So I was surfing the net looking for a new water fountain for my cats, again. My monsters are just so hard on them, long fur plus cheap impeller pump equals new water fountains every year or so. Plus because they're plastic , and I have hard water, minerals tend to build up on them quickly, and no matter how often I clean it, the bottom always seems slimy. 
And lately Mr. Bailey (who is obsessed with water anyways) has started "digging" and splashing water everywhere. I've had to fill the stupid dish up twice a day, and mop up all the spilled water.
So, here I am looking at all these different water fountains trying to figure out which one would be easy to clean, difficult for Bailey to make a mess, and most importantly not cost an arm and a leg. Just as I was beginning to despair I came up with the brilliant idea to search for a DIY cat fountain, surely it could be done. I hit paydirt! Check out the link for an easy and inexpensive cat fountain.
[URL="http
/www.tntpuff.com/cat_water_fountain.htm"]http/www.tntpuff.com/cat_water_fountain.htm[/URL]
It only cost me $20, about half the cost of any of the commercial fountains I found. Plus I think it looks a lot nicer, and it appeals to the fish keeper in me.
I'll post a few pics below. The best part, Bailey can't make a mess with it! 
He's tried sticking his paw in it, but everytime he does his arm gets wet
, and since it's only about half full he can't splash it out. I used a 1 gallon glass bowl, and had the filter a little lower that the link showed, so it only took one small package of glass beads. With the larger filter on it I think the water will be much cleaner than the commercial ones with their dinky expensive cartridges. This one will be much easier to clean (less parts and no plastic bowl) and much easier to fill. It's also very quiet, the only sound is from the water falling, but I don't imagine that would bother most of you guys. 
And you can always fill it a little more make it even quieter.
Hope you all find it as interesting as I do, and any of you with messy drinkers who either splash water everywhere, or end up with a soaked face or chest, give it a try.
I tried to get pictures with both of the cats, but Dinah wouldn't drink out of it until I put the camera away, Bailey of course couldn't care less.
This first one is Mr. Bailey checking out the new toy, if you look closely you can see his paw in the bowl.
Here he is drinking out of the back, he was drinking from the front like he's suposed to, but I was irritating him with the camera in his face.
Honestly woman, can't a man drink in peace!
The next four are close ups so you can see how it works.
And lately Mr. Bailey (who is obsessed with water anyways) has started "digging" and splashing water everywhere. I've had to fill the stupid dish up twice a day, and mop up all the spilled water. So, here I am looking at all these different water fountains trying to figure out which one would be easy to clean, difficult for Bailey to make a mess, and most importantly not cost an arm and a leg. Just as I was beginning to despair I came up with the brilliant idea to search for a DIY cat fountain, surely it could be done. I hit paydirt! Check out the link for an easy and inexpensive cat fountain.
[URL="http
/www.tntpuff.com/cat_water_fountain.htm"]http/www.tntpuff.com/cat_water_fountain.htm[/URL]It only cost me $20, about half the cost of any of the commercial fountains I found. Plus I think it looks a lot nicer, and it appeals to the fish keeper in me.
I'll post a few pics below. The best part, Bailey can't make a mess with it! He's tried sticking his paw in it, but everytime he does his arm gets wet
, and since it's only about half full he can't splash it out. I used a 1 gallon glass bowl, and had the filter a little lower that the link showed, so it only took one small package of glass beads. With the larger filter on it I think the water will be much cleaner than the commercial ones with their dinky expensive cartridges. This one will be much easier to clean (less parts and no plastic bowl) and much easier to fill. It's also very quiet, the only sound is from the water falling, but I don't imagine that would bother most of you guys. And you can always fill it a little more make it even quieter.Hope you all find it as interesting as I do, and any of you with messy drinkers who either splash water everywhere, or end up with a soaked face or chest, give it a try.
I tried to get pictures with both of the cats, but Dinah wouldn't drink out of it until I put the camera away, Bailey of course couldn't care less. This first one is Mr. Bailey checking out the new toy, if you look closely you can see his paw in the bowl.
Here he is drinking out of the back, he was drinking from the front like he's suposed to, but I was irritating him with the camera in his face.
Honestly woman, can't a man drink in peace!
The next four are close ups so you can see how it works.
