Drinkwell Pagoda Fountain in Blue
$70-$100
Major Pet Retailers

By Sassy “The Fluffer” Shely
Translated From Meowing by Allison Shely

A Crime of Dispassion

Her cries pierced the silence of that April morning.

“But why, Sassy?”

I watched from under the table, head cocked, not sure why knocking the water bowl for the fifth time that week had elicited so strong a response. Mother, wearing that ridiculous fluffy robe of hers, dropped to her knees, tearing at her hair.

“Mommy wants the security deposit back!”

I didn’t mean to make her cry. I really didn’t.

*      *     *

The Backstory

I’ll let you in and tell you something a little personal: I have kidney disease. The good news is that it’s manageable and seems to be just the consequence of a congenital deformity…or whatever long medical term the vet said it was. The vet, whom I visited a few weeks back, sent me away with a clean bill of health.

Along with a prescription diet (yuck!), the other part of my treatment is good hydration. So, I’m picky when it comes to my water bowls.

Mom started me off with one of those five-gallon jug things. When that got too beat up, she was foolish enough to replace it with a mere plastic bowl.

Over the Christmas break, I learned how to tilt the bowl against the edge of the boot pan mom uses as my feeding area–undignified as that may be–to get the last of the water before the petsitter returned the next day.

That’s when I discovered that tipping over the bowl is also great fun.

Hence, how I brought mother to her knees.

Enter the Drinkwell Pagoda fountain.

*     *     *

The Deets

The main reason mom picked the Pagoda was for its heavy ceramic construction. On top of this, it holds up to half a gallon of water. I couldn’t knock it over even if I wanted to!

Mom also hoped that the steady trickle of water would keep me from knocking the fountain over for a fresher drink. It is also, I may add, quite amusing to watch, even if I was a bit scared at first.

As to how it works, and how it keeps me from “losing the security deposit” (whatever that means), it is worth the eighty-something dollars.

The major downside, at least as mom sees it, is that she has to take it apart weekly to clean it. There are enough little parts that, until about a week ago, she had to consult the manual every time. Not having thumbs, I am spared this drudgery.

Also bothersome is that the two different filters–a foam one for straining out debris and a charcoal one for taste and purity–are expensive and on a confusing replacement schedule. One has to be replaced every one to two weeks, the other every two to four. The filters, however, are “optional.” Mom left them out this week (because someone forgot to order them) and, so far, I have not suffered too greatly.

All in all, the Drinkwell Pagoda Fountain is one of the best things mom has ever bought for me. In gratitude, I will respect her significant investment in my hydration: I will no longer commit terrorist acts of spillage.

For the foreseeable future.

Mother’s Take-Away
5/5 stars. Worth every penny as it keeps Sassy from ruining the carpet. Around her bowls, at least.

Disclaimer
The makers of this product have not compensated me for this review in any way. The product was purchased on my initiative and with my own funds. The honest views expressed are truly mine (and the cat’s).