Self-Refill Cat Water Fountain 3.5L

Plastic bowls are a common cause of the chin acne that turns up as blackheads along a cat's jawline. The surface scratches, bacteria settle into the scratches, and the cat's chin rests in it at every single drink. A stainless steel drinking bowl sidesteps that problem entirely, and a reservoir behind it means the bowl refills itself as the level drops rather than waiting for somebody to notice.

The bowl is food-grade 304 stainless, the same grade used in commercial kitchens, chosen because it can be scoured without going dull and does not hold odour the way plastic does once it has aged. Behind it sits the reservoir, topping the drinking area up automatically so a long day out does not end with a dry bowl. The pump runs quietly, and that is not a luxury feature: a fountain that clicks or gurgles is one a cautious cat will simply refuse to approach.

• Reservoir feeding a self-refilling drinking bowl
• Food-grade 304 stainless steel bowl
• Quiet pump suited to nervous cats
• Several days of water on hand for one cat
• Single size and finish, no variants to choose between

On the capacity figure. The tank is rated at 3.5L, but the maker recommends filling only to 3L to stop it spilling, so 3L is the honest working capacity to plan around and that is the number we would rather you used. It still needs emptying and washing out regularly, because standing water builds a film whatever the bowl happens to be made from.

Who it's for: Owners of one cat who are out for long days, particularly anyone whose cat has had chin acne from a plastic bowl or is put off by a noisy fountain.