediately and we all lived happily ever after. I take it apart and clean it every week, and it works like a charm. Highly recommend if you like your kitty! Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain - My Cats Love It! On: 2010-04-12Currently I have 2 cats, one who really loves flowing water, jumping into the tub to wait for the water to be turned on. I had reviewed all different products and finally decided to purchase this Drinkwell Fountain after reading many of the reviews both good and bad. As soon as I set up the fountain both cats came and started to drink, but not from the flowing water. It took my one cat about 2 weeks then low and behold, she was drinking from the flowing water. She loves it! I have it set at the lowest flow. My other cat loves just drinking the water from the bowl portion. I should have invested in one sooner! It needs to be cleaned once a week - that is the best for my two cats. And it it is simple to clean - I have difficulty taking the motor apart to clean, but I wont take a star away for that. If you have a cat that loves faucet water, consider this and give her/him time to adjust. Way better than the Original On: 2010-04-10I bought this after the Original Pet Fountain started to leak @ the motor. I read other reviewers which said the same and advised to use silicone but I wouldnt risk having the silicone run into the water and right thru my cats tummies, so i decided to purchase the Platinum. Not only it comes with the reservoir which the original didnt but removing, the motor to clean it is way easier than trying to remove the motor from the Original One. I really give this 2 thumbs up. my cats love it On: 2010-04-06I have 3 kittys, and they love this water fountain. It took a couple of days for them to adjust to the small noise, but after that, they drink more water than ever. Cleaning the devise is a pain because we have hard water, so every now and then I have to disassemble the motor and soak it in vinegar to remove the calcium buildup, but then it works fine after that. If you are willing to put in the effort to clean it and keep it working properly, your cats will probably love this, plus they will be healthier because they will consume more water. Platinum Pet Water On: 2010-04-04I really like this fountain. Its worked really well for my cats. They both seem to really like drinking out of it. I think they are other reviews of this to show how great it is. Drinkwell Pet Fountain On: 2010-04-03The product works well and my cat now likes to use it. Originally, the cat was wary of the hum of the pump and the moving water fountain. She was definitely curious about this new contraption and would not drink out of it while the water was running. So I plugged the Pet Fountain into an electric timer and set it to run when I knew she would be sleeping. My cat now routinely uses the fountain for drinking (when it is the OFF cycle). Good product, I like it and feel safe leaving my cat unattended for four or five days. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2010-03-29Previously we had the regular drinkwell fountain, our cat has been using it since she was a kitten ( about 4 1/2 years ). We were having no problems with it and it worked fine. I thought it was time for a newer updated fountain so I ordered this Platinum one. I cant see a lot of difference in the actual performance of. It does seem to be easier to take apart and clean. It has a larger tank for water and unless you have more than 1 cat the smaller one works just fine. The reason I rated this one 4 stars was the price. Very good fountain On: 2010-03-23The fountain works great, very quiet and the cat likes it. Needs to be cleaned once a week and refilled with the fresh water. Other than that no maintenance required. Works great, but keep it CLEAN On: 2010-03-19I purchased a Drinkwell Platinum fountain in July 2009 and it worked great for about 6 months. Then it began spilling water all over the floor. I contacted the manufacturer, which replied promptly to my e-mail with several suggestions. Despite regular cleaning, I had not been careful enough, apparently. Because after a thorough cleaning, it is working perfectly again. So BEWARE. You must clean this regularly or risk a wet floor. But the manufacturers customer service is pretty spectacular. Works Great On: 2010-03-19This fountain works great. I no longer have to turn the bath tub faucet on for my cat. At first she would only drink from the bowl. After awhile she started to drink from the fountain. Cleaning is easy. Every other week I take it apart and put it in the dishwasher (with the exception of the pump and cord). I also make sure the heated dry is turned off so it doesnt melt any of the parts. Its been about 5 months and Ive had no problems. Spills water all over floor On: 2010-03-19I purchased a Drinkwell Platinum fountain in July 2009 and it worked great for about 6 months. Now, it constantly spills water all over the floor. The lip around the drinking pool area is not high enough to contain the water. If it starts spilling water when the reservoir is full, it will just keep going until it drains the reservoir and the floor is flooded. Im contacting the manufacturer today for help. But people with wood floors or carpeting, beware. Nice Fountain - needs cleaning On: 2010-03-19I upgraded from an older unit which served us well. I have no problem the the reservoir - it stands nicely in the corner of the sink. I did notice that if the inlet screen gets dirty and restricts the flow to the pump, the pump will pull water from the reservoir and overflow the unit. Keeping the screen clean avoids the problem, but it is probably a good idea to purchase the tray, which seems to just hold the overflow should it occur. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2010-03-18Has exceeded my expectations! My pets love it, I dont get anymore verbal abuse from my cats, at least in regards to their water,lol! My thanks to Drinkwell! Great product. Drinkwell Platinum On: 2010-03-14I like this fountain and it certainly does encourage my dog to drink more water. The only reason I do not like it is that it needs to be cleaned fairly frequently or the motor gets plugged with hair even with the new filter. I do not find it hard to clean, so I still think it deserves 4 stars. Worth the price! On: 2010-03-13This fountain is a great addition to any cat household. I feel that its built well, and i have had it for a few mounths now, and have yet to expirence any problems with it... However, i have 2 cats, one of which started drinking out of this fountain around 3 weeks after i got it!~ the other still wont go near it... Which worries me, since i no longer provide stale bowl water, so she drinks little to NO water--please take into consideration that she eats alot of wet food. I saw a few of the reviews on here stating how difficult this fountain is to take apart and put together, and ill admit that it is time consuming, but im 13, and if i can do it, trust me; SO CAN YOU! *HELPFUL TIP* if your cats seem scared of this at first( not unusual)try turning the fountain off and let the cats smell the water and fountain WITHOUT the added humm of the motor. I am very proud to own this, and still relish the feeling of seeing the looks on peoples faces when they take in this fountain. With proper maintanence and care, this will last many great years!~ HIGHLY recommended! :) Over a year and still running great. On: 2010-03-10I have had this Drinkwell fountain for over a year and its still running great! I like it because it doesnt take a lot of maintenance like I thought it might. I clean the bowl out maybe once a week or whenever I notice hair or food in it. I give it a good scrub once every other month and usually it doesnt even need it!The motor does benefit from the hair being removed or it will get sluggish! Some people commented that it needs to be cleaned very frequently but I havent found that. I have 2 male cats and they drink out of it constantly and Ive had no problems. My cats took to drinking out of the fountain very quickly and seem to really enjoy it! Dont buy the recommended cleaning tools, you wont need them! I purchased them and they are still in their package. Great for multiple pets On: 2010-03-08I purchased this fountain for my kitten. It is very large and difficult to clean all the parts. The pump was continually slimy and after two days of being cleaned, I had to clean the fountain again. Since I use bottled water, this can get expensive. My kitty didnt really care for this fountain and tried to avoid the running water that would splash his head, he loves playing in water, but not having the flow go into his head. The fountain is quite loud and should be put somewhere where you cant hear it. Cleaning the fountain was an hour long process. If you have multiple pets in the home, it makes sense to have a larger fountain, but for just one kitty, it is too big and doesnt justify the cleaning or water waste from having to clean it every two days. Plastic not Metal! A little Noisier than Expected! On: 2010-03-03First off, judging by the Name "Platinum" & by the Picture, I thought it was some sort of metal. Its Grey Plastic! It works fine, but the motor is a bit noisier than me or my Cat would like. I have a timid Cat & she would not go near it for 2 weeks probably because of the Motor hum. I also wish you could set the Water flow rate even lower than the Lowest Setting available. I thought it was a little pricey, even at this discount rate, for what you get. But it does what its intended for, so I gave it 3 Stars. Hits the Spot Saber On: 2010-03-03The water system is very well designed; our cat loves to drink from it. I have been changing the water and cleaning the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain every week. We have a Bengal cat that loves to play in the water and used to come running every time he heard the sink faucet running. Now he has his very own little area to get fresh water and paw at the water stream, hes cute to watch. Hits the Spot Saber! Great idea! On: 2010-02-28This is a great idea. My cat has a very strong preference and fascination for running water. She used to pester me at the bathroom sink because she always wanted me to turn the faucet on. This Drinkwell fountain has largely satisfied her craving for running water. Now she sits on the floor and watches it for long periods. I docked the rating one star because a small vibration that comes and goes. That doesnt surprise me because I always had a similar vibration problem with aquarium motors. Really good fountain On: 2010-02-15I had an older version of this fountain years ago that my cats really liked. When it finally quit working after a few years, I couldnt find the same fountain, so I got the type where the water slides down a ramp. The cats didnt like that type of fountain nearly as much, and I went through several of those fountains pretty quickly - they were loud and the pump would quit working after just a few months. I purchased this fountain, set it up, and my cats immediately started drinking lots of water! It is quiet, holds lots of water and my cats really like it. I just hope the pump lasts - Ive only had it about a month. Less work in the end On: 2010-02-15Ive owned it two months now. I have one cat, and at one week I change the water and at 2 weeks I clean the whole thing with soap. At the end of 2 weeks as the system gets dirty the motor starts to hum loudly. I did purchase the brushes. I recommend the smallest brushes cos there are a lot of hard to get to places in the unit and the smallest brushes fit. I put all clean parts on a plate and in order put the thing back together. Pros: Not having to fill up his old water dish a million times and cleaning it. Trickling water is nice to listen to. The cat seems to like it and he is a timid cat. Cons: Motor hums loudly at times...mainly just when the unit needs to be cleaned. Cleaning takes awhile but now that I have a system down it isnt too bad. All in all it was a good investment. Got a good one On: 2010-02-15THe last one leaked all over the floor after a couple of months. Still, I bought another one and this one has been very good. The spoiled rotten cat likes this a lot better than any other fountains weve tried and actually uses it. water bowl On: 2010-02-12I must not have read the fine print well enough, because I was under the impression that the water had a resource tube to connect to a faucet or spigot, but instead you fill up the reservoir and just plug it in to circulate the contained water, and it does not bring in fresh water so you still have to make sure there is enough water to last. I purchased it so when I went away for a weekend I would know my pets had enough water, but without a water source, its still a finite amount. Disappointing. great idea but it needs a few tweaks On: 2010-02-11this is a great product but it needs a few tweaks. i was concerned that my cat (2 year old rescue tabbie mix) and puppy (1 year old yorkie) were not drinking enough water. the puppy has been ill on occasion and always on the verge of dehydration (no food issues, just drinking). the cat never drank a lot of water and is petite (5-5.5 lbs max) though she sometimes eats like a little piggy and only recently consumed 2 meals per day as opposed to 4 per day (kitty schedule). it took the cat a week to drink from the fountain and now, ive noticed that she uses the litter box to urinate twice a day now. although the puppy was the first to drink from it (shes the most inquisitive of the bunch), she now just whines for water in her old dish. my 7 year old yorkie drinks from it all the time and has no issues with the fountain. now, the cons: - its high maintenance and requires weekly cleaning (more if youre a net freak like me and cant stand the sight of charcoal floating in it - the motor makes a constant hum. its low voltage so i assume it doesnt consume much energy but i can hear it from upstairs i would rate it higher if the charcoal residue could be eliminated. Fresh Water is a cat's best friend On: 2010-02-11My cat Boo Boo used to wake me up all hrs. of the night to go to the sink and drink from the faucet. He loved to put his little paws in the water and play. Now I get 8 hrs. sleep because he now entertains himself with fresh filtered water at the drink well. I had another type once, it was a lot less quality. This is great. WORTH every cent. Popular with the fur-kids On: 2010-02-10My cats really like this fountain. Making sure cats get enough water is important, especially if their diet staple is dry food (as in my household). They did not like to drink from their water dishes, but now they get plenty of water. The fountain was very easy to assemble and, so far, seems easy to maintain. This is my first pet fountain, so I cant make any comparisons with other models or brands, but my cats and I are happy with what we have. looks nice, but that's about it On: 2010-02-10after about a year of use, this thing falls apart!!! On top of that, its a pain in the neck to clean. it doesnt come apart so that you can clean the area where the motor is - which just happens to be where the most debris collects! We bought this just about a year ago now and the thing just started to die. The water doesnt flow out like it should. I called customer service and they suggested ordering another replacement and sending this one in for repair - at my expense no less. Save your money - there are other fountains out there that work just as well if not better than this crappy thing! Great Product. I love this fountain. On: 2010-02-04Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RS311N1O82HRP I absolutly love this product. satisfied customer On: 2010-02-01I used to have a small fountain that always needed to be refilled and cleaned. Now with the Drinkwell unit I almost forget about it. It goes a very long time before needing to be cleaned and I only refill the tank unit every ten days. I love it!!! Drinkwell Fountain On: 2010-02-01My pets love this fountain. It is quiet and convenient so I dont have to refill daily. I recommend this fountain. Worth the money On: 2010-01-27Before I bought the Drinkwell I was using plain old water bottles with my cats. This fountain provides the convenience of a water bottle plus a functional filtration system that helps keep the water clean. My cats like it just fine although they were certainly curious about the sound it makes! (The pump is silent, however if you have the stream on a higher setting, it makes a small fountain-like sound). Part of the reason I purchased this is because someone gave me an Amazon gift card, however I would purchase it again even if I had no gift card. Thumbs up for Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2010-01-27I have one cat that will not drink standing water and so I invested in the cheaper fountain probably four years ago. My cat liked the fountain but I sure hated cleaning the darn thing! I have arthritis in my hands and had a devil of a time getting the electric plug out of the bottom of the fountain. A few months ago I upgraded to the platinum version. Im really glad I did for a number of reasons: the reservior is a great feature, particularly when I go out of town for the weekend; the fountain is MUCH easier to clean and Im doing so on a weekly basis (I dont want to admit how infrequently I did it with the harder-to-clean version). The flow adjustment is much more sensitive too. My Little Kitty Never Goes Thirsty Now On: 2010-01-24This is way more than a water dish! My cat loves the running water that keeps it fresh. He also likes to pat the stream with his paw and wash his face. I am so glad that I bought this item. It makes it way easier to water my cat! Recommended for any stylish pet owner. poor material On: 2010-01-23The plastic material used accumulates mold and gets dirty way too often. It doesnt take long for the reservoir to stink and not be able to get rid of it. The cats do love drinking out of fountains, though. better design than old one -- still hard to clean On: 2010-01-22After having the original drinkwell fountain for 6+ years, the plastic was becoming brittle and the surface had discolored. Even though the filter was still running strong, it was time to get a new one. I brought home the Platinum. The new Platinum is easier to take apart and no more busting knuckles trying to remove the pump. Just pull off the top and there the pump is, easy peasy to pop out. However, the corners, nooks and crevices that hard to reach and clean still exist, and the water reservoir has been redesigned too. rather than have a normal designed jar with a wide mouth lid that you can pull off and easily wash with a bottle brush, its now "ergonomically" designed to be almost d@mned impossible to get clean thoroughly. I dont want to put it in the dishwasher, because Im afraid ill damage it. The rest of the fountain - minus the pump, goes in the dishwasher to clean. That is absolutely the only way to clean every stupid nook and cranny. I really hope the manufacturer reads this review and corrects the still very serious design flaws, the inability to really clean every part of the fountain. The fountain works great, I dont have any issues with vibration or noise, except when the water level is low. Then the noise lets me know I need to add water. I really forget about it otherwise. I love the new filters, it does keep the fountain cleaner longer. I ran out of the new filters and still had a few of the old ones left over from the Original Drinkwell and figured a filter is a filter. Wrong. The old filter just wasnt up to the task, The water was nasty in 3 weeks time. Had disassemble it and run it thru the dishwasher, it was that gross. Absolutely No Complaints On: 2010-01-21I have never owned another Pet Fountain so I can not compare it to any others. However, both my cats enjoy using this fountain and I have absolutely no complaints about it. Tempermant-wise my cats are very different - one is very brave & always loved water from the faucet. The other is a scaredy-cat who jumps at every noise and never really cared about fresh running water. Both cats drink from this fountain all of the time and are never scared of it (though they do scare each other sometimes when they both want to drink at the same time). Some complaints that Ive seen in negative reviews that I would like to address: Those who say its TOO NOISY: The water? The motor? Both? I find neither to be too noisy. The motor is only noisy when the water level is low - you will find this to be true with ANY motor that pumps water. The water noise well.. if you hate the sound of running water and you put this in a room that you spend a lot of time in then you probably wont be happy. But then, why would you buy a product with running water 24/7 if you dont like the sound of running water? I barely notice the sound when Im within a few feet of the fountain and I dont hear it otherwise. Those who say its HARD TO CLEAN: I clean mine once a week and it takes me approximately 5 minutes (that includes the time it takes me to hand dry it). If you want something "quicker" than that well, stick with a bowl. Personally I dont mind the 5 minutes of work in the least since it makes my cats happy. But if youre not willing to put in a little effort to make your pet(s) happier then why are you spending $40-50 on a pet fountain? I do use filtered water so Im sure that makes it a little easier to clean - I certainly would recommend filtered water regardless (and then you can skip buying filters!). Those who say the MOTOR BROKE too soon: One, I dont think this type of motor can be expected to last forever. Two, CLEAN IT. At least once a week! Otherwise you have no right to complain, sorry. If I didnt bother changing the oil in my car do you really think anyone would be sympathetic when I complain that the motor burnt up? A Solid Purchase On: 2010-01-21I purchased this product at my local big box Pet Store during an after-Christmas sale. I was replacing my old Fresh Flow Deluxe Pet Fountain, not because it stopped working but because I lost the power supply and wanted to upgrade my cats anyway. Coming from the Fresh Flow, this Platinum model is amazing. First of all, its huge - at least compared to my old fountain. I have 2 cats and only need to fill it once every week or even week and a half. The flow and strength of the water does not change or become weak in between cleanings, a frequent problem of the Fresh Flow Fountain. With this model it comes with a little gate between the lever to adjust flow strength and the motor, very smart since it helps in keeping cat hair out of the motor. Also, the sound of the fountain running and water flowing is not a problem. I keep the fountain in my bedroom which is low-traffic in order to keep hair and fuzz out of the fountain, the sound doesnt bother me and Im a light to moderate sleeper. There really arent a lot of negatives to this fountain. The only thing I can point out is that it does not fit together as securely as the Fresh Flow did. With that fountain I had to put a lot of effort into removing the pieces in order to clean. This model, the pieces come apart very easily, almost too easily. The top of the fountain also does not click on and is flimsy but I have not had a problem with it falling off or the cats knocking it off. The reservoir is huge and holds plenty of water - I read one review stating that it doesnt stand up on its own - this is true but it doesnt take long to fill so this is not a problem in my mind. And yes, when you put the reservoir upright some water does escape. Again, this is not a big deal to me, I had the same thing happen with the smaller fountain I replaced so really both those points are non-issues for me. I would recommend this to anyone interested in purchasing a Fountain. This is a solid investment in clean water for your animals and in their health. My cat loves drinking from it, keeps him hydrated/healthy! On: 2010-01-11My cat loooves drinking from this fountain, which means I love it because it helps keep him hydrated and healthy. Cleaning it is not my favorite task but this isnt a product defect; any fountain is going to require cleaning. I was actually given this fountain from a friend whose cats didnt care for it all, however, so like many cat products I guess its hit or miss. One note that the cat didnt love it from Day One, he had to get used to it, then he started drinking from it all the time. Encourages cats to drink more water; easy to use and maintain On: 2010-01-11For our two cats we have a Platinum Drinkwell Fountain. We also live in a VERY hard water area.. There is nothing about the fountain or the filters that will "soften" the water, that is not what theyre for. The idea is to get cats--descended from North African Desert animals---to drink more water. Its better for their kidneys; theyll likely live longer. ( A high percentage of older cats die from kidney failure, it is very common. Many veterenarians now are encouraging the use of some canned or "wet" cat food in a cats diet to provide more moisture, since most cats arent big on drinking....thats in part what all this is about.) As other posters have commented, my former cats always wanted the tap water on a "thin" drip or flow of water. It had to be "just so"...not too much, not too little...but they preferred drinking that water over their water in bowls, no matter how often the bowls were changed/cleaned. (Yes, I tried glass, ceramic, stainless steel, every recommendation about what type of bowls cats are said to prefer...) When the cat water fountains first came out I was skeptical at first...but it made sense, obviously this re-created what the cats preferred. The running water, the sound....so I got one. The critical element after buying the fountain is maintaining it. READ the directions! Change the filters "every 2-4 weeks depending on the size and number of pets using the fountain". Thats from the back of the Drinkwell filter package. And please use Drinkwell filters if you have a Drinkwell fountain! They are made to work together. Also, read the directions as far as maintaining the Drinkwell (or any brand) of water fountain. It has a motor! Therefore, it must be maintained or will not work right. Maintaining it means keeping it clean from the residue of hard water chemicals, the animals food (which can drop into the water after they eat, then go round the circle of the water cycle...) and so on. CLEAN the fountain...including the little parts around the motor. We take it apart about every other week and put the entire fountain, minus motor, in the upper section of the dishwasher, and run it, with the usual dishwashing detergent, which works great. The motor area can be cleaned with q-tips or the special brushes sold by Drinkwell. If the fountain is not kept clean and the fiilters are not replaced, the whole thing will stop working, though long before that your cats will be drinking recycled dirty water. This isnt hard, just a bit of reminding yourself, or marking on a calendar. Just like with your car, there is basic cleaning and maintenance required. From reading some other posters: please dont use BLEACH to clean the fountain...plastic of all kind (think Tupperware) absorbs odors, I cant imagine a cat with his/her sensitive nose drinking water after the unit was cleaned w/ bleach, no matter how dilute. Also the vinegar and water thing....thats better than bleach but are you really cleaning the unit? Not that it has to be sterilized....just cleansed the way you would your familys dishes and glasses. Handwashing in warm sudsy water with a good rinse will be fine, too. Just read what it says about the motor part, and follow the directions. It is absolutely NOT difficult to keep clean and maintain. And the cats are definitely drinking more. Both prefer to drink from the fountain part, as it comes out from the top, as opposed to drinking from the "pool" of water at the bottom, which would be, after all, no different than drinking out of a bowl of water. Highly recommend! It should help the health and longevity of the cats, especially when used as it is meant to be. Cats love it! On: 2010-01-08My 2 cats both love the fountain. The fountain does tend to get dirty more quickly than I would have thought though - it gets those slimy walls like a fish tank. Its true that it can all go in the dishwasher, but its kind of a pain to empty, wash, and refill. I love that I dont have to fill the water reservoir very often and that my cats seem to be drinking more water, so its worth it to me to have to go through the cleaning process. It's a Miracle Worker On: 2010-01-07My cat ended up at the emergency vet on a weekend with a $750 bill. He had a urinary infection from not drinking enough water. My Vet recommended purchasing a fountain. I researched various fountains on the Net and settled on the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. Nothing but the best for our boys. It has been a life saver. He loves his fountain along with his brother and voila no more infections. You do need to clean it thoroughly once a week and we replace the filter every week also. This weekly maintenance is the most loving thing we can do for them and a lot less expensive than vet visits and meds. We dont mind at all. Our fountain is about 2 years old now and it still is working like new. Cats liked it, but it died too soon On: 2010-01-07The fountain was fine. The cats liked it. The pump died after only 6 months. I expect something at this price level to work longer than 6 months. Enjoyed by every cat in our home! On: 2010-01-05Wed allowed one of our cats to get in the habit of having the faucet turned on at a trickle for her to drink. Huge mistake. Shed sit in a bathroom and yowl for someone to turn on the water, and her yowl could be used to etch diamonds, believe me! We also have several cats who are getting up in age, and, since kidney failure is a common ailment in older cats, we wanted to be sure they were drinking adequate amounts of water. This fountain has been an ideal solution, and a benefit to all our cats (there were 5 at the time of purchase). Cleaning does take some time, but, now that Ive done it for a bit, I can usually scrub it thoroughly and have it back in use in 15 minutes. I dump the water and give it a quick wipe every 7-10 days, and then a thorough cleaning (including the motor--VERY important!) every 5 weeks. The small plastic "gate" at the back of the drinking pool gets rinsed a couple of times per week; that takes about 20 seconds. Its amazingly quiet and has been trouble-free. We are very satisfied with this product. Excellent Product! On: 2010-01-03I would highly recommend this product for anyone with multiple pets. I have two cats, a small dog, and a medium sized dog, and they all love drinking out of this fountain. Before purchasing this, I was refilling water bowls every morning and throughout the day, and now it is so easy to just have one. With the large tank, I refill the tank maybe once a day, and I can leave the cats for 4 days and not worry about them running out of clean water. The product does require regular, routine cleaning, I definitely recommend taking the motor apart every week and cleaning it out with the rest of the fountain. The first time cleaning was a bit tricky, but the instructions and illustrations were great, once you get the hang of it, it is really, really easy. If you do not want to have to take it apart and clean it every week to make sure it is safe, do not buy this product. Disappointed On: 2009-12-31I really liked this product until I got crack in the water reservoir and couldnt get a replacement. They will sell you a new pump, lid, base but you cant get the reservoir. I wouldnt call something that can become totally useless if the reservoir no longer works Platinum. I will never buy another Drinkwell product again. Nice product, but cat won't use it. On: 2009-12-29Just a short review. The product is very easy to assemble. Really isnt very loud if you put everything together properly and let the water balance. Its a similar noise as any other small desk fountain. You will hear a motor and the water running. The loud noises only happen when the water levels are wrong. Its rather large and does splatter a little tiny bit. However, my cat wont touch it. Sniffed and then never drank from it. After giving her no water for a bit less than a day and her obviously willing to die of dehydration rather than drink from the fountain, its now, sadly, part of a give-away box as Im well past the return date. So, to owners who havent used fountains before with their pets, try it fast... if your pet wont drink from it, send it back! Cat Uses This Happily On: 2009-12-27My cat was recently diagnosed with chronic renal failure. Her vet suggested a pet fountain, such as the Drinkwell. Ive had mine a couple of months now. 1. Its quiet, but not silent. The motor makes a slight hum and occasionally I hear the water splashing a bit. However, its far more quiet than my refrigerator, for example. So its not at all disruptive. 2. Its easy to clean. Once a week, I pull the filter out, run, some bleach through it for a few minutes. Then I put the basin and riser in the upper rack of my dishwasher. I hand wash the reservoir and gate. Then reassemble. Once every two weeks, I use the brush accessories to clean the inside of the motor. It takes me about 15 minutes of actual work time once each week. My cat is worth far more than that. 3. It clearly makes my cat drink more water than she used to, which her vet says is good for her kidneys. She now rarely drinks out of her bowl, though I keep it supplied with water, too. 4. Fit and finish seem good so far. Ill admit that Im interested to see how long the motor lasts. It doesnt externally look rugged, but well see. Overall, it does what its intended to do (get my cat to drink more) and is easy to maintain. So Im quite happy with it. My Little Kitty Never Goes Thirsty Now On: 2009-12-18This is way more than a water dish! My cat loves the running water that keeps it fresh. He also likes to pat the stream with his paw and wash his face. I am so glad that I bought this item. It makes it way easier to water my cat! Recommended for any stylish pet owner. Kitty Water fountain On: 2009-12-15I have a happy cat. He has his own water fountain in his room now. The water trickles down either quitely or loudly (can change the volume of water) to entice my cat to come and have a drink. He was a bit nervous at first, but now...happy and visiting the watering hole. Very easy to install the filter and very simple to clean. Very Good Design... On: 2009-12-12I have had this water fountain for almost 6 months and it works great. I think it is a great idea so you dont have to provide fresh water everyday. This filters the water very well and my cats enjoy playing with the water trickling down. This water fountain lasts about a week but I would like it to last longer. You also have to make sure the water doesnt get too low because it could break or cause problems with the system. This is a great fountain to use if you are leaving for a short period of time. Worth the buy!! :O) Much improved over the original Drinkwell fountain On: 2009-12-12I am so pleased with the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. Prior to the Platinum, I had the original Drinkwell Pet Fountain which I liked but the platinum pet fountain has so many improvements. To start, it is so much easier to take apart and clean than the original. There truly isnt much need to use the brushes you can buy as accessories since there arent any small places to need to clean out. It comes apart and goes together very easily. The motor is extremely quiet, much more so than the original - the only sound you hear from the fountain is the sound of the water coming out of the spout. I really like the water storage tank on the back that acts as a reserve. My cat loves it also. I enthusiastically recommend the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. Works great for us On: 2009-12-11Our cats love it, I think theyre developing a a drinking problem! Seriously though, it works great and helps your kitties stay hydrated. If you own both dogs and cats this is a MUST HAVE On: 2009-12-05If you own both dogs and cats, getting a water fountain is a must. Cats, as a rule, will not drink from the same water the dogs use and there are even dogs that can be territorial with their water. However, with a fountain everyone can drink from the nice clean stream that doesnt have anyone elses cooties in it! (we have 3 dogs and 2 cats and the cats usually give anything the dogs touch a big "ewwwww"). This Drinkwell fountain is great - it maintains a steady stream and, with the extra well in the back, it will hydrate five animals for a couple of days without a refill. One note of caution - make sure to purchase the cleaning brushes. This thing has all sorts of nooks and crannies that get downright slimy and need to be brush cleaned -- you just cant get to all the spots that need cleaning with your hand and a sponge ... the brush set they make for cleaning the Drinkwell does the job very well (and the brushes are useful for a lot of other jobs as well). Excellent fountain On: 2009-12-03We bought this fountain for our now 5 month old kittens. I had previous experience with the older model fountain by Drinkwell, so I felt confident in buying a fountain by them. Our kittens love it and it is so quiet we dont even notice it is there. We have had no problems with it. Excellent fountain! Noisy Pump/Flimsy Quality On: 2009-11-27Sometimes you luck out and other times you get burned. I followed the directions exactly and the pump was not quiet. When I grasped the inlet valve located in front of the pump strainer the vibration noise lessened so I attached a vice grip and that made the noise tolerable but scared off the cat. Now Ive devised a lo fi solution consisting of a 2 inch thick rubber gasket , a saucer shaped rock and 2 pieces of light switch insulator material which works just as well but the cat is still wary. Ive noticed that replacement charcoal filters are expensive 3.50 each and need installation every 4-6 weeks. The power supply for this is 9 watts supplying a 2 watt motor and its not an A/C/D/C adaptor but a 120 V a/c to 12 volt a/c adaptor which can also explain the motor noise. I know direct current is quieter than alternating current by the nature of the wave forms. If you run this thing 24/7 expect to use 78 kilowatts per year or 6.5 kw per month. 