Let’s talk about battery-operated cat water fountains, or more accurately, how near impossible it is to find one.

Do a quick “cat water fountain, battery operated” search and you’ll find results listing the top 10, top 20, top 50 even!

Now click those results and tell me how many are actually run on DC power.

Let me save you the trouble: less than 10%.

I can only imagine that all of these writers skipped the class that explained the difference between AC & DC power.

So, do they even exist; and if so, where can you find them?

Read on to find out!

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Do Battery-Operated Cat Water Fountains Actually Exist?

The good news, yes, they do exist.

The bad? They’re not as easy to find as Google search results (or even Amazon search results) would have you believe.

Trust me, I learned this first-hand while researching not only this list, but our other cat fountain buying guides.

It’s super annoying. I am pretty sure that those lists really, really, really wanted to hit the keywords ” cat water fountain battery operated” and didn’t care how they got there.

I went through every single result on the top pages and literally 1 out of 10 recommendations was actually powered by batteries.

So, rather than give you another frustrating list padded with results that aren’t even remotely what you’re searching for, I am giving you a short list of actual battery-operated cat water fountains.

I’ll also give you a few other options for “cordless” fountains!

FYI, this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we earn a small commission at no extra charge to you. 

Best Cat Water Fountains That Are Battery Operated

Like I said, this is going to be a fairly short list because like 99.9% of cat fountains are corded options.

Yep, even the majority of the fountains on so-called “best battery-operated pet fountains” lists!

Still, I did manage to round up a few! Check them out!

1. Dog H2O DH025

Sure, it’s not much to look at, but as far as battery-operated pet fountains go, it’s among the very short list of options.

While it only has mediocre reviews, it’s really not a bad choice overall for those times when you need a pet fountain on the go.

Features & Pros

• It’s actually totally battery-operated, and that right there is a major pro.
• Programmed timer filters and oxygenates the water.
• Large drinking area for multiple cats (or families with dogs, too)
• Dishwasher-safe
• Assembles and comes apart in seconds with no tools.
• Quiet pump
• Includes 3 water softening Filter pads

Cons

• Needs incredibly good batteries to get it to run right. Cheapies won’t do.
• Batteries only last about a month
• Not the prettiest fountain

Recommendation

While this one is made for dogs, I like it because it holds a good amount of water (up to 200 mL).

Sure, it’s kind of basic, but at least it actually runs on batteries! As long as you choose good ones, you shouldn’t have an issue.

2. Cat H20 Fountain

Made by the same company as the one above, the Cat H20 is slightly more stylish (and, obviously, designed just for kitties).

It has slightly better ratings than the one above, too.

Features & Pros

• Since it’s smaller than the Dog H20, the batteries don’t need to be quite as top of the line. (Still, skip the dollar store batteries).
• Surface skimmer aerates water to keep it slime-free
• Dishwasher friendly
• Assembles and comes apart easily without tools
• Super quiet pump, backed by a 3 year limited warranty

Cons

• Pump isn’t the most durable, according to some.
• Still needs decent batteries to reach full power

Recommendation

While I prefer the one above for multi-cat households or those with dogs, too, this one is a great option for a single kitty.

These two are literally the only legitimately “run on batteries” cat fountains that I could find on Amazon.

That’s it. Well, no, that’s a lie. There’s one other by PetMate but the reviews are horrific so I don’t feel comfortable recommending it.

Now, I could end the list here and send you on your merry way, but I have a few other ideas that may work if you really want a cordless cat water fountain.

Other cordless alternatives to battery-operated pet fountains

Unfortunately, if you’re dreaming of a fantastic, 5-star, top of the line battery run pet fountain, you’re kind of out of luck.

And by “kind of,” I mean you have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding one.

See, there’s a reason why pet fountain manufacturers don’t really use batteries. As we saw in the cons of the two above, they’re just not strong enough.

1. Hose-powered cat fountain

The All for Paws Garden Fountain is a good alternative for those with outdoor kitties (no judgement).

Theoretically, you could also use it indoors if you can figure out a logical way to hook a hose up to your indoor water supply, but I don’t know how well that would work.

However, if your kitty spends time outside (or even on an enclosed patio near your hose fixture), this is a highly-rated option.

2. Ebi Ceramic Fountains

I’m going to be honest here, while I’ve seen great reviews for Ebi Ceramic Fountains, I’ve never heard of the brand until recently.

They’re not sold on Amazon or on any other mass retailer that I can find, so you have to go directly through their website.

They really are quite beautiful, though, and totally handcrafted in the US.

Most of them run on either just batteries or both AC/DC. I’ll warn you, they are pricey! However, like I said, they’re handmade.

3. Solar-Powered Cascading Fountain

Okay, so it’s not really a pet fountain, but bear with me. If you’re willing to keep up with adding clean water, it’s actually a beautifully simple (not to mention just plain beautiful) option.

While it may work better outdoors than inside, but you could probably adapt it for indoor use more easily than the hose-powered fountain.

It’s solar-powered, so for outdoor use you just need to make sure it’s in a sunny spot.

However, if you can put it near a window or source of natural light, you could bring it inside.

4. DIY It

While the video above may not be the most stable, the final product is pretty nifty!

I would take out all the random extras in the fountain, though, you don’t really need them and they’ll just trap bacteria.

5. Good old-fashioned gravity bowl

Look, unless you’re hooking a water fountain right up to your water supply, you’re going to have to change the water regularly.

It doesn’t matter if you buy a battery-operated pet fountain, a corded one, or heck, one that sings a little jig and folds your laundry for you!

No, that last one doesn’t exist. I wish! Seriously, though, unless your cat flat-out refuses to drink from a bowl, a plain old gravity water bowl will do.

Your cat will still have plenty of fresh water ready when he wants it, and you won’t have to worry about filters, buying batteries, or finding a nearby outlet.

So, there you go!

While I couldn’t find you more than a couple of options (and believe me, I tried), at least they are actually battery-operated cat fountains and not clickbait results. 😀

Do you know of any actual battery-operated cat water fountains that I missed? Please share below so I can add them!

Last update on 2019-12-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API