Doesn't the plastic clam shell, filter and pump parts negate the purpose of a ceramic or stainless steel circulating fountain? My cat has feline acne and I suspect it's due to drinking from a plastic fountain which was cleaned regularly. Doesn't the plastic clam shell, filter and pump parts negate the purpose of a ceramic or stainless steel circulating fountain? My cat has feline acne and I suspect it's due to drinking from... » Read More Doesn't the plastic clam shell, filter and pump parts negate the purpose of a ceramic or stainless steel circulating fountain? My cat has feline acne and I suspect it's due to drinking from a plastic fountain which was cleaned regularly. « Show Less
1647146
You are probably right. My cats had no acne and I just got the ceramic because it looks cleaner and washes up nicely. I do wish there was no plastic. This fountain got very favorable reviews, so, I went for it and I do like it.
1647147
My cats cannot reach the plastic part of this fountain I think the reason cats get acne is by touching the plastic when drinking from plastic containers although you clean it they still have some bacteria in crevices in the plastic. By having the water in constant motion it limits the amount of bacteria growth. If you're still concerned just upgrade to a glass bowl. Anyway hope I answered your question.
1647148
The pump housing and pump are under the top of the fountain and do not come into contact with the cat. Because of this it would not cause the cat acne. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us at tina@pioneerpet.com Thank You Pioneer Pet Customer Service
139088
Plastic, making this a bad choice if your cat suffers from cat acne (caused by plastic food and water bowls)
2206001
Deanna - The same thing happened to me, and the reviews show others having similar problems. I finally gave up and ordered a handmade ceramic fountain online from a small company, and its worked like a charm. No harder to keep clean than this one, and doesn't require carbon filters so its cheaper to maintain. I recommend you return this one move on to a better product. Good luck.
2082764
If you are referring to the fountain itself, yes. A light wash or throw all the parts in the dish washer. Easy to clean & maintain. I have noticed that my cat loves to drink water now. Much more then before.
2055038
Hello. Thanks for your interest in our items. The taps are made of plastic and silicone to ensure your fountain is food safe. The taps can be swichted and replaced and are available in a gold-plated version as well. We hope this helps!
1451027
It's not necessarily true that you are not cleaning it enough, but you may not be cleaning it well enough. I usually rinse mine with Listerine every month or so, after thoroughly cleaning it, to kill off any stray bacteria. I have posted four pictures on how to properly disassemble the pump for cleaning, that should help. The type of water you use can also have a great impact on cleanliness. Bottled, spring or well water(non-chlorinated) will scum up much faster than chlorinated tap water. Also, if your pets are messy, and leave bits of dirt or food in the fountain it will scum much faster.
2154119
I usually see a little bit of foaming swirling around where the fountain pours into the main dish. I just assumed it was from saliva? I haven't considered it a major problem and if this is what it's from, I don't think there's any way around it. Unless you were to rinse and refill like every day. I usually only take it apart to clean it every week or two.
124604
We also have hard water which clogs up everything! We only use filtered water in our cats water fountain!
1793824
I'm not quite sure what you mean about too, but I have 10 cats drinking from the fountain and refill daily. Completely take it apart once a week and wash with white vinegar then rinse with water, I run warm water through the sponge and wipe down other non submersible parts and put it all back together... I've had mine a few months now and by cleaning weekly I've found it keeps it working properly and it doesn't slow down. Compared to others on the market, this is the easiest to clean and operate and aside from being stylish compared to the plastic ones out there that burn out within a month, I highly recommend this one.. Well worth the money! The maintenance is super quick and easy! I'm not quite sure what you mean about too, but I have 10 cats drinking from the fountain and refill daily. Completely take it apart once a week and wash with white vinegar then rinse with water, I run warm water through the sponge and wipe down other non submersible parts and put it all back together... I've had mine a few months now and by cleaning weekly I've found it keeps it working properly and it doesn't slow down. Compared to others on the market, this is the easiest to clean and operate and aside from being stylish compared to the plastic ones out there that burn out within a... » Read More I'm not quite sure what you mean about too, but I have 10 cats drinking from the fountain and refill daily. Completely take it apart once a week and wash with white vinegar then rinse with water, I run warm water through the sponge and wipe down other non submersible parts and put it all back together... I've had mine a few months now and by cleaning weekly I've found it keeps it working properly and it doesn't slow down. Compared to others on the market, this is the easiest to clean and operate and aside from being stylish compared to the plastic ones out there that burn out within a month, I highly recommend this one.. Well worth the money! The maintenance is super quick and easy! « Show Less
1419867
It's not stainless steel on inside I can tell you that. Some kind of plastic I'm afraid. I have one of these and this aspect is the one thing I worry about rather. Do the high temperatures result in the plastic seeping carcinogens into the water? I'd love to know for sure this was not the case.
