My cat Sophie is now used to drinking water from a pet drinking fountain and she likes it. She currently uses two water fountains, the Petlibro Cloud water fountain, and the Laika Pets Aqua water fountain. They both work very well and they are both made of plastic. This is why I decided to try a metal water fountain for her and see how it works. Metal pet water fountains are more hygienic and they keep the water cooler longer. Also, they are great for cats with a tendency to develop a chin allergy to plastic. So this is my review.
My first impression of Petlibro Stainless Steel drinking fountain
The fountain is solid, the stainless steel is nicely polished and is not heavy (which is good), and has a good quality. It’s the type of stainless steel that you can tell it will last a long time. The fountain doesn’t come with very many parts which makes it easy to set up. The dimension is good, it is not too big or too small, just perfect for a cat.
Features of the Petlibro Stainless Steel
- The fountain is quiet when operating (30≤ dB)
- Good water capacity: 2 L
- Adjustable water flow
- A design that prevents leakage & splashing
- Dishwasher safe (metal parts)
- Made of SUS 304 grade Stainless Steel (BPA-free), rust and corrosion-resistant.
- Double Filtration System
- Good cord length of 5.9ft
- Dimension: 10.8” L x 8.1” W x 3.2” H (27.5 x 20.5 x 8.2cm)
- Weight: 1.3 lbs
About SUS 304 Stainless Steel
The SUS is an acronym used in the stainless steel industry accompanied by a number that represents the grade of stainless steel. According to Reliance Foundry, the SUS 304 grade of stainless steel is the most used in the manufacturing industry due to its excellent corrosion resistance and value. The SUS 304 grade stainless steel holds up to most oxidizing acids. The resistance and durability of the SUS 304 stainless steel make it easy to sanitize, so it’s ideal for kitchen and food industry applications.
What comes in the box
- 1 x Petlibro stainless steel fountain
- 1 x AC Pump
- 1 x Cleaning Brush
- 1 x Filter
- 1 x AC Adapter
- 1 x User Manual
How it works
The Petlibro Stainless Steel fountain filters and makes the water recirculate with a good-sized pump. The filtration is double, with a prefilter and a filter. The pre-filter is a sponge that wraps the pump and catches the cat’s hair and debris before they make it to the pump. The filter sits on the other side of the fountain and filters the water as it drops down the opening. This way the water gets filtered in two different ways, in and out. The water comes out as a stream that you can adjust from high to low. The cat drinks from any angle of the fountain wherever he feels more comfortable. You can use the fountain from back to front or sideways (my cat preferred to use the fountain from back to front). The pump doesn’t float around since it features 4 high-quality suction cups at the bottom that make the pump stay put. What I noticed is that the Petlibro Stainless Steel has a great re-circulating system, you don’t see water sitting on top without dropping down. All the water drops down to resurface.
Watch my cat drinking from the Petlibro Stainless Steel Cat Fountain
How to set it up
When setting up this fountain make sure that your cat is not around when it’s time to plug it. If the fountain is set with a high stream it may scare your cat.
1. First, you need to wipe the parts clean.
2. Soak the filter in filtered water for 5 minutes.
3. Open the cover of the fountain
4. Place the pump inside the fountain using the suction cups, making sure the pump is well put.
5. Put the filter inside the filter compartment
6. Fill the fountain with water, making sure not to overfill it above the maximum level
7. Put the top back on
8. Connect the power adapter and plug the fountain.
Video of Petlibro Stainless Steel Unpacking & Set-Up
Adjustment Period for my cat to drink from this fountain
My cat was afraid of the fountain in the beginning but I think it was my fault because when I plugged the fountain the flow was set on high and as she was close to the fountain, she freaked out. As you know how cats are, she wouldn’t even get close to it after that. Fortunately, I contacted customer service and they gave me a great tip which is to use the fountain unplugged for a few days to see how she reacts. I have to say that since the fountain fully recirculates all the water effectively, using the fountain unplugged after some minutes makes the top lack water. However, as I am very committed to making my cat drink water, I plugged the fountain several times a day to let the water come out and sit on top for a little while, and then I unplugged it. I repeated this a few times a day. All in all, my cat started drinking from the fountain being unplugged to the point that when I finally plugged it, she started drinking (yay!!). Here’s the video of the adjustment process.
How to clean the Petlibro Stainless Steel Cat Fountain
As this fountain is made with 304 stainless steel grade you can put it in the dishwasher safely. To clean it, you have to disassemble it and for this, you just remove the pump from the fountain. You also need to clean the pump every two weeks. Cleaning the pump is not complicated (watch the video on how to do it). Regarding the filter, you need to replace it every two weeks, so every time you clean the pump you change the filter as well.
PROS
- The operation is quiet, you can be next to it and hardly hear a thing (make sure the fountain is full).
- The fountain fully recirculates all the water, and the top design is such that all the water moves down the end opening. This means, no hair or debris floating on top of the fountain due to lack of re-circulation.
- Stainless steel grade allows for sterilization of the fountain to high temperatures.
- The water gets filtered before coming out and when dropping down. Much cleaner water.
- Metal prevents chin acne in cats
- Adjustable water flow is perfect because if your cat doesn’t like high streams you simply get it lower.
- The design doesn’t leak water and neither causes splashing.
- Good water capacity, 2 liters is enough for two or three cats to drink from the fountain.
- If you place the fountain away from sunlight, the water will stay cool longer. Great in the summertime.
CONS
- If there’s a power outage the water doesn’t come out of the fountain
- You need to purchase filters and sponges to replace them (you can make them last up to 3 weeks).
If your cat doesn’t drink much water from the water bowl this is a good opportunity to try an automatic water fountain. Since I started using one for my cat Sophie she has increased her water intake which is healthy for her. If you have a male cat it’s even more important to keep him very well hydrated since they tend to develop urinary issues more often.
My Conclusion
The Petlibro Stainless Steel Pet Water Fountain works really well. What I like the most is that all the water stream gets filtered and re-circulated. This doesn’t happen always with pet fountains, because in some cases the water kind of moves in circles on top, but it doesn’t all drop down into the bucket. Also, the design is simple but effective. The assembling is a breeze and very easy to clean. I recommend this cat water fountain for all cats. As a note, just make sure to start the introduction of the fountain to your cat with the flow adjusted to low, this way if your feline is skittish like mine, it won’t be scared of the fountain. Get your Petlibro fountain on Amazon today here and apply 32% Off the price!
External source: https://www.reliance-foundry.com/blog/304-vs-316-stainless-steel
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