F.A.Q.

Cats instinctively prefer running water - it’s in their genes. There are evolutionary reasons for this, and we’ve explained them here in detail for those who are interested. Cats that are only offered standing water, usually don’t drink enough. This can lead to serious health problems. It’s even more dangerous when they’re given dry food, which is not a natural component of their diet and requires huge amounts of water to digest. According to a scientific study, 35% of cats aged 8 years or older die from urinary tract and kidney disease. Because it offers a source of running water, a drinking fountain will encourage your cat to drink plenty of water.

The Lucky-Kitty Drinking Fountain for Cats has a capacity of 1.5 litres, which is enough water for several cats. It’s used by cat breeders and cat rescue centres, where there are several cats living together. A lot of our customers have more than one cat and are fully satisfied with Lucky-Kitty. With its different drinking zones, it can comfortably accommodate up to four cats at the same time - depending on personal preference, they can drink directly from the water outlet at the top, from the sloping surface where the water trickles down or from the basin at the bottom where there’s always a little pool of water. In practice, though, cats never drink at the same time, which is why Lucky-Kitty is suitable for lots of cats.

The fill-level mark is a small raised line about 3-4 cm above the opening where the water drains away at the bottom of the fountain. This means that you can top up the fountain without removing the upper section - simply pour in some additional water to the existing flow from above until the maximum level is reached.

Constant circulation enriches the water with oxygen. In addition, the ceramic material we’ve used is extremely smooth and thick (a lot thicker than plastic, which has a porous structure), and there are no nooks and crannies where dirt and bacteria can accumulate

In fact we give you our word that we’ll never use activated carbon filters! Studies carried out by the German consumer magazine Ökotest have shown that the activated carbon filters in commercially available water purifiers may be prone to a considerable build-up of germs, which is why we deliberately chose not to use these filters. This makes our product more hygienic and more economical for you because you don’t need expensive replacement filters. (Ökotest report.) An American study* has also confirmed that cats would much rather drink unfiltered tap water than purified, filtered water. For long-haired cats there is an optional Long-Hair-Long-Lasting-Filtre available in our Shop.

(*Drinking water preferences in the cat. Wooding B, Mills DS. 2007)

As wholesale traders in indoor ceramic fountains, we have a wealth of experience with standard basin fountains marketed as so-called drinking fountains for cats. Our negative experience with these products prompted us to develop our own tailor-made drinking fountain for cats, one which is worthy of the name because it really does meet the specific needs of domestic cats. The many disadvantages of conventional ball fountains, for example, include the loose cable dangling down from the basin rim, and the tendency to overflow every time the cat knocks over the ball in the basin (because the pump carries on pumping water onto the floor), or whenever the cat decides to take a bath in the basin. Fountain balls that have toppled over may injure the cat, and kittens can even drown if the basin is too large. In addition, standard basin fountains aren’t suitable for use as drinking fountains for reasons of hygiene: it’s very difficult to access the inside of the fountain balls, which makes them virtually impossible to clean, and so bacterial slime and algae soon accumulate.

When we first set out to design a genuine drinking fountain for cats, our top priority was hygiene and hence speed and ease of cleaning. It really does only take five minutes to clean. It’s perfectly sufficient to clean it under running water every three to five days. What’s more, Lucky-Kitty is made entirely of dishwasher-safe ceramic.

Definitely not! The Lucky-Kitty Drinking Fountain for Cats is 100% vandal-proof :-) because it was designed especially with cats in mind. The entire upper section has no flaps and no large wobbly ball, and there’s no loose lead dangling from the basin like there is on a conventional indoor fountain. It doesn’t have any vulnerable parts to it and it reaches down to the floor with no gaps. This sturdy fountain is certainly no pushover - it weighs 5.5 kg when filled. So you can just let it run unsupervised - even the toughest little vandals won’t be able to open it up, move it, knock it over or get into any other kind of mischief with it! (Ferret owners also like Lucky-Kitty because even ferrets - known for their destructive behaviour - can’t break it apart!)

The Lucky-Kitty Drinking Fountain for Cats contains a pump that has very low wattage (5 watts). With the price of electricity at 20 euro-cents/kWh, round-the-clock operation for 365 days a year will amount to an annual consumption of 17.5 kWh and an annual cost of only €4.60 per year!

Right from the start, our aim was to design a product that would be quiet when in operation. The pump we use may be more expensive than the cheap ones often found in imported fountains, but it’s virtually silent when in use. Thanks to the computer-designed rippled surface, which the water flows down, we’ve managed to eliminate splashes and any annoying running-water sounds, and ceramic doesn’t transmit any so-called “resonance vibration” noises caused by the mechanics of the pump - the result is probably the quietest ever drinking fountain.

