Table of Contents
Introduction
I know what it is to be awakened at 6:00 a.m. by a cat who wants breakfast.
In my case it was multiple cats wanting to be fed, but there always seemed to be a spokesperson cat whose job it was to get me up and headed for the kitchen so everybody could eat.
Once I entered the kitchen it seemed to rain cats from every direction.
Their insistent attitude about all this would appear to demonstrate how important to them was this process of being fed. Their bowls are part of the arrangement, and therefore important to them.
What Is the Best Cat Bowl Material?
The three most dominant cat bowl materials are plastic, stainless steel, and ceramic. There are other materials available such as wood and glass, but let us focus on those three since they are the most commonly used cat bowl materials.
PLASTIC
Plastic is inexpensive and difficult to break.
It is also lightweight. Depending on the shape of the bowl, the light weight may make it more subject to sliding and tipping.
Since plastic is porous and is also subject to scratching, there is a general feeling that it may be more likely to harbor bacteria.
I find fewer plastic bowls in the marketplace than I find stainless steel or ceramic.
STAINLESS STEEL
Stainless steel is very durable, although it can be dented.
It is a dense material and is easy to clean.
CERAMIC
Ceramic is durable but will probably break if dropped on the floor.
It is a dense material and easy to clean.
Are Porcelain Bowls for People Also Good For Cats?
Porcelain is a variation of ceramic that is denser and more durable than ceramic. The clay porcelain is made from is more refined and fired at a higher temperature than ceramic.
Porcelain is generally available in bowls intended to be used by people rather than pets.
It is easy to clean, and it fits well in the dishwasher rack.
I have served a lot of food and water to a lot of cats, and I have washed a lot of cat bowls. My own personal preference for those cats has been porcelain bowls.
I have used porcelain bowls just like the one I display below. I found this bowl to be substantial and not prone to sliding or tipping.
An Easy to Clean and Easy to Eat From Porcelain Cat Bowl
- Better Homes & Gardens – White Round Porcelain Serve Bowl
- dimensions are 8.0″ x 2.65″
- for more info visit the Walmart website
Is Cat Food Bowl Shape Important?
It seems to me that a cat bowl where the sides are at 90 degrees angle from the bottom of the bowl can make it difficult for a cat to get at the food located up against the side of the bowl.
A bowl with sloped sides such as the bowl featured above will make accessing all of the food much easier, in my opinion.
Our cats do need all the help they can get here since they have poor up-close eyesight. For more on that subject, see my blog post Can Cats See Things Up Close.
How Important is It to Keep Cat Bowls Clean?
It is very important to keep your pet’s bowls clean.
A 2011 study by NSF International (formerly National Sanitation Foundation) sought to ….”measure contamination levels of yeast, mold and coliform bacteria (a family of bacteria that includes Salmonella and E. coli)”.
The study found these to be the top five “dirtiest” household objects in order of worse to less worse:
- kitchen sponge/rag
- kitchen sink
- toothbrush holder
- pet bowl
- coffee reservoir
A statement from the NSF International report: “If you have a pet in your home, you probably need to know that pet dishes were found to be the fourth germiest place in the homes analyzed.”
A 2010 scientific paper titled Biofilms included this: “Bacteria are able to grow adhered to almost every surface, forming architecturally complex communities termed biofilms.”
Since we wash our own food bowls after every meal, why not do the same for our pets. We should also frequently wash their water bowls.
Washing will be easier if you choose bowls with a simple design. Simple bowls are of a size, shape, and material that makes them easy to clean. They fit in the dishwasher, or in the drying rack after being washed at the sink, just like your household dinnerware does.
If you have multiples of each bowl, you can have some lined up for washing and some ready to use.
What Cat Bowl Material is Best to Avoid Germs?
In 2018 a study was done on the impact of pet bowl material on bacterial accumulation. The study was done at Hartbury University in Gloucester, England, with the findings presented in an academic paper that was published in the Hartpury Student Research Journal.
This study found that while there is some variation in volume and speed of bacterial accumulation among ceramic, plastic, and stainless steel bowl materials, all three …….”allow for the proliferation of bacteria….
So no matter what the bowl material, timely and thorough cleaning is necessary to protect your pet.
Where Should I Put the Bowls to Feed My Cat?
Kitchens are a great location for food bowls, but avoid putting them near appliances. Appliances can make noise or give off heat or attract humans, all of which can be distracting to a cat who is trying to eat.
Since hydration is so important for your cat, you may wish to consider multiple water bowls around your home. Your pet’s decision to have a drink may often be on an impulse that can be acted upon if there is a water source in sight.
If you have been thinking about a water fountain for your cat, you will find lots of good information about those when you visit my blog post How to Choose a Cat Water Fountain
Do the Sides of a Cat Bowl Cause “whisker fatigue”?
I have read the opinion of many who write about cats where they claim that cats are disturbed by their whiskers touching the sides of their food bowls, and they refer to this as “whisker fatigue”.
I very much doubt there is such a thing as “whisker fatigue”.
Whisker fatigue” is scrutinized in an article by Mr. Chris Sweeney in Boston Magazine. Mr. Sweeney reports that he searched three veterinary journals but found nothing about “whisker fatigue”.
Mr. Sweeney also contacted a veterinary medical center, a college of veterinary medicine, and a veterinary association representing thousands of veterinarians. None of those sources acknowledged the existence of a condition referred to as “whisker fatigue”.
In an article in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery authors Dr Jennifer E. Slovak DVM, MS, DACVIM and Dr Taylor E, Foster DVM, report on a study they did to investigate whether or not cats preferred to eat from what was considered whisker-friendly dishes. They report that the bowl preferences expressed by the cats was not affected by whisker stress.
The pet food company Royal Canin published an article titled The water requirements and drinking habits of cats, and one of the findings of the study that was referred to in that article was that cats preferred drinking from bowls that were 15 cm or less in diameter. 15 cm is approximately 6 inches, and they found cats prefer that size or less. While this article makes no comment about “whisker fatigue” per se, the finding that cats prefer approximately 6 inches or smaller diameter bowls causes me to further question the concept of “whisker fatigue”.
As the author of this blog post, I did a search for any scientific or veterinary research articles about “whisker fatigue”, and I could find no evidence there is such a thing as “whisker fatigue”.
However, just in case I am wrong, if you use the bowls I recommend above, bowls that are shallow and have sloping sides, you should not have to worry about whether “whisker fatigue” is real or not.
Choosing Cat Bowls is Easy
Feeding your cat in bowls that are acceptable to your pet and easy for you to keep clean will make your cat very happy. Visit my blog post How to Make Your Cat Happy for more on creating a great life for you and your kitty.