
At around $5 each these filters aren't very affordable but I just leave them on for way longer than the "recommended" amount of time. If you run the fountain without a filter after about 2 days, the pump inlet will become clogged with cat hair. That's the main reason I use a filter, I'm less worried about the perceived softening of the water. With that in mind I leave them on for 6 months before changing them. I wash it thoroughly every 2 weeks when I do my rest of the fountain and I have no problems. Thus, the cost of running the fountain is around $10, which is great. In my opinion the cost of a fountain should be as low as possible since at the end of the day you are replacing a water bowl that costs $0 in annual running costs. The increased amount of water my cats are drinking is worth the initial $20+$10/year for filters, but I think changing the filter every month up to 2 months is just not necessary. Do you change the filter in your jug every month? Not me. I just use it to make the "taste" of water more pleasant so I drink more water. It may not be necessary to take things out of the water for long periods of time, but I still drink more, so I use a water pitcher.

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