Cats evolved to take most of their water from prey, and the result is a species with a weak thirst drive and a lifelong tendency towards very concentrated urine. That is the background to a great deal of feline kidney and bladder trouble, and it is the whole argument for a fountain: moving water gets a cat's attention in a way that a still bowl sitting next to the food simply does not.

This one is built from SUS304 stainless steel with a copper-pipe water outlet, and the material choice does real work. Stainless does not scratch and craze the way plastic does, and it is those micro-scratches that hold the bacterial film responsible for the slime in a neglected bowl and for the chin acne that comes with it. Four litres is a lot of water in reserve, which suits multi-pet homes and long days out. The pump, filter element, filter cotton, outlet head and adapter all come in the box.

• 4 litre capacity
• SUS304 stainless steel with a copper-pipe water outlet
• Pump, filter element, filter cotton, outlet head, adapter and manual included
• CE, FCC and ROHS certified
• Boxed at 24.5 x 24.5 x 12.5 cm, 0.96 kg
• Plug options listed for UK, EU, US, AU and USB

Two things worth knowing. The same fountain is sold for several markets, so choose the UK variant at checkout unless you already own an adapter. And no fountain is maintenance-free: the filter needs replacing and the pump needs stripping and rinsing on a routine, or what you own is a noisy machine circulating dirty water.

Who it's for: Households with a cat who barely drinks, a history of urinary trouble, or several animals sharing one bowl.