9 Watt x 24hrs x 30days. 6.5 kw is how much power usage I average per day. The product thus will not be winning any energy star awards. If you only run the motor 8 hours a day you can cut those numbers by 67% but still an ongoing not insignificant expense. Lets talk about maintenance. Youre supposed to totally break the unit down/including the pump once a week and clean it. How much is your time worth? and do you have enough chores to do as it is? are valid questions to ask yourself in this busy time we live in. [...] I have however decided to keep mine. Here are the positives. Your cat gets filtered water. You dont have to fill his dish with water twice a day which saves time in the short run. You probably can get away with cleaning the thing out once every 3 weeks. I have sensitive ears but even though I have the unit near my bedside, I dont run the pump at night. As previously mentioned the pump may be considered quiet but its by no means silent. I had to jury rig mine and its still not silent. The cat seems to like it. Too much of a pain to send it back and incur return shipping charges. Make sure you keep the fountain topped off with water. Oh yeah, I also water my bird using this filtered water so he gets better than tap too. Im gonna make lemonade out of this lemon but still stand by the 2 star rating. Cat prefers eau d'toilet On: 2009-11-22My cat would have nothing to do with this fountain. He looked at it, smelled it, then walked away to stand in front of the toilet, crying to have the toilet lid opened (his usual drinking hole). When we didnt give in to his meowing he walked away preferring to give up drinking rather than use Drinkwell. After two days of negotiating we gave in to his demands. Now he has returned to his old habits and we returned the fountain. a little small On: 2009-11-13I wish I had got a bigger resivior. I have to fill it everday. But I am using it for 3 dogs so maybe a bigger resivor would have been better. Pretty good overall On: 2009-11-12The fountain has performed well over the past 2 weeks and seems to keep the water fresh with the filter provided. Of course I have a whole house water filter so the water I put into the fountain is already pretty good. The cat loves the sound of the water as it falls and seems to be getting plenty to drink as evidenced by his litter box. My only negative comment and the reason the fountain did not receive a 5 star rating is that the pump is pretty loud. I keep the fountain full and even so the pump can be heard from my kitchen all the way into my bedroom some 30 feet away. During the day its not as big a deal but at night when I like it nice and quiet I can hear the humming noise of the fountain pump. But, overall it is a good quality item and I expect years of good service. Love it! On: 2009-11-05We love our Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. Our two cats love to drink out of it! It is really easy to refill the water reservoir (and not make a mess) and we have had no problems with it (we have had it a couple of months now). It stays pretty clean, and we use drinking water from the tap and is pretty quiet. We can hear when the cats are drinking from it when we are in another room due to them interrupting the constant water fall, but it doesnt bother us at all. Our cats love not only drinking the water, but they love watching the water, so, this is a source of entertainment for our indoor kitties. One of our cats refused to drink out of a regular dish and insisted on drinking running water from the sink. The water noise from the Drinkwell water fountain stimulates the cats to drink more frequently. We have been able to stop the in-sink drinking and now the cat only drinks from the Drinkwell. I love that I dont have to worry about whether or not the cats are staying hydrated (because dehydration can be a cause of urinary tract infections, especially in male cats) because they are always drinking from this water fountain. We would recommend this water fountain to anyone with indoor pets! KEEP AN EYE ON THIS! On: 2009-11-05I bought this item 5 months ago, and it is a very good item, it is completely silent( if it has enough water) and it works perfectly since I got it to know. BUT BE AWARE!!! I FOUND OUT SOMETHING VERY HORRIBLE OF THIS THING! I dont know if anybody else has had this same problem, but I have to warn you out because maybe you will buy it or you already have it and you havent found out of this problem. Well this is the problem i have with this fountain: First, I bought this and it brings 3 pads of replacement filters. I started using the fountain, and my cats loved it and so did I. I started cleaning it every Sunday. Because I live in a tropical place, and the water really evaporates a lot, so in one week it was empty. The first week passed and I cleaned the fountain, filled it with filtered bottled water again, and put it for my cats to drink. everything normal. But, the second week, I wanted to look closely at the fountain to see if it was working alright, just in case, for prevention only and I found out that there was some strange "dirt" like thing in the bottom of the floor where the filter pads go( on top, where there is a lid to put the filter pad, well, in there) First I thought it might be some of the charcoal falling off of the filter, so I said never mind, but just when I was going to close the lid I saw the " dirt" move a little! I rapidly went for a flashlight and a Magnifying glass, to see better what was that. And for my suprise, that wasent just dirt, most of it was charcoal from the filter, but some of it were Little, tiny very little Worms!!!! Worms!!!!! in my cats waterr!!!!! I got crazy!! I took the fountain and poured some clorox and left it over night with it! Those werent mosquito worms( I know how they look like and how they move in water) Those were even tinyer I had to see them with a magnifier glass! and they were moving on the floor of the filter area, not swiming in water like mosquito larva do. This was so disgusting for me. I then cleaned it very well, with clorox and every anibacterial soap I found and then put another new filter pad,( the other one wasent old, it only had one week of use but I threw it away and used a new one) and waited another week, and then when sunday came, I again searched very carefully for these creatures, and there they were again!!! They are so so so little that you just cant see them with out a magnifying glass! but there they were! I Dont live in a place with insects, my house is all with window screens, and I have never ever seen no insect in my apartment! I live in a 7th floor! These were coming from the filter pad! I guess these were mircroorganism forming in the water because of the pad in the water, I dont Know but all I Know is that I through all those filter pads to the garbage, and I almost Throw away the fountain too, but I wanted to make sure if the problem was the filter pad or something else, so That Third week I started out with the fountain cleaned up very meticulously with antibacterial soap and clorox and a lot of rinsing out, and then put the fountain to work with no filter pad, just the pump and the water, and I waited again for one week, Belive me, this worked! There were absolutly NOOO worms, no larva, no dust, dirt, NOTHING in the water!!!! I really dont know what was happening with these filter pads, but I have never used them again since then, and now I have 5 months with the fountain working great and with no "creepy microorganisms" in the water. I belive these were coming or forming from the filter pad, because the worms were always in that specific area of the fountain, where the filter pad goes only! I think the filter pads forms some kind of bacteria in the water, that makes these nasty things form up, because when I got these filter pads out of the fountain, the worms were gone, and never ever saw them again! If you have a fountain of these please do this: every week, check it out with a flash light and a magnifying glass, in the part where the filter pad goes. I dont know if you will find them too, but just in case check it out, these things cant be seen easily by the eye only, you need a magnifying glass, or look very very steady. I would like to Know if there is anyone else who has had this problem Or if you have noticed them now that you read this. I think this is a good product, but I dont use the pads. At least it has running water that keeps it aerated and that is good to prevent mold and other bad stuff. And well my two Beautiful Persian cats, seem to like it as much as the first time I bought it, even though it dosent have the filter pads in. After this I took my cats to the vet to see if they were sick or something but fortunatly they were completely healthy. So Please Check These things out to ensure the health of your cats. Happy Cats! On: 2009-11-05I considered buying the Drinkwell for nearly a year. I hesitated because of the price but, based on the reviews, I finally decided to give it a try. Ive had it for a couple of months and my two cats LOVE it. One of my cats had dry skin which caused her to shed quite a bit. Since I got the Drinkwell Platinum, she has been drinking more so her skin and coat are now in perfect condition. I highly recommend this product! It is a great investment. Melted in the dishwasher On: 2009-11-04Our cats loved this until it melted in the dishwasher one day. So we went out and bought the drinkwell 360. The love this one even more. Its quieter as well. Better than a running facet... On: 2009-11-04Simba (our cat) wants to drink water from facets, my water glasses, toilets, and anywhere that is not his water dish. So I jumped at the chance to buy this product (after reading many many Amazon reviews of this and other similar products). I was a little concerned about the pump breaking as others had cautioned, and about water noise. I have had no pump problems, and I believe this is because I make sure that the reservoir is always kept full so that the pump does not pump air (which damages it). Also, I clean it monthly (not weekly, as is recommended). The water noise: was not a problem until my partner accidently broke off a piece of the lever that controls the water output. Now its loud and irritates me. Its in our dining room and I have to shut the door there when I go to sleep to have peace. Lesson here: be careful when cleaning the machine. Dont break that lever. Otherwise, great product. drinkwell platinum pet fountain On: 2009-11-03I got this pet fountain at the suggestion of my vet. Although I left fresh water for my cat daily I never saw him drink and he ended up getting a bladder infection. My cat always loved drinking from the bathroom sink and this is just like that. Now I see my cat drinking water from the fountain all the time. This fountain is easy to clean, quiet, works great, and has adjustable water flow. I refill it and clean it once a week and it only takes a about 5 minutes. I have owned the fountain for a year. Awesome Product On: 2009-11-01This is a great product, the ONLY problem is the water tank would be better with a flat top so after you fill it and are cleaning the unit you can set the full tank on the counter while reassembling The Cat's Meow!! On: 2009-10-28I love this product! Very highly recommended! Here is why: Before I got this our two cats would only drink from pots or pans waiting to be washed. We tried to get them to drink from cat bowls but the only bowl that they would accept was the eau de toilette from the toilet bowl. We tried to get them to drink distilled water but they seemed to love the flavor of fresh chlorine. (You know, Chlorine: the stuff they use to make poison gas. Aquarium owners are told to wait 24 hours before adding tap water in order to allow the chlorine to dissipate and not kill the fish.) Then one happy, blessed day we got The Platinum Pet Fountain! I filled it with distilled water. (Even Pet Fountain recommends bottled water to prevent mineral deposits.) Despite their previous distain for distilled water they rushed over and began drinking it from the fountain like this was what they had been waiting for all their lives. (DISTILLED WATER prevents kidney stones, does NOT leave mineral deposits that can destroy the motor of the unit and while manufacturers may not be too concrned about drinking water they take great care to ensure that distilled water will not harm auto batteries, steam irons, etc.) Assembly of the fountain is a snap. Literally and figuratively. A very helpful step by step booklet with actual photos of each part is included with the unit. There is no noise, only a slight vibration. Not as loud as the electric clock on my electric oven. You cant even hear it from 10 feet away. You can stand in front of it and hold a clearly understood whispered conversation. I would suggest putting a folded towel underneath the unit to quiet the vibration if it annoys you. You really can (with a little care) wash the parts (except the motor) in the dish washer. Even the booklet says that the filters are not required for normal use. (Little pieces of charcoal floating in the water probably dont help either. Charcoal is usually used to filter the air as in gas masks.) I would suggest buying a brush from your local super market (especially the one with a sponge tip) rather than buying the factory brush set. Que tips are very useful. VERY PLEASED WITH DRINKWELL On: 2009-10-26I had a PetMate tha sprung a leak and decided to give this a try. I am so pleased with this one because it is so much easier to clean. I had bought the brush set to try to help me clean the PetMate, but was of little help. Everything is easy to get to with this one. I use this for my two dogs, as they have long mustaches and seem to carry everything to the water bowl. This helps keep it clean. Also, I have one dog that thinks she is a cat and prefers to drink from the fountain. Therefore, she drinks more water. Platinum Fountain On: 2009-10-19I bought this item because my cat loved to drink from the faucet, but she would not drink from the fountain keeps pets drinking On: 2009-10-18I have had a Petmate Deluxe for about 5 years but decided to try the Drinkwell Platinum about a year ago because one of my cats really loved to drink out of the faucet and I couldnt just leave the faucet on all day. The Drinkwell shoots out water like the faucet and it was a HUGE hit. My other cat even likes drinking out of the bowl. I read all of the reviews before I bought it and found that the biggest complaint was that the pump died. Im not sure if they were just bad or if the reviewers just never cleaned it but I havent had that problem at all. Once I learned to take it apart, it was easy and only took a couple of minutes to completely disassemble and reassemble it. No need to buy the cleaning kit because a Q-Tip works just fine. Its just necessary to clean the film the water leaves behind and flush out the pump. The only problem I had (totally my fault) was that I tried to clean some gunk that had settled around the rim and couldnt find the proper tool (maybe the cleaning kit would work for that). So I went for the old drain-cleaning standby: vinegar and baking soda - my cleaning "drug of choice". Apparently I used a little bit much and the reaction blew apart the reservoir (so DONT use this method). But because of this, I did learn that you can purchase all of the component parts from the manufacturer (Veterinary Ventures) at reasonable prices and with fast shipping. And their customer service dept called me back early on the Monday morning after the Saturday I called. I would definitely recommend this product. Great price for this fountain On: 2009-10-15Our cat previously had the regular Drinkwell Pet Fountain and she loved it, but over time it gets really dirty with hard water and we decided to replace it. I saw this Platinum fountain on here for the same price as the regular one, so we bought this one. Its great. It holds plenty of water without having to buy any extra reservoir pieces and its quiet. Our cat loves it. She sometimes wanders over with a little water on her head from the spout part, but she doesnt seem to mind it at all. If your cat likes to drink from the sink or you catch her in the shower drinking off the faucet, this is the fountain for you. Better than a cereal bowl On: 2009-10-12Its okay... Instead of changing the water every day or every other day, I now have to change it once a week AND scrub this thing out. It will save you some time, but if you are concerned about the water that your pets are drinking, this is not the miracle cure. The filter doesnt do much, so the water gets pretty slimy after a few days. Cleaning it requires a complete disassembly/reassembly and pipe-cleaner type tools. Give yourself 20 minutes once a week for scrubbing. However, the cats seem to like it, and probably prefer it over just a bowl, which probably means they are drinking more water. Our extra-full litter box seems to prove this point. Overall I would recommend, but dont get too excited. ;) My Cats love their Drinkwell! On: 2009-10-11I originally purchased the Drinkwell Premium for my Siamese who was having renal problems. Unfortunately she passed on before the Drinkwell arrived and the box sat in the corner for about a month, during which time I adopted a kitten in addition to my Oriental Shorthair. Well, I finally decided since I couldnt return it, Id set up the fountain. How glad I am that I did. My cats absolutely loved their Drinkwell from the time it was plugged in! I no longer have cats on the counter wanting to drink from the faucet. I notice they drink more water now and thats good for them. While I agree with some previous reviews that there are some minor design flaws that may make for a little more work for me, I know this is good for my cats so Im OK with it. Also, I noticed today that Drinkwell makes an optional submersible pump that includes an automatic shut-off to prevent the pump from burning out if the water level gets too low. While it doesnt help me, I wish they would include this as standard equipment on the Premium fountain in the future since it doesnt cost much more than the standard replacement pump. I suspect most people would be willing to pay a few dollars more for this safety feature. Also, every part of the fountain is available at the Drinkwell website if for some reason a part is broken, lost, or wears out (my concern regarding pumps). Overall, Im completely happy with this product, my cats are happy with it, and Id highly recommend it for the health of your pets! Very useful item On: 2009-10-10I have had this item over a year and it has been great. I am glad I purchased it before reading these reviews however. I think that some of the problems people list may come from not using it correctly. I think it is a wonderful product and my cat loves it! I have owned other Drinkwell fountains and Petmate as well. This is my favorite. I do agree with the one comment about the resevoir. It would be convenient if it stood on its own. Other than that I think it is great and would purchase again. I especially love the fact that it can be cleaned in the dishwasher on the upper rack. Cat Fountain On: 2009-10-10Our cat was constantly demanding that we turn on the water in the bath tub at a trickle. This solved the problem. We read the directions and so far have found this very easy to use. Super satisfied. Heathy and Stealthy On: 2009-10-09So for our 2 very spoilt cats the drinkwell v1.0 was okay, they still wanted to go the tap. With the new drinkwell they both love the fountain, the clean water, the quiet flow and we love the size of reservoir to avoid regular filling. Overall this product is a huge improvement from its predecessor! Asim Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2009-10-07Product is well made and mechanics are great but our two cats are not impressed. The older cat will some times look at it as he walks by but never stops. The younger of the two I have seen drink once and she loves water. She drinks from the stool and we let the bath tub drip which she uses all the time. She has kidney disease and needs a lot of fluid. I couldnt wait to get the fountain after seeing a cat at the animal hospital drinking from one. The nurse said the cats there love it. I guess our cats are weird or have too many other sources for water. Surprisingly quiet On: 2009-10-04Quieter than I figured. I thought Id have a mini-fountain in my house trickling, but it is whisper quiet and my dog LOVES IT! Large capacity water resevoir means I only have to tend to the dogs water 2 to 3 times a week. Not worth the $ or effort On: 2009-10-04Pros: All cats love it!(5 personal cats & about 12 cats who have been fostered here during the ~ 10 months weve had it.) Cons: Cumebersome & difficult to clean. Requires frequent cleaning. No way to mechanically clean (wipe/scrub) most of tank. About 1 month after I got it, negative feedback mechanism that prevents all water from running out of tank immediately after filling stopped working. When tank filled, water runs out into bowl & keeps running out until tank empty resulting in water overflowing bowl & onto floor. Thus extra large tank to hold extra water for more cats useless. LOUD. VERY LOUD. I CANNOT recommend this product. I can only hope it dies quickly as others have so that I can get a different one without feeling guilty. Love the Drinkwell fountain On: 2009-10-04I recently ordered the Drinkwell Platinum fountain for my cat at the recommendation of my daughter and my cat absolutely loves it! She is old and I was not sure if she would adapt, but she loves to drink from the running water. I have taken it apart to clean and found that to be an easy task. I priced it at a few pet stores and found the Amazon offered the absolute best price and free shipping. Overall, I would highly recommend this for all of your feline friends. Awesome product On: 2009-10-04This product is wonderful. Works great, especially if you have well water as it keeps the water fresh & clean. Cats love it and only need refilling every 4-5 days A Must Have On: 2009-09-30I had bought other water fountains in the past. My cats paid no attention to them and went on there way. I decided to try out the drinkwell fountain because my cats loved the water out of the faucet. This unlike the others were met with meows and purrs. My cats love it. I have never seen them drink so much water. I love how I can adjust the flow of the water, the ease of use and over all quality of the machine. Im very pleased with this purchase. Its a must have. this fountain has changed our lives On: 2009-09-28I love this fountain and so do my cats! I know for sure that my cats drink more water now. I used to watch them sniff their regular bowl and then walk away. Now they drink much more and sometimes even just watch the fountain as entertainment. The only time the motor seems a little louder is when the tank is almost empty. It can go almost a week though with no refills. It has a huge 128 ounce tank. My only complaint is that I dropped the tank once and it immediately broke! Replacement tanks are available for only about $15, but still I wished it didnt break so easily. I have dropped my humidifier tanks before without breaking them so I dont see why this one had to break. Other than that, it is sooooo great. Great improvement over previous models On: 2009-09-23I love this fountain and feel great knowing it is recommended by vets. It is a vast improvement over previous models which were very, very difficult to clean. Pieces of this model are even dishwasher safe which is a huge bonus. Pets are family and deserve to be treated as such. high maintenance water bowl On: 2009-09-18My son asked for a Drinkwell Fountain for Christmas (for his cat) after his vet recommended it. I decided to buy an extra one for my two-pet household (dog and cat). My son loves his and says it works great since he goes away often on weekends. I quit using mine after about six months and have decided to package it up to donate to a thrift shop. I had two issues: my dog drinks a LOT of water and I had to refill the reservoir every other day. In addition, the bowl got dirty between a cat who likes to dip his littery paws in the water and a Tibetan Terrier whose hairy muzzle picks up bits of stuff which dislodge during a big slurp. As a result, I had to take the entire contraption apart once a week to clean out slimy growth. (I rinsed everything with bleach but still got the slime) Actually, the manual directs you to clean it every week, including the motor which has to be swabbed out with a tiny brush. Each cleaning took at least 20 minutes, including reassembly. I have too many other chores to devote this amount of time when I could simply be rinsing a water bowl out and refilling it. So just be aware of what youre getting into as far as maintenance. Worthwhile investment On: 2009-09-14I have 3 of these pet fountains, and all of my animals love them. I have 3 big dogs and 10 cats, so I have to refill them daily, but I did that with regular bowls so no big deal. The cats love drinking from the fountain, and the little "debris" catcher works really well. Sometimes I dont even bother with the filters. True, the bottom of the "bowl" gets crumbs, etc in it, but I cant see how that can be avoided. It IS sort of a pain to clean, especially when you have 3 of them, but I try to do it once a week. I use 2 different sizes of bottle brushes, and q tips to get in the "machinery". They hold up well, mine have had no mechanical problems whatsoever in the 3 years (maybe longer) Ive had them. I might even get a 4th fountain, as somehow while I was cleaning them I misplaced a cord, and cant for the life of me find it!!! edit...yay, I found the cord! Works well so far On: 2009-09-14Cleaning has not been an issue for me. I bought the brush kit, and have only used the one to clean out the lift tube. Unit comes apart easily for cleaning. It is true that the tank is kind of awkward because of its shape. I just fill it and put it back in, so the fact it wont "sit" is not a big issue. Getting it in without spilling any water takes some practice. Flip it quickly from the side and it works pretty well. Note that the cap on the tank is not water tight. I think it is there to regulate the water level in the dish, not to make the tank spill proof. I havent had a problem with kitty removing the lid. It snaps in place on the Platinum, although I suspect kitty could get if off if she set her mind to it. The unit looks decent (and the tank helps the aesthetics), it is reasonably quiet, and my cat really likes it. Note that the unit is on carpet. I havent tried it on tile, but suspect that raises the noise level considerably. Only time will tell how well the pump holds up. The only part that I expect to wear out fairly quickly are the suction cups that hold the unit to the base. Kind of cheesey, but they do absorb vibration. Indispensible for the kitties On: 2009-09-14This is by far the best purchase Ive ever made for my cats. They LOVE the fact that the water actually falls out in a faucet-like stream from the top, and since they started drinking from it (about two days after I set it up), they have been out of the shower, bathtubs, and sinks for good. Weve had this fountain for a little over two years, and have gotten really great use out of it. In fact, the cats refuse to drink out of anything else while this is in the dishwasher. The pros: Cats are drinking WAY more water, they love it, its quiet (and kind of soothing), unobtrusive in our small kitchen, and durable. The cage-like piece over the bowls water uptake is really important to keeping this thing in great shape, and is, to me, a big reason this is more durable than other companies fountains. Parts are really cheap if you do have to replace them. If you have a dishwasher, cleaning is so incredibly easy - just snap it all apart, plop it in there, and do a long cycle. The cons: You have to be *incredibly* careful not to get water in the snap-away cord when you are cleaning it or when water is splashing around. I shorted out a motor this way (it did NOT wear out, but I accidentally got water on it), and although the replacement motor from the company was economical and quickly shipped ($15), I wish this just had a one-piece cord. I know they did it to make cleaning/removal easier, but to me its kind of the only downfall. All and all, that con is no big deal for me, and it doesnt ruin an otherwise awesome product. I highly recommend this for your cat/dog household. Amazing! On: 2009-09-14My Story: I have two cats who rarely drank water except from the faucet or my tub in the bathroom. My mother bought the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain for her cat when he had irregularities in his liver to help him drink more to flush out the extra sodium. I decided that since her cat loved it, my boys might, too! I didnt even get the entire box open when my two boys were climbing all over it trying to find out what fabulous present I had gotten them! It was very simple to set up and the cord is long enough to plug into the outlet on the wall by my countertop and dangle to the floor (maybe 3-4 feet long). In the first two days I had to fill up the Fountain 4 times because my cats were drinking so much water (which was great!). After the initial week they got sufficiently hydrated and didnt gorge themselves too much, so now I have to fill up the water jug maybe once every week and a half or two. Very convenient. Loud?: The Pet Fountain motor only makes noise when the water level is getting low, so other than the relaxing sound of water trickling, and the splashing of your kitties playing with the water spouting from the top and washing their paws, there is no noise, which is awesome. Extra Costs?: Living where I do and being the market that it is, I was worried about electricity and my electric bill skyrocketing from having the fountain plugged in 24/7, but when I got my next bill it hadnt changed significantly (more than $3, and that includes my use of the air conditioner in the dead of summer) from my previous months bill, so I know its not an electricity sucker. Maintenance: One thing that youll need to keep track of is the film that can build up in the bottom compartment where the motor is. The film (a yellowy colour) is merely from your pets saliva, so its not a big deal, but you should probably make sure you clean the whole machine out when you change the filter once a month, as it makes for cleaner water and happier, healthier kittens (or puppies). Also, make sure you buy the filters that go with it. If you forget to buy extra filters, you can wash one off in warm water (no soap!) and it will work just as well as a new one (but not more than once). The Verdict: I love my pet fountain. Am I spoiling my cats? Heck no! This is exactly what they needed. Their coats are shinier from being healthy and having clean water that is filtered and constantly moving (most cats are afraid to drink still water because instinct tells them there could be germs and bad bacteria in it) so theyre drinking more than they used to. Many cats who dont get enough to drink get urinary tract infections and other infections in their intestines, etc or are very lethargic, but your pets are more likely not to get ill if they are sufficiently hydrated. If your cats seem to have rough textured fur, are lethargic, or just arent piddling very much every day, or if you want to only have to fill up their water bowls once every other week and save yourself some time, I highly recommend buying this pet fountain for them. Also, its much cheaper on amazon than it is at petco or petsmart (and it comes with free shipping and handling, too, so thats always a plus). Gets dirty fast, hard to clean On: 2009-09-13Our cat and basset hound both love the fountain. The wife and I dont however as it gets dirty quickly and is a pain to clean. The filter and filtering gate do a poor job of collecting the countless crumbs from dinner that the basset hound leaves when she gets her after dinner drink. I realize this could just be a factor of our particular dog, so take my criticism with that in mind. In a matter of days the main spill reservoirs bottom is covered in food fragments. To clean the unit, you have to pick it up and hope to not spill too much water on your way to the sink as you tear the whole contraption apart to clean out all the little crevices that collect grime. Then when you mop the mess you made, you get to refill it, and try to get the wimpy pump primed so it will flow. Every week when I clean it, I get more upset at it. If you have a Pet, You have got to have this thing. On: 2009-09-11Having trouble keeping your pet hydrated? This product will put an end to that. I puchased this for my daughters cat and he thought is was the best thing since sliced bread. Works well and dependable! You wont be wasting your money here. So far, so good On: 2009-09-10We just purchased this a few days ago, but Im very pleased so far. After our walks, my dogs first pit stop in the house was the toilet bowl. Since getting this, the toilet bowl has been long forgotten - hell go straight to the fountain for a drink. Hes a sloppy drinker, so it looks like Ill have to clean this out more frequently than recommended, but its much better than the water bowls weve used before, which seemed to get dirty and stagnant quickly after the first drink. It was easy to set up and easy for the dogs to get accustomed to - within minutes our puppy and our friends dog were drinking straight from the flowing fountain water. Nice improvements over previous models On: 2009-09-08Through the years I have tried many pet fountains. This fountain is by far the best one I have owned to date. The large water reservoir on the rear of the fountain means that I dont have to put water in it every day. I have two cats and I have to refill it about once a week! I am also very pleased with the size of this fountain. While it may be too large for some owners, the size is actually a major benefit over other models in my opinion. Because the fountain is bigger I can place the food dishes on either side of it and the cats dont manage to throw food in the thing. Many fountains have been destroyed in my house simply because my cats are slobs and fling the food out of their bowl. Not anymore! Also, cleaning this thing is a breeze, and the cat hair catcher makes it much simpler. Once a week when refilling it I pull out the removable hair trap and rinse it off, and once a month or so I disassemble the entire thing and wipe it down with warm soapy water. Very little maintenance required! One downside to this fountain however is that it is a little louder than other fountains I have had. This doesnt bother me, but a heads up to other customers, it isnt 100% silent. You can hear the motor running in it, but only if youre in the same room as it, and nothing else is really going on. In short, I would definitely recommend this fountain! sink saver On: 2009-09-07Our cat used to race us to the sink any time that we walked by. She wanted to drink out of the faucet. With this pet fountain she now leaves the sink alone! Both of our cats took awhile to get used to it and even longer to drink out of the spout and not the bowl, but now they both do it and its quite funny to watch! They love it! I love that they have clean filtered water and I dont have to worry about their water being old and stagnate. my cats love it On: 2009-09-04this is actually a really good item. Ive had it for about 6 months, its quiet, and my two cats love it. it took them a little while to get used to it (without getting their heads wet) but it was very funny to watch. I clean it and fill it with water once a week and change the filter about once a month. if you drink fresh filtered water then why shouldnt your cats? Does exactly what it's supposed to do On: 2009-09-03The Drinkwell Platinum system works exactly the way its supposed to work. The design circulates the water, which keeps it somewhat fresher and encourages your cat to drink more. Our cat used to drink a little out of his water dish, but he loved drinking out of the bathroom faucet. Since we got the Drinkwell, he drinks only out of it. This is a well-engineered, sturdily-built product. Once you assemble it, it will just keep on working as its supposed to, and your cat will benefit from having a cleaner water supply. There are, however, two potential downsides, one significant and one minor. Most significantly, you absolutely need to clean the system regularly. Depending on the temperature, the amount of bacteria, fungus spores, etc., in circulation in the air, and the amount of food your cat drops into the fountain, you might get a week between cleanings. But you might get just three or four days. Cats love this fountain, but not when the water gets slimy! Cleaning requires disassembly, but I can do it about 15 minutes. Its not hard to do, but it needs to be done thoroughly. Youll be happier if you buy the accessory cleaning brush kit. There are a couple of places that you just cant get to without those or similar brushes. Less significantly, the filters are quite expensive. You have to replace the filter every third cleaning or so; again, the replacement frequency depends on how much gunk goes into the water. Pet stores seem to be the most expensive places to buy the filters, but Ive seen them on sale at Target, and Amazon has the most reasonable regular prices. It really doesnt matter, though; you just have to gulp and pay for them. One bit of advice: Dont buy the accessory grass-growing tray. This looks like a great idea; you clip a little tray onto the rim of the fountain, and grass grows for your cat to snack on. The reality is that the grass falls into the water and gunks things up. It also seemed to speed up the formation of slime. Our cat and we are happier without it, so save your money. Over all, Im very happy with the Drinkwell system. Our cat loves it, and he drinks more water than he did before. You have to be willing to clean it regularly, and you have to accept the price of the filters. Im satisfied that I got a good value for the money and time, and Id buy it again if I had the choice. Encourages cats to drink more water On: 2009-08-30This product works as claimed. I find that it encourages my cats to drink more water more often. This is good because cats dont drink enough water. I am very satisfied with this product. Pets Love It On: 2009-08-28The 2 kittens love to drink from it.The water seems to stay so fresh in it.No problems so far.I have had it for about 1 month. Large cat/dog fountain with filter On: 2009-08-25My previous filter was made by this company and lasted years with 2 cats at it. This is larger (probably larger than I need but hard to tell from description) but works beautifully. Awesome fountain On: 2009-08-25This fountain really helps entice the cats to drink more water. The filters are reasonably priced and it is easy to clean/maintain. I think the sound is pleasant as long as there is enough water in it. he loud noise in these fountains is cause by the pump having to work without enough water moving. The best approach, not perfect, but worth every penny On: 2009-08-14My 4 year old male had 3 urinary blockages in 4 weeks resulting in a Perineal Urethrostomy. After EXTENSIVE research, I am now feeding him Innova EVO canned food to increase the amount of water in his diet (and eliminate grains and by-products). The fountain was recommended and theres a whole lot less dog hair floating in the water any more. My dog is scared of his own shadow and he has no issue drinking from the fountain. My two girl cats have no problem drinking from the fountain and have stuck their heads under the fountains stream of water. Our boy cat still has his e-collar on, but he has drank from the fountain, directly from the spout which is easiest with his cone. I notice the water reservoir is constantly going down which leads me to believe everybody is drinking more water than before. Filling the water reservoir is a pain because of its big irregular shape which has no flat edges or handle grips. Other than the shape of the reservoir, the design is good and everybody likes it. It would be ideal for two cats or two smaller dogs. The plastic construction seems average and theres a black plastic lever that controls the flow of water and our smart girl is trying to figure out how to break it. If she succeeds in destroying it somehow, we will immediately replace it. The benefits and peace of mind is worth every penny. The motor is silent (providing theres water). The only sound at all is the sound of water, like any other fountain you would put in your home. PS - the water is not "cold" but its consistently cool and a refreshing temperature which I think makes it far more appealing than room-temperature water. For best results we use water from our Brita filter to keep our recovering boy cat from getting minerals from hard water. extremely loud On: 2009-08-12I have three cats who absolutely refuse to drink from anything but a fountain or the tub faucet. Ive always used a Petmate fountain before, but liked the water stream on this one because it looks like the water stream from the tub faucet. So I bought one. I read the reviews that said it was loud, but thought it would be like my fish tank filter where, once you got used to it, it was fine. However, this was not the case - it was VERY loud in a grinding sort of annoying way - and, yes, I did have enough water in it. I threw it out and bought another Petmate - dont waste your money. A Must Have On: 2009-08-09I read a ton of these reviews when i was considering buying this product. There were some saying its too loud, others singing its praises. Having purchased it i can now give another opinion. I LOVE THIS. Better then me loving it, MY CATS LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!! They cant get enough of this fountain. Before I bought it they would jump into the bath tub to lick off the water after a shower, the sink and my water cooler while I got a glass of water. Now, they dont. They are completely satisfied. Its great. The fountain doesnt make noise as some of these describe. You hear the water falling. But it is a gentle, calming sound. If it does make noise, its slight; a small humming. Completely acceptable and