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Which PetSafe fountain fits your preferred flow and care routine?

Choose Creekside for its documented ceramic construction, 60 oz listed capacity and open 360-degree access. Choose Butterfly if its removable topper’s four streams, with bubbling flow available when removed, better fits the setup you want. These are documented design differences, not tested flow or animal-preference results.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-16

Source checked 2026-10-16 18:25 UTC

Products compared

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The buying question

Should you choose the ceramic Creekside fountain or the Butterfly fountain with a removable four-stream topper?

Creekside lists a ceramic bowl and tower, 60 oz capacity and 360-degree access; Butterfly lists a BPA-free plastic body, 50 oz capacity, a removable topper with four streams or bubbling flow, and a raised water tray. Both require routine cleaning and separate pump care.

Quick verdict

Choose PetSafe Butterfly Pet Fountain if

  • You want the removable topper that supplies four streams, with bubbling flow when it is removed.
  • You value a raised tray that the manufacturer says retains water for access during a power outage. Creekside outage behavior is unknown from the checked sources.
View PetSafe Butterfly Pet Fountain on AmazonPaid link
When to skip: You need cordless operation; both fountains require plug-in power.
When the recommendation changes
  • If one flow pattern is important, match the documented setup to your preference; no source tests which pattern a cat or dog prefers.
  • If retained water during a power interruption matters, Butterfly documentation describes a raised tray reserve; the checked Creekside documents do not establish what remains available during an outage.
  • If maintenance frequency is decisive, both guides list carbon-filter replacement every 2–4 weeks and foam-filter replacement every 1–2 months. Online cleaning advice recommends monthly cleaning for both, while the Creekside quick guide says to clean the fountain and pump every 2–4 weeks. Follow the current model-specific instructions; no source measures which takes less effort.

The differences that matter

Flow And Drinking Access

PetSafe Creekside Ceramic Pet Fountain

Soft bubbling over a tower; open bowl with 360-degree access. Outage reserve unknown in checked model-specific sources.[1]

PetSafe Butterfly Pet Fountain

Removable topper creates four falling streams; without it the flow bubbles. Support page describes a raised tray retaining water during a power outage.[5, 6]

What this changes: Choose by the documented presentation and access layout. No comparative preference or drinking outcome is established; Creekside outage behavior remains unknown.[1, 5, 6]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Material Capacity And Cleaning

PetSafe Creekside Ceramic Pet Fountain

60 oz; ceramic bowl and tower; the guide permits top-rack dishwashing for the plastic filter housing, ceramic bowl and tower except silicone gasket, with the pump cleaned separately.[1, 2]

PetSafe Butterfly Pet Fountain

50 oz; BPA-free plastic; support instructions permit top-rack dishwashing for the bowl and upper tray and separate pump cleaning; assembly uses locking tabs and optional topper.[5, 6, 7]

What this changes: The 10 oz nominal capacity difference and the different materials/disassembly layouts can matter to the chosen setup. Both retain separate pump care; the sources do not show which takes less time to clean.[1, 2, 5, 6, 7]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

You specifically want a ceramic fountain with the larger listed reservoir

Best fit: PetSafe Creekside Ceramic Pet Fountain

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Creekside is listed as ceramic and 60 oz; Butterfly is listed as BPA-free plastic and 50 oz. This is a feature-fit choice, not a claim about refill frequency or durability.

View PetSafe Creekside Ceramic Pet Fountain on AmazonPaid link

You want to switch between four streams and bubbling flow using a removable topper

Best fit: PetSafe Butterfly Pet Fountain

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Butterfly documentation explicitly describes both presentations. The sources do not test which flow an individual pet will choose.

View PetSafe Butterfly Pet Fountain on AmazonPaid link

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

Price was not assessed. Compare current offers only after deciding whether the documented material, nominal capacity, access and flow options fit your needs.

Current offer and price history were not assessed; timing guidance is unavailable.

Limitations

  • No hands-on test or independent comparative measurement was performed. No claim is made about measured noise, flow strength, clean time, durability, reliability, animal preference, water intake, health or hygiene outcomes.
  • PetSafe support documentation says Butterfly’s raised tray retains water during a power outage; the cited Creekside documents do not establish its outage behavior. Do not infer that Creekside has no reserve.
  • The two manuals list the same filter intervals: carbon every 2–4 weeks and foam every 1–2 months. Online cleaning articles recommend monthly cleaning (about every two weeks for some multi-pet households); the Creekside quick guide instead says to clean the fountain and pump every 2–4 weeks. Follow current model-specific instructions; these differences do not establish a lower-maintenance model.
  • Both fountains are described as plug-in. Butterfly’s guide lists replacement pump PAC00-16977; no Creekside replacement pump model was confirmed in the documents checked. Current prices and package contents were not assessed.

