Ceramic is the quiet advantage here. It has weight, so a cat cannot shunt it across the floor while drinking. It is glazed, so nothing soaks into it. And it does not scratch the way plastic does, which matters because scratches are where the biofilm that makes a fountain smell gets its first foothold. For an object that lives wet on your floor permanently, that counts for more than the styling.

Three litres is a genuinely useful reservoir for a household with more than one cat, or for anyone who would rather top up every few days than every morning. The pump recirculates and filters as it goes, pulling hair and grit out and keeping the water moving, which is what makes it appeal to a cat who walks straight past a still bowl. A smart sensor runs the pump rather than leaving it going flat out, and it is quiet enough not to put a nervous cat off.

• 3 litre ceramic reservoir
• Recirculating, filtered flow
• Quiet smart-sensor pump with long battery life
• Choice of black or white
• Basic, heated, UVC sterilising and heated-plus-UVC versions

Check which version you are ordering. There are four different machines on this one listing, and they behave differently and cost differently. Whichever you take, replace the filter and wash the bowl on a schedule, because no fountain keeps water clean by itself and a neglected one is worse than a bowl you rinse daily.

Who it's for: Multi-cat homes, and any cat who would rather drink from a running tap than from their own bowl.