Messy Eaters, Tidy Home

Ingrid&Otis

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
2
Purraise
0
It would be helpful to understand what percentage of cats are messy eaters. We feed our cats mostly wet food (which has helped one of our cats drop weight, improve her coat and energy levels), but it usually gets everywhere. We moved the bowls to the counter so it would be easier to clean. We also tried a place mat but the food still went everywhere. After a 1-2 days the area around the bowl is gross and the constant need to clean is annoying. Is my situation unique? Anyone else have the same issue? Even when we feed them dry food it tends to get everywhere.
 

verna davies

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
You are not alone, one of mine is messy too. He chases the wet food around the bowl and it inevitably goes over top and onto the floor. You could put the bowl on a sheet of kitchen paper then pick it up and bin it.
 

Tobermory

“What greater gift than the love of a cat.”
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
9,135
Purraise
25,924
Location
Pacific NW
I have one messy eater and one neat eater. We have a little raised platform, placed against the wall with a washable barrier behind (it's actually a small cutting board). Iris, the messy eater, seems to scoop up the wet food with her tongue which flings it against the wall. But I just pull out the cutting board when she's done, give it a wipe, and put it back. Very occasionally there will be some food to either side, but not very often. Mocha is a very fastidious eater, although I do have a raised platform for her, too. Just seems to make it easier for them to eat. And for Iris, it's important because she's so arthritic.
IMG_4988.jpg
 

LTS3

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Messages
19,209
Purraise
19,695
Location
USA
Maybe put the bowls into a large shallow under the bed type storage container and let the cats eat as messily as they want in there. Any food mess would be contained inside the container and easily cleaned up. Take a cue from Tobermory Tobermory and put something on one side of the container to keep wall messes to a minimum.

You can try a different bowl for the canned food, too. Maybe instead of a bowl shape try a saucer or plate shape.
 

Juniper_Junebug

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Oct 21, 2020
Messages
626
Purraise
1,844
My kitty likes to pick up her wet food from the raised bowl (extra wide/shallow to avoid whisker fatigue) and eat it on the floor. So I use a large cloth placemat underneath. It gets disgusting pretty quickly but I bought half a dozen on the cheap from Target and can throw them in the washer/dryer on a regular rotation. I find the cloth easier than a plastic mat; the mess sinks in instead of just sitting on the surface.

(Having said all this, I can't claim to have a tidy home at the moment....🤷‍♀️)
 

artiemom

Artie, my Angel; a part of my heart
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 22, 2014
Messages
11,121
Purraise
23,100
Location
near Boston
I have a somewhat messy eater. He has had a few teeth removed. I just take it as a fact of: life with a cat.

I just was his place mat, every morning, when I wash my breakfast dishes.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

Ingrid&Otis

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
2
Purraise
0
Thanks for the responses. Part of this is also getting the bowl off the kitchen counter. It's a tad embarrassing when we have people over (and "cat people" get such a bad rap). So, it'd be nice if there was something that would allow me either get the bowl off the counter or make it less of an eyesore in addition to making clean up easier. I'll have to do some digging.
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,429
Purraise
33,187
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
Feeby gets food on the floor around her food dish too. I have tile wood-look flooring, so a wet paper towel or two a couple times day does the trick.

But I really am posting more to warn you about getting the cats back on the floor to eat. As they age, the counter may become inaccessible to them due to possible arthritis or just general aging. If it is a habit by that time, you may have issues getting them to eat. Just something to think about.
 

vansX2

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 10, 2022
Messages
2,711
Purraise
3,045
Location
Iowa
It would be helpful to understand what percentage of cats are messy eaters. We feed our cats mostly wet food (which has helped one of our cats drop weight, improve her coat and energy levels), but it usually gets everywhere. We moved the bowls to the counter so it would be easier to clean. We also tried a place mat but the food still went everywhere. After a 1-2 days the area around the bowl is gross and the constant need to clean is annoying. Is my situation unique? Anyone else have the same issue? Even when we feed them dry food it tends to get everywhere.
I place the food bowls and the water fountain in a plastic tray. That sits on a absorbent mat
 

maggie101

3 cats
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
7,883
Purraise
9,879
Location
Houston,TX
My cat peaches licks her food, and flings it all over the place and gets food on her so I'm going to try switching to a bowl with edges,not flat. Very messy for the queen.It takes 45 minutes to feed my cat Maggie in the morning. She has 3 small servings and eats a little,looks around,eats more,and so on. I think she tries not to make a mess. Even in the litter box,after going,she gets out,looks around,then covers it. Peaches pees standing up and makes a mess.
 

amullins17

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jan 20, 2022
Messages
8
Purraise
11
My kitty is clean with her wet food, but incredibly messy with her dry. She quite prefers to scoop up her dry food with a paw, dump it on the floor and eat some (but not all) of it there. Then she is vocally annoyed that she can see the bottom of her food dish, though half her dry food is on the floor!
 
Top