Elfin Fountain is constructing a superior cat fountain Elfin Fountain is constructing a superior cat fountain

Indeed, you understood correctly. A feline fountain.

It’s no secret that felines adore flowing water. Browse through your favorite social media platform and you will likely discover a video of a cat lounging around a faucet in no time. It’s innate behavior – streaming water means fresh water. Cats are also somewhat foolish, but that’s a separate discussion.

On the other hand, cats are drawn to running water. That’s fine, but do they really require access to it 24/7 when a simple bowl on the floor would suffice? The issue arises when considering how wild cats receive most of their hydration: from the prey they hunt. Indoor domestic cats receive their nutrition in the form of dry pellets, which inherently contain very little water.

Therefore, domestic cats can develop issues such as urinary tract infections or kidney problems when the only water available to them is from a stagnant bowl that may have been sitting out for a day or more. They are not inclined to drink from it and end up consuming less water than necessary.

Enter cat fountains. As absurd as they may appear, they assist in resolving a legitimate concern for our cherished little predators.

If only maintaining them weren’t such a hassle.

Your average cat fountain features a corded or cordless pump with multiple filters. That pump needs to be disassembled and those filters need to be cleaned or replaced at least once a month. The entire interior must then be wiped down to prevent biofilm formation. You’ll also want to keep a close eye on wired pumps to ensure there are no breakages that could potentially electrify the water fountain (an issue that received significant attention on social media earlier this year and was never completely proven, but still, electricity + water = bad). Additionally, pumps commonly fail without warning.

Why is Elfin Fountain superior?

The Elfin Fountain launched its crowdfunding campaign with a fountain that reduces complexity, improves reliability, and delivers a superior experience for both the feline and its owner.

At first glance, the Elfin Fountain resembles any other wireless cat fountain on the market. It comprises a charging base, a reservoir, a tower to propel the water to the top, and a coconut and carbon filter to maintain cleanliness when it returns to the reservoir.

However, upon opening the tower, you’ll be astonished to find that there’s nothing inside except a small device. That’s because the Elfin Fountain isn’t just a wireless cat fountain, it’s a pumpless cat fountain.

How did they achieve this? Any individual who has taken a chemistry class in high school (or, currently works with chemicals) will be familiar with this concept: It’s a magnetic stirrer. The base contains a rotating magnetic component that spins a device in the fountain reservoir. A plastic tower is positioned over the rotating device, and the water is forced upwards. It’s an incredibly simple concept that relies on physics rather than electronics.

This also results in a fountain that requires minimal maintenance. You still need to change the filter every month, but all the other components break down quickly and easily. A swift scrub in warm water and you’re all set.

The battery in the base lasts up to 30 days, depending on its mode. You can set it to manually cycle for 20 seconds every 15 minutes or have it triggered by the presence of your cat (or any other object that gets in the way) using motion sensors. There’s no continuous mode, which makes the fountain a little less appealing, especially to my pet, but the sensor mode operates the fountain enough that when he’s in the room with it, Loki will investigate.

One thing that differs about pumpless fountains is the sound. Unlike nearly silent pumps, it produces a small rattling noise. Although this shouldn’t be enough to frighten timid pets, it may take them some time to acclimate to the new sound. My cat was apprehensive at first before incorporating it into his daily routine.

Take action quickly

The Elfin Fountain campaign has far surpassed its funding goal and is in its final hours on Kickstarter. Their website will have links to components like filter replacement and, I assume, a portal for late bids. They plan to ship the fountains next month and will also have the components available on Amazon once production is in full swing.

That being said, if you desire the best price for the fountain, the Kickstarter campaign is the way to go. An Elfin fountain, plus 4 filters, is priced at $65, while the MSRP will be $109. This is a fantastic deal for something that will significantly enhance your feline’s health.