FAQ: Bowls & Feeders for cats

Washing them together in a hot dishwasher is generally acceptable. When washing by hand, it is better to use a separate sponge for cat dishes so bacteria from raw meat or food residue do not get onto people’s dishes.

It is biofilm – a layer of bacteria that forms within a day or two if the bowl is just topped up and not washed. It can spoil the taste and smell of the water, so the bowl should be washed daily, not just refilled.

This may be feline acne – clogged skin pores, sometimes linked to plastic bowls and poor washing. Steel or ceramic bowls washed daily help, and if the skin turns red or starts to fester, see a vet.

At room temperature it is best to leave wet food out for no more than about two hours, and even less on a hot day. Throw away uneaten food and wash the bowl before the next meal.

Better not: crumbs and fat collect at the bottom and go rancid, and cats are often reluctant to eat on top of old food. Tip out the leftovers and wash or at least wipe the bowl before adding a new portion.

Change the water in a cat’s bowl at least once a day, and more often in hot weather or if hair and crumbs are floating in it. Fresh water encourages a cat to drink more.

Replace a plastic bowl when it gets scratched or no longer washes clean, a ceramic one when it cracks or the glaze chips, and a steel one if rust or dents appear. A well-kept steel or ceramic bowl lasts many years.

Good-quality stainless steel does not rust, but cheaper alloys or coated bowls sometimes start to, especially if scrubbed with abrasives. If rust spots appear in a bowl, it is better to replace it.

Plastic and silicone bowls absorb fat and odours over time, especially in scratches. Soak the bowl in hot water with baking soda or vinegar and rinse well; if the smell persists, replace it with a steel or ceramic one.

Use a bowl with a water moat around it that ants cannot cross, or stand the bowl in a larger dish of water. Do not leave uneaten food out for long, and do not use insecticides near the cat’s dishes.

Usually washing bowls daily in hot soapy water or the dishwasher is enough. Extra disinfection is worth it if the cat has an infectious illness or eats a raw diet; then use a product suitable for dishes and rinse well.

After a raw meal wash the bowl straight away with hot soapy water or in a hot dishwasher, wash your hands and wipe surfaces. Raw meat can contain bacteria that are dangerous to people too.

Yes, spilt water, food crumbs and hair collect on the mat, so it is worth washing several times a week. Silicone mats can be washed under running water or in the dishwasher if the manufacturer allows it.

Cats have a very sensitive sense of smell, so the scent of detergent or bleach can put them off. Rinse the bowl well with clean water, use an unscented detergent and make sure no smell remains.

Very heavy ceramic bowls or stands with built-in dishes can be awkward to wash daily. Choose bowls that lift easily out of a stand and fit in the dishwasher, so washing is simple.

For travel, collapsible silicone bowls, bowls that clip onto the carrier door and travel water bottles with an attached bowl are handy. They take up little space and do not spill while moving.

At stops offer water from a travel bowl or bottle inside the carrier, without letting the cat out of the car unharnessed. A full open bowl spills while driving, so a container clipped to the door with a little water works better.

Many cats get travel sick, so it is often advised to give the last meal a few hours before leaving while still allowing water. On a long journey offer food during a stop once the cat has calmed down.

Yes, there are small bowls that hang on the carrier door grille and do not tip over. They are handy on long trips or flights, but put in only a little water so the cat does not get wet.

Take the cat’s usual food so you do not have to change it suddenly, two bowls, a travel water bottle and a mat. In the new place put the bowls in a quiet corner away from the litter box.