1210796
Hi, These 2 units use the same filter, and they are not listed on the Multipure web site. They use the most common filter. The countertop unit on the Multipure site is plastic now not stainless. They must be older models, but I would prefer the stainless over plastic. The filters will always be available, and if you get on the auto ship program from Multipure, you can save $$. Which ever one fits your fancy. They are sold by 2 different companies and neither has free shipping. Definitely buy one. You will be doing yourself and whoever else drinks the water a huge favor. Sorry about the delay. I was caught up in the flooding in Colorado. I was not directly affected, but friends were.
479170
No. It is plastic with a recycling symbol number 5. I use mine for my cat's drinking water.
2154111
Yes, I do sometimes see little patches of bubbles or foam floating on the water. The first time, I thought I had not rinsed the soap completely after washing the fountain. The same foam would also appear on the plastic Drinkwell 360 I had. But now I am pretty sure it comes from the proteins in the cats' saliva and/or the food residue on their mouth. If you have seen someone spit, you can see it is foamy. A recent dramatic example are the huge piles of foam that washed up on the beaches in New Zealand, resulting from an off shore typhoon, that literally "beat up" the proteins like a hand mixer would and created whipped cream.
2154114
I used to have a Petmate plastic fountain and had this problem all the time. I contacted them about it and they said it was partly cat saliva and partly the cleanliness of the fountain. Now that I've switched over to this Pioneer stainless model, I don't have the problem anymore. I recommend rinsing and wiping it out at least once a week to get rid of the slime that inevitably starts to form. Also, I toss it in the dishwasher once a month to keep it nice and cleanAnd don't forget to change out those filters every month. Hopefully that should reduce the amount of foam you're seeing. I used to have a Petmate plastic fountain and had this problem all the time. I contacted them about it and they said it was partly cat saliva and partly the cleanliness of the fountain. Now that I've switched over to this Pioneer stainless model, I don't have the problem anymore. I recommend rinsing and wiping it out at least once a week to get rid of the slime that inevitably starts to form. Also, I toss it in the dishwasher once a month to keep it nice and cleanAnd don't forget to change out those filters every month. Hopefully that should reduce the amount of foam... » Read More I used to have a Petmate plastic fountain and had this problem all the time. I contacted them about it and they said it was partly cat saliva and partly the cleanliness of the fountain. Now that I've switched over to this Pioneer stainless model, I don't have the problem anymore. I recommend rinsing and wiping it out at least once a week to get rid of the slime that inevitably starts to form. Also, I toss it in the dishwasher once a month to keep it nice and cleanAnd don't forget to change out those filters every month. Hopefully that should reduce the amount of foam you're seeing. « Show Less
738165
For health of animals, plastic is not the best choice out there. My vet recommended not using plastic bowls for my cat's food after she developed chin acne. Unfortunately I can't consider this fountain purely because it's plastic. Other materials are just as easy to clean!!!
2154121
I have never had that issue. I clean mine weekly with vinegar and a soft cloth. I don't wash the charcoal filter, only rinse. Note: You wouldn't want to get soap in there, it probably wouldn't come out. I like to take the pump out and clean that as well, because it can get a slimy build-up which slows it down and eventually burns out the pump motor. If you're having foaming issues, don't wash your fountain with soap, use only vinegar and perhaps a little baking soda if you have hard water build-up. Be sure to rinse your filter thoroughly and be sure to clean your pump too. Clean it at least once a week, more often for large dogs or multiple cats. I have never had that issue. I clean mine weekly with vinegar and a soft cloth. I don't wash the charcoal filter, only rinse. Note: You wouldn't want to get soap in there, it probably wouldn't come out. I like to take the pump out and clean that as well, because it can get a slimy build-up which slows it down and eventually burns out the pump motor. If you're having foaming issues, don't wash your fountain with soap, use only vinegar and perhaps a little baking soda if you have hard water build-up. Be sure to rinse your filter thoroughly and be sure to clean your pump too. Clean... » Read More I have never had that issue. I clean mine weekly with vinegar and a soft cloth. I don't wash the charcoal filter, only rinse. Note: You wouldn't want to get soap in there, it probably wouldn't come out. I like to take the pump out and clean that as well, because it can get a slimy build-up which slows it down and eventually burns out the pump motor. If you're having foaming issues, don't wash your fountain with soap, use only vinegar and perhaps a little baking soda if you have hard water build-up. Be sure to rinse your filter thoroughly and be sure to clean your pump too. Clean it at least once a week, more often for large dogs or multiple cats. « Show Less
599278
The fountain is all stainless. (Well, the motor and pump housing are white, but you can't see them when the pump is assembled.) It cleans VERY easily!