easily masked by the water. I highly recommend this fountain to all cat owners!! Its fabulous. Love it, Love it, L1ove it On: 2009-08-08I have both models of the drinkwell fountain and the platinum fountain is much easier to clean than the older model. With 6 cats, I need multiple watering stations and this fits the bill. I also have a petmate fountain that just doesnt compare to this one. Works great, but not for all cats On: 2009-08-07Ive had the Drinkwell Platinum fountain for my cats for almost two years now and love it. Two of my cats zoom in on running water (e.g. faucets), so this is perfect for them. One of them will drink almost exclusively from the Drinkwell fountain and ignore all the water dishes. I had to put it onto the tiled floor in the basement though as they will spill some water while playing with it. It is very easy to clean: just take it apart and put everything except the motor into the dishwasher. The motor cleans easily, too, but I find that it hardly collects any dirt as the little gate in front of it filters out hairs etc. The only drawback: I bought it initially to entice my 12-year-old cat with urinary tract issues to drink more and he wont go anywhere near it. Stupid old cat, but at least the youngsters are loving it very much! Pet Founain Lapped Up On: 2009-08-05I have 2 kitties,and Ill admit, theyre spoiled rotten. I had a different kind of pet fountain a few years ago for a cat we had then. He would wait by the sink to catch drips, so he loved the fountain. When we re homed him, we sent his fountain with him. Now we have 2 new kitties. They drink a lot of water, and being summer, the water was warm and evaporated quickly as well. We had to check the water bowl frequently to make sure it wasnt dry. I worried about them running out of water when I was away all day. So I went to Amazon and checked out all the pet fountains and read the reviews, and finally settled on this one. So far, it has been great. Even though our kitties are still little kittens, they took to it right away. One was a little wary, but soon followed the example of the more curious one who stuck her paw into the stream to bat at it right away. With the large resevoir, I dont have to worry about them running out of water while Im away. We fill it about every couple of days. The water is fresher since it is circulating. It does not make any noise other than the sound of water trickling like a fountain, and that could probably be set down lower, but it doesnt bother me. Its really simplified life for me and the kitties. We have not had any problems with cleaning it or blockages. The reservoir is easy to fill and replace. Its done in a minute or two. I love it and would recommend it to anyone who has a kitty. I think someone elses review that suggested having a stainless steel bowl would be a nice addition, but Im really happy with it and give it 5 stars in my kitties behalves. Resevoir Problem On: 2009-08-03I have had this fountain for over 6 months and it has worked great up until now. I dont clean it as often as I should and that has not been a problem. One time the water wasnt pouring out of the spout so I opened it up and saw that there was hair around the motor, after I removed that, it seemed to fix that problem. The one problem I am having is that sometimes, if I let the fountain go too long without refilling it (like if Ive been a way for a few days)when I refill it, the reservoir continues to fill the fountain until it is overflowing, it doesnt stop itself. Has anyone had this problem or know how to fix it? finally, no more scooting the dish! On: 2009-08-01My cat always scooted his water dish with his paw, spilling water on the floor, ever since he was a kitten. I tried all kinds of things to try to get him to stop, but this fountain is the only thing that has worked -- he no longer wants to move the dish, he just drinks without fuss. He drinks more, too. Cleaning it is a hassle, but its much less hassle than cleaning up after a messy drinker! My cats love their Drinkwell fountain! On: 2009-07-31I couldnt get the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain put together fast enough for one of my cats. Sammy started drinking out of it as I poured water into the bowl. He didnt flinch when I turned it on. Tommy was a little hesitant at first, so I left a bowl of water out for him. Within a week I caught him walking over to the fountain to get a drink and I removed the bowl of water. They both love the fountain and the water is cooler than if it just sits in a bowl. They are Maine Coon Cats and they love water. Sometimes Sammy plays in the running water or just drinks from that instead of the bowl at the bottom. Buy it. Its easy to clean and provides fresh running water for more than a week in case you have to leave your cat at home while youre gone. Slimy, hard to clean On: 2009-07-30My cat loves to drink from the bathtub faucet. Shell follow you into the bathroom and sit with her head at the faucet until you let it drip for her. She recently had back surgery and was confined to a room so she couldnt get to the tub and my wife was worried should wouldnt drink enough out of a bowl, so she ordered one of these. My wife was also worried about wasting water when we let it drip out of the faucet and forget to turn it off. My cat took to the fountain ok and now that she is roaming free again, she seems to prefer it to drinking from a bowl. She still cant jump so she still cant get to the tub faucet. But the problem with this fountain, at least for us, is that after 4 or 5 days, it gets really slimy and it is quite a pain to pull apart and clean all the nooks and crannies to get the sliminess to go away. Between having to dump all the water in it (and it is quite a bit) to clean it, and the water that runs while I clean and rinse it, Im pretty sure we are actually using much more water with this fountain than we did when we let the bathtub faucet slowly drip for her. Im also concerned about her drinking the slimy water before I get a chance to clean it. I cant really compare it to other fountains or say how well it will last over the long-term, but my impressions with it for the past 6 weeks are that we will probably go back to dripping water from the bathtub once she can jump into the tub again. The sliminess is a pain and rather unsettling. Happy Pets, Easy Maintenance On: 2009-07-28We originally got the Drinkwell in part because we fixed a leaky bathroom sink that was the major water source for one of our cats (OK, theyre spoiled). It has been well worth the moderate cost. One cat and the dog pretty much took it in stride, but the former faucet-drinking cat has been a particular fan, drinking much more water with healthier hair and better litter box habits to show for it within days of her first use. NOISE: The Drinkwell is not silent, but it is quiet, getting noisier as it needs water or cleaning. The noise level varies depending on how strong you set the water flow, but Id put it more in the "relaxing white noise" range than "annoying" when running well. To compare, it is louder than our refridgerator, but quieter than the air conditioner compressor that is on the Kitchen roof. CAPACITY: Two cats and a 30-pound dog drink enough water that it needs to be refilled every day. Interestingly, the animals seem to have established a truce in the "Drinkwell zone." MAINTENANCE: The hair catcher needs to be cleared off every week or so. The filter lasts longer; at least several months at a time. Despite those two devices, however, the machine occasionally needs to be shut down for a more thorough cleaning. Recently (after about nine months of use) it had been running loud and with a slow water flow, so I took apart the unit to get to the motor, suspecting that some hair had found its way in there (it had). The accumulated and long-submerged hair was a bit disgusting to clean out of the motor with a paper towel and toothbrush, but five minutes of cleaning made an immediate difference. This isnt a hassle-free product, but I see no way for a machine that runs 24/7 and is used by three hairy animals to avoid hair buildup. Cleaning it out every few months is a small price to pay for the benefits, so I give it the five stars. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2009-07-27My cat was afraid to use the original drinkwell fountain as the motor was loud and she would shy away from it. The new platinum version has a much better design, very quiet, and the spout is great. Now, my cat drinks both from the top and the bottom. Get this for your cat(s)! On: 2009-07-24If you get nothing else for your cat, get this fountain! There was an amazing transformation with my two cats (a Maine Coone and a Himalayan) - especially the Himalayan. Both cats started drinking lots more water with their new fountain. And the health issues for my Himalayan (low weight, lethargy, skin conditions) totally cleared up once she started drinking more water from the fountain. She used to hang out in the bathtub to drink from the dripping tap - it turns out she much prefers running water to a bowl of water. Your cats might also be entertained by the running water. Get the Platinum version - Ive heard the older versions do no have the trap filter that prevents fur and food from getting into the water filter. Also, I learned from my vet that cats naturally do NOT like their water source to be located near their food. If you place the water in a separate place away from the food, they will drink more. Cats never touched it On: 2009-07-24After hearing about so many cats finding this water fountain irresistable, I bought one in February. My cats like running water from a faucet as much as the next cat, but neither one of them ever seemed to take a drink from this new fountain. I ran it for about 6 weeks, but the reservoir water level didnt go down and I never saw them drinking from it. I finally disconnected it for good and am getting rid of it. Its just a little too large and a little too noisy to keep around for another try. LOVE IT ! On: 2009-07-16I love this product and so does my cat who is drinking more water. I can tell by how many times I have to refill it with water. My cat doesnt care for faucet water anymore and the fountain is easy to clean and set up. It does make a low humming noise but I got used to it. With the summer heat already here, I am glad I bought this product. The water doesnt get warm, it seems to stay cool. I recommend this product to anyone who wants to make sure their pet is drinking enough water. love it On: 2009-07-15My cat loves to drink from the faucet. I have had a petmate fountain where the water runs down the slide - its okay and has done a great job - however I am always turning on the faucet for my cat. Now I dont have to she loves the running water from the drinkwell! My cats love it On: 2009-07-12Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. I have 4 furry friends & they love using it. It is easy to clean & maintain & the slight sound it makes doesnt scare them off. I highly recommend this product. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2009-07-10This product seems great...its quiet and produces a nice, consistent stream of water. Unfortunately, my cat is not at all interested in it :( Awesome! On: 2009-07-10So easy to put together. The cats immediately started enjoying it. I highly recommend this for anyone with small pets. They drink more water and it stays fairly clean. Nice product - No warranty On: 2009-07-09Nice product - No warranty The cats really like the fountain. However, the pump ceased to work after 3 months. I emailed the company and got zero response. So keep this mind - buy this and you may get stuck with a non-functioning product and no response from the company... :-( Great product! On: 2009-07-09Our two cats Ole & Sven really seem to enjoy getting the fresh, cool water that comes from this fountain. I bought this product because Sven was puking frequently and after some internet searches I found that this might be a symptom of not drinking enough water. We had been filling a water dish up with fresh water twice daily, but recently moved it to a different location. Sven was also very interested in trying to catch drips from the tub spout after our showers. We have now been using this for about a month and Svens tummy problems have been getting less frequent. He is also not as interested in the tub spout. My only issue with the product is that it can drip water all over the place when removing the reservoir. Also the way the reservoir is shaped and where the opening is it cannot be placed under our refrigerators water spout to refill. I first need to fill a pitcher and then pour that into the reservoir in order to get the good filtered water. They also recommend cleaning it once a week. That seems way too often to me and defeats the purpose of having a fountain with a reservoir. I will probably do it once a month. Love it! But only at the sale price I bought it for! On: 2009-07-08I bought this Drinkwell approximately 2 weeks ago and at that time it was on sale for $41.44, today I see its back up closer to its MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail price). I love this thing, my cats are so cute drinking from it and Im happy knowing theyre well hydrated with clean water. They tend to make their own water bowl rather messy by dipping their paws in it all the time and I was changing it at least twice a day. This fountain is actually pretty easy to clean so far, my cats dont seem to get it too dirty. I actually regret purchasing the Pet Fountain Cleaning Kit, I hardly used it in the cleaning. If anything these brushes made the cleaning more awkward minus one spot they were good at getting. But as much as I love it...I wouldnt pay the MSRP, this item was perfect at exactly what I paid. I rarely spend $70 on anything, much less a fancy cat bowl. Great Fountain for Kittens On: 2009-07-07The Drinkwell Platinum Fountain is quiet, easy to refill, and easy to clean. Both of my very active kittens love it. It is also sturdy enough to tolerate kitten play without shifting position or tipping. I refill it 2-3 times/week and thoroughly clean it once/week. I use a bottle brush to get into the corners; works great. The water falls into the bowl in a stream of water, like water falling from a faucet. That was a big selling-point for me. In a competing brand, the water just glides down a slide. My kittens are fascinated by the falling water stream. They sometimes flop by the fountain and just watch their little waterfall. Per the instructions, the filter is optional, so Ive chosen not to use it. I dont see that the filter adds any real value, and is just one more item to clean and replace. The fountain is big enough that Im confident my kittens will continue to enjoy it as they grow into adult cats. Amazons price was considerably lower than any of the local retail stores, and the fountain qualified for free shipping. It arrived less than a week after ordering. It only took about 5 minutes to read the instructions and set it up. Good But Stopped Working After Six Months On: 2009-07-06I have three cats and one small dog. This water fountain was a great find. I would fill the water up once or twice a week (including ice). I cleaned it out thoroughly and replaced the filter monthly. However, the unit stopped working after six months. The same thing happened to my mother who also purchased one. This is a great product. Its quiet and works well. It just doesnt last long. Fun for kitties - but required regular cleaning On: 2009-07-05I got this because our vet said our cat was not drinking enough water and was not getting enough exercise. I thought of this because she loves drippy faucets. I put it on the 3rd floor of our house so she would have to walk all the way up to play with it. (Her litter and food are on the 1st floor.) The first day, she curled around it and purred loudly. She has not decided that the 3rd floor is her new favorite place to be so I dont see her as much. But I think she is getting more water and exercise. While it solved the two issues for us, I find that it requires cleaning more than I anticipated. (About 2-3x/month). Theres a lot of little crevices and nooks to clean out so its more involved than a quick washing of a water bowl. Other than that, I like this item and our fat cat does, too! Very poorly made, difficult company to deal with. On: 2009-07-03This product is JUNK!!! I purchased it, from Amazon, in August of 2008, and by February of 2009 the pump had quit working. I contacted Amazon about replacement parts, who in turn told me to contact the company that actually ships the product, Smarthome. After wasting months with Smarthome trying to get replacement parts, I shipped the entire unit back to Smarthome for a replacement. We received the replacement in June of 2009 and once put into service, it proceeded to dump all the water in the reservoir on to the floor. I contacted Smarthome and was told that they were sorry for the problem, but there was nothing they could do and that I should contact the manufacturer. Classic runaround!! To this day it just sits, in a box, unused! Just be forewarned, this is an expensive waste of good money!! Works very well! On: 2009-07-01This water fountain works very well. I only have one cat, so it stays very clean. I just cleaned the fountain for the first time (6 weeks after purchase) by rinsing it with vinegar water. I would prefer a fountain made from steel because of the BPA leakage concerns from plastics. Maybe this will soon be an option. kitties love it! On: 2009-07-01I really like the new gate on the platinum model and that the reservoir comes with it instead of having to purchase seperatley. My cats both love it and drink more water than if they just had a regular bowl. The only drawback is putting the reservoir on the drinkwell, but other than that I cant find a complaint. This makes my life easier. Excellent product but could use a few tweaks On: 2009-06-29Ive had my Platinum Pet Fountain for almost three years, and the thing is going strong. No problems with the motor or anything like that. The things I think need improving are that currently the product says not to put it in the dishwasher. This item (besides the motor part) needs to be dishwasher safe. You do not want to clean this thing by hand every five days or so. It feels so much more sanitary to throw it in the dishwasher. So thats what Ive done since Ive gotten it. It stands up to the dishwasher except now Im noticing that theres this sort of slime on it after a few days. My thinking is that probably the plastic is breaking down because Ive been putting it in the dishwasher. The other thing I find completely unnecessary is the extra resevoir. I threw mine away a long time ago. I understand why folks would need it, but I would much rather keep refilling it with fresh, refrigerated water. And like other people said before me, youre certain to splash water around when you use it. Other than that, its perfect. Im looking for one thats dishwasher safe made by another brand, but if I dont find one, Ill just buy this one again. drinkwell platinum pet fountain On: 2009-06-28It took my 2 cats 5 seconds to try the fountain, and love it. My one cat would only drink from my bathroom sink, so this is the next best thing and he loves it. Motor is quiet too. I would highly recommend this unit and Amazons price was at least $25 less than other stores that have the same unit. A great find. Loved this fountain, but after about a year the motor stopped working ! :( On: 2009-06-27I have loved this fountain from the get go and up until now I have had no problems, It is easy to clean and manage and my picky cat that wasnt much of a water drinker loved this fountain. Just 2 days ago the motor seemed to have died and I think it may be a short in the cord or something. Does anyone know if you can just replace the motor ?? I paid $60.00 for this one at Pets mart and I really hate to get rid of it. I am not sure if I would buy another one just because it just didnt last that long. [...]. Thank you Huge Reservoir! On: 2009-06-25This is the second fountain that we have bought and I wasnt sure if my cat would like this type (rather than the water sliding down type). My cat loves it and due to the huge reservior I do not have to fill it up every day like my other one (petmate). It is also the easiest reservior to lift out and to fill that I have ever seen and I am very pleased with this purchase. On my petmate model you have to lift off a top and then lift out the reservior - somewhat of a hassle. The reason that I did not give it five stars is that the noise is louder than my other one. Dont get me wrong, it is not very loud, but it is louder than my other one (probably a function of the type of fountain more so than any flaw). Slave to my Cats On: 2009-06-23I purchased a Drinkwell Platinum fountain a few months ago and am happy to report that my three cats love it. They took to it right away (and these cats had never drunk from a faucet). We have it set up in our kitchen on a hardwood floor with a couple of hand towels underneath it to catch stray water splashes. I occasionally hear a slight hum, but its not very noticeable. NOTE: I HAVE TO CLEAN THE FOUNTAIN ONCE PER WEEK or it gets slimy. It takes about 5 minutes to wash it by hand, reassemble it, and refill it with water. So far, I am very please with the product. product gets 5 stars,cat gets 1 star On: 2009-06-23I give this product 5 stars but my cat gets 1 star,I left the fountain going for two weeks and she still wouldnt drink from it.She likes drinking from the bathroon faucet.She appears to be stubborn. Great fountain! On: 2009-06-23My cats love this fountain. They are barely on our counters now. No more begging for water from our bathroom sink. The fountain is super easy to clean - it takes three minutes at the most. With two cats, I prefer to clean it once a week. Not bad at all. There is a very low humming noise & you can hear the water drip, but in no way is it annoying. I highly suggest this for your furry loved ones! :) Perfect On: 2009-06-22I love the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. My cat absolutely loves it too. The pump is not loud at all, there is just a light "hum" sound but it is not annoying or very noticeable at all. I have read some reviews on here about people having a problem with the water splattering, but I have never had any issues with water splattering. Even when I turn the water flow up as high as it will go, there is no splatter. It holds a lot of water, and with one cat I only have to refill the water reservoir about once a week or so. Overall, not bad. On: 2009-06-22I bought this because my cat refused to drink out of his bowl and begged for water every time I went to the faucet. I dont see him using the fountain too often unless I put some ice cubes in it (yes, he is very spoiled). But overall, it is not bad. It is very quiet, holds a lot of water, and is fairly easy to clean. The only problem is that it sometimes leaks a little puddle. However, this might be my cats fault. great fountain On: 2009-06-21I have researched a lot on which fountain would be best for us and our kitten. I wanted one that held a lot of water(reducing constant refillings), somewhat easy to clean and with affordable replacement filters. I was set for the platinum, but waited for amazon to drop the price to $41 (sometimes is at $47). Well, I couldnt be more pleased with the purchase. My cat loves it. The fountain is on the big side, not flimsy and I only fill the reservoir once a week, when I clean it. I like the fact I can adjust the waterfall,from low to high flow. The only adjustment we did was to feed him his canned food away from the fountain....or that would be nasty food floating on water. I higly recommend ''AWESOME'' On: 2009-06-21the drinkwell platinum is a awesome fountain.the cats love it.the water is always fresh so they drink more and seem to play more because they feel good. Nice Product but doesn't last very long On: 2009-06-17Ive had two of these in about 1.5 years. The motor died the first time as I didnt catch it in time when it was empty (my dogs drink it up very quickly). The second time I was so careful to continually keep it filled and clean the motor, but didnt seem to help. Maybe thats just the life span they have. I would get it again though. It is a bit noisy unless to keep it really clean; especially the motor. If you have big dogs or more than one, it can get pretty dirty. You can put it in the dishwasher, but not on the bottom shelf. I would have liked the resevoir to be able to stand in the sink when being filled, you have to hold it because it doesnt have a flat bottom. Also, the motor vents are right behind the trap that catches the hair. So when some gets through it seems they go right into the motor. If the vents were on the side it might help. If you are looking for one, its pretty good. If you have a larger dog, or more than one dog, I wouldnt get it because youll be filling it up 10 times a day. Im hoping they come out with a much larger one or a larger resevoir. AMAZING! Simply AMAZING! I CANNOT say enough good things about this product!!! On: 2009-06-12Let me jump to the MAIN points here instead of boring you with stories: THIS PRODUCT IS AMAZING! Gizmo (my cat) no longer begs at the faucet! True, it isnt as easy to clean as a bowl, but its not exactly hard either! I dont feel this product deserves as much crap as some of the reviewers have given it about it. It has an extra filter that stops debris from getting into the pump which keeps it from burning out, amazing! This thing holds A LOT of water. AT least a weeks worth for a cat. It does quietly hum, but the water noise really isnt a problem due to the built in ramp. ALSO - UNLIKE OTHER CAT FOUNTAINS, IF THE POWER GOES OUT, the cat can still get all the water. I have read reviews of other fountains where the water is kept in a resivior that the cat cannot get to in case of a power failure. Now if I can get Gizmo to keep his toys out of it.... IF YOU WANT A HAPPY CAT, GET THE DRINKWELL PLATINUM! Works just fine On: 2009-06-11I would have given this a five star rating but it is a little tricky to avoid getting a bit of water on the floor when refilling the reservoir but its really not bad at all if you have the good sense to put your hand under the nozzle as you pick up the reservoir. Id buy it again and recommend it to a friend. It died after 11 months On: 2009-06-11The fountain was OK while it still worked - although it was very difficult to clean. However, after 11 monthes its engine died, so the whole thing stopped working. By the time we got ourselves to sending it somewhere - the 12 months guarantee expired (and besides - they probably would have told us we didnt clean it often enough - which admittedly we did not) It was also very big and cumbersome. [...] 5 Paws UP! On: 2009-06-11I have 5 very different cats, ranging from very small to medium large. All are very different from very timid to very outgoing and brave. They all had one thing in common, they loved running water. I used to leave an ice cream bucket in the bathtub for them but when my bathtub kept getting stopped up and I was pulling cat hair out of the drain I knew I had to find something else. When a co-worker talked about how much her cat liked the water fountain I decided to get one. I did a lot of research on one, and this one seemed to be the best fit, best price and had good reviews. I did as the instructions stated, I left the old water bowl down for awhile, but it didnt take long before all of them were using the fountain, and I have to say I LOVE it! There is water for them for at least 3 days before I have to fill it. The water stays fresh and clean. I think when other reviewers complained about the noise, they werent keeping it filled or cleaning it regularly. You have to make sure it has enough water in it. The only noise I hear is when the cats are "slurping" from it. I always make sure there is water in the reserve or it will make noise and limit the life of the motor. If it is clean and filled it is very quiet and you can adjust the water flow, although not much. It seems to be either heavy or very little, not much in between but I leave it heavy because the cats like it. There is some splashing, so dont put this where water may spot or ruin flooring. Also it is a bit clumsy to pick up off the floor. No real way to grab it without spilling water, but the delight of my cats is worth the cleaning and other small problems it has. They love it, so I love it. The first one I ordered got lost and after a couple of emails, the company mailed me a replacement. Litterboy Pet products gave pretty good customer service and even though I had to deal with UPS, I did get the replacement within a month of losing the original order. Every cat owner knows show picky cats can be, but with 5 very contented cats I am so happy I purchased this. They all give it 5 paws up!! Very Good Fountain On: 2009-06-07My cat was constantly knocking over his water bowls no matter how heavy they were. I got this fountain and it has been great. My cat loves it and I no longer step in water on the floor. I was nervous about cleaning it after reading some of the reviews, however, it is relatively easy to clean. The noise level is minimal it just blends in to the background. I would absolutely recommend this product. A Rating Before it actually gets here :) On: 2009-06-06We have 2 brother cats, & 3 small dogs & they ALL love running water. I didnt see dogs mentioned in the reviews but am certain that its going to be a hit for the entire gang! Will update once we get it up & running! But I can tell you when I pour water into the dogs bowl they come running to lap it up while its pouring & the cats! They basically stand under running tap water & also gather it with their paws...too cute, so think this will be a grand addition ^..^ Cats enjoy it, drink frequently On: 2009-06-04The tranquil sound of gentle water flowing is the human benefit, while the cats love the motion and drink more frequently. Ive been using the Drinkwell Platinum Fountain for about 2 weeks since the kittens came home and they love it. Perfect fountain for particular felines On: 2009-06-01One of my two cats had a bad habit of pushing his water dish around and spilling water everywhere, including his food dish. I got the Drinkwell Platinum for the flowing water and because it is heavier (when filled with water) than some pet fountains. They love the running water, and it stays fresh much longer. I change it once a week and change the filter about every 2 to 3 weeks. Although you can adjust the force of the water flow, my male still gets his head wet almost every time he drinks from it, so my only complaint is that it could be designed to have the fountain to one side so that finicky cats could drink from the back without getting wet. Nice looking fountain but overpriced. On: 2009-05-29Was hoping my cats would flock to this but sadly they didnt. My youngest cat played for three minutes, drank once and that was that. Two days later I havent seen any of my cats actually drink from this yet. Now Im wondering if I shouldnt have just left the regular, easy to clean bowl down for them and saved myself the money and the time! As fountains go this looks nice, is easy to fill and is quiet. The running water sound is soothing. That being said this is just day two so Im not sure how much trouble this will be to keep clean or if it will get noisy after a while. For now its nice. However, if I dont notice my cats drinking more I may include a new filter and send this back! Bottom line is its plastic with a pump and a filter. Shouldnt cost more than half of what it does here on Amazon and 1/3rd what it costs in retail stores. I dont think its worth the money. No bang for lots of buck! Unbelievably quiet! On: 2009-05-28Ive owned a Drinkwell Original fountain for several years and got tired of continually fixing leaks at the motor-to-bowl o-ring joint. I was a bit surprised by the price difference between the Platinum and Original models but the Platinum model does come with its own high-capacity reservoir, which is a separately purchased item for the Original. But additionally, the Platinum model represents many other design improvements over the Original. For one, the pump and motor are submerged so there are no leakage paths outside the bowl. Most noticeably, the Platinum model is so quiet compared to the Original that you have to look at it just to ensure its running. In my opinion, the Platinum model is worth every penny more in price over the Original. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain WOW...GREAT ITEM On: 2009-05-27The fountain has a huge reservoir....with 2 cats and 2 dogs we were filling our previous "smaller" fountain once a day...now we go almost a week! I love it! motor is definately a problem On: 2009-05-26My son owns the original Drinkwell. I saw how much his cat enjoyed it and found the sound of falling water is restful. When I purchased mine I upgraded to the Platinum because of the larger water basin. Unfortunately, since this fountain does not mask the sound of the motor (or they are equipped with cheaper motors) the sound is very annoying. I am going to order an original drinkwell and hope the motor noise is not so loud. Drinkwell Platinum review On: 2009-05-25Cat loves flowing water. He drinks more often now. But the Drinkwell must be cleaned out at least once a week for it to operate smoothly and cleanly, especially if you plan on not using the carbon filter. Drinkwell Fountain On: 2009-05-25Took our 4 cats a few days to get used to it, but now they love drinking from the stream of water! High Maintenance On: 2009-05-24Having used the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain for a few months, Ive come to the conclusion that it has potential but the maintenance required outweighs its benefits. We have two cats that demand drinking fresh water. The good news is that our cats drink from the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain for three or four days whereas they wont drink from a regular water bowl more than half a day. The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain continuously recirculates the water to keep the water fresh longer and this generally works well. Unfortunately, its a pain in the keester to keep clean. As others have mentioned, the motor in the back of the unit tends to clog with cat hair and other impurities. The first time this happened, water ran over the side of the bowl. After about three days the bowl and reservoir become slimy and needs to be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water. This presents a challenge of its own because the bowl and reservoir hold approximately two refill buckets of water, water is nearly to the top of the bowl, and the soft plastic is prone to bending when lifted. This means the unit is heavy, awkward to carry, and nearly impossible to carry across a room without sloshing water on the floor. The first time I cleaned the unit, I made the mistake of lifting the unit by itself by grasping underneath the bowl in the front and reservoir in the rear. When I did this, the unit twisted and the reservoir popped off spilling water all over the floor. Weve since placed the unit on large metal grate and lift the grate instead of the pet fountain. This works significantly better, but I still manage to spill water carrying the thing across the kitchen. You also need to purchase some cleaning tools to clean the unit adequately, especially the small, deep recesses in the reservoir. We found a set of long-handled tools with round brushes on the end that allow us to get into those recesses adequately. Great product On: 2009-05-23Ive had the product for about 6 months now, and it works great! It does require routine cleaning, which isnt exactly convenient to take apart, clean, and re-fill, but it is worth it because it encourages the cats to drink plenty of fluids. This is especially important since one of my cats is prone to urinary blockages and has FLUTD. All 3 of my cats use this. The only other design flaw is that one of my cats can nudge the top lid off with his nose, which he frequently does. cheap useless junk On: 2009-05-21This thing does not filter the water, is impossible to get clean and probably releases toxins because there are no certifications regarding the plastics used not to mention that its made in China which has shipped toxin laden products all too often. Fountain spills over On: 2009-05-20This fountain does not maintain a water level, but spills over instead. Got it about 2 months ago and couldnt understand why my rug was always wet. The foutain, when the tank is refilled, and replaced, will drain until it gets to the right level. Then, a little later, it will drain again and overflow. Yes, I followed all the instructions and the pump is in place and attached properly. Have to put it on a rubber mat with deep ridges. . Less slimies, happy cats, happy human On: 2009-05-19Ive been using this fountain for about a month. Ive had problems with other fountains being slimy after two weeks; this one had no ickiness at all when I cleaned it. There was also almost no cat hair in it, and what there was, the plastic intake filter piece caught. (I have two cats, one long hair, so fur in the water has always been an issue.) True, theres some small spaces that are less easy to clean than on other fountain models, but a regular bottle brush and a small (longer handled) bottle brush reach everything with no problem - it took me ten minutes to clean it the first time, and it was not difficult to do. Some people have complained about water noise: the pump was really loud when I began to use it, and I wasnt sure if I could stand to keep the fountain, but after a couple of days it gradually quieted itself until its a low hum, and is comparable to other fountains Ive tried (and Ive used several, in trying to find one that *both* me and my cats like). Some of the pump noise seems to be from vibration through the plastic, so it also helps dampen pump noise to place the fountain on a hand towel or similar. Water noise (like a running tap) can be controlled by adjusting the pump flow speed; using a filter also really reduces water noise. On mine, turning it up to medium flow (with filter in) prevents all water-falling noise. Or if I want to hear the water, for ambience, I either turn the flow down to minimal or place something small in the spout opening, to disturb the flow. Overall, Im thrilled with this fountain, and highly recommend it. Better Than a Water Bowl On: 2009-05-18Easy to set up. Easy to disassemble for cleaning. Easy to refill. Easy to clean. Two of our three cats readily use the product. A third seems frightened by it even after a month. So its not a panacea but thats no fault of the products. Runs very quietly. Feline Favorite On: 2009-05-11I bought this fountain in order to avoid the cleaning and refilling every day of two other water bowls. Also because cats have a fondness for running water, I figured they might drink more.I also have a diabetic tomcat who really needs to drink a lot of water and he was the first to go to the fountain. A couple of others were a little skittish but now thay all love it and wont even give a regular water bowl a second look.I have to make sure it doesnt run dry and also clean it once a week but I am VERY happy with this purchase and so are my furry family members! not worth the bucks On: 2009-05-07I bought this for my five small dogs, so I would not have to keep filling water bowls all the time.The problem is it gets dirty right away, & if you keep it filled, you have to dump a gallon or more of water to clean it. Also, when you go to refill the bowl, wayer goes all over the place, & while it was running, my unit would spash water on the floor. I finaly just unpluged it & used it as a regular water bowl until I got a real stainless larger one. I think I can find a lot of better uses for the $60 I spent for this thing. Drinkwell and Cats in the Wild On: 2009-05-05When my cat was a kitten, he started knocking the water dish around and making a mess. I started putting out larger and larger, heavier bowls and pans that would be harder to move. He moved them and sloshed water no matter what I did. I asked my vet, and he told me that cats in the wild WILL NOT drink from still water, and that