confused what kind of bowl to feed my cat?

SeanS

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Hi,
So I'm a new cat owner. I adopted a 6 year old male cat. I know cats are very picky, so I want to make sure I give them the right bowls to feed and drink from. I know a lot of people recommend steel bowls. But from what I read, a lot of sites that sell them, advertise them as steel, but are just steel plated at best, and cats hate that taste that come from that.So can someoone recommend a good wide shallow bowl for water and food?
 
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SeanS

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I use people grade ceramic. I pick them up at thrift stores - a big bowl for water and small oblong plates or servers for wet food.
I don't mind spending a bit extra, since I'll just 2 or 3 of these but how do I know that it's people grade? Is there a sign or postage?
 

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So can someoone recommend a good wide shallow bowl for water and food?
If you want to use steel plate, make sure it is real stainless steel. Many sell knock off ones using very low grade stainless steel or plated to and pass of as good stainless steel and these will rust.

Otherwise, just as what susanm9006 susanm9006 mentioned, you can also use ceramic or porcelain plates. If you don't mind to spend a little more, you can opt for the Corelle dinner set brand as they are made from tempered glass that is chip and scratch-resistant and microwave safe.

As with low quality stainless steel, it will last. As for ceramic and porcelain plates, you just have to be careful not chip it else it's be very dangerous for your kitty as well as yourself and they tend to have hairline cracks over time which is non visible to our hooman eyes and if you do not wash and dry it well, these spaces harbors bacteria and can give feline acne to your kitty.

With ceramic and porcelain plates, best is wash with hot soapy water each time if you have hot water running 24/7 or at least soak for a minute once a day and remember to dry them well too.

Best is to get plates with low lips that it does not cause whicker stress to your cat while she is eating.

These are some of the plates I use when I'm feeding my boy. The water bowl I bought for him but it's not used as he doesn't drink water except from his wet food as I add in a little more water at each meal.

I've changed the plastic spoon to a stainless steel one already. The cat bowl is just for resting the spoon.

IMG_3673-photo-full.jpg
 
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SeanS

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If you want o use still plate, make sure it is real stainless steel. Many sell knock off ones using very low grade stainless steel or plated to and pass of as good stainless steel.

Otherwise, just as what susanm9006 susanm9006 mentioned, you can also use ceramic or porcelain plates. If you don't mind to spend a little more, you can opt for the Corelle dinner set brand as they are made from tempered glass that is chip and scratch-resistant and microwave safe.

As with low quality stainless steel, it will last. As for ceramic and porcelain plates, you just have to be careful not touchup it else it's be very dangerous for your kitty as well as yourself and they tend to have hairline cracks over time which is non visible to our hooman eyes and if you do not wash and dry it well, these spaces harbors bacteria and can give feline acne to your kitty.

With ceramic and porcelain plates, best is wash with hot soapy water each time if you have hot water running 24/7 or at least soak for a minute once a day and remember to dry them well too.

Best is to get plates with low lips that it does not cause whicker stress to your cat while she is eating.

These are some of the plates I use when I'm feeding my boy. The water bowl I bought for him but it's not used as he doesn't drink water except from his wet food as I add in a little more water at each meal.

I've changed the plastic spoon to a stainless steel one already. The cat bowl is just for resting the spoon.

View attachment 387683
So for something like this. Winter Frost White 10.25" Dinner Plates, 6-pack

There should be 0 possible problems correct? In terms of cat getting chin acne or them not liking the taste of the plate. Or the plate having chemicals?
 

tabbytom

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So for something like this. Winter Frost White 10.25" Dinner Plates, 6-pack

There should be 0 possible problems correct? In terms of cat getting chin acne or them not liking the taste of the plate. Or the plate having chemicals?
I would not say it'll be 0 possible problems. Like I mentioned earlier about hairline cracks, as long as the plate is washed cleaned and run through hot water and dry after each meal, it is a safer bet.

Taste wise from the plates, it depends I have not encounter my boy disliking the different plates he had used. I also change his plates like every 6 months. And for chemical wise, if it is safe for hoomans, it is safe for your kitty, as in the plates we are talking about and not about food.
 
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SeanS

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I would not say it'll be 0 possible problems. Like I mentioned earlier about hairline cracks, as long as the plate is washed cleaned and run through hot water and dry after each meal, it is a safer bet.

Taste wise from the plates, it depends I have not encounter my boy disliking the different plates he had used. I also change his plates like every 6 months. And for chemical wise, if it is safe for hoomans, it is safe for your kitty, as in the plates we are talking about and not about food.
Okay I'll probably just buy these then. They said they're made of glass, and I haven't heard any issues with taste or chin acne with glass. So these should be good. Thanks!
 

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I don't mind spending a bit extra, since I'll just 2 or 3 of these but how do I know that it's people grade? Is there a sign or postage?
Check the back of the bowl or plate. It will usually say dishwasher safe or if it’s not okay warn you that it is not for food uses. I do second the recommendation on Correlle brand items. Those are mostly what I pick up at the thrift store. I also have a few Corning sidekick dishes. They are the perfect shape and size.
 
