Idea: free to good home

[nancylebov]

Having just read a pleasing discussion of why you don't want your cat to know how to flush the toilet, it occured to me that it would be possible to make water play systems for cats. It would at least have a flushable, recirculating basin with a control that doesn't look anything like a toilet handle (possibly a floor pedal) and a dripping pipe for batting droplets--the drips would fall onto a soft surface so as not to drive people crazy.

It wouldn't be cheap, but there's a market for people who buy expensive things for cats.

Comments

[thespian.livejournal.com]

http://www.catflaps.com/index.html?rid=google_drinkwater&target=dept_90.html&lang=en-gb

I've been meaning to get one for my beasts sometime. Ulysses really likes fresh running water over water that's just sitting in the dish.

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

I have this fountain for my cats. I also have a variety of decorative fountains from which they occasionally drink.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

After all this, I was thinking about getting a fountain for the cats, and that seems to be a good default brand.

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

suecochran and i both use this fountain, and are both very happy with it. Filters have been easy to find and affordable. I find i need to wash it once a week to prevent major hard-water build-up, as the water here is very hard. I use bottled water in it often too, which helps to reduce/minimize the mineral build-up.

[realinterrobang.livejournal.com]

Another problem with buying fountains for cats (especially in houses where there are multiple cats) is something that a couple of friends encountered with their three cats and one fountain: The cats drank the fountain dry one night between the time they went to bed and when they got up the next morning. It burnt out its pump, and killed itself in the process. I'm sure the cats felt quite deprived.

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

The particular model i use has been successfully used by 7 cats (1 adult and 6 kittens) without running dry overnight. Its resevoir holds enough to refill it once. I use it with 2 now, and another friend of mine uses it with 3, so far without it running dry. I do get your point, though, and it is quite valid.

[aliza250.livejournal.com]

There are already recirculating-water fountains made for cats to drink from.

However, cats that play with water tend to get wet, and a wet cat running through the house can make quite a mess...

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

My experience is that wet cats like to find a warm place to dry off rather than run around wet like a dog.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

My experience with cats suggests that they're weird, and while most may prefer to find someplace warm, there will be a cat that goes running through the house when wet, and probably another which will lie down on whichever papers shouldn't be dampened.

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

True an all counts, especially ...and probably another which will lie down on whichever papers shouldn't be dampened.

[madfilkentist]

Leonora would drink from the tap in the bathroom, then give herself one good shake, spattering anything nearby, before settling down to dry off.