this is a residual behavior. This is also why some cats like to drink from a dripping fountain. It makes sense. He recommended getting a pet fountain. Ive had the same Drinkwell fountain since September 2005, and it has been running constantly, except when I clean it every month or so. Ive had no problems with water sloshing since I got it. Okay, the flow control knob broke, but it still fits into its slot and does its job. The charcoal filters catch cat hair and the stray piece of cat litter that slips in. Very quiet, and my cat loves it On: 2009-05-03I noticed a lot of reviews complaining about the noise level for this product. These reviewers must have received defective units, because my Drinkwell fountain is dead silent. The only noise it makes is a gentle splashing sound when its turned up to the top setting. To be fair, it also made a little noise the first time I turned it on as it pulled water from the reservoir into the basin. The sound my cat makes lapping up the water is louder than the motor noise and splashing combined. If youre worried about the negative reviews for a loud noise, rest assured that this has never happened to me and probably only happens with a defective unit (in which case you ought to be able to get an exchange). The water supply lasts about 8 days for my cat. Definitely recommended -- your cat will love this! My cat loves this! On: 2009-05-03My cat is diabetic and loves her water. With this fountain she gets fresh water all the time and she loves the waterfall effect. The unit is easy to set up and maintain. I clean it thoroughly once a week and replenish the water as needed. I think most pets would enjoy this. She loves it, let me you how much... On: 2009-04-30This is the BEST purchase I have ever made for my babies! Hands down! Weve owned it since Nov 2008. My little one loves it so much that when the water reservoir gets low she stands behind it, and stays put until we refill it. She just stares at us, shifting her weight, looking at it and looking back at us. We refill it and she watches the entire process mesmerized. The water gurgles and she stares and stares and then she licks the water drops from the reservoir. Adorable. I have seen her approach the Drinkwell from the back and half-stand over it like a lion over a tall rock. I have seen her drape herself from the back of the Drinkwell while she gently slaps the water stream, her long arm stretched over just playing with it. Then she licks her paws. Ive seen her bring her toys to the pool of water and drop them in and pull them out to play with them wet (like a long play rope, or a fluffy ball). Weve seen her lapping up water primarily from the pour, not the pool. Weve seen the way she drinks from it and you can see the joy on her face. On a cute note: We tried incorporating the grass seeds pod - thinking to how she doesnt really care for drinking from the pool. However after about 2 weeks the grass roots were getting longer and we dont think she cared for this new addition at.all! She proceeded to bring ALL her toys (I mean pretty much every toy she could carry) and dump them in the water. And she would leave them there! She must have thought we were trashing her pool, and she was mad because she stopped drinking from it. She started going to the tub to get her drink on after every shower. We removed the grass pod and now everything is back to normal. She still loves it. We love it. Its easy to clean. A good brushing over super-hot water cleans it brilliantly. Barely any need for soap. Its quiet - as long as it has enough water! Filters have been easy to find too. Buy it for your baby, they will love it and so will you! She loves it, let me tell you how much... On: 2009-04-30This is the BEST purchase I have ever made for my babies! Hands down! Weve owned it since Nov 2008. My little one loves it so much that when the water reservoir gets low she stands behind it, and stays put until we refill it. She just stares at us, shifting her weight, looking at it and looking back at us. We refill it and she watches the entire process mesmerized. The water gurgles and she stares and stares and then she licks the water drops from the reservoir. Adorable. I have seen her approach the Drinkwell from the back and half-stand over it like a lion over a tall rock. I have seen her drape herself from the back of the Drinkwell while she gently slaps the water stream, her long arm stretched over just playing with it. Then she licks her paws. Ive seen her bring her toys to the pool of water and drop them in and pull them out to play with them wet (like a long play rope, or a fluffy ball). Weve seen her lapping up water primarily from the pour, not the pool. Weve seen the way she drinks from it and you can see the joy on her face. On a cute note: We tried incorporating the grass seeds pod - thinking to how she doesnt really care for drinking from the pool. However after about 2 weeks the grass roots were getting longer and we dont think she cared for this new addition at.all! She proceeded to bring ALL her toys (I mean pretty much every toy she could carry) and dump them in the water. And she would leave them there! She must have thought we were trashing her pool, and she was mad because she stopped drinking from it. She started going to the tub to get her drink on after every shower. We removed the grass pod and now everything is back to normal. She still loves it. We love it. Its easy to clean. A good brushing over super-hot water cleans it brilliantly. Barely any need for soap. Its quiet - as long as it has enough water! Filters have been easy to find too. Buy it for your baby, they will love it and so will you! Great price on a quality product On: 2009-04-28Our cats love the fountain! At first they were unsure of it - especially when it gurgled while water moved from the resevior into the pump while they drank out of it. We have filtered water at our tap so we dont need or use the charcoal filter pack. Drinkwell Fountain - GREAT On: 2009-04-28My cat used to constantly sit in the bathroom sink waiting for someone to run water for him - drove us all crazy! We got this Drinkwell fountain and problem was solved! VERY happy! He loves it - we love it - no more sink sitting. Trickling water sound doesnt bother any of us at all - no motor sound from our machine (very low - not noticeable.) Awesome design On: 2009-04-26Im really impressed by how well this works, and how easy it is to disassemble and clean. Really the only downside is that you will have to clean it fairly frequently to get rid of ishy hair and slime buildups, but the same is true for a plain old water bowl. Some people have commented about the noise- there is a faint hum from the motor and a little bit of burbling, but its not unpleasant and practically inaudible compared to the refrigerator, washing machine, and air conditioner in the same room. If you are really averse to noise, you could probably put it on a timer and only have it run every so often or just not at night, and it will still function just fine as a water bowl. Skip the original and go for the Platinum. On: 2009-04-21I recently replaced our original Drinkwell after five years of use. The filter had finally given up the ghost and many of the plastic edges of various parts had become brittle and cracked off, causing leakage. I debated whether or not to spend the extra money on the Platinum model or just buy the original again, seeing as how I already have a reservoir and several filters. I went with the Platinum, though, and it was worth the money. Drinkwell has taken into account the design flaws of their original model, making the filter of the Platinum easier to access and inserting another filtration screen to the intake to prevent large gunk from clogging it. Theyve also upped the capacity so an add-on reservoir is unnecessary and as a result the unit takes up less space and is more streamlined. The old filters appear to fit the Platinum model, as well, though I am unsure whether or not this was intentional (probably not). Ive never thought the fountain was noisy, but the Platinum is downright silent. Most importantly, my cats still love it. So go with the Platinum model. You wont regret it! (Also its way cheaper on Amazon than in the pet store!) Oh and Petmate fountains? Pfft. Not even a contest. Dog didn't really care for it, then it broke On: 2009-04-20I purchased this for my yellow lab who prefers drinking running water (from water fountains, hoses, etc) to still water. For whatever reason, he didnt seem too interested in drinking out of it. In a side-by-side test, he preferred drinking out of his regular water bowl. No way for me to test it, but it could have been the noise of the unit. At the higher flow settings, the fountain is quite noisy, and even at lower settings, its certainly audible. Eventually after about 2 months, the fountain just stopped working. Because it wasnt doing me much good anyway, I decided not to bother fixing the item. Could be this works well for cats (and some dogs), but Id be cautious of the noise and durability issues. Awesome On: 2009-04-19I was a little hesitant to buy this because it seemed a little more for cats than dogs but I read the reveiws and decided to do it! I am glad I did because my little dog loves it! My larger dog that prefers to use the toilet whenever possible, uses it sometimes but he will come around! This is an excellent product for the money! It is quiet and you can set how you would like the fountain to be (large stream or a small trickle). If you are thinking of buying one I reccomend this! What will they think of next? On: 2009-04-15I have 2 cats. One is a few years old and then I have the "new" baby of the family. Shes 7 months old and likes to turn over water bowls or play in the water with her paw. I did a lot of research before buying the Drinkwell Platinum and it paid off because it was a very good purchase for me and my kitties. Its very easy to set up and get going - - - just make sure you DO read the instruction book which is very helpful and shows pictures of the product, step-by-step. I would say it takes around a gallon of water to completely fill up, including the reservoir. I use store-bought drinking/distilled water rather than our city water. Its very quiet and the stream is adjustable. Its also easy to break down and clean - - - which I recommend doing this once a week or so. I do use the cleaning kit that is also sold on Amazon. The brushes are the perfect size. Another cool feature is that it has a connector between the plug-in and the base, so if you have to plug it in at an outlet that is hard to reach, you can just unplug the connector and take the fountain to the sink to clean. My kitten loves it! She loves drinking from the stream of water and my older cat just drinks from the base. Unless you have one of those cats thats scared of everything, your cat should enjoy it too. I think it encourages cats to drink more, which definitely is a benefit to their health. The clear plastic reservoir on the back allows you to actually realize how much your cat is drinking. I would also like to note that I have also tried another type of drinking fountain that was dome-shaped (another brand). It wasnt nearly as easy to set up and use and clean as the Drinkwell. Quiet and clean On: 2009-04-12We bought this for our dog that needs to drink more water for health reasons. She definitely seems to think that the water is less stagnant than a normal bowl and drinks from it often. Its very quiet, too! It does tend to splatter a bit so make sure to protect your floor if necessary. To much cleaning On: 2009-04-10We have three cats, and this thing gets slimy in less than a week. And forget about putting that cat grass in it. The roots take over the bottom and the slime gets worse. Not a good product if you are not home most days and nobody else wants to take it apart and clean it. It's difficult to clean and in a 6 month, side by side comparison, my cats prefer a simple bowl. On: 2009-04-07This product "made sense" to me and I bought it. I gave it one star based on what my two cats "told" me. I put their regular bowl of water next to this product and to this day (6 months later) they prefer the bowl. My bold cat will lick the stream occassionally and my shy one is still a little afraid of it. I also gave it one star because my water comes from a well and it is not treated with chlorine (like city water) therefore, there is a "scum" that builds up over a few days. Which brings me to my third complaint with this product .. its very difficult and time consuming to clean .. lots of tight corners and deep pockets .. I have to soak it in bleach to feel comfortable its clean. I will stop using it and stay with the good old fashioned bowl, which my cats like better anyway. SO .. if anybody is interested in a used Drinkwell .. I have one for sale. love it On: 2009-04-06I bought this fountain because every time I wanted to brush my teeth I coulnt get to the sink for my cat trying to get a drink. Since I recieved the fountain I dont have to race him to the sink any more. The fountain is quiet and does everything it is suppose to. My cats love it. Drinkwell platinum is pretty good On: 2009-04-06I bought this unit based on reviews, and the unit itself is stable, however I wish the low flow was a slower stream, and when you put the resevoir on it does leak, no way to tip fast enough. I was also under the impression that the unit filled from the resevoir however I have had to fill at the bowl to keep the unit to the right level. My cats are using it, however they still prefer the toilets. (I adopted abandoned kittens that were left in a house for a long, long time). Maybe with time, cleaning took 40 minutes should be quicker once I get use to it. All in all a good unit. Heather Awesome On: 2009-04-05We have 8 cats and 1 large dog. It is the great water well. They love it! And so do I! Kitty LOVES it! On: 2009-04-03His Majesty is well pleased. And that says a lot. Its an early 21st birthday present for Menue and he has been all lovey-dovey since I first washed, assembled and filled it with filtered water. I previously tried the Petmate fountain which he would drink out occasionally. But the Drinkwell Platinum appears to have replaced the drinking from the faucet in the tub ritual, well almost. After the 2nd or 3rd day I couldnt figure out what the heck he was bugging me for. Turns out that while he prefers the Drinkwell to the tub he was not willing to give up entirely on the "get the kitty a drink" ritual that went with it. I had to pet him while he drank from the fountain, but only occasionally. Technically the problem with the Petmate is their odd decision to trickle the water down a ramp. If you are trying to replace kitty drinking form the faucet get the Drinkwell with its falling water. Additionally the Petmate was just barely acceptable to Master at full throttle. The Drinkwell Platinum satisfies him at its lowest (and quietest) setting. Its well worth the price difference. My cats LOVE this fountain! No more sink drinks! On: 2009-04-02After reading many reviews on this site, I opted for the Drinkwell for my six cats. I know I sound crazy but really, six just doesnt seem like too many in our house. There were three AVID sink drinkers and it was quite annoying that you couldnt brush your teeth or do dishes without a cat jumping in front of you. The drinkwell arrived very well packaged. It was easy to put together and it hasnt been too bad to clean....I mean what fun is cleaning,really? The supply lasts us 2-3 days with our large group. Weve added ice cubes to make it extra refreshing and they seem to like that. The only reason why I didnt give it a 5 is that there is some pump noise and the sound of the water hitting the slope. It took me awhile to realize I didnt have to keep looking for a sink running. Overall, we are very happy with and our cats say its purr-fect! Works well! On: 2009-04-01I only have to refill this every week or so. My cat loves it, drinks TONS of water (pees a lot but its healthy for him). I really recommend this for anyone who doesnt like having to remember to fill water all the time or who likes to spoil their pet. The parts arent locked together well when its going so my cat occaisionally tries to knock the back reservoir out of its place. Which is noisy, but thats just because my cat is annoying. He also would tear the top cover off and drinks out of the filter compartment, so I just removed it. Not the end of the world, but if they made it a little better he wouldnt be able to remove it. Remember to use the filters otherwise like anything it will get mold. Also, you need to clean it out every couple of weeks and change the filter. Doesnt take a lot of work - just throw everything but the motor into the dish washer and then let the motor dry out and then rinse any mold out of it (a lot of hair etc get stuck and it comes out much easier if you let it dry out first). Excellent Fountains On: 2009-03-30Simple to setup, easy to clean. Even though its already a pretty large resevoir, I kinda wish it was bigger. Runs fairly quietly and the cats, once they got used to it, love it! Your cat will love it! On: 2009-03-27I got this water fountain for my cat back in November 2008. Its been working well since Ive gotten it. Before I got the fountain my cat would dip his paw in the water bowl and splash the water all over the floor. Id have to refill it every time. He still does it from time to time with the water fountain but it certainly isnt as messy (it helps to have a mat under the fountain). My only complaint is that it is a little hard to clean but if you get the brushes...even a baby bottle brush, it helps with the cleaning. Definately worth getting. Keeps my cat out of the kitchen sink! On: 2009-03-27My cat loves to drink straight from the sink. This was fine in the bathroom sink, but became a problem when she started to climb in our kitchen sink. I looked at the Drinkwell Plantium Fountain because the water flows out, similar to the faucet, thus creating something that would satisify my cats need to drink from the faucet. I am happy to say it works and she loves the fountain and no longers runs in to the sink and takes glances from me to the faucet hoping that Ill turn the water on for her to get a drink. I highly recommend this prodcut if you cat loves to drink from the faucet! Much quieter than the original! On: 2009-03-24This is the third fountain I have had for my cats. The first one was the original Drinkwell and we all loved it. Unfortunately my friends that were pet sitting let it run dry and the motor burned out. The next one I got was a Petmate Fresh Flow. The motor was so loud that my cat didnt even want to use it! So now we have the Drinkwell Platinum and are thrilled!! It is even quieter than the original Drinkwell! I also think the screen before the motor is a great addition. Most cats will like it - in time On: 2009-03-23Excellent product. Most of our cats like it (we have three) but one wouldnt have anything to do with it for several weeks. Perhaps she thought it was too big and intimidating. The only negative point is that the electrical cord it too short. Our old fountain, a Petmate, has a cord a full 16 inches longer. great cat fountain On: 2009-03-22I have 5 cats and a small dog using this fountain. It was really fun watching them trying to figure it out the first couple of days. Theyd go to drink from the well and get water on their heads and run away, but now a couple of them just drink straight from the running water. Im having to fill it every few days, but I know they are getting fresh cool water all of the time. I plan on buying another one for upstairs in my house since they spend about half their time up there and then I wont have to fill the other one so often. my cats love it On: 2009-03-14The reviews that give the unit the lowest grade tend to complain about noise. I agree that the unit is too noisy. Id be willing to pay more for a silent or near-silent motor. Fortunately, the noise doesnt both my cats. They have stopped begging me to turn on the faucet in the bathroom so that they can drink from it. I got the unit so that they could have 24/7 access to water that they will drink, and that mission was accomplished. Great Capacity but Noisy On: 2009-03-14Ive had a Petmate FreshFlow in the past which didnt work out very well because the pump died several times and my cat figured out how to flip open the top and drag the wet filter all over the house. The Drinkwell fountain keeps the filter far enough away from the water that my cat isnt tempted to rip it open or if she is tempted she hasnt figured out how to open this ones lid. The capacity is incredible! I dont have to worry about it running out and damaging the pump while away on vacation. My only complaint is the noise level. I never heard the Petmate pump unless it was clogged or out of water. I hear the Drinkwell pump all the time and its loud enough to keep you awake at night. I just hope the pump doesnt die out on me. Drinkwell Platinum Is A Lifesaver ... Literally! On: 2009-03-14My picky cat loves this fountain and is finally drinking enough water on his own. Before getting this fountain, I rarely saw him drinking water. We tried glass, ceramic, plastic, and stainless steel bowls, scattered around the house. All to no avail. My cat ended up with bladder problems and having to be given sub-q fluids. I was thinking I was going to lose him if I couldnt get him to start taking in more water on his own (hed rather starve than eat canned food, so this was just further complicating things.) This fountain did the trick! He loves to sit and drink from it, right where the water comes out at the top, and his bladder is on the mend after a month of struggles. We have another cat, that isnt picky like our first, and he loves this fountain too so we are very pleased. I was worried about the motor noise, but it is really quiet. I have it running in my bedroom and it doesnt bother me a bit. I find it easy to refill. Havent cleaned it yet, so I cant comment on that, but considering that I believe it has saved the life of my one cat, I will gladly clean it without complaint, motor and all. Even if your cat is drinking enough water, I would still recommend this product just for the fun factor of it. I get a laugh out of watching my boys enjoying themselves. They not only drink from it, but play with the water too, as its falling. GREAT product! Love it! On: 2009-03-12I have five cats, all with their own quirks when it comes to water. Cleo, who is very neurotic and is afraid of everything (and I swear, sees dead people!) only drank out of a specific bowl; Melvin is easy, he will drink out of any bowl and has no interest in faucets or toilets; Autumn, (Cute as a)Button and Fizzgig are obsessed with drinking out of any running faucet with Button driving me insane with her "toilet surfing." While the solution to the toilet mess was easily solved by closing the lid, the faucet obsession was not...until I got the Drinkwell. ALL of my "babies" love it! Even Cleo, that only drank out of a specific bowl, now frequents the Drinkwell. The set-up was very easy (except for keeping a couple very curious cats out of it! LOL) and so far I have not had any problems with it. While the motor is very quiet, the flowing water does make a trickling sound (but I like that). I would NOT recommend this for anyone that does not want to keep up with the frequent water changes and cleaning of it. I use the filtered water from my frig however, I change the water in the fountain twice a week as it develops a bit of foam and a slimy feel to the bowl. I think that may be from having 5 cats using it, so it gets a lot of saliva in it. I actually wash it and rinse the filter every week. Although it says it is dishwasher safe (which was part of the reason I bought it), I still wash it by hand. With the way the sections are designed, I cannot figure out how to position it in the dishwasher so that it gets thoroughly cleaned without water pooling one area or another. For me, this product is a godsend. The cats LOVE it! I can now turn on a faucet without a mini stampede of cats all vying for a drink!! I do think it is a health benefit for the cats as they ALL drink more frequently. Plus, its really fun watching them as they get in all sorts of positions to drink from the fountain. :) Perfect!!! On: 2009-03-06I cant say enough about this product. After reading the reviews I ordered one for myself. I have two active young cats who "require" that I turn on faucets for a tiny stream of water. I put this together in seconds, very easy. I know some people were complaining that the water jug would inevitably spill when you place it in the system, but I think they were having problems being coordinated. I never have a single spill when I place the water container in the system. Whoever said it was loud needs to add more water. The only time it starts to get loud is if you dont have much water left in the bowl. I only have to fill it every couple weeks. I love it, and whats more, MY KITTIES LOVE IT. I would recommend this to anyone that has kitties who love to drink from faucets!! If You Are Going to Drink Then Do It Well On: 2009-03-06Nice well made fountain, seems very solid although Ive only had it a month. Prior I had the Petmate, first the BIG one and then the smaller version. Both were fine, seemed to use the same size pump but of course the biggin held more water but was big. Being I had them for my two cats the big one was just a bit larger. The Petmate was a fine unit, had it for a couple of years and the only issue (besides cleaning) was the pump at times needed a bit of a "whack" to get it running. The other issue was sometimes the filter system caused it to leak a bit. It was a quiet unit, honest, it was a bit more quiet than the Drinkwell system. However, the Drinkwell is not really a loud system but it does make a bit more noise, dont bother me as its in the kitchen and the difference is minimal. That said, while the BIG Petmate holds plenty of water its big and really more designed for a dog. The Drinkwell has free falling water while the Petmate runs it down a ramp, both do the one thing "some" cats prefer, keep the water oxygenated and fresher tasting. I have two cats, one "loves" his electric water bowl and goes nuts should it be turned off, the other is unimpressed. However, having had a cat that had suffered from a urinary tract problems "probably" caused by not enough water its worth the money. Of the two, even at the extra $13 or so I would go with the Drinkwell Platinum, as it holds lots of water, takes up little space, has an extra filter just outside the pump for bigger crud and while a bit louder that is really a non-issue for use in the kitchen. Again, my one cat "loves" this thing, and making sure it has plenty of water is easier than the Petmate and it holds more water too, plus to refill the extra water compartment is a breeze. About once a week (I did this with the Petmate too) I put it in the top rack of the dishwasher and take it out before the drying cycle, works well. Sure it costs $50 and that is not super cheap but if it lasts anywhere close to my faithful but now replaced Petmate its a good deal. Yes the water sort of splashes, but there is actually something to break-up that sound the noise is more the hum of the pump which can be adjusted to minimum. Again, the Petmate IS quieter, but I prefer (so far) the Drinkwell, seems a better design. Excellent item - cat loves it On: 2009-03-06Our new kitten was refusing to drink from his bowl and only wanted to drink from the toilet. As we would not let him drink from the toilet we purchased this item in hopes of luring him away from the toilet. It took him an hour or two to get used to it but once he did he loves it. Cat response: took a little bit but loves it now Noise: I have found the item to be VERY quiet. It was making a slight hum but shifting it a bit fixed that. Quiet, clean water fountain for picky pets On: 2009-03-04My cat, after a bout with intestinal disruption, refuses to drink anything but flowing water. So Ive tried a lot of variants of fountain (including making them myself). This fountain is easy to clean, the filters are solid, and the water actually drops through the air, rather than sliding down a slope as on other fountains (which is unacceptable to the cat). Two annoyances that others have complained about -- the top flips off a little too easily, and the curved top of the water reservoir forces one to have to hold the reservoir as it is filled -- are mere annoyances. (And I get the reservoir to stand on its own by curving a wet washrag around the base.) The 4 stars (not 5) are because Ive only had the fountain a month. I have yet to find out if it will last longer than 6 months (the longest Ive had any fountain work so far) -- in which case, its an expensive alternative. 4 Paws Up! On: 2009-03-02Well designed product. Sturdy construction, easy to clean and maintain. Cats enjoy drinking from the water stream and the bowl. I wish the motor was a bit quieter (so only 4 stars), although the cats dont seem to mind. Its comforting to know my cats have clean filtered water available for them throughout the day. Cats love it and it is easy to clean On: 2009-03-01I have had two of these fountains for a few years now and just purchased another for a friend. All four of my cats love the fresh water and I only have to clean the fountains every two weeks. The fountain is very easy to take apart and clean. The fountain may seem expensive at first but it is worth it. My only complaint is that I couldnt find any information on replacement parts. I dropped and cracked the water tank but was able to use some plumbers putty for repair to keep it air tight. I would like to buy a new one without having to buy the whole fountain. From all the other fountains Ive researched, this still seems to be the best quality. Its quiet and does not make a mess (but just to be safe I put it on a placemat to catch any dribbles). I find it is easier to keep free of cat hair if you take it off the floor and put it on top of a countertop or a short file cabinet, etc. Excellent Pet Drinking Fountain On: 2009-02-28Our family purchased this from Amazon several months ago, and it is much better than the PetMate Drinking Fountain. The pump comes apart for easy cleaning, it holds a lot more water, it stays clean/functioning longer, and it attracts our cats more. The gate in front of the pump is a big help in preventing the pump from becoming clogged. The fountain is designed so that the pumps cord can be threaded through the fountain without crimping the cord, and the cord comes apart so you dont have to drag the cord/plug to the sink when you clean it. We loved our PetMate fountain, but we love this one a whole lot more, and so do our 8 cats. Operation: Excellent! Maintenance: Terrible! On: 2009-02-24First, I think that this is the best pet fountain on the market. My previous pet fountain was a terrible Petmate fountain that I dont even see sold here anymore. It was loud and very poorly put together. The Drinkwell Platinum is extremely quiet, has a large enough reservoir to last 1 cat about 1 week, and is really a very attractive fountain in the eyes of cats. As other reviewers have said, my cat is fascinated by it and loves to play with the water almost as much as she loves to drink from it. That being said, the only reason Im not giving it 5 stars is because it is such a pain to clean. Ive had the fountain for over a year now and I am still finding tiny nooks where disgusting grime can hide. When I clean the fountain I have an array of makeshift tools I use to make sure Im not leaving my cat with a health hazard. I have half a dozen q-tips, some pipe cleaners, a sponge with dish soap, and some paper towels. Here is a partial list of where disgusting goo will build up if you are not careful to clean diligently: the rear inside compartment of the pump, the front inside compartment of the pump, the area where the rotor turns, the inside of the flow control arm, the tiny dimples where the water falls (why are they there?), between the grates of the hair catcher (a q-tip will not fit here), the long tube in the filter compartment that plugs into the pump, the tiny inside corners of the pump mount, the edges inside the water reservoir (pipe cleaners are for this and the long tube), the moving part of the reservoir cap, the guides along which the filter is inserted, and the hollow underside of the filter compartment. I am sure I will discover more next week! As excellent as this fountain is when clean and in proper working order, I do not think I would buy it again. I think that Drinkwell could have simplified the design of some parts of the fountain a little more to make it easier to maintain. The cats love it. On: 2009-02-21This item works very well but if you dont like the sound of gurgling water this one might not be the one for you. It has a very large reservoir so it doesnt have to be refilled very often. Much better than the old, noisy one! On: 2009-02-21I dont mind that the reservoir is oblong shape & doesnt stand up on its own when I fill it w/ water b/c this water fountain is the best on the market today. Would recommend to anyone & "Debnroo" is a great seller you can count on w/ fast shipping, cheap prices & reliability! Happy with the fountain On: 2009-02-21I purchased the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain through Amazon.com due to a significantly cheaper price than at our big chain pet stores. ($15.00 cheaper!) I am very happy with the product - cats drink from it with no problems. Why did I rate it a 4? A lot of what I read about it totes that its quieter than the other models out there. I didnt feel that was true. Also - the little gate that blocks the motor from the hair & debris that can get into the motor - not that great of a blocker, Im afraid. I think the "gate blocker" on the older model from the same company works better. However, not that looks are the final say - but I really like the look of this newer model. We can't live without it! On: 2009-02-18I bought one of these for my two Himalayan cats last summer. Ive been SO pleased because they drink at least 3-4 times as much water as they did out of a bowl. Being males and possibly prone to UTIs I feel much better about their water intake, especially since they are dry kibble addicts. Last week I made the mistake of putting the housing parts into the dishwasher, but dummy that I am put them on the bottom rack. It came out warped and I was just sick because I didnt want my cats to go without it for even a day. Ordered another from Amazon late on Monday and chose one day shipping which got it here on Wednesday. We are happy to have the sound of water flowing again.....and that is all you hear with this model - no humming irritating motor noise like another brand I tried first. Very quiet and very dependable. I might drink out of it myself. On: 2009-02-15Over the years, Ive seen ads for this and similar products in passing - and always thought, "ah, an over-priced and unnecessary gimmick. A pet fountain? Come on!" Well, last week I was standing in my kitchen, thinking about nothing in particular, and saw my cat Max take a few tentative licks out of his waterbowl, and than walk away. I meandered over to the water bowl and peered inside. I saw a few hairs floating in the water, a swollen piece of kibble on the bottom of the bowl, and something bobbing near the rim that may or may not have been recently alive - and this, even though I clean the bowl a few times a week, love my pets dearly, and would do anything for them -- except, apparently, provide them a good drinking source. After that wake-up call, I did some research, quickly ordered a Drinkwell Platinum, and scrubbed Maxs bowl twice a day until it arrived. And once it did . . .? Wow. I didnt realize cats drank so much (I have two, Julius being the second). They each visit the bowl at least three or four times a day (that I see), and they drink for a minute or two at a time - alternating between the falling stream and the pool. They seem to like this gadget a whole lot, and as for me, Im no longer ashamed of the water bowl I provide for my pets. Im actually boasting about it, as you can see. As far as the few people who have problems with the noise, well, its the quietest device in my entire kitchen (a slight hum), it hasnt leaked at all, and the cleaning only takes a few minutes. Really, I dont understand the people who complain that it needs to be cleaned - jeez, of course it needs to be cleaned! A few minutes a week is far less than I spend on other projects that provide no payoff at all - and this one certainly does. I love this product, and so do Max and Julius. Now I think Ill go have a drink. Does what it says. On: 2009-02-15I have seven cats and worried about the water bowl staying clean. With the drinkwell fountain I dont anymore. The cats took to it fast (some slower, and some played at first). I kept checking for slime buildup and didnt find any in the 4 weeks before my first cleaning. Carbon filter can go almost 6 weeks because the cats dont drool very much. I also use bottled water as we have hard water here. Cleaning was a snap with the special brushes. I advise getting them. I was having trouble with my cats throwing up their food and hair balls. I searched the web and found out that by raising their food bowls up so they dont have to bend down so much and the fountains ability for them to drink right from the higher falling water has solved that problem. I am amazed and my carpets are happy too, ha. I believe my cats are drinking more also. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain Does the Job On: 2009-02-12I have three cats, one with uninary tract disease. All cats drink more water now which helps keep them healthy. They love the fountain. The only downside on the fountain is that it gets a little messy changing and refilling the water. Helps if you follow these tips ... On: 2009-02-10I completely love the Drinkwell Platinum. The cats took to it immediately, and the consistent hydration is wonderful for them. The fountain is especially wonderful for when Im away from home for a day or two. A couple of tips: 1. Cleaning it by hand is a pain. If you dont have a dishwasher, you may want to look for an alternative. If you do have a dishwasher, note that the disassembled pieces are large and somewhat tricky to fit into the dishwasher due to their irregular shapes. I have to remove the dishwashers cutlery basket to get all the Drinkwell pieces in, and once theyre in, theres not much space left for anything else. 2. Keep a close eye on the prefilter. Ive noticed that it can cause the water to overflow the bowl if it gets clogged with cat hair. Check it regularly to keep this from happening. 3. I have my Drinkwell on a hardwood floor. To deal with splashes (one of my cats likes to dip her paw into the bowl and lick the water off), I bought a large, plain aluminum sheet pan and put some self-adhesive plastic bumpers on the bottom to keep it from sliding, then set the Drinkwell in the sheet pan on the floor. This protects the hardwood and makes it easier for me to pick up the Drinkwell to disassemble it for washing - I just pick up the sheet pan. 4. Dont forget to pull the flow control lever off the pump to clean any cat hair out of the pump. If you dont do this, the pump gets clogged and doesnt work as well. I love knowing that the cats always have plenty of fresh water to drink! this is great! On: 2009-02-04This fountain is great. Better than our old fountain, its easier to clean, has a more powerful pump and stays cleaner longer. Debris stays in the bowl near the pre-filter so filter stays clean. My cats love the water spout and drink more with this fountain. Of course they play a little,too. Worth every penny!! Pet Fountain makes happy cats On: 2009-02-04I bought the Pet Fountain to replace a well used previous Drinkwell fountain. The previous one was more than 8 years old, and eventually the plastic started to break down from sun exposure thru the window (even though it was still working!) Based on performance of my previous fountain, I expect this one to last many years. I also found the Bio-Bag Medium filter cartridges (look in the aquarium section of your pet store) fit the fountain and are cheaper than the original filters. Three Cheers from Three Cats On: 2009-02-02The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is a huge success at my house, the delight of my three adult cats. The two males used to hang out on the bathroom counter, waiting to catch the stream from the faucet. But since we set up the Fountain, all three are happily hydrated and quite quenched! We "two-leggeds" are just as pleased with the performance of the Fountain! It runs very quietly, is easy to clean, and the reservoir holds enough water to keep three adult cats happy for several days. The water is continuously recycled through the filter. Refilling the reservoir - or topping it off as weve been doing - is not at all difficult. Disassembling for cleaning and reassembling afterwards are quite straight-forward and easily accomplished. The pre-filter traps a good deal of fur that has fallen into the drinking bowl. The main filter/pump is an aquarium pump that is taken apart for cleaning. I highly recommend this product especially for pets who enjoy drinking from a running stream of water Perfect for cats - Fair amount of work to clean On: 2009-02-02This is a dream come true for my cats - Perfect in every way, clean, silent, wonderful. However if you are going to get one, it needs to be cleaned every 7 days, filter changed every 2 to 3 weeks, and to clean it properly, it takes some time. