Finally! An alternative to plastic pet waterers that are attractive and not made in China

It is already well documented that plastic pet supplies can cause chin acne in cats, as many unhappy cat owners have discovered. This is not just a matter of a few pimples, but can be an ugly and painful rash of open, raw sores around the mouth. Fortunately, there are now several manufacturers of stainless steel cat fountains and ceramic cat fountains that can eliminate this threat. This article is a brief review of those available.

The Drinkwell Lotus Pet Fountain is advertised as ceramic and the top and bottom bowls are, however the large central tower through which the water is delivered is plastic. Although relatively attractive, it is a complicated unit to clean, requiring considerable dismantling and, as water is constantly in contact with the plastic, it would seem to defeat its own purpose. This unit retails for around $100 and is made in China.

Pioneer makes a stainless steel cat fountain and a ceramic model. The design is sleek and modern and the unit is quite simple and easy to maintain. Both models are made in China, however, and there is no certification as to whether they are food safe or whether the ceramic model’s glaze is lead-free. Customers have also reported that these fountains splash. They sell for around $49 – $59.

There are several manufacturers of ceramic cat fountains in the United States. Glacier Point makes several pottery models. All models are made up of rectangular boxes, molded in molds and each has inverted glass bottles on top that provide a large water capacity. Except for the high-quality, food-grade tubing and fittings, they’re 100% food-grade ceramic and, unlike plastic models, they won’t scratch, so they won’t harbor harmful bacteria that grow in food scratches. plastic fountains. Glacier Point’s refrigerated units keep the water cold, possibly making it more attractive to pets, thus inducing better hydration.

On the downside, refrigeration makes the fountain more expensive to maintain. Also, Glacier Point pet fountains are definitely not designed with aesthetics as the guiding value. This brand is probably for those who take a purely practical approach to watering their pet and don’t care much about other issues, such as appearance.

While all of the fountains listed above are manufactured, there are at least two people in the United States who make ceramic cat fountains by hand, using food-grade ceramics. Both sell their products on the online handmade goods store, Etsy. The store, NoodleDoo Designs (http://www.noodledoodesigns.etsy.com) sells many other items besides cat supplies. It does a very whimsical job and while its cat fountains leave a lot to be desired (for example, the pump cord covers the rim), at least it offers an alternative to plastic pet fountains, which are not made in China. Font prices start at around $100.