Cats evolved to take most of their water from prey, and a great many of them simply do not drink enough from a bowl, which is part of why dehydration sits behind so much feline kidney and urinary trouble. Moving water is the lever that usually works. A stream is more interesting than a still surface, it stays cooler, and it does not collect the film of dust and hair that puts a fussy cat off a bowl by mid-afternoon.

Ceramic rather than plastic matters more than it sounds. Plastic scratches, those scratches hold bacteria, and they are a recognised trigger for chin acne in cats. A glazed ceramic surface wipes properly clean and is heavy enough that a determined paw cannot skate it across the kitchen floor. Water is drawn through a multi-layer filter that catches hair, grit and debris before it recirculates, and the spout is shaped like a whale, which at least gives visitors something to talk about.

• Glazed ceramic body with a whale-shaped spout
• Multi-layer filtration for hair, grit and debris
• Recirculating flow that keeps water moving
• Two finishes: Retro Green and Beige
• Suitable for cats and for dogs
• Wipe-clean glazed surface

Two things worth knowing. And a fountain is not a fill-and-forget device: the filter is a consumable, the pump needs rinsing every few weeks, and a neglected fountain ends up dirtier than the bowl it replaced.

Who it's for: Fussy drinkers, cats with a history of urinary trouble, and households willing to clean a fountain properly rather than watch a full bowl go untouched.