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain Reservoir leak On: 2009-02-02The reservoir leaked upon initial setup of the fountain. Drinkwell said they had re-designed the reservoir and sent a new one. They said that Amazon must have had old stock since current units made by Drinkwell use the re-designed reservoir. Not so good with time... On: 2009-02-01I have had this product for over a year now, and it has caused me so many problems. The first months were great, but the cleaning process is tedious work and takes much effort. After about 8 months, there was a giant pool of water around the fountain. I kept using a towel underneath it, but it would mold easily. I am still using this product, but only because if I use anything smaller, my cat will pour out the water by picking at the bottom and tipping it. Keeps the cat out of the toilet On: 2009-01-31I bought the pet fountain for my cat, who loves to play in running water. She also loves fresh, cold water, and would beg for a refill of her (full) water bowl, even when it had been filled only minutes before! She would also get into the toilet, drink and splash around. Needless to say, that was really unacceptable. I finally broke down and spent the money on the fountain, even though my husband and friends all laughed at me and called me the crazy cat woman. Well, the fountain has COMPLETELY solved the problem. The cat has not gotten into the toilet a single time since we introduced the fountain, and she does not beg for fresh water. I have had it about 2 years now, and I love it. It keeps the water fresh and running, and now when my cat gets in my lap with wet paws, I dont have to wonder whether I need to take a shower. About a year ago, we got a dog and he also drinks from the fountain. I dont think he really cares either way, though, because we keep a water bowl downstairs for him, and he happily drinks from either. To keep it clean, I dismantle and put in the dishwasher every 3 months or so. Its pretty easy. Just be careful if your dishwasher is really hot. One of the plastic pieces melted and warped a little bit in my dishwasher, but luckily it still works OK. CATS LIKE IT On: 2009-01-31I have 2 cats. At first they were afraid of it but now they enjoy having a fresh drink of water & I dont have to worry with bowls of water. I am very pleased with it. One of the best investments I've made in my cats! On: 2009-01-30Ive had this for a few years now and never had a problem. There was a brief time when the reservoir (the part the cats drink from) would overflow a bit, but I learned that I needed to put it on a flat, level surface instead of carpet. That fixed the issue. I dont have to clean it more than once a month and I have three cats. Once a month I take the motor apart and soak the whole thing with the motor in white distilled vinegar for 10 mins or so and after I rinse it and scrub it a little its good as new. All three of my cats use it and love it, and so do I! I highly recommend this product to anyone whose cats dont drink enough water. It definitely encourages mine to drink more instead of them drinking out of the sinks and bathtubs. Still working just great On: 2009-01-28Bought this a year ago and finally got around to writing a review... great product. My cat loves it and its very easy to clean/ maintain. noisy pump On: 2009-01-28The pump started out being fairly quiet with very little vibration. After only a week of usage, the pump noise become unbearably loud and the whole unit shook from how much the pump was vibrating. My cat refused to drink from such a noisy fountain and would only drink when the fountain is unplugged. I tried taking the whole unit apart, including disassembling the pump, and cleaning the parts, but nothing worked. Also the way the water stream hit the bottom of the unit would always cause some splashing. The flying specks of water further discouraged my cat from drinking from it. Now the fountain is sitting in a cardboard box, catching dust in a corner of my room. The answer to my problems! On: 2009-01-26For a year now Ive had a problem with my cat drinking out of toilets, faucets, the kitchen sink... anything but his drinking bowl! Even though I kept his water bowl very clean and changed the water daily, he wouldnt drink out of "still" water. I saw the Drinkwell fountain and was hesitant at first because of the price, but purchased it when I saw that it was made in the U.S. and it had received nothing but positive reviews. The fountain was easy to assemble and my cat began drinking from it immediately. Its also very simple to clean: just pull it apart and pop it in the dishwasher. I did have a problem with the reservoir (apparantly the first process of manufacturing had a flaw in the glue, which has now been resolved) but got it quickly replaced with a short email to the company. They shipped a new reservoir immediately, free of charge, and it works perfectly. Im very happy with the fountain and with the above-average customer service. How nice to deal with a "made in the U.S.A." company for a change!! Highly recommend it, youll love the simplicity and your pets will love the falling water!! Surprised another called it quiet. On: 2009-01-25Im surprised that another poster called this fountain quiet. It is anything, but quiet. It is so loud, on the lowest setting, that even after a year of owning it, I keep thinking Ive left the kitchen faucet on. Another con is that the bowl is too small for the head of a large cat. My big boy constantly has a wet head. Hes gotten used to it, but it is pathetic to see him drinking and watching the water shoot off his head! Overall, I think it is a fair product, it just isnt the one for me. Im here looking for another cat watering system, one that doesnt keep me awake with the running water sounds and doesnt bathe my cat while he drinks. Love it! Great for Multi-cat households! On: 2009-01-24I currently own two of these fountains and so far I have been very impressed with the quality and durability. I have a total of 6 cats plus 1 that I occasionally catsit, and all have increased their water intake significantly. I have mostly neutered males and feed mainly dry food so it is very important for them to drink enough water. I also use filtered water in the fountains to avoid the calcium buildup (I fill up empty gallons at the Watermill.) Pros: --Low hum is barely noticeable --Large water capacity --Keeps the water circulating and fresh --Easy to refill --Pre-filter catches most of the debris/fur before it reaches the motor --Water wont overflow --Attractive design Cons: --Every nook and cranny must be cleaned weekly and may become time consuming --Expensive I highly recommend this product! :) Great to Encourage Water Intake On: 2009-01-24My cats and I love the fountain! They drink much more from this fountain than they ever did from a dish. With kidney problems so common among cats [especially seniors], I consider this unit essential to encourage hydration - especially since I live in the arid southwest. And now they dont pester me constantly to turn on the faucet for running water! PROS: This Platinum units large built-in reservoir and better pump are huge improvements over the standard Drinkwell or other brands Ive owned before. [It even holds plenty if you have to be away for a few days] The take-apart design is much better for a thorough clean up. CONS: It takes longer to clean all the nooks and crannies - you need both a large AND small bottle brush. Its a small price to pay for the convenience, better cat health and just maybe fewer vet bills too. VIDEO of ONE OF MY THREE CATS LOVING THIS FOUNTAIN On: 2009-01-17Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3Q1CBW7A4M2KL pet owner On: 2009-01-14I have a number of cats that liked to drink directly from the sink fawcet. This was not handy when you are trying to use the sink yourself. The drinkwell solved the problem the first day it was put in operation. Whihin a few days all cats were drinking from the drinkwell at their leasure and the sink fawcet was no longer a factor. It is easy to refill and maintain. It does make a slight watefall sound that is noticeable but not annoying. I bought the platinum version and like it although I cant compare it to the standard version since I havent used it. I recommend this product to anyone with a similar situation or in need of automatic water availability for their pets. Nice improvements, but some mistakes On: 2009-01-14I have had a Drinkwell original fountain for several years, and it has been very dependable, but with 5 pets, the water intake clogs very often, and the unit is difficult to clean. When the new platinum improved fountain came out I decided to try it. It has some nice improvements: indents under the bowl so you can get your hands under it to lift it; a removable motor so you can put the whole thing in the sink or dishwasher; and most importantly, an easy to clean pre-screen for the input filter. However, some things were much easier with the old version: The old reservoir had a flat top, so when you flipped it over to fill it, it was free standing. Because of the rounded top on the Platinum, you have to hold the filled reservoir up with one hand, and screw the cap on with the other hand, not an easy task with small or arthritic hands, and I have both. I have tried every way I can think of to flip the reservoir over without creating a puddle, and you cant flip it in the sink and carry it to the fountain without dribbling water all over the floor. The top of the fountain is easily removed, and the top gets batted around the room. One major problem exists in both models: The water in the bowl comes to level very close to the rim of the bowl. So when you pick up the bowl to carry it to a sink to clean it, it sloshes water all over the floor. I have 110-yr-old oak floors, and standing water is always to be avoided, so I have to wipe the whole floor when I clean the fountain. But in any house water on the floor is a hazard. These flaws are obvious, and I dont understand how a product came to market with them. Why not put a flat screw cap on the top of the reservoir so you can refill it from the top with a pitcher between cleanings, and stand it up while cleaning? Design it so the water comes to level an inch below the rim, so you can carry a filled bowl without making a mess? Dont the designers of this product actually have pets and use their own product? Dont they Beta test new designs? The flaws seem so obvious to me. If it wasnt for the removable motor, and hand holds, Id go back to the old style fountain. While Im blue-skying, another nice feature would be to have a ceramic or glass bowl insert; any cat owner with a cat with chin acne knows that plastic bowls make the condition worse. Motor is so loud it scares the cats On: 2009-01-13I have 2 indoor cats (rescues) that will only drink out of the faucet - they love the running water. I do leave a bowl down for when I am out during the day, but thought if I get a fountain, they will drink more and I am not wasting water by letting it run down the drain. In addition, it is a pain to be in and out of the bathroom turning on/off faucets the whole time I am home. I bought this in the hopes that they would like it. My cats are opposites when it comes to personality. My boy cat is beyond adventurous and nothing frightens him, while my girl cat is as timid as they come. Look up fraidy cat in the dictionary and her picture is beside it. I set up the fountain and let it run for a few minutes to get everything going. I noticed immediately that the motor is VERY loud. My thinking is, leave if off a few days, let them get used to seeing it and drinking out of the bowl and then turn it on. Well, the first time I turned it on and they were nearby, it was so loud that it caused the girl to run into the bedroom (where she stayed for 3 days) and even the boy would not come near it. I left it on for a few hours, the whole time driving me crazy as I could hear the motor over the TV set. I dont mind the sound of the water - that to me is very realxing. But hte grinding, wheezing noise of the pump motor is just too loud. I had the washing machine and dryer going, with the TV on and still heard the motor loud and clear over all the other appliances. Every time one of them wanted to go past the bowl, they would make a very large detour and if they had to get less than 3 feet from it, they would all but slink by on their bellies. I dont know if it is possible to change out the motor if I buy a new one to see if that is any quieter - but right now, I am stuck with a very expensive water bowl instead of a fountain. Very Frustrating! Cats love it, but always dirty On: 2009-01-12I have owned this fountain for a while now. First of all, my cats love drinking from this fountain. They like the sound of the splashing water and that it is constantly filtered (no food bits in the water they are actually drinking). My biggest issue is that I cannot clean it completely. I do not know why they designed it with so many sharp points (they hurt!) and corners (cannot clean all the growths that form over time). I suppose if you were to clean it every other day or so, those growths would not form, but that is unreasonable (it takes a good 15 minutes to clean thoroughly). I will definitely keep on using a fountain, just not this one. I noticed in the store that one called "CatIt" seemed to have a more simple design (easier to clean), though I will check the reviews first! Can't live without it On: 2009-01-12I bought this because i didnt think that my cat was getting enough water unless it was out of a faucet and thought that she would think the foutain was cool. She does she even cleans her paws in it. Some of the reviews i read said that it was loud i disagree with that maybe they have the water flow set to high or over fill it with water. I would recomend this to anyone who loves there animals my cat wont drink out of anything else. Noisy an potentially messy, but awesome On: 2009-01-11Weve had the fountain for a little over a month and so far its been working really well. Our cat was a little wary of it at first, but within a few minutes was up and sticking his paws in the pool. Before he would only drink out of a dripping bathtub faucet, so this saves us a lot of time walking in and out of the bathroom to turn the faucet on and off. The only way I think hed like it better is if there were a setting that made the fountain drip instead of stream. Its a little noisier than I would like, but both you and the cat get used to it after awhile. Also, plugging in a full reserve tank can be a bit messy, but overall its a great product. I would recommend it to anyone with a water-loving cat. NOT silent-but my cats love it. I HATE IT On: 2009-01-09I should have made my own fountain-you can with a small aquarium submergable filter and a glass or plastic container so that the small aquarium filter fits on the side. In fact, I have made such a device and my cats love it just the same (I thought of that only AFTER I bought Drinkwell). I give it low ratings due to the false advertising: The device is NOT quiet. After a few months it gets louder. Much louder. The whirrrrrr sound will drive you batty unless you have it in another room away from your bedroom. It is ALSO false that you clean it once a week-you MUST wash this out at least every other day-debris, bugs fall in it. Pieces of cat food. It builds up bacteria pretty fast in the water. I try to wash mine out daily. Did you hear me? DAILY. The carbon filters cost a fortune-I use one for a fish aquarium (rinse well before using). However, activated charcoal is insufficient to clean the water. Its a pain to clean. The parts are kind of hard to put back together. It does take a few minutes. I mean its do-able. Its just a bit cumbersome. My cats do love it. I hate it. Also the plastic looks cheap made-I mean if you drop it once by accident, the container could crack. The drinkwell itself is not thick plastic. I expected something for the price to be thicker made. Oh well. I had it a good six months and it is functiong well still; however, the pump is not quiet like it alleges. But what do you expect from something made in CHINA. Not worth the high price On: 2009-01-07I bought this product so my cat would have cleaner/fresher water to drink instead of the standard bowl of water. I work long hours and not intentional Id forget to change her water bowl everyday. Her water bowl after about 2 days would be dirty with food and slimey. The machine is bulky and noisy. Ive never seen her use it, the equipment still gets slimey, however there isnt any food in it, so I dont think she is using it. Unless Im doing something wrong, DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! My cats LOVE this! On: 2009-01-06We bought this water fountain because one of our two cats got stones and got blocked and had to have surgery. It was recommended that we get something to entice our kitties to drink more water. Our cats have always loved to get water from the sink or bathtub, so we thought this would work wonders.....and it has. They LOVE it. No more jumping up on the counters to get to the sinks! The only negative thing about this fountain is that you definitely should clean it once a week or at least every 2 weeks. And it is not clean friendly with the cord and all. Great fountain On: 2009-01-01This is a really great fountain for our cats. They were a little unsure at first but they got past the little bit of humming the pump makes. I like the adjustable volume on the amount of water coming out of the fountain. Splashing is very little, I think most of that come when the kitties are drinking. The fountain is super easy to clean. I held back that last star over the filling of the fountain. We only fill it with spring water so pulling out the reservoir and filling it is sort of a pain. The reservoir will not set upright at all so if you plan on setting it down you have to empty all the water out of it. This is what is know as form over function. Good thing is that the reservoir holds plenty of water so you dont have to fill it too often. Overall I am happy with the fountain and would still make the purchase. Awesome fountain! On: 2008-12-16I purchased the Drinkwell Platinum a few months ago and my cats love it. My 3-year old Kadin always drank from the falling stream of water, while my 11-year old Tish drinks from the bowl below. They both drank way more water than they did before, as evidenced in the litter box. I believe the fountain helped Kadin, but alas couldnt stop the blockage building in his bladder- we had to put him down 11/30/08. I think a combination of purchasing this fountain earlier and feeding him different food wouldve prevented this tragedy. The fountain holds a ton of water. With 2 cats drinking from it in a dry apartment in winter, I didnt have to refill it for about 1 1/2 weeks. The filters last about a month if you rinse it thoroughly 2 weeks in. The design of the new filters, where it segmented so the carbon doesnt settle to the bottom, helps their longevity. I take the whole fountain apart once a month and clean it up with a teeny tiny bit of dish soap. Its very easy to disassemble and reassemble, even the pump is easy. The brush kit that is designed for the fountain is a great convenience, it saves a lot of time and hassle fighting with cleaning tools that dont quite fit or bend right. To unplug, disassemble, clean, reassemble, and refill takes at most 10 minutes, and thats if the cats playing with the cord and making things difficult. :) I found that cleaning is even easier if you have soft water. The tap water here is VERY hard (and tastes like a swimming pool), so I use the gallon jugs full of filtered water from the grocery store. Its $.80 for the first jug, and $.25 to refill the jug. Of course, now that were down to one cat I can go a little longer between refills and cleanings. I was so impressed by this product I bought one for my best friend for Christmas. Her kitty had bladder problems too, and he loves to both drink and play in it. She saw the same results in her litter box that I did in mine. I highly recommend this fountain to anyone who owns a cat, and especially anyone who owns a male cat to help avoid bladder and urinary issues. Verry Happy On: 2008-12-12Product was delivered on time and as advertised. My boys are very happy with their new fountain. Both appear to drink more and like to play with the trickle of water as it fills the bowl. Drinkwell vs. Petmate On: 2008-12-08We had a stainless steel and black Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow for two years before it started leaking. It was always covered in pink goop and fur by the second day, and I just found it very hard to keep it clean and take it apart, so when it was time to replace it, I opted for the Drinkwell. When it arrived, I took it apart and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was easy to take apart and clean. There are way less nooks and crannies for stuff to grow. It feels sturdy, although I wish it was made out of stainless steel or ceramic. There are no "seams" in the plastic where it can leak water, unlike the Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow. It is louder than the Petmate, even though I have it turned all the way down. The Petmate would stop humming once the water started to flow, but Im noticing that the Drinkwell is continuing to hum. Im sure its because of the super duper motor that is in it and I havent seen any fur buildup in the water. Id rather have the noise (its akin to the sound my fridge makes anyway) than have mounds of pet fur building up in the water. Ive got a half husky that is currently blowing out her coat, so its surprising to see that the fur is being sucked up and not floating around in the bowl. Boy, can this thing hold water. It holds so much water that I hope my dog starts drinking from it too, because my cat is never going to drink this much water all by herself before it needs cleaning. You can put it in the dishwasher, although I havent done it yet. I bought the Drinkwell cleaning brushes back when I had the Petmate and have been washing the fountain by hand. I have no idea how you can clean it by hand without the brushes. My dishwasher uses ultra hot water to "steam" the dishes dry, and theres no way to turn that off, so Im not going to chance my pet fountain getting warped in there. So far so good. Im very happy with my purchase. I dont think I can go back to Petmate unless they come out with something else entirely. The ease of cleaning and amount of water it holds is really what did it for me. I was constantly having to refill the Petmate on a daily basis (I only had the one cat drinking out of it) and would have to turn it off if we went anywhere overnight. The biggest plus is that theres no fur in the bowl! I only gave four stars because its made out of plastic and not stainless steel or ceramic. drinkwell platinum pet fountain On: 2008-12-08I have a small dog and a cat. My cat never seemed to drink enough and liked to drink out of the faucets so I thought i would try this fountain. Both my dog and cat love it and definitely drink more so I am very pleased. I just wish it could be made from stainless steel. Great fresh water On: 2008-12-01This is a great product. My dog & cat love having fresh water available all the time. It has a good capacity too. It has a very quiet motor except when it needs to be cleaned. It sounds like a water feature in the house when it is turned up high. My Three Cats LOVE This Product On: 2008-11-30I bought the Platinum Pet Fountain for my three kittens, all of whom were rescues (i.e. feral). They were initially afraid to drink out of it, so I gathered them up and did the Mommy Cat Seal of Approval--I got down on all fours and pretended to sip from the fountain. Well, after that, all of them drank from it and whats more, all of them prefer drinking from the running water stream rather than the bowl. The fountain, as both negative and positive reviews have mentioned, is made of plastic and can be disassembled into five parts (reservoir, motor, fountain, base, lid). Negative reviewers were concerned that leaking problems occurred because of the parts being separate. I disagree. I had a leaking problem the first day. First, I tested my floors with a marble. They were perfectly level. Then, I took the fountain apart and put it back together again, making sure everything clicked into place with no gaps. Problem solved; Ive had no leakage problems since then. If its leaking, youve probably not assembled it correctly or have a sloped floor. Negative reviewers said the product was loud; one reviewer said she could hear it running "30 feet" away. It is NOT loud. I have hardwood floors, so theres a lot of room for loudness. I can hear my cats walking around my house from fifty feet away. I can NOT hear this fountain from ten feet away except as a faintly running waterfall sound, much like those little relaxation waterfalls you get as gifts. The only reason I can think of for it being too loud is if you turned the stream speed up all the way (it adjusts from a thin stream of water to a pouring stream of water depending on how much your pet drinks). Im telling you, no matter how much your pet drinks, you only need to put the stream at half-capacity. I have three cats, and they drink a lot. Half-capacity is more than enough. Also, you CAN NOT hear the motor running in this thing at all. Whoever posts a review saying they can hear the motor is NOT talking about this fountain, they are talking about the original Drinkwell. The Platinum costs more specifically for the benefits of quietness and ease of use. As far as all the parts, its fantastic for me because I can just take the parts and soak them in bleach water once a week. The directions, by the way, request that for the health of your pet and the health of the motor, you clean the fountain weekly. If you have hard water, expect to clean it more often and use vinegar. I have hard water and have not had a problem with the motor at all. I am also religious about cleaning the fountain once a week because I think my cats deserve clean water. There are negative reviews concerning hard water problems, and at least one reviewer also stated that she only cleaned her fountain once every three weeks. Could you imagine only giving your pet fresh water once a month? Horrid. You wont have hard water problems if you follow the directions provided with the fountain, which includes cleaning it at least once a week. My cats are extremely active little fluff balls, so food particles (and the occasional cat toy) get in the fountain. Thankfully, between the carbon filter and the plastic filter guard between the motor and the bowl, it hasnt been an issue. Also, the filter replacements are extremely affordable. A three-pack can be bought for under ten dollars, and they last a while. The directions recommend placing a towel or place mat under the fountain in case your cats play in it. The first week or so, the kittens liked to play with the stream of water--theyd whack at it with their paws. For that week, I had a towel under the fountain so it wouldnt ruin my floors. The kittens are becoming cats and have laid off on the water play. Ive had it just sitting on my hardwood floor for months without any water leakage problems, and Im glad because I thought it looked stupid with a giant towel underneath it. However, if your pets insist on playing in the fountain, Id recommend buying one of those clear place mats to put underneath it. Youre not going to have an ocean of water under the fountain, but itll be an easier cleanup that way. The only downside, I think, is that when you fill the reservoir, you have to be quick about getting it into the fountain so it doesnt drip on the floor. A small price to pay for six days of not having to fill a water bowl. If you have any questions, please feel free to post them in the comments section. As far as Im concerned, this fountain is worth at least double the price for which amazon is selling it. Drinkwell Platinum is the best! On: 2008-11-21Ive only had this fountain for a little while, but I do know that I love this fountain and so do my cats! After buying 3 Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountains in 4 years (my review is on the Petmate page), I finally decided to try The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain and wish I had done it sooner! My cats love the stream because its just like a stream coming out of the faucet (my male cat loves the tub faucet...Im hoping hell like this better). It doesnt splash anywhere and its VERY quiet. Its so nice to have a fountain that doesnt leak water and a fountain where I can keep the filter in place (because the Petmate always leaked water when the filter was in place). Its also VERY easy to clean compared to the Petmate (LOVE that!). FYI, this fountain is bigger than the Petmate and the reservoir is huge compared to the Petmate. Also, I thought it was going to be white, but its actually a speckled grey/blue (which I like better). Im hoping this fountain will last much longer for me than the Petmate fountains did. No longer drinking from the faucet On: 2008-11-18Love the design, function and cleanliness of the unit. A better design can be made for the holding tank and how it drops water into the main cavity (its tricky, but I can do it without water spillage). The cats love it, and that is all that matters. Maintenance is a breeze, even with hard water... What a lifesaver - so much better than competitors! On: 2008-11-13I used the Cat-it fountain for a year, switched to this to see if I could find something better, and cant believe how much time I spent using that other fountain. This one in comparison is so delightfully easy to clean and the cats love it. Im so happy! Three cats who use it give it five stars each! On: 2008-11-03First off, let me say that I have had this product for over a year, and it has performed flawlessly. The manual indicates it is designed for indoor use only. With that in mind, and the fact that I dont allow cats into my home, I built a small shelter over the electrical outlet and the fountain, so there is no danger of electrical shock when it rains. Three cats use this fountain, but one cat seems to be addicted to it more than the other two. I bought it because of him, since he would always try to drink from the garden hose whenever he could. With the fountain in place, he does not seek out the garden hose anymore. The product is very well made, and I like the fact that if anything ever breaks I can buy the individual parts (there are 5 plastic parts plus the pump) separately. That is a big plus. Initially, I thought the pump would not last very long, but it has been continually running over a year without any problem at all. If it ever breaks, I will order a new pump (about $15.00) without hesitation. The fountain needs to be taken apart and cleaned every three weeks or so. This also involves disassembling the small pump. The first time I tried it, I was disappointed in the amount of time involved. It probably takes 30-45 minutes to do a thorough job, but it is like any other household chore; it needs to be done, and the cats deserve fresh drinking water. Also, the reservoir is a little inconvenient for cleaning, so you may need a good bottle brush for that purpose. The reservoir tank holds enough water for a 4-5 day supply. Be sure not to let the water level get too low, or the pump will burn out if it is not totally covered by water. As I go on vacation occasionally, I have jerryrigged an additional 128 ounce supply of water from a plastic bottle and plastic tubing that gravity feeds into the main tank. This additional reservoir gives the cats at least a 7-10 day supply of water, perfect for me, and the cats have never run out of water. Drinkwell also sells charcoal filters that fit inside the fountain. Since I already use filtered water, I have not replaced the filters as often as I should. One other note, I add a small amount of vinegar to the water. My cats still drink it, and the water stays cleaner longer than if I just use the unfiltered water without the vinegar. Pet Water Fountain On: 2008-10-29I fell in love with this fountain after 5 minutes being set up, set up was another 5 minutes. My cat started to drink in few minutes, and is more active then ever. I would recommend it if anyone looking for a pet fountain, it does worth it. Awesome Fountain On: 2008-10-26This fountain is really great. I had the Petmate Freshflow for about a year and a half, and the motor just got slower and slower until my cat started pawing at the water again to make it move the way she likes (which is why I got her a fountain in the first place-she kept knocking her water bowls over). My cats really love the foutain, and my roommates kitten sneaks into our room at every opportunity to drink out of it as well. This fountain is definitely better-made than the Petmate foutain. My cat used to take the other fountain completely apart (including the water reservoir, making a complete mess) and steal the filter. So, we had to start taping the top on, which made it a real pain to refill and clean. The top on this one snaps on, which keeps her curious about where the water comes from, but keeps my floor dry. The only problem (which is really my cats problem) is that my cat likes to drink the water right where the stream hits the bowl, but every time she tries her head gets in the way, redirecting the flow and making her head get soaked. But she has fun and just keeps doing it, so Im sure she likes it. We love this fountain so much more!!! On: 2008-10-22Previously we had the "Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain" for about 2 years. It worked well, but our favorite pet store stopped carrying the filters, so I decided to upgrade to a newer product. Petmate Deluxe Fresh Flow Pet Fountain Large, White We have 3 cats and one of them is a "stream" drinker (he begs us to turn on the faucets). I was worried how the other two were going to take to it, but now all 3 are stream drinkers. Its wonderful because Ive definitely seen all three drinking much more water this week than with the other fountain. The proof is has been in the litter boxes. The Platinums motor is very quite; I only hear the trickling water. I hesitate to say this and am NOT trying to compare the sound level of the two products. I would think any motor running constantly for 2 years would be louder than a brand new one. However in comparison the Platinum flowing stream is much stronger and circulates the water better. It gives the water the power to move most of the debris toward the little trap. Where as with the other one, the debris had always sank or stuck to the bowl walls. The Platinum also holds a lot more water. Both products are dishwasher safe, so regular washing is easy for either. However, the old one was a pain when it came to scrubbing off the mineral deposit build up and my guess is this new one will be too. I would even recommend this product to people with small or medium sized dogs. Great product On: 2008-10-15good item arrived on schedule and in good order. Cat took some time a week to get cofortable with the fountain but now likes it. Seems to me my cats breath is not so strong now. Would highly recommend this for all cat owners. Great fountain so far!! On: 2008-10-14I just got this about 1 week ago. I got it for our aging Bichon who is blind, and is starting to not drink as much (I figured the noise would direct her). I also have 1 other dog, and a cat. I kept the regular water bowl out just in case. All of the animals have flocked to the new fountain!! They have not even touched the old bowl. It is really getting all of them to drink more. It has also stayed clean a lot longer than my other bowl. I was cleaning the bowl once a day because my cat likes to put his paws into the water and lick it off. He does not do that with this one, he just licks right from the flow. It is too soon to see if there are any design flaws, but I will post if any pop up. So far, this was worth the investment, and I do hope it lasts because it really does seem like it is benefiting my animals by getting them to drink more water, and saving me time by letting me go for a bit between cleanings. Definitely worth it! On: 2008-10-10We have 2 cats, one who loves to drink out of the bathroom faucet. He even got to the point where he would wake me up at night and keep pawing at my face until I got up and turned it on. I had considered a pet fountain for some time but with so many had a hard time choosing how much to spend and what features I thought would be the best for our cats. I decided on the platinum model because the water comes out just like the faucet, not just down a ramp. Both cats took to it the first day, sitting and watching the water and playing with it with their paws. By the second day they were both drinking out of it. I dont use the charcoal filters since our water is filtered to begin with. The little plastic filter by the flow control is great for keeping hair out of the pump. It is fairly quiet but of course you can hear the running water, which was easy to get used to. A big plus for me is it is very easy to take apart and clean, and easy to reassemble. The only negative is the design of the cap for the water tank- it has no seal so when you turn it over to insert into the base it leaks quite a bit. I do think it is too expensive but dont consider that a negative- it was a small price to pay to keep a cold nose from waking me up in the middle of the night! drinkwell fountain drinks well On: 2008-10-07This is a great product. In all honesty, I dont see much wrong with it, other than I dont like that I have to buy a new filter so often. Cleaning of the fountain has become quick and easy for me. Ive also decided, just for the cats, that I will use bottled water so the filter is not used up as quickly, as my tap water is atrocious. All in all, I like this product and its a great way to get my cats to drink more water. Great buy! On: 2008-10-06My cats love their new drinkwell! The fountain is placed on a towel which catches any splatter. We do not notice any noise! I am not crazy about the weekly cleaning, but it is not too difficult. It does NOT require any special brushes. I use plain bottle brush. We also use filtered water from frig which decreases the need for more frequent changes of filters. The charcoal filters are hard to find in pet supply stores and vary greatly in cost- from $14.00 to $11 per 3 pk. Would be cheaper to order on line and pay shipping! Drinkwell platinum great for large dogs and cats On: 2008-10-04Great product and easy to keep clean. Main reason for purchase was to increase water consumption of cat that had previously had kidney and bladder stones. She has at least doubled the amount of water she was consuming before I had the drinkwell. I was also very pleased my German Shepherd likes to drink out of it and seems to make less of a mess than when drinking from a traditional bowl. I dont even have to fill it everyday. I wish the