An honest answer, from a shop that sells them: for some cats a fountain is one of the highest-value things you can buy, and for others it is an expensive object that hums in the corner. The difference is predictable, so here is how to work out which cat you have before you spend anything.
The case for
Cats descend from desert animals and take most of their water from prey rather than from standing pools. A cat on wet food gets a meaningful share of its daily water from the food itself. A cat on dry kibble does not, and has to make it up by drinking, which is the behaviour it is least inclined toward.
Low water intake concentrates urine, and concentrated urine sits behind a whole family of problems vets see constantly: crystals, cystitis, blockages, and over years, added strain on the kidneys.
Cats will drink from moving water when they will ignore a still bowl. It is why they drink from taps. A fountain turns that instinct into a daily habit.
Your cat probably will benefit if
- It eats mostly or entirely dry food
- It drinks from the tap, the shower, a glass, or the toilet
- You rarely see it drink from its bowl
- It is older, or has a history of urinary trouble
- You have several cats and one bowl
Your cat probably will not notice if
- It eats mostly wet food and already drinks well
- It is noise-sensitive or easily startled. Some cats never accept the sound
- You will not commit to changing a filter monthly. An unmaintained fountain is worse than a bowl
That last one is the real deciding factor and it has nothing to do with the cat. A fountain is a small appliance with a maintenance schedule. If it will not get one, buy a wide ceramic bowl instead, put it away from the food, and change the water daily. That is a genuinely good outcome and it costs a fraction as much.
If you do buy one
Stainless steel or ceramic over plastic. Plastic scratches, scratches hold biofilm, and in some cats plastic bowls are associated with chin acne. Steel wipes clean and does not hold odour.
Check the pump noise before the feature list. A fountain that lives in a bedroom has to be near silent. Most complaints about fountains are complaints about pumps.
Check filter availability and price. You are buying a consumable relationship, not an object. Work out the annual filter cost before you buy the unit.
Wide and low beats tall and narrow. Cats drink more comfortably when their whiskers are not touching anything.
Give it two weeks
Do not remove the old bowl on day one. Run both side by side for a fortnight. Some cats use a fountain within an hour, others circle it suspiciously for a week. Taking away the familiar option before the new one is accepted is how a cat ends up drinking less, which is the opposite of the point.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. If your cat's drinking has changed noticeably in either direction, that is worth a conversation with a vet rather than a purchase.