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SeanS

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Check the back of the bowl or plate. It will usually say dishwasher safe or if it’s not okay warn you that it is not for food uses. I do second the recommendation on Correlle brand items. Those are mostly what I pick up at the thrift store.
I checked and on the link I provided of the 6 plates, it says "Dishwasher, microwave and preheated-oven safe"

Sorry if this seems silly, just paranoid with my new cat.
 

tabbytom

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Okay I'll probably just buy these then. They said they're made of glass, and I haven't heard any issues with taste or chin acne with glass. So these should be good. Thanks!
Whenever you are using glass, ceramic or porcelain, just remind yourself to be careful not to hit it against anything and not to chip it. Tiny chips are not noticeable by eyes except when you run your lip or wash with with your bare hands over the plate then you'll notice it. Try to avoid any injury to your kitty.

And some chipped glass cannot be found and your kitty may accidentally licked it up from the floor or plate. Just a word of caution.

Edit : A good practice is to use a slightly damp tissue and gently wipe the chin and cheek and mouth of your kitty after each time she eats if you have the time.
 
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ObeseChess

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I use people grade ceramic. I pick them up at thrift stores - a big bowl for water and small oblong plates or servers for wet food.
the same, I found a half dozen shallow china serving dishes at a thrift store for $5. Flat plate doesn't work for my cat as she likes to push her food around, but as others have said too deep of a bowl will strain their whiskers. I think the shape is more important than the material, ymmv.
 

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Hi,
So I'm a new cat owner. I adopted a 6 year old male cat. I know cats are very picky, so I want to make sure I give them the right bowls to feed and drink from. I know a lot of people recommend steel bowls. But from what I read, a lot of sites that sell them, advertise them as steel, but are just steel plated at best, and cats hate that taste that come from that.So can someoone recommend a good wide shallow bowl for water and food?

I purchased some stainless steel made in usa guaranteed radiation free etc. and they were stress free for whiskers. But for some reason I am using small glass tempered people plates I bought at walmart mostly now. I put them on top of raised dog dish stands with paper towel on top. I use big people ceramic bowls for their water also raised.
 

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I use either similar to the oblong plates pictured in one of the posts above or plates with a slight intention, so food is less likely to be pushed off the side.
I phased bowls out when I learned about whisker stress. Plus I found with bowls, sometimes it is hard for them to get all the wet food out of the bowl when it is pushed to the side in eating.
 

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Not sure if you're still looking, but I like these: Pet Supplies : PetRageous 44247 Oval Metro Paws Stoneware Cat Bowl 6.25-Inch Wide and 1.5-Inch Tall Saucer with 1-Cup Capacity and Dishwasher and Microwave Safe for Small Dogs and Cats, Multi-Colored, Black : Ceramic Oval Cat Bowl : Amazon.com

Protip: buy several so you don't have to wash a single dish multiple times a day! (That took me way too long to figure out)

I like them because they can hold plenty of wet food and water (I add a little hot water to warm up the cold food and provide extra hydration). The slope of the sides are also pretty good and don't make my cat experience much whisker fatigue.

Edit: and these for water (I have 2, one at each end of the apartment) -- SIGNATURE HOUSEWARES Black Arrow Non-Skid Ceramic Dog & Cat Bowl, 1-cup - Chewy.com nice because they're pretty stable once filled with water, if you fill them up the cat can easily drink from the top and not touch their whiskers against anything, and you can also tell at a glance if there's hair, etc. in the water (since the bottom is almost entirely white).
 

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I use the 3 cup ceremic bowl from Petco it has cats all over it for water currently using paper bowls for dry and paper plates for wet except one plate is plastic but I'm going to get some glass food dishes that hold 0.75 cups I think from Petco so I can stop using paper I hope that helped
 

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Minish has chin acne but I think it's because of food or stress rather than the plate. Whenever she has mackarel or anchovies they flare up. When she has access to outdoors she has less problems. I don't think you need to worry about chin acne it may never happen like many cats I know who never have them despite careless owners.
I use people plates ceramic and glass which go into the dishwasher every day.
 
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SeanS

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Minish has chin acne but I think it's because of food or stress rather than the plate. Whenever she has mackarel or anchovies they flare up. When she has access to outdoors she has less problems. I don't think you need to worry about chin acne it may never happen like many cats I know who never have them despite careless owners.
I use people plates ceramic and glass which go into the dishwasher every day.
Stress can cause chin acne? How does that work? Also what do you do to help your cat with that?
 

minish

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Well S SeanS its a guess from my observation:same food same type of plate but less acne when she's generally happy and relaxed, free to roam the great outdoors. Of course I may be wrong.
For acne I consulted my vet. He first suggested iodine solution like we use on human wounds or skin infections but when I asked what about when she constantly swallow it as she will during cleaning herself, he suggested a disinfectant harmless for cats and dogs. In my country the brand is called cetaphyl. I brush her chin twice a day with it but it works very slowly. Last time it took about 3 weeks for the acne to reduce. Like in humans once they appear they are persistent.
I would very much appreciate to hear other people's methods and I hope your cat doesn't face this problem.
 
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