Food Dish/bowl Factors

CommonCatOwner

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
62
Purraise
61
Hello, everyone. I am curious about what y'all use as a dish or bowl to put food on when feeding your cat(s). It seems material is really emphasized and shape/size/depth aren't given as much attention. I've found that with particular foods these factors play an important role in my cat's eating behavior. The dish that works best for wet food that is shredded simply will not work with dry food in the form of kibble. I have encountered situations where he (the cat) appears to not like a food but it seems that it is just simply difficult for him to eat it. Does anyone else have this issue or is it all in my head? I've taken into account whisker stress but often it seems like the food is just difficult for him to pick up.

On a side note: Food dishes and bowls are expensive at pets stores and even online. In my area there are a lot of thrift stores with all sorts of containers that can be used for cat food. What their original purpose was is beyond me. Stainless steel, ceramic, glass, crystal, and even silver items are available. This may be a factor as to why I obsess over food dishes and bowls so much.
 

tabbytom

Happiness is being owned by a cat
Staff Member
Mentor
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
19,678
Purraise
36,881
Location
Lion City, Singa-purr
For health reasons, best is to avoid plastic bowls and plates as bacteria thrives on them these often gives the cats Feline Acne.

Use either ceramic, porcelain, stainless steel, glass but just take note that ceramic, porcelain or glass may have hairline cracks not seen by human eyes due to over use. These cracks may harbor bacteria too. You can use hot water to rinse it or have it changed often.

I use heavy low lip ceramic plates for my boy as it reduces whisker stress. Heavy so that it won’t move around when he licks the plate. For his drinking bowl, I use a deeper ceramic saucer.

You can either invest in a good one or get it a good quality one from a budget store and have it changed often. I change my boy’s plate every 6 months.
 

MoochNNoodles

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
36,646
Purraise
23,468
Location
Where my cats are
I use Corelle brand dessert bowls. They wash very well in the dishwasher and aren't too deep for wet or dry for my 2. I do have them set on raised stands. Some came with our dishes sets; but I bought more that are sold individually at Walmart. They are maybe $3 a bowl.
 

mani

Moderator and fervent feline fan
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
46,572
Purraise
23,328
Location
Australia
These are the best food bowls I've found.. they are 'human plates' I bought at a cheapy Japanese supermarket. None of them cost more than $4 each. The square and oval ones on the left of the picture have a lot of space for wet food and curve just a little at the sides to keep things in but allow for whiskers. They also have a slight texturing to the surface which seems to hold the food a little. The blue bowl is a little deeper, but still doesn't get in the way of whiskers too much, and is used for dry food. The pussycat plate is mostly for tiny meals and treats.

Sundar is dumbfounded as to why all his plates were placed on the floor, EMPTY!! :eek2:



Water bowls are scattered around the house as they need to be away from food and they like to 'find' their water. Because they are always out for all to see, I use nice bowls, all china:



As you can see, this is something I've thought quite a bit about, :lol: and I've discovered that paying huge amounts for 'cat dishes' is just a little bit silly when there are so many wonderful non-plastic, aesthetic and/or fun things we can use.
 

tabbytom

Happiness is being owned by a cat
Staff Member
Mentor
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
19,678
Purraise
36,881
Location
Lion City, Singa-purr
That’s exactly the same plate I have for my boy mani mani
087B7391-8065-4423-BFB0-97E8305A7AD5.gif
, the one with the smiley cat face. I use a shallower one just for his spoon and a deeper one for his water dish.

He eats from another low lip rectangle ceramic plate. And all these are not expensive from the budget stores.
 

maggiedemi

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Messages
17,104
Purraise
44,385
Lately I've just been using human plates. I use the little Corelle plates. I also found some Newcor Stoneware plates that belonged to my brother and the cats really like them. The only concern I have is that the Newcor plates say 1992 made in China. Is that safe? Did China use safe glazes back in 1992?
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,584
Purraise
22,965
Location
Nebraska, USA
Wet food goes on styrofoam small 6 inch plates and get thrown away when done. Dry food is in stainless steel pet bowls. Water is placed in several spots around the house (they like to 'find' them) in stainless steel or pretty ceramic bowls I got on sale. The only thing taht is taboo is plastic, harbors too many germs and causes acne.
 

dragoriana

MajesticFloof
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
4,092
Purraise
543
Only 3ish decades? You are still a baby!
Considering i'm not looking forward to my very close birthday...I needed that compliment haha :D I'd feel younger if I weren't dealing with looking for work and chronic pain etc. Off topic! I'm looking for new bowls tomorrow thanks to this thread. Violet may be tiny, but omg...she has the longest whiskers i've seen..and this makes sense why she's a bit fussy!
 