Answer: First things first: the Lucky-Kitty Drinking Fountain for Cats is designed to run virtually noise-free, so if it’s humming noticeably there’s something wrong. Check the pump by putting it in your sink and letting a small amount of water flow into it - if the pump doesn’t make a humming noise the problem can only be one of the following:

Check whether the pump is securely positioned - usually the problem is that the pump’s feet have become dislodged from the base of the dish, and so the pump’s coming into direct contact with the ceramic. All you need do is firmly press down the rubber feet - you could also rub a little alcohol into the feet and inner dish to enhance adhesion - and your fountain should be as quiet as it was on the very first day.

If the problem persists, it could be that the upper section of the basin has not been fitted properly to the lower section - simply readjust and the noise should disappear.

If that doesn’t help, then it’s highly likely that the housing of the pump’s rotor is dirty. Please clean the pump thoroughly as described in the instructions and remove the small propeller from its housing. Also remove the connecting piece where the tube is inserted into the pump and clean the opening. In 99% of cases, the noise is due to a build-up of debris in the housing, which disrupts the smooth flow of the magnetic impeller. We recommend that you clean the pump thoroughly once a week, as illustrated in the instructions.

This is generally caused by a kink in the small silicone tube which occurred when the fountain was assembled - simply reposition the pump (the ideal position is more or less in the centre of the inner dish) and the water will start flowing again. If that doesn’t help, then it’s highly likely that the housing of the pump’s rotor is dirty or there is some limestone inside. Please clean the pump thoroughly as described in the instructions and remove the small propeller from its housing. Also remove the connecting piece where the tube is inserted into the pump and clean the opening. In 99% of cases, the noise is due to a build-up of debris in the housing, which disrupts the smooth flow of the magnetic impeller. We recommend that you clean the pump thoroughly once a week, as illustrated in the instructions.

Yes of course. We’ll continue to supply you with spare parts even after the guarantee has expired - for example, should you ever require a new tube or pump through wear and tear. We’ll send you a Tube-set, Replacement-Bowl or a replacement pump. Simply order from our online shop.

Yes we also deliver to Switzerland. Our deliveries to Switzerland are VAT-free. Because of high shipping costs, we charge a flat-rate fee of only €19.90. There may be additional import tariffs and other custom-charges - please check with your customs authorities in advance.

Because of high shipping costs, we unfortunately do not ship to the USA, NZ or Australia.

Selbstverständlich bekommen Sie auch langfristig Ersatzteile bei uns, wie z.B. Schläuche, Stutzen oder Pumpen - sollte denn wirklich einmal etwas verschlissen oder verloren gegangen sein. Ein Schlauch-Set mit drei Ersatzschläuchen und einer kleinen Schlauchbürste kann hier im Shop ebenso bestellt werden wie eine Ersatzpumpe. Bei Bedarf an einer Ersatzschale (Ober- oder Unterschale), die wir auch einzeln als Ersatzteil nachliefern oder anderen Ersatzteilen, bestellen Sie bitte einfach direkt über den Shop im Bereich "Ersatzteile".

Answer: Cats very rarely reject the Lucky-Kitty Drinking Fountain. Unfortunately, the very few drinking fountains that are returned to us can’t be resold for reasons of hygiene (which means you can’t buy one at a reduced price). Our absolute priority is the health and safety of our feline friends, which is why, as a matter of principle, we don’t resell used fountains that have been returned to us.

You can refill Lucky-Kitty without removing any tanks or plastic containers or taking the whole thing apart - simply pour in water from above while the fountain’s running. That’s all there is to it! It really couldn’t be any quicker or easier! :-

Give your cat a little more time to get used to it - cats are often very particular when it comes to changes in their surroundings. Some cats take to Lucky-Kitty immediately, but most need a day or two. A small proportion of cats, if they’re particularly timid or elderly, may even need up to two weeks before they learn to “trust” their new drinking fountain. Always place the drinking fountain well away from their food, because cats never eat and drink in the same place. Don’t pressurise your cat and be sure to keep the fountain running at night, too, because that’s when most cats prefer to drink (this goes back to their roots as desert animals). Your cat will soon grow to love Lucky-Kitty and won’t want to do without it!

Answer: Yes. Even when the pump is switched off, your cat can still drink from the bottom of the fountain, where there’s a permanent pool of water - just check the water level on a regular basis. However, we do recommend that you keep the fountain running at night because cats - originally desert animals - prefer to drink at night time.

Don’t place the pump too far back in the dish because this is likely to produce a kink in the silicone tube and may obstruct the flow of water. The best position for the pump is more or less in the centre of the inner dish.