This is a specific conversation about Cat hydration — getting cats to drink more — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Three cats in a small apartment is a fun juggling act — and with a Birman, a Rex and a young Tabby all sharing the same space, hydration is actually one of the trickier things to get right. Cats evolved in arid environments and have a naturally low thirst drive, so most cats on dry food are chronically underhydrated without their owners realising it. That matters a lot over time — kidney disease is the leading cause of death in older cats, and keeping them well hydrated is one of the best preventative things you can do. Water fountains and wet food are the two most effective ways to encourage drinking. Before I suggest anything, it'd help to know: are any of your three on dry food, has your Birman or Rex had any kidney or urinary issues, and have you tried a fountain before?
All three are on dry food mostly, though I mix in a little wet for the Birman. The Rex had a UTI about a year ago. No fountains yet — I've been put off because I don't have much counter space and I wasn't sure one fountain would work for three cats.
inparticular.ai
That UTI history with the Rex is a real flag — male cats especially are prone to repeat urinary issues, and dry food plus low water intake is the main driver. The good news is one well-placed fountain genuinely can serve three cats, as long as it holds enough water and has a wide enough drinking area so no one gets territorial about it. Given your space constraints, I'd steer you toward something compact but high-capacity rather than a wide, sprawling design. Can I ask — where would you most likely put a fountain? Kitchen worktop, floor, bathroom?
Probably the kitchen floor, maybe one spot in the hallway if it's small enough. The cats tend to hang out in different rooms.
inparticular.ai
In that case, two smaller fountains placed in separate spots would actually be better than one large one — it means your Rex isn't competing with the Tabby at the same bowl, which reduces stress-related reluctance to drink, and it keeps the footprint small in each location. My recommendation is the Catit Flower Fountain — it's compact enough to sit neatly on a kitchen floor or in a hallway corner, holds 3 litres, has a triple-action filter, and the flower top creates a gentle stream that most cats find hard to resist. At around £25–30 each on Amazon UK, getting two is still very reasonable, and the running costs are low. The slow-flow setting is ideal for your Birman, and the moving water is exactly what your Rex needs to stay hydrated and keep those urinary issues at bay.
That makes sense. Would I need to keep them both running all the time, and how often do I change the filters?
inparticular.ai
Yes, keep both running continuously — the pump keeps the water oxygenated and moving, which is what makes it appealing to cats. If you switch it off, they often lose interest quickly. For filters, Catit recommends every 4 weeks, but with three cats I'd do it every 3 weeks to keep the water tasting clean. The replacement filters are cheap and easy to find on Amazon. One more tip: place them away from their food bowls — cats instinctively avoid water that's too close to where they eat, it's a wild behaviour holdover. Opposite end of the kitchen, or that hallway spot, is perfect.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll grab two of those.
inparticular.ai
Great choice. Keep an eye on your Rex especially — if you notice any straining, frequent trips to the litter box, or blood in the urine, get to the vet quickly since UTIs in male cats can escalate fast. But honestly, getting more water into all three of them is one of the best things you can do for their long-term health. Hope they take to the fountains straight away — most cats are curious within the first day.