EmmiTemmi

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Sep 16, 2017
Messages
399
Purraise
481
Location
Wisconsin
I think it's funny how at least two people have mentioned using Corelle dishes, because that's what I use too. I use the small plates, so there's not much of a lip, but I haven't had trouble with the boys pushing the food over the edges or anything, and my picky boy much prefers them!

I also have the Petrageous® Lucy's Little Paws Round Stoneware Cat Bowl that I got from Menards, and the boys like those too, just not as much as the plates.
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,271
Purraise
53,931
Location
Colorado US
The only thing I would mention here is that metal bowls sold at big box pet stores had a recall a few years ago, so I'm avoiding both plastic as well as metal.
 

maggiedemi

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Messages
17,104
Purraise
44,385
Jeez, now we have to worry about metal bowls? I have 4 stainless steel water bowls around the house for my cats.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

CommonCatOwner

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
62
Purraise
61
I'm glad I am learning more about this. It will be something to take into consideration with his water bowls as well. I like the idea of a textured surface at the bottom of a food dish to prevent the food from sliding around. Thank you all for the replies. One more thing though: do any of you all know if silver or silver plate is an unhealthy material for a food dish? I know that certain types of food seem to interact with the silver and alter the flavor. I am curious though if there is potential for harm though. Anyone know?
 

tabbytom

Happiness is being owned by a cat
Staff Member
Mentor
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
19,678
Purraise
36,881
Location
Lion City, Singa-purr
The only thing I would mention here is that metal bowls sold at big box pet stores had a recall a few years ago, so I'm avoiding both plastic as well as metal.
Jeez, now we have to worry about metal bowls? I have 4 stainless steel water bowls around the house for my cats.
Use stainless steel bowls and not metal bowls. Metal bowls will rust. The better the quality of the stainless steel, the better it is.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #17

CommonCatOwner

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
62
Purraise
61
From what I understand the bowls that were recalled were stainless steel.
 

ArchyCat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 22, 2017
Messages
1,202
Purraise
1,801
Location
Texas
What I use are stainless steel bowls I bought from Pet Smart. Found them in the dog section. I bought the very large dishes, about six inches wide and about 2 inches deep. They are on holders that came with the dishes. They hold the dishes side by side and about three inches off the floor. Keeps the dishes in place, no sliding, and reduces the bug problem (ants, roaches, etc.).
 

EmmiTemmi

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Sep 16, 2017
Messages
399
Purraise
481
Location
Wisconsin
The only thing I would mention here is that metal bowls sold at big box pet stores had a recall a few years ago, so I'm avoiding both plastic as well as metal.
Is this the recall you're talking about?

Petco Food Bowl Recall

Because the article says there's really not much danger to pets/humans, and most was able to be recalled properly.
 

dustydiamond1

Minion to Gypsy since October 2016
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 24, 2017
Messages
8,341
Purraise
27,270
Location
Central Illinois, USA
Dry food and a water bowl are up off the floor on a 40 gal tote and wet food is served atop her computer desk, both in the kitchen. Several years ago before the Goodwill & Salivation Army upped the prices I stocked up on glass bake-wear like Corningware, Anchor Hocking, Fire King Oven Ware etc.. and Corelle dishware. Gypsys dry food goes in a vintage glass bowl of my great aunts. Her water bowls are Corelle soup bowls and her wet food goes in the small shallow bowls or saucers of the same brand. We have so many of them that every meal she gets a clean one. (...They go in the dishwasher with our human dishes on high water temperature, I've never confessed this to anyone ....)
 
Last edited:
Top