Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:
My one-year-old cat has started to knock her food bowl over. There is always wet food in the bowl and I will put it back in the bowl and she will knock it over again! This has just been happening within the last two weeks. This noon she did it three times. I am at the end of my rope with her and don’t know what to do. Our other baby is a little younger by two weeks and she has never done this. I bought the kind of bowl that is on a small pedestal so they wouldn’t have to bend so much and now I am seriously rethinking this. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you.
~ Diane
Thomas: Well, Diane, a sloppy eater can be a frustrating problem, especially since cats are supposed to be so tidy.
Bella: But we’ve got a few ideas that can help.
Tara: First of all, not every cat likes the bowl on a pedestal, so you might have to get your cat a bowl that sits flat on the floor.
Thomas: Mama has a bowl with a pedestal, and Siouxsie used to use it. She let me try it, but I decided I prefer a bowl that sits on the floor.
Bella: I, on the other hand, love the bowl on a pedestal, and I’m so glad I get to eat out of it!
Tara: First of all, we suggest that you put washable mats like these under your cats’ food and water bowls. Yes, both kitties’ bowls.
Thomas: They’re easy to find. You can get them at any pet store, although they might be in the …
Bella: *gasp*
Thomas: … dog section! (Dogs are much sloppier eaters than most cats, after all.)
Bella: But don’t worry. Cats can use them, too.
Tara: You might have to forgo the raised bowl for one that sits on the ground and isn’t easy to knock over, too. The tip-proof bowl is perfect for a sloppy eater!
Thomas: We recommend stainless steel or ceramic, but not plastic.
Bella: Keep in mind that the links we’re sharing in this post are just so you can see what we’re talking about. We’d love it if you’d shop at your local independent pet store!
Tara: If your cat likes to get her water all over the place, we recommend that you put the water dish on a sheet pan with one-inch sides. This will keep any spilled water from ruining your floors or getting in your carpets.
Thomas: And this sheet pan can be a cheapo that you find anywhere. Your cats don’t need non-stick coating and specially designed heat-spreading construction, after all!
Bella: So, we’re sorry your sloppy eater doesn’t know what to do with the fancy raised dish. But we think that getting her bowl back on the ground and using a mat under it will be a big help.
Tara: What about you other readers? Do you have any tips on how to deal with a cat who’s a sloppy eater? Please share them in the comments!
JaneA Kelley is a punk rock cat mom and award-winning blogger. She is a regular columnist for Catster Magazine, and she and the Paws and Effect Gang share a home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
My Rolz was a super sloppy eater. The only bowl that he doesn’t make a mess in is called the Moda Pet Bowl. It’s on a slight pedestal, but it doesn’t move around and it’s done the trick at our house!
I bought a nice raised wood eating pedestal for my kitty. She will drink her water from the bowl in the pedestal, but not eat! I have to put the food bowl on the ground. In the pedestal and she will sit in front and wait for me to take it out. I have tried multiple times to get her to eat our of the raised bowl, but no-go. So, now I have a 2-bowl pedestal holding only one bowl! I like that it keeps the water bowl in place and when I buy a small container of cat grass, I put it in the other hole.
My cats pick up mouthfuls of kibble drop on floor then eat individually , so now I use a flat large baking tray!!! No more mess !!!
I have my cats food bowl in a sided tray, but she still takes the food out by mouthful and lays it on the floor. She eats the wet food off the saucer I give her. Maybe I should change her dry food to a saucer.
We just purchased stainless steel dog bowls that have a slip resistant bottom. Both cats took to them immediately! No issues!