Questions shoppers ask

Does the Butterfly fountain need its topper for water to flow?

No. PetSafe’s manual says the topper is optional: with it, Butterfly provides four streams; without it, the fountain provides bubbling flow.

Do the two fountains use the same replacement filters?

PetSafe lists Carbon Filter #6 (PAC00-13906) and Foam Filter #5 (PAC00-13711) for both fountains. Both guides list 2–4 weeks for the carbon filter and 1–2 months for the foam filter. Butterfly’s guide lists replacement pump PAC00-16977; the cited documents do not identify a Creekside replacement pump number, so verify the Creekside model before ordering a pump.

Which one leaves water available if power is interrupted?

PetSafe specifically says Butterfly’s raised tray holds water during a power outage. The cited Creekside documents do not establish its outage behavior, so verify that model rather than assuming it has no retained-water access.

Methodology and sources

Compared exact-model manufacturer documentation for flow/access layout, listed capacity and material, dishwasher/pump care and shared compatible filter models. Feature fit is kept separate from measured performance; no comparative noise, clean-time, durability or pet-preference result is claimed.

AI assisted research and writing based on the cited manufacturer documents. No hands-on or comparative performance test was conducted.

View 9 sources
  1. 1.Creekside Ceramic Pet FountainPetSafe Support · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:13 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Model Numbers; Features; capacity, flow, materials and compatible parts: Identifies model PWW00-17097; lists 60 oz capacity, ceramic, soft bubbling, 360-degree access, dishwasher-safe non-pump parts and hand-washed pump.
  2. 2.Get Started! Creekside Ceramic Pet FountainPetSafe / Radio Systems Corporation · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:13 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Pages 1–3; care instructions, assembly and model PWW00-17097: Model-specific guide lists cleaning every 2–4 weeks, Carbon Filter #6 replacement every 2–4 weeks and Foam Filter #5 every 1–2 months; it also describes cord routing and top-rack-safe parts except the silicone gasket.
  3. 3.How To Disassemble and Clean My PetSafe Creekside Ceramic Pet FountainPetSafe Support · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:16 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Cleaning guidance and disassembly steps: Online support article recommends monthly full cleaning (about every two weeks for some multiple-pet households), separately cleans the pump, and gives different filter guidance from the quick guide.
  4. 4.How To Replace the Carbon and Foam Filters in My PetSafe Creekside Ceramic Pet FountainPetSafe Support · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:16 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Important Information; replace carbon and foam filter steps: Model-specific instructions state carbon filter every 2–4 weeks and foam every 1–2 months, with rinsing and installation steps.
  5. 5.Drinkwell Butterfly Pet FountainPetSafe Support · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:13 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Model Numbers; Features; flow, tray, material and cleaning: Identifies model PWW00-16928; lists 50 oz capacity, BPA-free plastic, removable topper with four streams, bubbling without topper, raised tray water during outage, top-rack cleaning and separate pump handwashing.
  6. 6.PetSafe Drinkwell Butterfly Pet Fountain Quick Start GuidePetSafe / Radio Systems Corporation · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:13 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Model and assembly pages; PDF p.7 filter replacement intervals; PDF p.8 replacement-pump compatibility table (printed p.7): Model-specific guide identifies PWW00-16928; explains the optional topper and tray assembly; lists carbon replacement every 2–4 weeks, foam every 1–2 months, and replacement pump PAC00-16977.
  7. 7.How To Clean Your Drinkwell Butterfly Pet FountainPetSafe Support · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:16 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Cleaning frequency; disassembly; cleaning and filter steps: Recommends monthly cleaning (about every two weeks for multiple-pet households), pump cleaning, top-rack dishwashing for bowl and upper tray, and separate pump care.
  8. 8.Drinkwell Replacement Carbon Filters (4-Pack)PetSafe · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:16 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Description; Guaranteed Fit; replacement interval: Lists Carbon Filter #6, PAC00-13906, compatible with both Creekside and Butterfly fountains; describes 2–4 week replacement guidance.
  9. 9.Drinkwell Replacement Foam FiltersPetSafe · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-16 18:16 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Description; Guaranteed Fit; replacement interval: Lists Foam Filter #5, PAC00-13711, compatible with both Creekside and Butterfly fountains; describes 1–2 month replacement guidance.

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