Watering systems/fountains

I'm interested in purchasing one of those pet water fountains/drinking
systems (Fresh Flow, Drinkwell, etc.). I noticed that just about all
the ones I looked at have filters which have to be changed about once a
month. Can these filters be cleaned and reused or must I use new ones
each time? About how often does the average filter really need to be
cleaned?

In ups.com,
Mike S. purred:
I'm interested in purchasing one of those pet water fountains/drinking
systems (Fresh Flow, Drinkwell, etc.). I noticed that just about all
the ones I looked at have filters which have to be changed about once
a month. Can these filters be cleaned and reused or must I use new
ones each time? About how often does the average filter really need
to be cleaned?

I have 4 of the drinkwell fountains - 3 for the cats and one for the dog.
The dog's filter gets way more yuckier than the cats. When clean the
fountains (weekly), I wash the filters as well (the instructions say not to
use soap, but I use just a teensy bit (Basically, dip a sponge in the soapy
water that I'm washing the fountain in, then rub the yuck off the filter
with it), and make sure I rinse thoroughly with running water). I replace
the filters every 6 weeks - and by that time, the dog's is barely doing it's
job any more!

The cats are always elated and drink lots more after I replace the filters,
which is a different reaction than I get when I just wash the filters.

"Magic Mood Jeep©" wrote in message
...
In ups.com,
Mike S. purred:
I'm interested in purchasing one of those pet water fountains/drinking
systems (Fresh Flow, Drinkwell, etc.). I noticed that just about all
the ones I looked at have filters which have to be changed about once
a month. Can these filters be cleaned and reused or must I use new
ones each time? About how often does the average filter really need
to be cleaned?

I have 4 of the drinkwell fountains - 3 for the cats and one for the dog.
The dog's filter gets way more yuckier than the cats. When clean the
fountains (weekly), I wash the filters as well (the instructions say not
to use soap, but I use just a teensy bit (Basically, dip a sponge in the
soapy water that I'm washing the fountain in, then rub the yuck off the
filter with it), and make sure I rinse thoroughly with running water). I
replace the filters every 6 weeks - and by that time, the dog's is barely
doing it's job any more!

The cats are always elated and drink lots more after I replace the
filters, which is a different reaction than I get when I just wash the
filters.

I have two Drinkwell fountains plus reservoirs for four cats. I also have
supplemental water dispensers, so the cats don't only drink from the
Drinkwell fountains. I rinse the filters well in hot water once a week or
so, and replace them when the white pre-filter starts to look dark. I get
at least a month out of each filter.

Gail F.
Lao Ma, Ephiny, Minya, Melosa

Mike S. wrote:
I'm interested in purchasing one of those pet water fountains/drinking
systems (Fresh Flow, Drinkwell, etc.). I noticed that just about all
the ones I looked at have filters which have to be changed about once a
month. Can these filters be cleaned and reused or must I use new ones
each time? About how often does the average filter really need to be
cleaned?

I have a Drinkwell and don't use the filters at all. That being said, I
live in the country and have well water. My vet advised using distilled
water for them because of the chemicals in our area. I wash the
fountain once every 2 weeks, and every 6 weeks or so I take the motor
out and remove cat hair which has collected around the little impeller.
I have long hair cats and their hair gets in the mechanism. that's all
I do and it seems to work for us.

I always filled the fountain with purified water but even though the
water constantly flows through the filter and gets topped off every
day, germs from the cats mouth are not filtered out and incubate. I
sometimes saw stuff growing in the bottom of the dish after a couple
days.

I don't want to drink water like that and I don't think the cats do either.
I found that it's more trouble to clean the fountain and filter than it
is to just put down a bowl of fresh water a couple times a day. The
cats seem to like it better also.