Drinkwell Multi-Tier Pet Fountain - Encourages Hydration for Cats & Dogs - Large-Capacity Waterer - Double Tier - Filtered Fountain with Carbon Filter - 100 oz Water Capacity

We bought the PetSafe Stainless 360 water fountain 2 1/2 years ago for our first Maine Coon kitten, Floki. It was a hit but over time it was cumbersome to clean and putting it back together, and after the first couple of cleanings it never would push the water out of the top without me taking it apart at least one more time, usually took two or three tries. I liked that it was stainless but when full of water it was also heavy to move around. So, nice fountain but had it's flaws for us.Next we added Jax, Floki's Maine Coon brother from another littler and that boy is a real water cat! They both love drinking water which is great for their health, and they like to play with it, but Jax really makes an art out it. After watching the way they drink when in the tub and sink and how they tried to use the stainless fountain I realized that what they really liked best was a) a steady flow of water, and b) moving water that was easy to drink and put paws in. The stainless 360 fountain stream that came out of the pillar in the center degraded over time and even when freshly cleaned wasn't a good flow.I came across this Multi Tier found from PetSafe the other day and I thought, ok, this look more like what my cats really want. I debated because it's smaller and I had it in my mind that big cats need a big fountain. When I unpacked it this morning I was shocked at the small box the fountain itself was in and when I took it out I thought, oh, this really is small. Yes, I saw the dimensions online but that doesn't always give me a real idea of a thing. The Coons were instantly interested though, up on the kitchen island investigating the new fountain. Good sign.Getting the main part off in order to clean the pump and put the filter in wasn't easy but eventually it did come loose. The base is small enough that getting both hands in there as shown in the picture instruction didn't make it easy to really grasp ahold of the part that was to lift off, but I got that done, cleaned the pump, washed the fountain, put back together with the filter in place, filled with water and set on the floor mat. The Coons were at it instantly.This fountain design is, IMO, superior to the 360. It has a water well on the second tier and that water moves so the cats can sit there and drink from it or wash paws or play or whatever. The stream of water is just the overflow from that well, nothing to inhibit it so it's a nice steady stream, like having the bathroom faucet running on medium. So there's a good water sound too which cats love. The base well has moving water in it too because the stream flows into it.Jax, younger brother, likes to lay next to the fountain and drink from the base well. Then he sits up and licks the stream, and then he drinks from the second tier well. With the 360 they didn't spend much time trying to drink from the base. So even though this new fountain is quite a bit smaller, the amount of water it holds (100oz) is substantial (the 360 holds 128oz). It's lighter weight, and just being smaller it's easier to handle/move/clean. Not so many parts to finagle back together after cleaning either.Only time will tell how well it holds up and whether we continue to have that nice stream of water but it's a simple enough design that I think it should do pretty well. I may get a second one for another spot because a certain water cat likes to hog the fountain and his big brother might like a second option :)For now, I much prefer this smaller, better-designed fountain over the Stainless 360 though I'll keep that one and maybe set it up on the porch without the fountain head so that they can drink out of the top of the column when they are enjoying the fresh air.

I purchased the PetSafe Drinkwell Multitier fountain in March 2020 for my 12 pound Maine Coon mixed cat. He loves having the continual flow of the fountain. A year later, we added a Cavachon pup to the family. The pup is now 30 pounds. Both of our pets enjoy drinking from this fountain. I typically add an inch of cold water twice a day to keep the fountain full. In the summer, I add ice cubes just to give them cooler water.For about the first year or so, I was cleaning the fountain once weekly by hand washing all the pieces in the kitchen sink. I purchased the PetSafe brush cleaning tools designed to clean the fountain which work great. In less than ten minutes, I could easily have the fountain cleaned and refilled. Easy-peasy! One day it happened I was going to be running the dishwasher, so I decided to put the base and top tier of the fountain top sides down in the upper rack of the dishwasher. The two pieces came out perfectly clean. The only thing I realized when using the dishwasher to do the cleaning is that the glossy sheen of the fountain was dulled. I’m not bothered by that, so now for the last year plus this has been how I choose to clean the fountain. I still have to take the small electric pump apart and clean it each time, but that hardly takes any time.Once a month, I mix a 3 part water (2cups) to 1 part white vinegar (2/3cup) solution in a deep cup and I allow the pump to run for about 30 minutes just to thoroughly clean the pump.To maintain the fountain, I change out the filter once a month. We have really hard water with a lot of lime so I also use refrigerated filtered water when filling the fountain. A friend who recommended the fountain to me actually doesn’t even use filters in her pets fountain. She has two medium sized cats and this works for her. I find after about two weeks though, the filter in the fountain begins to look discolored a bit likely from my pups saliva. Not enough to necessitate changing the filter, but it makes me think the filter is serving a purpose so even though I use filtered water, I still use replacement carbon filters like the one that came with the fountain.There was a period of 12 weeks last year when I was pet sitting for my daughter so a French Bulldog and a Pomerania were also utilizing the fountain. Because Frenchies slobber like they do, I found it necessary to clean the fountain every 4 days and needed to change the carbon filter every two weeks. But even with four pets, the fountain did a great job of supplying clean water.I really could not be happier with this fountain and now having had it for the last 21/2 years, I feel like it was money well spent. I recommend this fountain to all my friends with pets. I would purchase it again without hesitation.One suggestion I have is to put a one inch or so deep tray under the fountain base. What I use is a tray designed to hold wet shoes and boots by the front door. My cat likes to wash his paws in the fountain which inevitably results in a puddle of splashed water being on the floor. The tray helps contain the mess. Plus, the lip on the tray gives me a place to tuck the pump cord so my cat doesn’t chew on it!Also, if the fountain sounds abnormally noisy, check to see that the pump is sitting away from the inner wall of the base. There are guides on the bottom of the base to show where the pump should sit, but if the pump is up against the outer wall, you will hear a vibration. Second cause could be the level of the water in the fountain is too low. You may need to be filling the fountain more frequently. You should only be hearing a soft gurgling sound of the water if the fountain is working correctly.