So, back in late February/early March my folks took in two new furry, purry residents. My cousin had rescued a black cat a few months ago, and it turned out she was pregnant. So, we now have the mama, Mame, and one of her kittens, Kichi, with us.
When we were shopping for cat supplies before taking Mama Mame and Kichi in, we saw the bubbling cat fountains, and definitely considered! But ultimately, we went with a different water dish.
So color me surprised when I came home from work last night and saw that my rematch gifter gave us one! It was, again, definitely something we were eyeing but were uncertain about. It's stainless steel, too; we were previously using a plastic gravity pet waterer, but well, plastics can be rough on insides, so steel is actually better for them.
But of course, we need to gauge the opinions of the people who the gift is actually for. What do the cats think?
Well, I haven't seen Mama Mame's thoughts, but I do know Kichi's! Kichi is a bit of a hellraiser, in that he's very dumb in a very smart way that cats tend to be. He will try to find a way to reach doorknobs to open them, he plots ways to get to places he isn't allowed for some reason or another, he climbs ladders, he sneaks up on counters, you name it. He loves stealing hair ties, and socks, and shoes. And, most recently, he has started a game where, if you leave a cup of water laying around, he will jump up to it, put his paw inside, and flinch after realizing water is wet, flicking his paw around in shock. My mom was woken up several times because he'd do this while she had a cup of water nearby her bed and he'd end up tossing water droplets on her.
So when I was setting it up, he looked at it with awe and curiosity. Once it started bubbling, he batted at the bubbling water and put his nose inside without drinking, flinching all the while. So another point in its favor: it's good Kichi enrichment!
Eventually, after he and Mame got the zoomies and played with each other, he went over and got a drink. Success! And while I was taking pics, he went over and got another drink. I tried to get it on camera, but no luck. So we know he loves the utter tar out of it.
Mame, in contrast to Kichi, tends to be more on the cautious side. This is likely because of her being a rescue, but when they first arrived home Mame hid under the bed while Kichi explored. She's opened up since then, and lets you pet her. She's very affectionate once she feels comfortable! So, I think she needs some time to get used to it and figure out that, hey, you can drink from here! I left the old dish nearby just so they have another, familiar option if they're still uncertain, but Kichi has already given his seal of approval.
One final perk I have to mention: it's actually very relaxing. While it's quiet, there is a gentle bubbling sound. Plus, the bubbling water is calming to view. After I set it up and saw Kichi's reaction, I sat there for a few minutes watching it. Since I'd just come home from a rough day at work, it did help to watch it.
Thank you rematcher. Again, we saw it, eyed it, but didn't get it. And now we have it, and it's definitely at least Kichi approved!
Kami