In 1994 a licensed veterinarian Dr. M. Burns was very frustrated with the behavior of one of her cats named "Buckwheat". "Buckwheat" would only drink water from a dripping faucet and would lay around on the kitchen counters all day waiting for her human to turn the faucet on. Aside from finding cat hair in the food preparation areas on the counters, Dr. Burns was getting very tired of running to the faucets to satisfy "Buckwheat's" demand for running water. But what is a responsible pet owner to do? As a veterinarian, Dr. Burns was well aware of the importance of sufficient water intake in cats to maintain healthy kidney and urinary tract function. Lack of enough water intake will make a cat's urine more concentrated than normal and leads to an environment where bladder crystal formation becomes more likely. This can lead to urinary tract obstruction and the infamous and potentially fatal Feline Urinary Syndrome. Therefore, denying "Buckwheat" her running water was just not an option.

Then, eureka! Dr. Burns decided "Buckwheat" would have running water and maintain good hydration, but not at the kitchen sink. This running water would magically appear directly in "Buckwheat's" bowl! From this first home prototype, the Drinkwell® Pet Fountain was born.