bowl was a little deeper, but this one is sufficient. Drinkwell Platinum - Love It! On: 2008-10-02I just bought the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain for my two kitties. I never tried the Original Pet Fountain, so this review is not comparative. Reading other reviews, I was pretty uncertain about what I was going to get. One review says its the best product ever, and the very next calls it a piece of ****. So I am offering mine as a fair and honest review of this product. My review is positive. My kitties were interested in the fountain immediately - they were drinking out of it before I even had the pump running. I tried setting the flow on high, and settled on low - the cats are a little bit afraid of it when it runs on high, and it makes a splashing noise (but does not actually splash water outside the bowl - just makes more noise). On low, the fountain is virtually soundless unless you are standing right next to it, and then the sound is a low hum. If I am standing more than 2 feet away, I cant hear it at all. Its easy to take apart and put back together. The kitties love it and think its a great new toy. They are definitely drinking more, which Im happy about - increased water intake is an excellent way to improve your cats health. I am satisfied with my purchase and will be buying them as Christmas presents for my family members with cats too! Love this fountain!!! On: 2008-10-01I owned the original drinkweel fountain for about 2 years. Recently when searching for a tank to add for a vacation I was about to tank I stumbled across the newer Platinum version. This version has no humming sounds and runs wonderfully. My two cats love the fountain. I love the fact that the parts are dishwasher safe so there is no more handwashing.Great/ Wonderful Product! My cats love it On: 2008-09-30My cats Hedy and Hopper both went for this fountain. Hedy would only drink from the faucet and Hopper would only drink from the toilet, they would wait for me to go to the bathroom where Id have to turn the faucet on for Hedy and flush the toilet for Hopper. I got them this fountain so that they wouldnt have to wake me up in the middle of the night when they were thristy. I set it up and they both spent the next half hour entranced by it. The only problem was that they disconnected the power cord (there is a quick disconnect feature which disconnects the cord if the cat pulls on it). I tucked the cord out of the way but I may have to use some electrical tape to disable the disconnect feature if they do it again. my cats L-O-V-E this thing! On: 2008-09-28Both of my cats love this fountain. I filled it up more than a week ago and its still got plenty of fresh water in it, and my cats both drink a LOT. For the first few minutes after I set it up, they were kind of freaked out, but then they approached it and realized that there was delicious, clean water coming out! YEAH! They both like drinking from the top where the water cascades out into the bowl. Theres even a little accessory where you can grow hydroponic kitty grass in the corner of the bowl :) Drinkwell Premium Fountain On: 2008-09-23I love it! And so do the cats. Very quiet running. Reservoir in the back is a definite plus. Slightly awkward to clean. I wish the base was made of a sturdier material. But still well worth the purchase! kitten fountain On: 2008-09-21My kittens love it. Its easy to clean. Its quiet. Im happy I purchased it. This gets their attention On: 2008-09-20This product truly does inspire more frequent drinking from my two cats. It is quiet, and much, much cleaner. This never has a nasty appearence, and requires much less of my own attention. The only draw back is that you have to locate it some where near an electrical outlet. Ill be looking for the battery powered model. Works great! On: 2008-09-16My cat was a little scared of it at first, but after a few days he got curious and tried it out. He now uses it without a problem and likes to drink from the stream of falling water. I like it because I can go a few days between reservoir fillups and somehow the water stays relatively cool. Ive only cleaned it once so far in the 1 month that Ive owned it, but it was pretty easy. The sound of the water flowing is a little noticeable at first, but its nothing thats going to keep you awake at night or anything. The pump is also pretty quiet... no worse than a fish tank anyway. If your pet prefers running water over the typical water dish, Id recommend giving this product a try. Great product On: 2008-09-15My cat likes to drink from the faucet, and will not drink from standing water in a bowl. The Drinkwell fountain mimics a faucet, so he will actually drink from his water now. I would recommend this product for people facing a similar situation. Very Cool On: 2008-09-02My cats immediately fell in love with this. It appears to work great. Its larger than I thought it would be. My cats ask me to turn on the faucet for them less often now. Best purchase to keep my cats healthy! On: 2008-09-02I purchased the drink well after talking to some other cat people. Some cats get kidney stones and it is because they do not drink enough water. Since I purchased this, EVERYBODY loves it and is drinking more. The water stays fresher and cool. (I used to put ice cubes in their water bowl in summer.) cat's meow On: 2008-08-29I have owned the Drinkwell brand pet products for at least 7 years now; each year they continually improve on their products. The Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain is by far their best yet. The new gate that keeps my cats hair and etc... from getting into the motor is one of the main reasons that I bought the new model even though the last model still works fine. Good Fountain On: 2008-08-25A very easy design, but practical. My cat likes it. At the beginning I thought the pump and filtering system can be more advanced to worth the price. Well designed but not for every cat On: 2008-08-20Much better flow control than the old Drinkwell model we had. The pre-filter is AWESOME at catching cat food that used to clog up the motor on the old model and make the filter turn yellow. Reservoir feels like it holds gallons of water. The model is very quiet and disassembles easily for the dishwasher. CONS: you need to rest the reservoir against something to fill it. Sometimes I have trouble "seating" the assembly that brings the water back to the top on its mount correctly since it has to fit over the water nozzle exactly or it doesnt lock in. Id also like a longer ramp for the water to run down and have the water flow closer to the front. Our cats prefer to drink from the ramp and usually try to drink from the side so its easier to reach. Overall, though, its a very well designed machine and a great improvement over the old model. I highly recommend it! Well worth the money, the cats love it! On: 2008-08-19When I first looked at this, I thought it was an expensive toy for people who have too much money! I was wrong, it ended up being a great purchase. We have two cats that just wouldnt drink out of their water dish. We tried all kinds of things to get them to drink water (I read about the health problems cats get if they dont drink enough) with no luck. I finally broke down and bought this. They love it! The water tank on the back holds a nice reserve of water, it is filtered constantly, and the running water captures their attention. I really cant say anything bad about this unit. If I were to make a suggestion on how it could be improved, I would say to add a spare filter in the box....but I am not complaining! Well worth the price. Really Liked The Original Version, But Absolutely LOVE The New One! On: 2008-08-18I had two of the original Drinkwell pet fountains for the past several years and both of my cats absolutely loved them. Of course, this didnt stop them from jumping up on the kitchen and bathroom counters everytime we turned on the faucets, but it did keep them drinking from their own water fountains when ours werent running. My cats eighth birthday was coming up and I hadnt decided what I was going to get him this year, as he already has enough toys and climbing and scratching poles to last several cats. I was searching through a wide variety of items for cats and read about all of the improvements that had been made to the original Drinkwell pet fountain and decided it was time to upgrade to the new and improved platinum version, and boy am I glad that I did. My cat initially wasnt that impressed with it although he did come and check it out when I took it out of the box. I cleaned the entire system before setting it up and filling it with water. As soon as I plugged it in, my cat had to come over and literally stuck his entire face in the stream of water to get the first drink out of the new fountain. He just had to beat his brother DC to the fountain, and of course it was his birthday so he deserved to get the first drink. After a few moments of the sound of cat slurping (you can barely hear the pump motor running), my cat pulled his face out of the water and he had water droplets all over his whiskers and on his chin, which gave my girlfriend and I quite the laugh. I have only had this new fountain for a couple of days now, but I am very impressed with all the new features and dont have anything negative to say about it. Although I do have a couple of comments for some of the people who have posted reviews complaining about having to clean it once a week. My comments for those people are as follows: 1. Do you eat and or drink out of the same dish everyday for a week or more without cleaning it? If you dont, why do you expect your pets to? 2. I read the box on this fountain several times as well as the directions and didnt once see anywhere on it where it said or implied that it was "self-cleaning." 3. If the water is getting slimy or gross with stuff in it, CLEAN THE ENTIRE FOUNTAIN BEFORE IT GETS TO THAT POINT! 4. Follow these basic rules of thumb for getting the most out of your new Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain: A: Everytime you change the water, clean the fountain. Minimum 1x per week B: Replace the filter as recommended. C: Keep the fountain in a place free from debris as much as possible. D: When cleaning it, clean it as if you were going to drink from it. E: And finally, love and cherish your pets like there is no tomorrow! I have no hesitation or reservation in giving the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain a well deserved five (5) star rating. The only improvement I would like to see is the addition of a stainless steel bowl for the water. As soon as Drinkwell comes out with one, you can bet I will be one of the first people buying it for my furry children. Shawn Kovacich 100% Cat Lover Fantastic Fountain! On: 2008-08-16Ive had this set up for about 15 minutes and my cat has been "playing" with it for the past 15 minutes. It was very easy to set up. I was worried about the noise from reading other reviews. However, Im pleased to say that my computer fans are louder than the fountain. Its extremely quiet. And most importantly, Zelda loves it!! Almost perfect, but not quite there yet :) On: 2008-08-07I bought this fountain for my two cats, one of whom loves to drink from the faucet and the other who likes to like the droplets off the tub. I still leave regular water for them in a bowl, but the fountain definitely has increased their water intake. Pros: -The trap before the filter definitely keeps out hair and kibble from getting to the pump. -Pump is very strong and you can set the rate. -You can run the setup without a filter, in case you like to add dental hygiene liquids to the water. -Big reservoir in the back. You could leave the house for a week and it doesnt run out. -Easily to disassemble and clean. -Keeps the water cold! Unlike some fountains where the pump heats up the water, this one keeps the water cool and fresh. Cons: -I can understand why Drinkwell chose such light plastic material, because with a full reservoir, the whole thing becomes heavy and perhaps difficult to pick up by some. However, since the plastic is so light and hollow in the drinking basin up front, when the stream of water hits the ramp, it makes a sound. More disturbing is the sound the water makes when your cat finally gets the courage to drink from the stream. The water will splash a bit and make a loud and hollow "thunk thunk thunk" sound. That takes getting used to by cats. If they made the area underneath the basin not hollow and/or used a thicker material, it wouldnt make that sound. -Though the pump is relatively quiet, it is still audible. Also, you will hear water trickling like in a tiny brook. This can be relaxing for some, but annoying to others. -Id prefer they used stainless steel/pyrex for the areas that the water flows through since those are safe and inert materials. -The flow meter does have different settings, but the lowest setting isnt that low. If your cat likes a tiny stream of water, hell have to get used to this one. What took us so long???? On: 2008-08-05We first bought the Petmate Deluxe because it was at the local Petsmart market and because of price. Boy do you get what you pay for! The Petmate was horrible from the get go. We stuck it out for almost a year before upgrading to this wonderful wonderful drinking system. I mean from the moment we plugged it in I noticed a difference. We live in Southern California where it gets plenty hot, so we wanted a fresh water system for the boys (Charlee and Julius) this system rocks. It keep the water fresh and cold and unlike the Petmate it actually flows! I wish we had just bought this fountain from the beginning! Trust me. Get this fountain. YOu will not be disappointed! A Hit with Marcel On: 2008-07-14Marcel had developed some urinary tract problems and had begun drinking quite regularly from my vanity sink. I saw this advertised and gave it a shot. After 2 weeks, I was convinced that I had wasted my money, but then, magically he began drinking from the fountain. And now he doesnt stop. And Molly, his pal, uses it as well. Works great, totally silent if set up right On: 2008-07-09I bought this fountain after owning a Petsmate one for the last few years. The old one had a ramp for the water to slide down and I thought my dog might actually enjoy drinking the free fall water - as she finds drinking from the hose amusing. She also likes the "freshness" of water from the toilet - so this is our compromise - a pet fountain. It was very easy to setup, and *is* totally silent. I will say though - that it was making a rattle/buzzing/racket at first - and I KNEW it was not supposed to be making that noise. Before taking it back and trying to exchange - I tried to move/reseat the motor a few times, and actually went ahead and took the little motor apart/rinsed/reseated everything and once I did that - the buzzing stopped. If your motor is making ANY noise, try fooling with it a little bit - as it is compeletly silent once seated right (all you should hear is water moving). There are directions included with the fountain on how to clean the motor - just use those. Once we did that - our fountain went silent! Perhaps sometimes when they ship from the company they get rattled around a bit. Who knows. Pros: - Fresher water - Water stays cooler - Refill less often - Tastes better (not stale) - Pets drink more Cons: - Not as easy to clean as a simple bowl. Requires you to take it apart, clean parts, crevices, etc. and then put it all back together weekly. - Not as easy to refill as a simple bowl - I refresh the water every day or two. - Bulky when trying to take over to the sink to clean. Anyway - Im happy with the purchase. I would advise buying the Drinkwell cleaning brush kit. Makes cleaning easier! Good, with caveats On: 2008-07-07I had the original Drinkwell Pet Fountain for a couple years and liked it. This model is nosier, especially when you dont use the cheesy "splash" mat they include with the fountain. Any sort of thicker towel will do the real job: absorbing the motor vibrations so it doesnt make a huge racket. I will say that, unlike the original, this model is *not* Maine Coon proof. Three days in a row I wake up to an empty reservoir and a big wet spot in the area. All the top surfaces are curved so you cant secure the unit by putting weight on it. With no way to both secure the reservoir and keep it easy to refill, Ive simply stopped using it. Filling the fountain every day or two does the trick instead. I saw another comment about cats using the removable top as a toy, luckily mine havent figured that one out. Um, so far. Clever, interested cats are a mixed blessing sometimes. I find this item to be adequate, better looking than the original and lacking in some functional areas. Drinkwell intrigued our reluctant drinker! On: 2008-06-30Wed just adopted a little kitten, a long-haired manx who began life terribly and was rescued by a wonderful organization from a kitten mill where hed been kept in a cage for the first 3 months of his life, no water in the cage. We knew how important it was for his health to drink water and placed several bowls out for him -- he sipped here and there, but it wasnt until we got the Drinkwell Platinum Fountain that he thought water was actually a fun thing, nevermind good for him! Now he drinks, both from the stream of water and the receptacle into which it flows! The fountain is quiet, does not leak or drip andhe loves it. It is a bit of a chore to clean and recommend getting cleaning brushes for it, but its a small price to pay for his good health. Highly recommend this product! NOT for lazy owners, could worsen pet health On: 2008-06-17Sounds great doesnt it? Fresher water, and more of it, with fewer trips to the sink? I owned one of the older models, and recently stopped using it. The product is fine...if you are committed to frequent cleaning. Otherwise, you will get gross things growing in your pets water. It was far too tempting to just "top off" the water instead of completely replacing the supply and scrubbing each piece seperately (including the 2-piece motor). I would say this should be done at LEAST weekly. If youre up for that (THINK about it before you say yes), then this is a good purchase for you. Not dishwasher safe - buy a set of good bottle brushes, various sizes. Its daunting to carry a sloshing bowl/tank to the sink, take it apart, scrub it out...when you could just add some more fresh water instead. When I would finally clean it, there would sometimes be black or pink stuff in the hidden parts - ew! Thats not healthy, and its not what the filters designed for. For my cats health, I am going back to a bowl, which I can dump out daily and put in the dishwasher. Much more sanitary. The Drinkwell (or any fountain) is only as good as its user, so think twice about your habits, before assuming that fountains promote health! So much better!! On: 2008-05-29I have now had three different fountain water bowls for my *very spoiled* cat. The first, which I believe was the original Drinkwell was fine, but when my cat decided the water needed to be cleaned she would knock over the reservoir and drench the bathroom. It bothered me that she was able to do that. She also didnt seem to appreciate the value of the lid, so she constantly flipped it off. I eventually had to just take it off for good. Next we tried another (Petmate) fountain water bowl which we kept for a few weeks and she never used it. I think she wasnt amused by the water sliding down the water ramp rather than free-flowing out of the "spigot". Therefore, I had seen this one in a magazine and decided that it looked like the reservoir looked as though it would be "untippable", the water appeared to flow freely, and generally it just looked sturdier. I received it yesterday and my cat was a fan instantly. As was I!! I love the sturdiness of the base and the reservoir, I like the residue blocker that prevents the stuff from getting to the pump - its removable so I can clean it too!! It holds a ton of water which is good because, like some other peoples cats, my cat is drinking more now too! Its quiet - though that wasnt a big issue for me - and one of my favorite features is that the top now snaps on. I suspect with the top snapped on shell be unable to remove it and the water will stay cleaner! So far so good!! Makes my cat happy. On: 2008-05-22Its a really good purchase. The water is filtrated and anyone who has a cat that enjoys drinking from a running tap will be attracted to this product. It also gives me peace of mind when I travel for a few days and have to leave my pet at home. Great Design On: 2008-05-21I love the design of this fountain. Easy to use, easy to clean. Only bad thing is my basenji girl lost interest in it right away. Just two days after setting up the fountain she was right back to sneaking drinks out of the toilet...a habit I was really hoping to break. She thought it was cool the first day...but has used it very little since then. Color not as pictured On: 2008-05-19The unit appears white in the photo posted. Its actually speckled gray - not very attractive. This was not in any of the descriptions or clear from the photo so I wasted ~$40 in shipping both ways due to the lack of information on that. Im sharing this so that others can avoid that problem. Works Well But Is Cheap Plastic On: 2008-05-16I was surprised when I pulled the Drinkwell Platinum out of the box that it was made with cheap plastic. Looking at it, theres nothing to justify the high price I paid for it ($59.89). It looks and feels cheap. I agree with one other reviewer who wrote that he wished the bowl was ceramic or stainless steel. The most expensive thing is the pump and pumps arent that expensive, especially since the water only has to go up less than a foot. I like the look of the Petmate better but I bought this because the water falls out rather than slides. I assumed my cats would prefer the former. At least you cant hear the pump. The only thing you hear is the sound of water trickling (on the lowest setting). The most important thing is if my cats like it and drink more from it. I bought one of these because one of my cats has a bladder stone and needs to drink more. So far, she walks right by it, but its only been a day. A good idea, but better implementation needed On: 2008-05-15This item broke almost immediately. It leaked water and the pump was loud and distracting. Its unfortunate, since the idea of fresh water for our pets was a very attractive idea, but I went back to the good ol water bowl after this waste of money. Not for big dogs On: 2008-05-12My first fountain was the Drinkwell Big Dog Fountain. It worked great although a little difficult to clean. When the motor finally died, I was eager to get the Platinum. Now Im eager to sell it or give it away and go back to the Big Dog fountain. I read all the reviews, pros and cons and finally decided the pros outweighed the cons. Ironically, Im not having any of the problems mentioned. It doesnt leak from the reservoir, its not loud and it has sufficient capacity. The problem is the size of the bowl. It has shrunk down to such a small size that my dogs (I have 5 ranging from 35lbs to 80lbs) must drink from the very edge of the bowl to the side, causing quite a mess. There was so much water on the floor, I honestly thought it was leaking profusely. I put it on the counter overnight to confirm and the counter was dry as a bone in the morning. I know my dogs arent pristine creatures, but we now leave a thick bath towel underneath the fountain that must be changed daily because it is saturated. I never had this problem with either the Big Dog fountain or even a standard water bowl. This reduces the usable capacity for me and I must refill it daily...something I never had to do before. My cats, however, are fine with it. But they were fine with the first one, too. I would gladly go through the hassle of cleaning the original than have to put up with this daily mess. As far as the reservoir being dishwasher safe, that was a good idea except with the small opening, it doesnt get very clean....therefore pointless. I do like the multi-chamber filters, but again, not a big selling point compared to the mess we endure. So, I guess it depends on what you plan on using it for. The large capacity for smaller animals is a little over the top unless you have LOTS of them and/or are away from home a lot. Im thinking of moving the platinum to the bathroom for my 3 kitties and buying the older model for the mutts. Fair to Midlin' On: 2008-05-12I bought this product to replace my old, well used but hard to clean Drinkwell fountain. While this newly designed "platinum" fountain is easier to take apart and re-assemble for cleaning purposes, it definitely does not deliver on the promises of being quieter and having a smoother flow of water. It is altogether a much noiser fountain. Fortunately, my cats are not timid, and I can live with the noise. Wonderful! On: 2008-05-06Great product!! Ive told everyone at work about it and their first question is always - does the noise bother you? My answer is that we have a fish tank so we dont notice it. It has a pump and trickling water just like the tank. My 4 finicky cats love it. One will only drink from the stream and the other 3 got used to the bowl very quickly. I slowly took away their other water dishes. They most definitly drink more than they used to. We have to clean the hair filter daily (2 are long hair!) and the water lasts for 6-7 days. Its soooo nice not having to change 4 water dishes every single day!!! It is also amazing how much hair the filter catches. I wonder how gross it used to be for the cats to drink from regular bowls. This product is extremely user friendly. We absolutely love this purchase!! 4 Happy Cats On: 2008-05-06I love this drinking fountain. My cats all love it. As long as you change the filter every 3 months, give it a good scrub once a month, it will work great. So noisy!!! On: 2008-05-02The machine is in the kitchen, and I can hear it running in my bedroom which is 30 feet down the hall. I used to have the Petmate one, and that one was great. I got this one because it holds more water. Its been great not to have to refill it, but not worth the noise. My cat loves this! On: 2008-04-28Ive had all three generations of Drinkwell fountains and this one is by far the best! The attached reservoir is easy to use with no awkwardness or spillage problems that the last one had. Cleaning and reassembly is a breeze and the unit is so much quieter than the last one. This is definitely worth the money! Beware of KV Vet Supply On: 2008-04-27I am writing this as a warning to potential buyers from KV Vet Supply of Nebraska, who sells the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. I ordered the fountain from KV Vet Supply and got the filters in a package from another vendor. About 6 hours after my order was placed KV Vet Supply cancelled my order and emailed that they would sell me the unit for more than what other vendors are selling the item. I tried to cancel the filter order, but it was already in the mail. KV Vet Supply refused to work with me to resolve this issue. This bait and switch attempt was reported to Amazon - but the only response was customer service rep from India not understanding why this bait and switch price increase was a problem. I have reordered from another vendor, but I am very disappointed in KV Vet Supply and Amazon for failing to work with me on this matter. Calico Cat On: 2008-04-21I thought this would have been a great idea for my cat but unfortunetly, my cat did not like it. It was too big and the light humming noise kept her away from it. cats love it...but they don't last On: 2008-04-14I have just thrown away my 3rd drinkwell fountain. Although my cats love the fresh H2O and the running stream....the motors burn out. I have had 2 motors fail in the past 8 months! Of course the item SHOULD be covered under the 1 yr warranty.....EXCEPT if you have hard water....tough luck for you- not covered. Believe me I cleaned these fountains every 3 weeks and changed the filters also.....BUT.... the motors still failed. So if you have hard water-watch out. Im going to try another brand and will review that in the future. Expensive, flimsy plastic, poorly made, non-functional and HUGE - 2 square feet of floor On: 2008-04-13This thing is horrible. Currently the cheap little pump isnt working after the flimsy plastic body fell six inches into the bathtub after its housing fell apart while I was trying to clean it. I will be calling the company Monday morning to try to get them to take it back. I cannot believe that the only products in this category all look about the same and are all made of cheesy plastic. (Really you shouldnt use plastic for any animals drinking water, including humans, it leaches nasty things like plasticizers and endocrine disruptors into the water.) The thing is enormous, and it is hard to find a good place to put it. Then you have this huge surface of water open to anything that falls in. Theres a weird kind of strainer that keeps bits of food and larger items out of the pump, then this silly filter that keeps other smaller things from going into the larger area where all the dust and bits of food are. Its too big to easily clean, but if you do not clean it often, it gets slimy. The filter does what again? I dont really think it has any actual effect. It keeps things from traveling from the water reservoir to the area where the cats drink from, which, again, is this huge surface of water open to cat food, bugs, dust, and anything else falling into it. So why the filter? I will be trying to improve on this design and will write back if I manage to do so. THIS IS THE WORST DESIGN/PACKAGING EVER On: 2008-04-10A fair warning to all who think they want to upgrade from the old version to the new Platinum version. The motor is the worst part of this product. I bought the new model having used the old version for a very long time - never had to replace a motor on the old model. The old model was used for 3 cats, 2 of whom lived to the ages of 19 and 16. I thought I would treat my remaining cat and myself to the upgrade. I had it for two hours - it seemed to run beautifully and my cat went to this fountain more than the previous one. He loved it. It stopped working after 2 hours. I contacted the company via email and they keep insisting that I should clean the motor before they will ship a new motor. They say it is because during manufacturing and packaging particles may be lodged when combined with water creates a clog. I say that is a DESIGN/MANUFACTURING and PACKAGING defect. I should not have to pull apart a brand new motor. These should be inspected at manufacturing and packaged to prevent this problem if they are aware that it exists. NOT WORTH THE AGGRAVATION. I have gone back to using the old one which is still running fine after all these years. 5 PAW rating from the cats On: 2008-04-03Cats review: When our human family purchased this unit we were more than a little sceptical. What happend to the old reliable water bowl? On second thought the water bowl was sometimes empty in the past. Intially the noise and the motion of the water scared me. I heard my owners wife say ... "The cats will never use the fountain it as they are scared of it". Well I was a little initmiatdated at first. However now I love it. In fact I dont actually drink out the bowl section. Instead I drink the water as it comes out of the fountain. It is the fresher and more fun. It is also nice that the water is filtered. Who doesnt like freash / clean water. It is so popular there is now a Drinkwell outside as well as the original one inside. FIVE PAWS!! Let Drinkwell Spoil Your Pet With Laps of Luxury On: 2008-03-29If you have a cat or dog, you have probably discovered just how much they love a fresh drink of water, from a faucet or even the household commode. Although loving owners keep dishes of water handy for their pets, our furry little friends seem to prefer the cool, fresh H20 offered by the bathroom or kitchen sink, and even from the bowl of a recently flushed toiled. Any veterinarian will inform you of how important it is for your pet to remain properly hydrated. Cats are especially susceptible to serious urinary tract and kidney problems if they lack enough water intake, and can contract the well known and potentially fatal Feline Urinary Syndrome. If only there were a practical, more sanitary way to treat our pets to a refreshing drink of fresh water whenever their precious little hearts desired. Enter the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain, made by Veterinary Ventures Inc. This fabulous invention offers a free-falling stream of water, which entices pets to drink more, keeping them happy, healthy and hydrated. The fountain utilizes a submersible pump for nearly silent operation. A handy pre-filter catches large particles before they reach the motor, and a replaceable charcoal filter also removes bad tastes and odors. By using a 5-inch falling stream of water, the Pet Fountain continually aerates your pets water with healthful oxygen. The total water capacity of this unit is 168 oz. This provides more than enough thirst quenching water for multiple cats or even a fairly large dog. With a footprint of 16 x 11 x 10.5 inches, this device requires quite a bit more space than the typical water bowl. The Pet Fountain requires a nearby A/C power outlet, utilizing a low voltage, 12V DC transformer, with a handy inline barrel-type disconnect, for easy plug removal. Any excess cord wraps and stores neatly beneath the base of the fountain. There is a flow control lever inside the basin/bowl area of the fountain, just outside the pre-filter. This lever is a bit long and I find that my cats sometimes bump it, causing the water flow to change. This is not a big problem, but when the flow is reduced it tends to cause the stream of water to fall on the receiving ramp in a way that causing more noise (makes a light splashing sound). There is a large, clear water reservoir that snaps onto the back of the fountain base. It is easy to remove and fill the reservoir with water, but the required inversion of the reservoir can cause some water to drip out onto the floor while lowering it into the back of the fountain. The entire unit (minus the electric motor) is dishwasher safe, so the unit is very easy to clean. The plastic parts of this device are very solid and fit together firmly, giving a high quality feel and finish. My wife and I were very excited when our new Drinkwell Pet Fountain arrived. The box contained the miscellaneous parts of the Pet Fountain, the DC power transformer, a charcoal filter, a plastic accessory holder clip (for the Drinkwell Aqua Garden - sold separately), product registration card, and the assembly/operation manual. Our fountain even included a special floor mat, for placing under the fountain to protect the floor beneath, which commemorates the 10 year anniversary of the company. I cant say that all future Pet Fountains sold by Veterinary Ventures Inc. will include this mat, but I highly recommend that you use some sort of mat beneath the unit, as you will likely end up with some water dripped or splashed from the unit. The Pet Fountain was extremely easy to assemble and we had it up and running in just a few minutes. Filling the unit for the first time was a little messy, as the reservoir dripped quite a bit of water while lowering it into the base. The reservoir emptied completely, as the water flowed out and filled the open drinking basin. You then refill the reservoir and reattach to the back of the unit. Within seconds of powering on the unit, there was a nice, steady stream of water cascading out from the spout. Although the manufacturer claims that the Pet Fountain is "nearly silent" in operation, our unit has a fairly pronounced humming sound, made by the motor and impellor system, and there is definitely an audible (although quite soft) sound produced by the cascading water. Our cats were immediately intrigued by the new fountain, and they were both drinking from it within minutes of turning it on. They have been eagerly lapping up water from the fountain ever since. Most of the time they enjoy drinking directly from the stream of water, coming from the spout. Other times they simply drink from the basin. Our cats are definitely drinking much more water than they did before we installed the Pet Fountain, and although they still like to drink from the bathroom sink faucet, from time to time, they dont pester us to turn on the faucet nearly as often. This Pet Fountain is easy to fill, easy to clean, and our cats simply love it. Although the fountain is fairly quiet, it is certainly not silent, so I dont think I would want it installed in an environment that anyone would be sleeping in. The cost of this fountain is a bit excessive but we feel the product is definitely worth the money. There are cheaper fountains on the market (we have tried a couple of different makes and models), but we have found the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain to be a far superior product. We highly recommend this watering system to anyone that has one or more pets, for which they care about their health and happiness. They give you so much unconditional love and affection, so go ahead and spoil them with the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain. =o) Excellent quality and good size On: 2008-03-29I finally broke down and bought this fountain, which Id had my eye on for a while, when one of my cats decided he would only drink from a running fountain. Im very happy with it - so far the biggest downside is that its on the pricey side. The reservoir is big enough you dont have to constantly worry about it running out of water. The motor is very quiet, too, though you do hear the water running/splashing (but it doesnt splash outside of the fountain...). The water is always fresh and my cats love that. :) My cats are drinking from it! On: 2008-03-28I have two fussy cats who dont drink enough water. One cat rather drink from the toilet, sink, or planter dish than from a bowl of water, but she actually drinks from the fountain! She likes to drink from the falling stream of water, and the other cat drinks from the pool of circulating water. I love that it has these two features. I am really happy I bought it because it was so easy to set up and it will keep my cats healthy and hydrated. Worth it. On: 2008-03-27I like this a lot - its easy to clean, and easy to refill. Pricey, but I think its worth it. Easy to clean and quiet On: 2008-03-15I received the larger, dog version from a friend to see if my cats liked it. One did, the other did not - too loud and "scary" and also too high. After much research, I bought this smaller cat version. It is SIGNIFICANTLY more quiet than the dog version, and my smaller cat is actually starting to use it. The big cat adores drinking right from the stream! I was concerned about the time and effort to clean it. I was shocked how easy it is to clean. Parts pull off easily and it is pretty intuitive how to put it back together. I did also buy the brush kit, and the long skinny brush is perfect for the pump infeed tube. Great product - glad I overcame my concern after trying the dog version and gave this one a try. My 6 Cats LOVE This Fountain! On: 2008-03-10I bought this about a week ago and couldnt be happier with my purchase. I found a great deal that included a years worth of filters, a 3-brush cleaning kit and a waterproof mat. My 6 cats ranging from 1 year to 12 years old love the fountain. My cats took to it right away, no problems whatsoever. There is a slight hummmmmm that comes from the motor, but nothing that really ticks me off. It kinda sounds like a fish tank motor or one of those old electric clocks at school. I was also amazed at the ease of cleaning. I just followed the detailed pictures and instructions and quickly took the fountain apart (in about 4 or 5 pieces) and completely cleaned the hair and cat food out of it. (I have since moved the fountain away from the food!!) I am tickled that my cats drink better water than I do!!!! Best on the Market, and an Improvement over the Original Design On: 2008-02-26Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3SNB22Z8N2TM3 We bought our first Drinkwell in 2001 for our cat Wilson, and were so impressed with the product