It's a common trope that cats hate water, yet just like every other living being, they need it to survive. While cats on a wet food diet get a large percentage of their hydration needs from their food, they still require a source of fresh water.

What's often not considered are the needs of those who provide the water. Primarily, ease of use and ease of maintenance. You never want to find yourself in a situation where cleaning the water bowl is so much work you say to yourself, “I’ll do it tomorrow!”