that we became dealers. We have been carrying the Drinkwell line ever since, and the new Platinum version is the best they have made. Best fountain so far On: 2008-02-24I had two previous automatic drinking fountains..I have cats and they , especially the older ones, benefit from increased water intake. The platinum fountain reservoir design works because one of my younger cats would actually rock the earlier versions off the base and I would come home to a flooded kitchen floor! This keeps the water cool and fresh and my cats empty it on a regular basis. The only drawback is that cat hair does collect and clog the unit so it is necessary to at least partially disassemble and clean it quite often and this can be a bit messy and difficult. And I did have to replace the plastic reservoir once because it fell over during the cleaning process and cracked. I suppose that glass would make it heavier but it would also make it more durable. Still, overall, I would recommend this unit for pet owners who are concerned about their pets fluid intake. This is especially important for older animals who tend to suffer decreased kidney function as they age. Great Product On: 2008-02-22Knowing how important it is for Kitties to have abundant clean water, this thing works great. My two cats both drink more, which unfortunately means more litter cleanings, and because of the waterfall effect at times will also play with the stream with their feet, tongues, and sometimes heads. Plus it holds lots of water. Not bad, However it could use some refinement. On: 2008-02-18Ive had this running for almost a month now, and Ive had no problems with it. You could hear it hum a bit, but I set it back on the mat I had for their old bowls of water, and didnt notice it any more. The hum was carried into the hard floor which made it louder. Its a good product, but could use some refinement. First, when you fill it up, you then have to tip over the water container to put it back in place. It doesnt leak much while tipping it over, but it does leak a bit. That could have been easily corrected in the design using a rubber washer and spring. The other issue is of energy use. It uses very very little power..no issue here. Its just there are dozens of these adapters plugged in everywhere using power and I would like to see more efficient use of power. I dont really think this needs to run 24x7. A simple circuit could be added to filter the water occasionally, and turn it on when the cat comes near it. Excluding the refinements that could be made, I think its a very good product, and the cats love it. No more running the shower faucet for Kitty to get a drink. Overall I would recommend it. Much better than the old bowl of water. Success! On: 2008-02-16I bought this drinking fountain for my cats when I found out that I was going to have to be traveling more for work. My male cat has a tendency to knock over his water bowl, and if I am not there he and his sister will have nothing to drink. It took my cats about half an hour before they were really comfortable with this, but since then they love it. I fill it up about once a week, and Max and Mavis have a steady flow of fresh water. It is a little more complicated than putting out a bowl of water, but it sets my mind at ease to know that they always have water to drink. I highly recommend it! Silent but deadly! On: 2008-02-16We bought this item 3 months ago. It ran smoothly and much quieter than the blue and white pet drinking fountain. Suddenly,the reservior began leaking all over the place shortly after we filled it. It could not be repaired...it was very disappointing!! WONDERFUL!!! On: 2008-02-15I ordered this fountain to replace the smaller model. This is a great fountain and well worth the extra money. It is so easy to clean! The smaller Drinkwell fountain is nice, but not as easy to take apart and clean. I highly recommend this model. Easy Peazy On: 2008-02-14This product was easy to set up, and my cats love it. My veterinarian recommends filtered water for my cats, and this allows me to provide that in a way my cats really enjoy. I recommend this product highly. Great water source for cats On: 2008-02-10One of my 2 year-old cats has urinary tract disease - Im desperate to get more water in his system and my vet recommended a fountain like this one. Since I didnt want to wait for shipping, I recently purchased it from a pet store (and I paid MUCH more than I wouldve from Amazon). It took both of my cats a couple of days to be more interested in the fountain than the box it came in, but alas they now drink plentifully from it. I havent had it long enough to clean yet, but all parts (minus the pump) are dishwasher safe, so Im sure it wont be too bad to do. This is a small step considering the benefits pets get by using it. Like another reviewer, Im only giving it 4 stars because I wouldve preferred a ceramic or stainless steel option. The same cat that has urinary tract problems can also be sensitive to plastic. I hope this fountain doesnt trigger any of those issues. Much nicer than original Drinkwell On: 2008-02-08This fountain is so much better than the original Drinkwell fountain. Easier to clean, easier to assemble and quieter. Highly recommend. Overflows all over my floor! On: 2008-02-05Not sure what the problem is but this thing is spilling all over my floor. It worked good the first couple times and now I go to refill it and it just fills up and up and up and over the top. This stinks! Too late to return the darn thing. In regards to the noise, I like the fountain noise in my house. It is relaxing to us. I regret buying it. On: 2008-02-02When I first set up the fountain, the noise the pump was emitting was unacceptable. I followed all the instructions and did some research on the web. I concluded that the noise was considerably higher than what was normal. I contacted the manufacturer who was very helpful. They walked me through some steps in which I had to disassemble the pump and reseat a particular piece inside. Once back together and back in service, there was no change in the noise level. They then agreed to send me a new motor, and I didnt even have to go through the trouble of returning the defective motor. Once I got the new motor installed, the noise level was reduced to an acceptable level. I have a dog and cat and I feel that they are drinking more water because of the fountain. The problem is despite the fact that the reservoir is 168 oz., you still have to remove it from the fountain and top it off every single day because if the reservoir level isnt completely to the top, the unbearable noise of the pump returns. The fountain itself is cheap and not well made. I hesitate to suggest that it would be a bargain at even half the price. I assume it costs so much because of the need for extra customer service. Perhaps they should consider making a quality product instead. So if you like high maintenance, over-priced hunks of plastic then you should buy this fountain. This Fountain Really Rocks! On: 2008-02-01By now I have bought every single fountain on the market for my cats and the Drinkwell Platinum is by farrrrrrrrr the best, this fountain really rocks, my cats luv it! ;) everyone should buy one for their cats, as a matter of fact, when you finish reading this review scroll back up and click on buy! ;)....I would highly recommend this to everyone ;) If there is a better fountain, I haven't found it yet. On: 2008-01-31Like all fountains that have a motor, they clog up with cat hair and need to be cleaned routinely to keep the motor functioning (otherwise, waterflow will decrease by around 40-60%). They try to stop this by putting a small plastic screener in front of the motor, and that works for the big stuff, but a lot still slips through. Regardless, its the best Ive found so far. CRITTER WATER On: 2008-01-28THIS WATER FOUNTAIN IS WELL WORTH THE COST. IT HAS A QUICK DISCONNECT ON THE PLUG, WHICH MAKES IT EASY TO DISCONNECT (I USE AN EXTENSION CORD AS THE WALL OUTLET IS BEHIND THE REFRIGERATOR), SO IAM VERY PLEASED WITH THIS IMPROVEMENT. ITS LARGER, BUT ALSO MUCH EASIER TO CLEAN. MY CAT TOOK TO THE NEW FOUNTAIN WITH NO HESISTATION. IF YOU ARE DEBATING BETWEEN THIS ONE AND THE FIRST DRINKWELL THAT CAME OUT, YOU SHOULD OPT FOR THE PLANTINUM FOUNTAIN. Louder than expected On: 2008-01-25When we first installed the fountain we found it relatively quiet, but within a few days it had begun fits of louder operation -- a bit growly really. These noisy spells can be ended by lifting then replacing the reservoir housing. We have the reservoir completely full, so thats not it. Turning the pressure up or down does not seem to help, though the louder the water, the less conspicuous the motor noise. Not sure Id buy this again. Itll have to live in the basement from here on out, since its too loud for the dining room. Good product, bad cat reaction On: 2008-01-24I have a cat with a chronic urinary tract problem and wanted to keep her drinking as much water as possible. I got this product after seeing it in stores and reading great reviews. My cat is, and remains terrified of the fountain. I have left it off for, yes, months and still she walks a wide path as if anticipating it springing to life again. I have had it for almost 6 months. I keep it clean and not running and have yet to see her go near it. So. Be forewarned. It seems to be a good product but dont assume from the reviews that your cat will understand that! I fear I spent a fair amount of money on an item destined for next summers yard sale season. Boo hoo. Cats love it On: 2008-01-24My cats love this! It holds a lot of water and the filter keeps it fresh. The motor gave us some issues. I had to pull it apart several times to get it to work. I would buy this again as the cats love it, but i wish it had a better motor. Great For Water-Obsessed Cats! On: 2008-01-23We have a cat that likes moving water. He used to constantly slide his dish around to splash and stir up the water before drinking. This made quite a mess on the floor which was not only annoying, but was actually becomming a slippery safety hazard. The first morning after setting up this fountain we woke to a dry floor for the first time in months! He loves the movement of the water, and the other cats have gotten used to it and now enjoy it also. The fountain has been running for about a month now, and has solved our problem! Im very greatfull I found it. It seems well-made and comes apart for easy cleaning. It has an adjustable pump that moves a high volume of water, and I find that the lowest setting is enough. So far, theres really nothing negative I can say about it. Its a little pricey, and needs to be cleaned periodically, but is well worth it if you have a water-obsessed cat like mine! Best ever and our 3 cats love it On: 2008-01-23Our 3 cats no longer jump up on the kitchen sink whenever we turn the water on, they now have their very own running water faucet and hang out around it like a bunch of office workers around the water cooler. They love it and thanks to the Drinkwell Pet Fountain we no longer have urinary track infections in the cats. The water is well filtered and airriated for the better health of our cats. Laddie, Sammie and Holly say a big thank-you to Amazon for making this great product available at a very fair price. Worth the extra for the "platinum" version On: 2008-01-22We wore out the original Drinkwell Fountain, after at least five years of hard use under two slobbering cats. We liked the original fountain just fine, especially once we added the larger bottle sidecar, but it did require maintenance. Every so often it would stop up, and we had to take apart the "works" to clear out cat fur and other gloop from the system. Not an awful job, but not fun either. This one is far superior, and Im glad we spent the extra money on it. Its quieter -- less like a water fountain on your kitchen floor than a quiet background burble. It holds a LOT more water, probably twice as much. And its construction makes it clear that it doesnt tie up the "moving parts" with the water flow; I dont expect that we will to have to dismantle the unit every six months. (And by "we," of course, I mean my husband!) This got our cat ouf of the bathtub and kitchen sink and to his own water supply! We are all quite happy! On: 2008-01-19Cant believe it...our cat was drinking water out of every sink, or bathtub. Now....kitty is happy with his drinkwell and gets plenty of water. This product is a winner in our household! Trying to make Lemonade! On: 2008-01-18We have purchased other Drinkwell products and have been very satisfied with them. I think we got a lemon this time. We set up the fountain and it worked properly the first day but, at some point overnight, the vacuum holding the water in the reservoir released and we found the counter and floor covered in water. We checked all the parts and the assembly of same and tried again several times but were not successful in getting the water to remain in the reservoir for even a few minutes. The seller attempted to correct the problem but to no avail. Please dont let this review sour your opinion of the entire Drinkwell line or even this product! I hope to purchase another of the Platinum Fountains at a later date and find it perfected. In the meantime we purchased one of the other Drinkwell fountains that has worked for us in the past and it is working perfectly! for the pampered cat On: 2008-01-18This is my cats third fountain over the years. It is by far the best. I feel that the water stays fresher longer because the water flows and moves through the fountain easely. The only negative to the fountain is that it is the loudest we have had, it has a loud humbing sound. It doesnt bother the cat she loves it. Wonderful! My cats LOVE it! On: 2008-01-14After having used the PetMate fountain for years, it is SO NICE not to have to struggle so much to clean this Drinkwell! The PetMate got slimy really quickly, was much harder to take apart and clean and did not interest my cats as much as this fountain. My two boys love to drink straight from the "falls" as well as out of the bowl. I like the sound the water makes (but I also like the sounds of streams and brooks, etc.), so if running water makes you feel like you have to heed the call of nature, this may not be the fountain for you. We are very happy to be using it! Cat seem to like it. On: 2008-01-14We needed a cat waterer that would hold much water and something that the cats would actually drink from. It took about a week for the cats to get accustomed to it, but once they did, it was no big deal. We have two cats; one is very skittish and was wary but now drinks from it and the other is easy going and actually drinks from the water stream. I would say overall, this product is very well made yet simple in design. Its easy to disassemble and clean and it is very quiet. A Must Buy On: 2008-01-12Our family has two cats that refused to drink from bowls and only wanted water from the sink. After the purchase of the Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain, we have reclaimed the sink. We have had the fountain for 2 months and have had no problems. The fountain is easy to clean and the cats prefer it over the sink!!!! My cats seem to like it a little bit so far On: 2008-01-11I got this fountain a few days ago. So far my cats are warming up to it, which is great. I cleaned it using the kit specifically for the fountain which made it much easier. Drinkwell 3-Brush Cleaning Kit Its not very noisy at all. Ive got the fountain in my bedroom and the sound of water is quite soothing. But more importantly the cats seem to be liking it now. I still have their old water bowl out, so they arent going cold turkey on this. The water still looks clean at the moment, but as I said before, my cats are still getting used to it. Try it out for your cat(s) if you like, just know that it might take a little while for them to get used to it. dogs and cats love it On: 2008-01-10I bought this as a gift for my grand-puppy and kitties. My daughter didnt really tell me too much about using it, but she said they "LOVE IT!" Sorry couldnt tell you more. Super stream On: 2008-01-08I like this fountain. More importantly, my two cats and two Lhasa Apso dogs love it. Like other reviewers have stated, my pets drink from the running stream in preference to the pool. I think that they drink more water from the fountain than from a bowl, which is good for their kidneys and overall health. Strangely, the cats drink more from our "Big Dog" fountain, and the dogs from this smaller one. This fountain, as well as the other, require cleaning as often as any bowl would, which is about once a week for us. Cleaning it requires complete disassembly and special brushes (get the Drinkwell Cleaning Brushes), and is therefore much more complicated and time-consuming than regular bowls. It is worth this extra effort to me, but would not be for others. Also, it can be used with or without a special filter, which should be replaced from time to time. I choose to use them. I have not owned this fountain long enough to have any issues with it. If interested, there are a lot of comments available regarding Drinkwell fountains by googling them. Much improved from last model On: 2008-01-07This fountain works well, is reliable, much quieter than previous model from this company, and is MUCH easier to clean. I have had this for 6 months, and I am very happy with it. My cats used to complain about stale water (by waking me up at night), but now they let me sleep. I clean it once a week, sometimes by hand and sometimes in the dishwasher. It is about a weeks worth of water for my two cats. No more cat sitters, and no more late night water complaints. If you are considering an auto-watering option, this is the one to get. This is not an improvement over the original Drinkwell Pet Fountain. On: 2008-01-05I bought this one to replace my original Drinkwell Pet Fountain, which had served me very well for several years. I just thought it was time to upgrade. I liked the look of the Platinum fountain and the idea that I wouldnt have to refill it so often. However, this product turned out to be very poorly engineered when compared to the original. It seems flimsier, the motor buzzes loudly no matter what I do, and my pets HATE it, even when it is not running. My cat refused to drink from it and I found her licking condensation off the window since I had taken away the other water in the house to encourage her to drink. My dog also doesnt like drinking from it and sits and stares at it as if trying to work up the nerve to try it. I never had these problems with my old Drinkwell Pet Fountain, which still works, so I will be returning the Platinum Fountain and going back to the old one. I do, however, like the new filters for the Drinkwell fountains, with their six compartments to keep the charcoal in place. Since these fit both fountains, Ill be useing them with my old fountain. I wish Drinkwell had just upsized their original design. That would have been perfect. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2008-01-02The positive points: Cats seem to enjoy it. You dont have to change out the water in the bowl as frequently as a still standing bowl. It has a filter to filter out the crud that collects in the bowl. It fits together nicely and doesnt use too much space. It does make a bit of a splashing noise when the cats drink and / or if you have the pump set to a certain flow. It isnt bad IMO, its actually relaxing to me. The negative points: Youll have to clean it once every 1-2 weeks, and it can be a bit of a pain. (There are a lot of parts to clean.) You have to set aside 10-15 minutes to clean it. If you use filtered water, the water tends to stay clean longer. Sludge will eventually form regardless. The pump causes vibrations and some of the plastic parts rattle. I usually just hit the top of it and it stops when it does that. When the pump is on high, water runs over the top of the internal filter. (Defeating its purpose.) So you cant really have it on high unless the filter is brand new. I think the internal filter design sucks but it works. Kinda. Overall, im pleased with it and recommend it. I think there could be some improvements but it is defiantly better then having a regular still standing plastic water bowl. If you pass on getting one of these water fountains, I would use a stainless steel bowl. It doesnt generate sludge like the plastic. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2008-01-01The positive points: Cats seem to enjoy it. You dont have to change out the water in the bowl as frequently as a still standing bowl. It has a filter to filter out the crud that collects in the bowl. It fits together nicely and doesnt use too much space. It does make a bit of a splashing noise when the cats drink and / or if you have the pump set to a certain flow. It isnt bad IMO, its actually relaxing to me. The negative points: Youll have to clean it once every 1-2 weeks, and it can be a bit of a pain. (There are a lot of parts to clean.) You have to set aside 10-15 minutes to clean it. If you use filtered water, the water tends to stay clean longer. Sludge will eventually form regardless. The pump causes vibrations and some of the plastic parts rattle. I usually just hit the top of it and it stops when it does that. When the pump is on high, water runs over the top of the internal filter. (Defeating its purpose.) So you cant really have it on high unless the filter is brand new. I think the internal filter design sucks but it works. Kinda. Overall, im pleased with it and recommend it. I think there could be some improvements but it is defiantly better then having a regular still standing plastic water bowl. If you pass on getting one of these water fountains, I would use a stainless steel bowl. It doesnt generate sludge like the plastic. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2007-12-31We purchased this Platinum fountain (approximately November 2007) after the motor on our original Drinkwell cat fountain failed to function after several years. We, and our two cats, really liked the original fountain, but the Platinum one is so much better! Better design in that my female cat cannot knock the top off the fountain (she used to do this so much we would just leave it off and she would drink out of the top of the fountain rather than from the stream itself!). It is also much sturdier, with a good capacity reservoir that again is cat-proof (again, my female cat would knock the reservoir off and we would have to bungee it on!) Also much easier to clean and keep clean, as we have very hard water that tended to build up deposits on the original fountain. Not as quiet as they say and can still hear the stream of water, but figure that feature we can enjoy as we would a relaxation fountain! Would recommend wholeheartedly! My cat loves it! On: 2007-12-30My cat spent 20 minutes at the this water bowl the minute I set it up and turned it on. I used to worry he never spent any time at his little ceramic kitty bowl. Thank you Drinkwell for making my kitty happy and keeping him healthy. (MUCH easier than the blue water fountain bowl by Petmate. My old roommates used to have that one for our cats and I would swear up a storm every time I had to clean that stupid thing. What a nightmare that was with all of its nooks and crannies that you could never get into. The pieces were a pain to fit together even to fill it. Of course you could never fill it w/o needing to clean it b/c it was always dirty.) Much improved over the standard Drinkwell fountain! On: 2007-12-30Purchased this after melting the parts to the standard Drinkwell fountain trying to disinfect them. Of course Amazon had it for the same price as I would have paid for a new regular Drinkwell at the local pet store, so why not upgrade! The design is much better than the original and the included water holding tank is a big plus. When I got mine, I set it up but then a couple days later it overflowed. That was really odd, so I emptied it out, then set it up again. Another couple days and it was overflowing again! I sent an email to the mfg. and asked if I was doing something wrong or if I had a faulty fountain. They promptly replied and said that I must have received an "old" water tank and that they have fixed it. They mailed me a new one and I was up and running! Have had it now about two months and have been very happy overall. I really dont think that it is that much quieter than the old one, but it is sitting on carpet, not a hard floor, so most of the noise I get is from the motor vibrating the plastic and making noise. Both the old and this new design sound the same to me. On the plus side, it is much easier to clean and the parts are dishwasher safe (though I have not tried putting them in the dishwasher yet). Overall I am very happy with this purchase, especially for the price on Amazon! Drinkwell Cat fountain On: 2007-12-28Its a very nice product, made well, easy to put together and take apart to clean. The only problem is, my new kitten doesnt seem to be that interested in it, and I dont imagine I can return it. So now what do I do with it? Drinking Fountain On: 2007-12-26Some of my cats in the cattery are frightened of the running water. I dont understand why because the same cats love to watch water running from the faucet of my sink. The majority of them love to drink from the fresh running water. The water reservoir is large enough to provide abundant water. Does a good job On: 2007-12-25These comments are from my thirteen-year-old who is the keeper of our cats: "It is fairly quiet, and I clean it once a week. My cats that previously wouldnt drink from a bowl drink from the fountain. It may take your cats a couple of days to get use to the fountain." Great For Cats, But Motor Burned Out In 4 Months On: 2007-12-22I had the previous style of Drinkwell fountain for many years and my 3 cats loved it. In fact I had 2 fountains - one inside and one on the porch. All of the cats greatly increased their water intake and all was well in Catland. Every couple of years a motor would burn out but replacements didnt cost much and the whole setup was well worth every penny. Last summer one of the motors burned out and thats when I discovered that the style had been changed and I could no longer buy compatible motors. Since I had to get a new fountain anyway I decided to upgrade to the Platinum. I agree with previous reviewers that the design of the removable portion of the water container leaves a bit to be desired, since you have to hold it while refilling, but thats really a minor issue. A bigger issue was the motor on this one burned out in only 4 months. I ordered a replacement but it only works intermittently. From my point of view, the quality on this unit is nowhere near as good as the previous models and I will not buy another one. If you get one that keeps working then it should be a wonderful thing for your pets. Some cats take longer than others to get used to it, but give them time. One of my cats took 2 or 3 weeks after the new style arrived before she would start drinking out of it - and she loved the old fountains. Its just that some cats are more shy of new things than others. Too small for dogs. Noisy. On: 2007-12-19From the descriptions, I thought that this product would be larger. If Id known how small it is, I would have bought the "Big Dogs" waterer. The pump is noisy, but Ive had it for 6 months and it still works. I like the collection grate that does not allow debris into the pump. My cats and dogs love drinking from this product. They will not touch the regular water dish. I would definately recommend some sort of pet fountain. Too small for dogs. Noisy. On: 2007-12-18From the descriptions, I thought that this product would be larger. If Id known how small it is, I would have bought the "Big Dogs" waterer. The pump is noisy, but Ive had it for 6 months and it still works. I like the collection grate that does not allow debris into the pump. My cats and dogs love drinking from this product. They will not touch the regular water dish. I would definately recommend some sort of pet fountain. Happy Kitties On: 2007-12-16Our male kitty was constantly getting in our sinks and bath tub, trying to drink from faucets. It was very obvious that he craved fresh, running water as opposed to still water sitting in his bowl. He took to the fountain in a matter of seconds and our skittish female cat was drinking from it soon afterwards. They both love it, and I find it very easy to maintain. The gentle sound of trickling water is a small price to pay for knowing that my cats are happier and healthier. cat approved On: 2007-12-12Our vet wanted our elderly cat to drink more water. We bought a cat waterer which just had the water slide down an inclined plane. Cat would not touch it. Returned it and bought the drinkwell platinum and the cat drank from it within a few minutes and drank about a gallon in the first week. Excellent product. Best Pet Fountain Out There On: 2007-12-10Our two cats absolutely LOVE this fountain. It provides fresh, clean, running water any time. I no longer need to turn the faucet on every time Im in the bathroom in order for my cats to get a drink of running water. We have tried many different fountains, and this one is no doubt the best. It is very quiet and does not allow water to splatter all over the floor. You can even adjust the flow of the water to suit the needs of your cat(s). There is a large reservoir included with this product, and it only needs to be refilled about once a week. The filters last a long time and rarely need to be replaced. At first I was concerned about the price of this fountain being a little high as opposed to the lower prices of other fountains. However, now I know that my money was very well spent!! There is no better fountain on the market. I highly recommend this to all cat owners!! Junk On: 2007-12-09Noisy piece of junk. Have to put it in the room with their litter box so as not to hear the constant whining of the motor. Save your money. Get a dog. no more water on the floor! On: 2007-12-06My cat loves to dip his paws in his water and splash the water around...and always made a mess all over the floor. Ive noticed he hasnt done that since we started using the fountain and hes been drinking more water, too. The best fountain ever On: 2007-12-02The first fountain we had was the Petmate Fresh Flow and the water flowed directly down a "ski" type path. The Drinkwell flows like water out of a faucet and our cat Ginger seems to prefer that method. Its easy to do the once a week cleaning and does not have to have a filter. AWESOME!!!!! On: 2007-12-02This is by far, the BEST water fountain on the market. My cats love it!!!!! Easy use and easy clean..... This is awesome for older kitties! On: 2007-12-01My cat has drinking issues, so I was looking for a fountain to try (again). I have tried other fountains without success. My 19 year old kitty Papaya has renal failure, and gets subcutaneous fluids daily. I bought this fountain today, and when I first set it up, I was surprised how noisy it was. Then I moved it upstairs, plugged it in up there, and it is really quiet (I am not sure why, so if noise is an issue for you, try it in a different spot). Within 5 minutes my cat was drinking from this! This is a cat who screams at all hours when he is thirsty, and will not drink on his own. He must be petted the entire time he is drinking. Now, with the Drinkwell Platinum, so far he is drinking by himself, which he has not done in months!!! WORTH THE MONEY! On: 2007-11-28Sent exactly what we ordered and in a timely manner considering the holidays. Our three cats are intrigued by the fountain. We are very happy to have fresh, clean water available to our pets 24/7. Very attractive, quiet unit and easy to clean. We highly recommend this product and seller." Great! On: 2007-11-27I love this product! It took about a week before my cat started drinking from it regularly, but she now wont drink from anything else. The water does get a little slimy after a week, so you will want to rinse and clean it regularly. But no problems, it is very quiet and pretty compact. My only complaint is that when you have to rinse it out you have to get the motor and cord out of a small square hole without spilling the water in the bottom dish, which can be hard. But definitely worth every penny and more! Pet Fountain On: 2007-11-25We purchased the Fountain for our Cat. She loves it, because it actually has a stream of water. It needs to be cleaned at least about once a month, and we add a little water pretty much on a daily basis. For us its a perfect solution to our cat always wanting to drink fresh water from the faucet. Life saver! Quiet! Clean! On: 2007-11-18We have three water faucet-obsessed cats. We couldnt go near a faucet in our house with out all three of them attempting to drink from it. It was cute at first but quickly got annoying. We bought this in hopes to cure them... it worked. First of all the fountain is really quiet, I am surprised people comment on the noise. You can also tweak the water pressure, which is nice because they like the slowest level. It also holds tons of water, the extra reserve is great. Finally, as I mentioned above, it has totally worked on getting them to stop lurking at every sink faucet (and toilet and shower) in the house. Wow! Why didn't I buy sooner? On: 2007-11-17I wanted this fountain in the past, however, I was scared to pay for something I was unsure of. I got his for my birthday, and I love it!!! I have a few cats, and I no longer have to clean and fill the water bowl daily. Water looks clean and fresh, I watch water level. I do not hear the motor at all. The water can be heard, though it is not loud and can be adjusted. One cat went to use the fountain immediately, and the others within a few hours. They seem to love it and are drinking more. Only one cat still attempts to drink out of faucet still. Much easier to maintain than a normal water bowl. Worth the investment! Cat loves it and I hardly notice it, great! On: 2007-11-12My cat had a bad habit of trying to drink out of any source of water that wasnt his water bowl. If I set down a glass of water, hed try to stick his face in it. If I left the faucet dripping, hed lap at it. If I left the toilet seat up hed.... ew. I bought the Drinkwell Platinum hoping it would be more appealing to him than these other things and it worked great. After setting up the Drinkwell I put him in front of it and after a couple minutes of mesmerized staring at the fountain he started drinking from it and has used it since. The noise is pretty minimal. The pumps motor has a hum that I only notice if Im right beside the fountain. Normal refrigerator and air conditioner sounds easily drown it out. One time after cleaning it was much louder than normal, I took it apart and noticed I hadnt secured the motor tightly to the bowl (it uses suction cups) and it was rattling. A quick push into place and it was back to its usual quiet operation. If youre finding the noise to be excessive, that might be something to check. At higher speeds, the water gurgles as it drops into the bowl but I actually find this sound rather soothing. If you dont like it just turn the speed down and the water is nearly silent. Assembly was a snap, and taking it apart for cleaning is equally simple. Ive had no problems with leaks or really with anything. I like this product a lot and more importantly, so does my cat. Id highly recommend it to anybody with a pet. Great product On: 2007-11-11SO much better than the smaller one. I still think they can do better by having an even larger water capacity though. One of the best features is that you can turn the water up or down, which allows you to hear the water trickling or not. I feel less guilty by refusing to turn on the faucets with this around, even though the little fart still goes right to the darn tub faucet still...but a little less I guess. excellent fountain, but a little high maintenaince On: 2007-11-11This is a wonderful way to get your kitties to drink more water, especially if you dont want to be running to the faucet each time they meow at you. LOL. The fountains do require a certain amount of maintenance to keep them running. You need to disassemble them and clean them weekly but I think it is worth it to keep my furchildren hydrated.... great but... On: 2007-11-06I really like this fountain now that Ive modified it, at first it was a bit too loud from the water falling, and from the splashing when my cats drank from the top of the stream. To fix this I made a steaper ramp that the stream falls on from a piece of plastic, its now much quieter. If this fountain came with a steaper and wider ramp Id give it 5 stars. Good water fountain but useless filter On: 2007-10-29Drinkwell Platinum works very well in creating a water flow that my cats like drinking from. However, the water gets really cloudy after only a day or two, and the culprit is the filter. I replace the filter often, but the water still gets cloudy. I couldnt keep up with paying $10 for a 3-pack, so I gave up and use nothing. (I only fill the Drinkwell unit with human filtered water, i.e. my drinking water.) The water doesnt get cloudy as fast. I hope that Veterinary Ventures or other water fountain companies would introduce a water fountain that somehow exploits state-of-the-art fish aquarium filtering technology. I would buy something like that even if its expensive (or maybe it already exists, but I dont know about it). Bottom line: 5 stars for the main unit, minus 1 star for the useless filter. super quiet On: 2007-10-28I bought this for my 16 year old cat that had decided to stop drinking out of her water bowl. She is now drinking a lot more and her kidneys are functioning better. This unit is also super quiet! it is in my bedroon, so I was worried about the noise, but it is virtually silent! the company is great as well! the unit arrived with a cracked water tank, and they replaced it immediately with no hassle! Good water fountain but useless filter On: 2007-10-28Drinkwell Platinum works very well in creating a water flow that my cats like drinking from. However, the water gets really cloudy after only a day or two, and the culprit is the filter. I replace the filter often, but the water still gets cloudy. I couldnt keep up with paying $10 for a 3-pack, so I gave up and use nothing. (I only fill the Drinkwell unit with human filtered water, i.e. my drinking water.) The water doesnt get cloudy as fast. I hope that Veterinary Ventures or other water fountain companies would introduce a water fountain that somehow exploits state-of-the-art fish aquarium filtering technology. I would buy something like that even if its expensive (or maybe it already exists, but I dont know about it). Bottom line: 5 stars for the main unit, minus 1 star for the useless filter. One of the best things we've done for our cats by: bekintex On: 2007-10-23 In our household, you couldnt go to the bathroom, brush your teeth, or just comb your hair in front of the mirror without one of our two Siamese mutts jumping up and asking for a "Sink Drink." Usually, both Reese and Heather had to have a turn at the faucet. Getting them their own fountain allows us to use our sink mostly on our own and gives all four of our feline family fresh water all the time. Reese, who likes the water straight from the fountain, will drink at the most aerated top of the stream, while his sister Heather drinks near the bottom. Getting your cats to drink fresh, clean water daily keeps them healthy. The fountain reduces having to deal with bowls. Cleanup is easy and the animals are well worth it. NOTE: the filters are pretty common size pool filters, which you can get cheaper at the aquarium store! Its worth it On: 2007-10-14In the long run, if it gets your cat to drink more water, its def worth it. I am weeding my kittens off crappy foods such as whiskas market cuts which they love but is so bad for them. I cant seem to get them to eat the good wet foods such as Felidae and Innova Evo, they absolutely love Innova EVO dry which is about the best dry cat food out there, NO GRAINS, which is why most cats get fat, the wheat gluten, ect. Having them drink much more water I can slowly get them off the Whiskas and other crappy wet foods and feed them more of the good dry and try to get them to nibble on the Felidae/evo canned. I found the fountain works best at about 75 percent, anymore and the splashing water discourages them from drinking, two weeks in and two easy cleanings later they really have taken to it, licking from the spout and the bowl after 1 week use its not as nasty as I expected. I plan on buying more filters and looking around for homemade ways to replace the filter, maybe from fish tank products, this would be a 5 if it had a stainless steel body or Microban as well as the water res should be able to be stood on its own when filling... Great Product! On: 2007-10-13The Drinkwell fountain is a must have! Our cat was diagnosed with a urinary tract problem, so we decided to try some type of drinking fountain to see if she would drink more water. After studying both brands, we decided to go with the Drinkwell based on other favorable reviews. This product is great! It took about 24 hrs. for kitty to realize it wouldnt bite her and it was safe to drink. Now she drinks a lot of water, both from the bowl and from the spout. It seems to be fun for her and, of course, its good for her health! It holds a lot of water and is always fresh for your pet. We took a one-week vacation and had no problem with the fountain. (Since it was the first time, we did leave a backup source for water just in case.) We dont have an altitude problem where we live, so after 2-1/2 months we have not experienced any overflow problems. This item is well worth the money if you love your pet! So far, so good On: 2007-10-10I bought two Pet Smart fountains and the pump failed on both of them, so I thought I would try this one. A month later the pump is still working. Also, it is a lot quieter, the reservoir is bigger, and the cats dig the drip action. Just in case, has anyone found a source for replacement pumps? Great! Works, quiet, easy to refill, looks nice. On: 2007-10-10Neat product! Appears to be well built, is very quiet, easy to refill, and looks nice. Our cats like the fountain and the water sound. I like the charcoal filter that helps keep the water fresh. Much better than the other pet water dishes that have stagnant water in the dish. I would buy it again. Our dogs really like this! On: 2007-10-09We are pleased with our Drinkwell fountain. Initially, we had purchased it in hopes of using it outside on our back porch. After reading the directions, we found that it is for indoor use only. We decided to go ahead and use it indoors for our basset hound and dachshund. The dogs drink a lot more water now that it is readily available all the time! The noise level is no worse than a fish tank so we dont think that is a problem. We liked the idea of putting the Drinkwell in the dishwasher, but it does not fit in the top portion of ours. It is not difficult to take apart and clean. Due to the fact that we have dogs (instead of cats), I think we have to keep looking to make sure the water is not too low. So far it only needs to be refilled every other day on average. Hope your animals love it as much as ours!Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain (168 oz.) Our dogs really like this! On: 2007-10-08We are pleased with our Drinkwell fountain. Initially, we had purchased it in hopes of using it outside on our back porch. After reading the directions, we found that it is for indoor use only. We decided to go ahead and use it indoors for our basset hound and dachshund. The dogs drink a lot more water now that it is readily available all the time! The noise level is no worse than a fish tank so we dont think that is a problem. We liked the idea of putting the Drinkwell in the dishwasher, but it does not fit in the top portion of ours. It is not difficult to take apart and clean. Due to the fact that we have dogs (instead of cats), I think we have to keep looking to make sure the water is not too low. So far it only needs to be refilled every other day on average. Hope your animals love it as much as ours!Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain (168 oz.) Drinkwell Fountain On: 2007-10-02The only reason I returned the item because it was larger than the area I had for it. I cant review the product itself, but the merchant I purchased it from was very courteous and prompt. Drinkwell Platinum Fountain On: 2007-09-29This is a great concept. Weve had our fountain for a month now. My cat always wanted to drink fresh, cool water trickling from the bathtub spout and that was very inconvenient. So, I hoped the fountain would work for him instead. Although my cat does drink from the fountain (and is not offered water from the tub water spout anymore), he is surprisingly still reluctant to drink from the fountain. I noted that areas of the fountain under water has some sediment on it especially toward the end of the week when the fountain is due for a cleaning (we have well water). Ive started cleaning the fountain twice a week and that seems to have made a difference in our cat accepting the new drinking arrangement. I do not have any trouble cleaning or adding water to the fountain. However, it does take extra care in handling it to prevent any spills. Nice but cats are scared of it even after one month On: 2007-09-28I believe Drinkwell has done a good job but our cats are still scared of it after one month. We have it off mostly so it has become a rather expensive drinking bowl. Good product! On: 2007-09-27The Drinkwell works great and runs quietly as long as the unit is kept clean. We do have to clean it about once a week or every other week because saliva and hair from our two cats accumulates in the bowl. Assembly and disassembly is simple, which makes it easy to put the parts in the dishwasher for cleaning or you can hand clean them. Ive been surprised at how much water our two cats drink since we purchased the Drinkwell! Now that we have the Drinkwell we dont have to turn on faucets for the cats anymore! Spectacular (for a cat fountain) On: 2007-09-26Ive never had another fountain. This one is the bees knees as far as Im concerned though. Unfortunately, the cat I bought it for passed away about the time I got it. RIP. The new kitten thinks its nice. Good product! On: 2007-09-26The Drinkwell works great and runs quietly as long as the unit is kept clean. We do have to clean it about once a week or every other week because saliva and hair from our two cats accumulates in the bowl. Assembly and disassembly is simple, which makes it easy to put the parts in the dishwasher for cleaning or you can hand clean them. Ive been surprised at how much water our two cats drink since we purchased the Drinkwell! Now that we have the Drinkwell we dont have to turn on faucets for the cats anymore! Perfect for a crowd of cats who are all up to no good. On: 2007-09-24I purchased the Drinkwell fountain primarily because I have 3 adult cats and recently acquired 2 kittens. Providing fresh water was becoming too frequent a chore and made going away for more than a day impossible. The big cats and the kittens love the drinking fountain. The big cats enjoy drinking directly from the stream and will watch it for hours. All 5 are drinking much more water than they used to. The big cats drink probably 3xs more than they were when I was filling water dishes for them. I refill the tank every 3rd day. The pump is quiet, and I really appreciate that the kitties cant reach anything that might be jarred loose. Ive used self-watering devices before but the cats would always play with the nozzle and overflow the dish. Its also very sturdy and doesnt seem like it can be tipped over. Its been run into, jumped on, and inadvertently kicked and so far no spillage. Easy to clean, easy to fill, easy to change the filter. This was money well spent. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain On: 2007-09-24The fountain is well liked by my two cats. One of my cats in particular, would only drink from the bathroom sink. The water is not filtered and has a lot of chlorine in it. I wanted a more convienient and healthy alternative. She, as did my other cat, loved it right away. The only negative has been that it is made of plastic. I wish is was made of a more healthy drinking material. You will have to wash it at least once per week ( the whole thing). I myself, have found it best to thoroughly clean it every 4 days. Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain too noisy! On: 2007-09-17Ive had the Drinkwell Fountain for my cat, Jilly, about a month now & she still refuses to drink from it. Since she liked to drink from a running stream from a bathroom faucet, I thought she would love it. She ran her paw under the stream a couple of times & that gave me hope. It hummed from the beginning but seemed to start humming louder within a day or two. She became afraid of it after that. It is still plugged in, except for cleaning, just in case she wants to drimk from it. But I believe she will out wait me! The best On: 2007-09-03This thing works like a charm. We have two cats and they are drinking more water now. The water stayes fresher for a longer time. My cat loves this fountain On: 2007-09-02It took a few times to get the knack of filling the reservoir and inserting into the fountain, but Ive got it mastered. My cat just LOVES drinking from the fountain. Drinkwell is the best On: 2007-09-01The design of this Drinkwell Platinum cat fountain is the best Ive seen: easy to use, easy to clean, holds lots of water for my two cats. Highly recommended! Excellent product for encouraging pets to drink more. On: 2007-08-28An excellent product that keeps water fresh. Our cats have been drinking more with this product versus just having a water bowl. The pump is very quiet. One minor nit is that while the tank is easy to refill, it would be easier if the top was flat so the tank could stand on its own while being filled. This is really a minor design issue. Very satisfied with this product. Great On: 2007-08-23My cat has never drank so much in her life and now she doesnt hog the sink...as much. Good, but can get messy On: 2007-08-15My cats were basically indifferent to the fountain aspect of this product, to my surprise given that they love the shower so much. But I was pleased to have a fountain that continuously filters water and holds a good deal of it (very helpful for going out of town on short trips). I was disappointed, however, at how quickly the fountain gets scummy (I have two cats, so Im sure that makes a difference) and the filter gets clogged, causing the water to run over it instead of through it. This basically defeats the purpose and causes a bit of a cesspool effect on the back side of the filter. Cleaning is straight forward enough, though, I have found that all pieces except the pump are dishwasher safe. I would recommend running the pump through some very dilute water/bleach solution to kill the scum that builds up around/inside it (rinsing very thoroughly before using again in the fountain). Overall a good product - a bit cumbersome, though. Great substitute for faucet drinking cats! On: 2007-07-31A few months ago, I purchased the blue bubble looking cat fountain, but it was very expensive and only 1 cat would go near it or drink from it. I read the reviews of the new Drinwell Platinum and ordered this on a whim, after finding out that my 20 yr old cat needs to drink as much water as is possible. This is an excellent fountain and Im so glad I bought it. All 4 of my cats played in it a bit the first day, but were also drinking from it within the first 24 hours. Even my spoiled, grumpy old girl drinks from it and it keeps me from having to stand in the bathroom with the faucet on (well...Im not there as often). I am so thankful for this product. Excellent product On: 2007-07-29I have been using this product for a few months and love it to death. The fountain is very effective and quiet. The filter works great (it shows visible signs of usage) and its nice to know my cats water is relatively clean. The product does what it is designed to do and provides an encouraging water source for your cat, though mine still enjoys the occasional faucet lick. The design of this thing is great too. The entire unit is so simple and comes apart so easily and is a breeze to clean. One thing that bugs me is not the device itself, but all the people reviewing the product claiming that the reservoir is difficult to fill without spilling. I find absolutely no issue with this and am perplexed at people who are unable to cleanly refill their reservoir. Yes, the unit is not leak proof as the valve operates on a float lever, but its JUST LIKE HANDLING A WATER COOLER JUG. IT WILL LEAK IF YOU HOLD IT UPSIDE DOWN, THE TRICK IS YOU DONT HOLD IT UPSIDE DOWN UNTIL YOURE AT THE UNIT. Aimed right, you make no spill at all. Overall its a wonderful product worth every penny. Love this product! On: 2007-07-25I just got my first kitten ever about a month ago. She is so much fun and so energetic, and I only want the best for her. I got her one of those water bowls with the attached jug at the top of it, but I found that I had to clean it so often because of the stagnant water. And Cleo (thats her name) just didnt even want to touch that water at some points. I guess it wasnt fresh anymore. So, one of my friends who has a cat swore to me that I had to get Cleo a water fountain. I started researching different brands and came across Drinkwell and Petmate. I compared both fountains, read each products customer reviews, and settled on purchasing this model, mainly because the cheaper model with the additional reservoir would end up costing about 5 to 10 dollars less than this supposed "better" version, so I went ahead and splurged for the kittys sake. I set it up and she just adores it. She plays with the running water with her paw and loves to drink directly from the spout. She is drinking more than she ever was before, and that means a healthy kitty and a happy mommy :) Awesome! On: 2007-07-12This water fountain has gone 7 days until it needed to be refilled, and I have two cats. I bought the fountain so I could go on vacation for a week and not have to worry, which I now know I can do. My cats immediately began drinking out of the fountain and enjoy it. They prefer drinking from the bowl over the stream of water. It is rather quiet. I returned the Petmate Deluxe fountain because I had to fill it every two days and because it did not cycle water well. The Drinkwell Platimun cycles water very well. The extra money spent is was well worth it. PS. I also highly recommend the Litter-Robot self-cleaning litter box! Awesome! On: 2007-07-11This water fountain has gone 7 days until it needed to be refilled, and I have two cats. I bought the fountain so I could go on vacation for a week and not have to worry, which I now know I can do. My cats immediately began drinking out of the fountain and enjoy it. They prefer drinking from the bowl over the stream of water. It is rather quiet. I returned the Petmate Deluxe fountain because I had to fill it every two days and because it did not cycle water well. The Drinkwell Platimun cycles water very well. The extra money spent is was well worth it. PS. I also highly recommend the Litter-Robot self-cleaning litter box! Good product, but does overflow On: 2007-06-26We purchased this model a few months ago for our cats who refused to drink from anything but the kitchen sink. I decided that this would be the perfect solution to our dilemma. It worked great for a while. The cats liked it immediately, however, after about a month, I noticed that the water level in the bowl was very close to the edge. I didnt think it would overflow, but sure enough it did. I dont think it has anything to do with elevation as we live in the south at a pretty low elevation. I couldnt figure out what was going on with it. I found that if I let the water get a little low in the bowl and fill the resevoir about 1/2 when I add more, it still has a lot of water in the machine and works a lot better. I think I will examine the faulty resevoir further to see if there is a fix for it. But overall, it has helped us a lot and even with the overflow problem it has still been a great product for us. You should probably buy this immediately. On: 2007-06-25We recently got a new kitten (4 months old) who is always trying to drink water from anywhere BUT his water dish. Hes always jumping up to drink out of the bathroom sink, or out of the bath tub, or if some water spills on the floor then he will lick that up too. Anyway, I wished that he was drinking more, but couldnt leave the faucet running all day. He seemed to be a good cat candidate for the drinkwell fountain system since he was into the running water. I bought the drinkwell and the instant that I plugged it in my cat was overjoyed. He was pawing at the stream of water and playing with it. He was drinking straight from the stream, he was drinking from the bowl. Now we have had the drinkwell for five days and he has drank more water than ever before. I had to refill the reservoir this morning because it was getting low! Its amazing, and my cat is no longer jumping into sinks and bath tubs because of it. Sometimes he just sits in front of the drinkwell and watches it like hes wishing he was more thirsty. I swear. I agree with all of the other positive reviews for this product. The sound of the water falling from the fountain is audible but not intrusive or annoying. A tip that I have found about the sound of the motor: It seems that as there is less water in the reservoir the motor becomes louder. Something about the pressure or the weight of the full reservoir keeps it a quieter machine. Oh, and when the reservoir is full the motor is pretty much silent. I couldnt be more pleased. Another tip: It says right in the drinkwell manual that the filters for this product are OPTIONAL. So if you are giving your cat water from an already filtered system, then dont waste your money on buying more filters. My cat would give this product 6 stars if he could. Good product, but does overflow On: 2007-06-25We purchased this model a few months ago for our cats who refused to drink from anything but the kitchen sink. I decided that this would be the perfect solution to our dilemma. It worked great for a while. The cats liked it immediately, however, after about a month, I noticed that the water level in the bowl was very close to the edge. I didnt think it would overflow, but sure enough it did. I dont think it has anything to do with elevation as we live in the south at a pretty low elevation. I couldnt figure out what was going on with it. I found that if I let the water get a little low in the bowl and fill the resevoir about 1/2 when I add more, it still has a lot of water in the machine and works a lot better. I think I will examine the faulty resevoir further to see if there is a fix for it. But overall, it has helped us a lot and even with the overflow problem it has still been a great product for us. Be aware of the defective reservoir the water will run over the top of the bowl On: 2007-06-25Just got new Drinkwell Platinum Fountain, immediately found out the reservoir is not made in one piece, which makes me to concern if they did not seal properly, it will let water run all over the place. After fill the water in the reservoir and put to the back of the fountain, it starts to show tiny bubbles from the seal places, within minutes, most of the water in the reservoir were released to the bowl and the water runs over the top of the bowl and all over the floor. It has nothing to do with elevation where you live. I live at downtown San Diego, which is on the sea level. Its all about the defective reservoir. They should spend a liitle more money to get a one piece reservoir instead of two piece cheap plastic and glue them together. It costs $89+tax from Petco, and I will return it tomorrow. I will not recommend this product. My cats love it On: 2007-06-24My older cat would sit on the bathroom counter and yowl if the water had been turned off! He loves running water, and he and his little brother love the Drinkwell. Its easy to fill and clean, and doesnt take up much space. I like the sound of running water, so I leave the flow on high, and were all happy. Be aware of the defective reservoir the water will run over the top of the bowl On: 2007-06-24Just got new Drinkwell Platinum Fountain, immediately found out the reservoir is not made in one piece, which makes me to concern if they did not seal properly, it will let water run all over the place. After fill the water in the reservoir and put to the back of the fountain, it starts to show tiny bubbles from the seal places, within minutes, most of the water in the reservoir were released to the bowl and the water runs over the top of the bowl and all over the floor. It has nothing to do with elevation where you live. I live at downtown San Diego, which is on the sea level. Its all about the defective reservoir. They should spend a liitle more money to get a one piece reservoir instead of two piece cheap plastic and glue them together. It costs $89+tax from Petco, and I will return it tomorrow. I will not recommend this product. It is nice to see clean water all the time... On: 2007-06-22We have three cats at home and I had to change the water bowl almost everyday, because the water got dirty easily. After researching and talking with friends, we decided to purchase the platinum DrinkWell. Af first, my cats didnt want to drink from the new bowl because of the water falling.... I let them thirst for a few hours after meal, and finally they gave up :-) Now, they love to drink from the fresh water bowl ...; and day after day, they drank more & more water than before....and the water always look fresh and clear. They loved it and I love not to have clean up their bowl anymore... What a relief! Good cats! :-) not so good at 4000 feet elevation On: 2007-06-20The Drinkwell Platinum works fine, except that water level is usually at, and occasionally over the top of the bowl. Why, you ask? Probably the combination of the relatively hard aquafier water in this region (southern New Mexico) and the elevation of 4,000 feet. (Remember that high school physics lesson about atmospheric pressure pushing down on everything --- we just have a little less pressure here at 4,000 feet.) So, I give the product three stars, since the manufacturer didnt mention this limitation. not so good at 4000 feet elevation On: 2007-06-19The Drinkwell Platinum works fine, except that water level is usually at, and occasionally over the top of the bowl. Why, you ask? Probably the combination of the relatively hard aquafier water in this region (southern New Mexico) and the elevation of 4,000 feet. (Remember that high school physics lesson about atmospheric pressure pushing down on everything --- we just have a little less pressure here at 4,000 feet.) So, I give the product three stars, since the manufacturer didnt mention this limitation. Great product! The cats love it! On: 2007-06-13This was recommended to us by our veterinarian to encourage our cat with kidney disease to drink more water. He was bugging us constantly to drink out of the sink and, smart cat that he is, he would knock things off the sink to bring us running if we werent in the area to turn the tap on. Now, all three cats drink exclusively out of the Drinkwell and my liquid soap container doesnt end up on the floor 6 times a day. The cat with kidney disease rarely asks for a drink out of the tap anymore and seems happier. The Platinum Drinkwell is easy to use, easy to fill, quiet, and the cats love it. I recommend it wholeheartedly! This is such a great product & my pets are far better off using it! On: 2007-05-31I tried a competitors product that I got at a discount store first. The first day of use my 2 small dogs & 1 cat were not as excited as I was but they eventually started to drink from it. The competitors product was ok but it was noisy, smaller & had a small water reservoir. Once I saw that they would drink from it, I then ordered the Drinkwell Platinum Fountain from Amazon. It was twice the price of the competitor but I think it is well worth it & they all drank from it right away. The Drinkwell is very quiet, holds much more water & the pump is much better. The pump allows me to control the water flow which I keep at high to keep the water fresher by filtering more. Since getting the Drinwell, Ive noticed that they all drink more often & drink more at each visit. I refill the water reservoir sometimes twice a day & its a large reservoir. Its just that they are all literally drinking so much more water. I feel bad that Ive made them drink from a bowl of stagnant, dusty, warm, spit filled water for all these years. But they love this fresh, cool, filtered water & it shows by the amount they drink. I dont have the problems with refilling it that some seem to have although the reservoir dose drip after you turn it over. I just hold a paper towel under it while I walk from the sink to the bowl. It was very easy to take apart & clean & it just snaps back together. One thing I didnt fully understand until I took it apart to clean was that its better to not just refill the reservoir when it gets low but to actually empty it, rinse it & then refill it. The water in the reservoir becomes part of the entire water system once place in its holder. So it seems to make sense to empty the contaminated water & then refill completely with fresh water. I dont know if this is the best pet fountain on the planet but it is certainly a great one & I have no doubt that my pets are far better off since they started using it. This is such a great idea & my pets are far better off with it! On: 2007-05-31I tried a competitors product that I got at a discount store first. The first day of use my 2 small dogs & 1 cat were not as excited as I was but they eventually started to drink from it. The competitors product was ok but it was noisy, smaller & had a small water reservoir. Once I saw that they would drink from it, I then ordered the Drinkwell Platinum Fountain from Amazon. It was twice the price of the competitor but I think it is well worth it & they all drank from it right away. The Drinkwell is very quiet, holds much more water & the pump is much better. The pump allows me to control the water flow which I keep at high to keep the water fresher by filtering more. Since getting the Drinwell, Ive noticed that they all drink more often & drink more at each visit. I refill the water reservoir sometimes twice a day & its a large reservoir. Its just that they are all literally drinking so much more water. I feel bad that Ive made them drink from a bowl of stagnant, dusty, warm, spit filled water for all these years. But they love this fresh, cool, filtered water & it shows by the amount they drink. I dont have the problems with refilling it that some seem to have although the reservoir dose drip after you turn it over. I just hold a paper towel under it while I walk from the sink to the bowl. It was very easy to take apart & clean & it just snaps back together. One thing I didnt fully understand until I took it apart to clean was that its better to not just refill the reservoir when it gets low but to actually empty it, rinse it & then refill it. The water in the reservoir becomes part of the entire water system once place in its holder. So it seems to make sense to empty the contaminated water & then refill completely with fresh water. I dont know if this is the best pet fountain on the planet but it is certainly a great one & I have no doubt that my pets are far better off since they started using it. Best of the Breed On: 2007-05-13I have owned this model before, and other fountains. This is the best of the three different fountians that I have tried. My cat prefers to drink from the falling stream of water, she drinks more water if it is flowing than still. She use to drink out of the toilet whenever she got the opportunity, but as long as the fountain is available and clean, she will drink from this and leave the toilet alone. The unit is dishwasher safe and only needs to be cleaned once a week or so. Its more expensive than the others but worth it to me. Drinkwell Platinum Fountain for Cats On: 2007-05-12Very nicely constructed, easy to assemble, and also dishwasher safe. Nice, strong flow of water, the rate of flow of which is easily adjusted. Holds a very good supply of water. Large capacity filter element. Attractive and a favorite of the cats! The pump is very, very quiet and the water stream can be adjusted to minimize the sound of the falling water. This is one of the nicest, if not the nicest water fountain Ive found for our pets! Awesome product! On: 2007-05-05Bought this because my cat is having kidney problems and needs lots of water. Surprisingly, he doe not drink from the falling water like he does from faucets but he really likes the agitated water. Additionally it is always clean filtered water 24/7. I love the large capacity. Water addition could not be easier. Lift the clear reservoir out of the unit with its built in handle, carry over to the sink, unscrew the cap, and fill it up, screw cap back on and drop the reservoir in place. A valve on the unit effectively eliminates water leakage. One review thought this was difficult but I can not imagine a better design unless you want to plumb is in directly! I have not gone through the cleaning routine yet. The accompanying manual goes through incredible detail about how to clean the product even to the extent of dismantling the motor. I am sure this is something that will be important to do to keep the unit in top shape so this bit could put off some people. Fit and finish is great. Noise of the unit is roughly equivalent to a aquarium pump, that is pretty quiet in my book. Best unit of its kind. Highly recommended! My two cats love this On: 2007-04-06We had the older (smaller) version and one cat liked it and the other didnt. But they both like this one. Why? I think its because the water comes out higher and it reminds them of the bathtub faucet (which they love to drink from.) Improved it a bit too much. On: 2007-04-05Ive had Drinkwell fountains for years and loved them, as did our cats. Time for another one, and upgraded to the Platinum model. It is bigger, with a better design in putting it back together after cleaning; however, it is really big. You have to have a very large sink, or clean it in the bathtub. It is very difficult to hold in one hand while wiping all the crevices with the other hand. Putting a filled reservoir back on the fountain requires more graceful moves than I have, so water goes everywhere. I liked the older model much better. my cats do not use the fountain On: 2007-03-28It is also hard to fill it with water, without spilling. I will try to change location, see if it helps. So far, no luck! Good job Drinkwell!!! On: 2007-03-05I have two cats and I definteley spoil them rotten! When I first decided to get a water fontain for my cats I chose the Petmate Freshflow over the Drinkwell because the Drinkwell was more expensive and I was completely against the idea of listening to running water all day. Unlike most customers Ive heard from the Petmate worked farily well as a water BOWL. It was easy to clean and my pump never stopped working as Ive read many others did. However, the water running down the little ramp really didnt satisfy my cats. They did drink from it, but they would still jump at any chance to drink running water out of a faucet which is the whole reason I started thinking about getting them one in the first place. About a ear and a half later I started thinking about getting them a new one and possibly going with the more expensive Drinkwell this time. I saw the new Drinkwell Platinum and decided to go with it right away. The Platinum is more expensive than both the previous models I was looking at but it is definteley worth the extra cost. Its like Drinkwell took all the criticism and praise for both thier design and their competitors and created an exceptional pet drinking fontain. I have had my Platinum for about 5 months now and have been very pleased with it. The Drinkwell team designed the water outlet so that it would minimize the water from braiding which cuts down on the water noise. In fact at the setting I have mine, about mid way between low and mid level, I cant hear it at all! They also put a little debris trap before the water even gets to the pump which should greatly increase the pumps life. The water resevoir is also much bigger than that of my Petmate and the Drinkwells optional larger resevoir on their original design. All and all I veiw this as a time where a company actually went out there and designed their product by what thier customers wanted!!! So after reading all that you maybe wondering why I only gave this product 4 stars. Well the one thing that I would really like to see is that the actual bowl area be made of stainless steel or some ceramic mix which is totally what I have been told by several vets is the BEST material for any pet to be drinking/eating out of. If they were to add that one extra feature than I would give this 5 stars out of 5 hands down!!!!!! Cats Love It... On: 2007-02-28It only took one day for my cats to fall in love with this. It does make some funny sounds at times, but no leaking, and it is easy to refill, and I have no trouble at all with the reservoir at all!! I have no regrets buying this fountain. Drinkwell cat fountain On: 2007-02-20Love it, and my cats love it. I cant believe I waited this long. Great product and easy to clean. Disappointment On: 2007-02-20This Drinkwell has a generous water resevoir and I like the design but it is NOISY, too noisy. I dont recommend it and am seriously thinking of returning it. Loved by cat, very quiet, easy to refill On: 2007-02-19This is the first fountain Id bought, but our 17 year-old cat kept making a mess in the old water dish by pawing at the water with her front paws. While this was cute, it made a mess. Got the fountain, she immediately abandoned the old water dish and now drinks much more water (good!) and doesnt splash in the water at all, just drinks right where the water flows out. She loves it so much - yelling and following me around the whole time I refill or clean it until it is back. The reservoir can be removed with water still in it without spilling water. Yeah, you might spill a little when putting it back, but it is okay with me. It is pricey, but highly recommended if you really love your cat! Drinkwell cat fountain On: 2007-02-19Love it, and my cats love it. I cant believe I waited this long. Great product and easy to clean. "PLAIN WHITE BOX"? Yeah Right! On: 2007-02-08When they state that to cut down costs, the item will be packaged in a plain box...they werent kidding. I purchased mine from this site. The cost of the fountain was only $0.00, but the Shipping & Handling was $0.00 bringing the total to $0.00 Still not a terrible price, however I thank UPS Ground Service for their careful handling of the "white box." The Fountain, as the instructional manual stated, comes fully assembled." NO WAY! Upon picking up the box, I could hear parts rattling around inside. Upon opening the box, the Fountain was in pieces...not broken but laying around in an empty box with no bubble wrap, or protection whatsoever. With fountain together. I must admit that the Drinkwell Platinum is sturdy, for nothing wthe instructions, (that were found falling out of the box), I put theas broken. I also noted that this website, I purchased it from, charged S&H for a seven pound object even though the weight was under 4 pounds. I will ammend the usefullness of the fountain once my cats start drinking from it. What is confusing is that in reading about the fountain having 4 rubber feet, then why do the instructions reccomend that the fountain be placed on a "placemat" or "towel" if its to be placed on a wooden floor, tile floor or carpet? Why the rubber feet then? The instructions also state that if your house uses "hard" water, then they suggest that you purchase "bottled water" to prevent the motor from burning up. I would have much rather had the original boxing, for it couldnt have weighed that much, as well as a website sponsored here that was reliable in their packaging procedures. Overall, Amazon has ALWAYS been amazing yet in allowing a website that treats NEW items as though they could survive being thrown into a cardboard box & handled by UPS...well the blame for a damaged item would be between UPS and ThePetStoreOnline for reimbursement. In closing, I REALLY do believe that this fountain is TOUGH, to survive a trip from Georgia to here! (Must be Dishwasher Safe!) M. H. Lewis, Sr. DVM Fountain attracts cats, design flaws hinder people On: 2007-02-05Im with an animal rescue group so we have a lot of cats. Needless to say we loved the original Drinkwell because it attracts the cats over to drink more water. The new design of the Platinum Drinkwell is even better as far as attracting the cats... however, there are a couple of design flaws which are making these more work for us. The reservoir cannot stand up independently like the old one. You have to hold it or lean it against something sturdy in order to refill it as it is curved shape. Additionally, when we flip it back over no matter how careful we are water leaks out. The opening to the reservoir and shape of it also do not allow for easy cleaning. The only new feature we like a lot is the little "gate" in front of the motor area which helps us keep cat hair and fuzzies out. A plus to any Drinkwell would be if the top of the unit actually snapped into place and could not be removed by the animals. We find the cats think the top of this is a new toy and they bat it all over the house - we have had to remove it entirely - which unfortunately only leads to more hair / fuzzies being able to get into the unit. As a rescue we refill the Drinkwells 2 or 3 times a day and while we like the Platinum one because it holds more water the fact that we cant stand the reservoir up by itself is a deterrent. We wont be purchasing more of them and will probably go back to using the original version. This is certainly NEW AND IMPROVED !! On: 2007-01-28Actually didnt pay attention to anything other than buying another Drinkwell Fountain. Extremely pleased with it, just wanted one more. When the Platinum Fountain came, I liked it, then set it up and was impressed with the improvements. Holds more water, easier to put together after cleaning, and much quieter. The cats took about 20 seconds to get over being scaredy cats, and love it. Glad I have it. Will probably by another one. Much improved over the original version On: 2007-01-28My original Drinkwell + extended reservoir worked for several years but then developed a slow leak. Dont know if it was a problem with the unit or my doing but when I saw the Platinum edition I decided to give it a try. This new version is much better looking although I would rather not have the product name emblazoned on the front. Operation is all but silent. I have to get right up to it to hear anything. The pump seems to be stronger creating a larger arc to the stream vs. the original. My cats seem to like this because they all are lapping the stream where they just drank from the bowl of the original model. I never kept up with the filters in the old unit and most likely will not with this one. While they may offer some slight benefit I think they are more of a gimmick and an extended revenue producer for the manufacturer. After you get over the initial cost you will not regret purchasing this model - Highly recomended. My cats are big fans. On: 2007-01-18I received the fountain 3 weeks ago and cats are already big fans. They stopped jumping up to the sink and begging for water from faucet. Took them about 1 week to make the switch away from their bowls. The fountain is very quiet and was easy to set up. The included large reservoir with this platinum model is a great feature because I only need to refill about 1-2 times per week. WOW!!! On: 2007-01-11This is great! Easy set up, dishwasher safe (top shelf only), and super quiet (there is a very faint humm) our cats went right over to check it out. It is kinda big but I expected that from the picture. The only problem seems to be that some of the pieces are too big to fit in the top shelf of our ancient dishwasher. 5 stars!!! Id give it more if I could! |
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