The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Cat Bowl: Size, Material, Type & More

Whether you are welcoming a new kitten or cat into your home or addressing feeding issues, selecting the best cat bowl is more important than it appears. Let’s review some key factors in the choice of safe cat bowls.

Why the Right Cat Bowl Matters

Adequate food and water intake is critical for cats’ health and well-being. Although it’s tempting to think, “If a cat gets hungry or thirsty enough, it will eat or drink,” this isn’t necessarily true. An unpleasant or uncomfortable bowl can affect a cat’s eating and drinking behavior, especially in picky eaters or ill cats. Negative feeding experiences can also lead to or worsen unwanted behaviors. Choosing the best cat bowl for your kitty can have a big impact on their feeding experience and help avoid future problems.

Types of Cat Bowls

Fortunately, you have a lot of choices when selecting a feeding system for your cat. Trial and error may be necessary, and it’s important to remember that your cat’s needs may change over time.

Commonly used feeding systems include: 

• Bowls or dishes – These standard options are the most common type of cat food bowl, with a large variety of materials, shapes and sizes.
• Elevated feeding systems – An elevated cat bowl or elevated cat feeder can provide a more comfortable eating experience for cats with neck or back pain.
• Food puzzles – A puzzle feeder for cats can provide mental stimulation while slowing down cats that eat too quickly.
• Lick mats – These types of feeders, which are typically flat, allow you to spread out wet food (or treats) over a wider surface area, which can also slow down fast eaters.
• Automated feeders – Timed food dispensers are popular for cats requiring special diets where accurate food intake measurements are needed.
• Spill-proof cat bowls – Some cat bowls are designed to be anti-spill; if you’re interested in this option, you most likely don’t want to go with a raised cat bowl, although some choices have anti-spill features. There are also wide, low-to-the-ground anti-spill bowls; heavier bowls and options with silicone mats, lips or feet. However, anyone who shares a home with a cat knows that most of them can thwart even the best cat bowl spill-proof designs. If your cat is a mischievous one, a flexible waterproof tray may be your best option to try to help contain spills.
• Collar-activated feeder – A cat food bowl with a collar sensor (often referred to as a “smart feeder”) typically uses a radiofrequency (RFID) sensor. This can be a good choice for a multi-cat home, especially if each cat needs to be fed different diets or at different times.

If you’re deciding between options that will help slow down a fast eater, the best slow feeder cat bowl is the one that your individual cat will eat from.

Cat Bowl Materials

Pet supply stores have modern cat bowls in many different materials that vary in cost and appearance. However, with all the available choices, you may be wondering things like, Are metal bowls bad for cats? or Are stainless steel bowls safe for cats? Not all cat bowl materials are equal, and understanding the pros and cons of each can help you decide which is the best material for cat bowls. 

• Plastic – Cost-effective, comes in a variety of colors and shapes and doesn’t easily chip, break or crack. But are plastic bowls bad for cats? Not necessarily, but plastic bowls have been implicated as possible contributors to chin acne and oral inflammation in cats. Potential exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and other chemicals used in plastic production may also be a concern, but hasn’t been truly studied in companion animals.
• Stainless steel – Sturdy, lightweight, and cost-effective. A grade 304, 18-gauge stainless steel bowl combines food safety and durability.
• Ceramic – Comes in many shapes, colors and sizes; tends to be heavier and less likely to tip and can be placed in the dishwasher for high-temperature cleaning. So are ceramic bowls safe for cats? Yes, as long as they are certified food safe.
• Glass – Sturdy and easy to clean. However, if it breaks or cracks, the glass can pose a safety risk to cats and their families. 

So what is the best cat bowl material? Once again, it may come down to your cat’s preference. You may also want to ask your veterinarian what they recommend.

Choosing the Right Size Cat Bowl

What cat bowl size is best for your loved one? You’ll want to consider shape and size when choosing food and water bowls for your cat.

Some experts advocate a shallower bowl for cats with flatter faces (such as Burmese, Himalayans, Persians and Scottish Folds) to accommodate the shape of their face.

Many cat owners have likely heard about whisker fatigue. Because cats have highly sensitive whiskers, there is concern that constant brushing against the sides of bowls may cause irritation, which in turn could lead them to eat or drink less. So does this mean you need a large water bowl for cats? A recent study did not find consistent differences in eating behavior between different-shaped bowls, as measured by cat owners, and the same study didn’t find evidence of cat food bowl whisker fatigue.^1,2 That said, if eating issues arise, many behaviorists recommend offering cats different-sized and -shaped bowls to see which they prefer.

Cat Bowl Placement

Many cats tend to dislike having their food and water bowls placed near each other, and they especially dislike having food and water bowls near a litter box. Ideally, each cat should have their own food and water bowl, or at least separate food bowls for each cat, as well as several water bowls available.

Cats prefer their bowls to be in quiet areas out of the way of traffic and other pets. They also prefer places where they can see their surroundings, so avoid putting cat water bowls and food bowls in corners or tight spaces.

Maintaining Your Cat Bowl

Cleaning your cat’s bowls, automated feeder or puzzle feeder is essential to remove dried food, keep bacteria at a minimum and eliminate spoiled food and unpleasant odors.

Daily washing and rinsing, preferably after each meal, is optimal. Studies report lower bacterial counts on bowls washed in a dishwasher than on those washed and dried by hand, and lower bacterial counts when using hot water rather than cold or lukewarm water.^3,4

Chipped or cracked bowls may also harbor bacteria, so be sure to replace any damaged bowls promptly.

By considering the shape, placement and ease of cleaning of your cat’s food and water bowls, you can help your cat live their best (nine) lives. They’ll thank you for it!

For more expert tips on cat feeding, explore our other cat feeding guide articles.

References 

1. Slovak JE, Foster TE. Evaluation of whisker stress in cats. J Feline Med Surg. 2021;23(4):389-392. 

2. Delgado M, Dantas LMS. Feeding cats for optimal mental and behavioral well-being. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2020;50(5):939-953. 

3. Raspa F, Schiavone A, Pattono D, et al. Pet feeding habits and the microbiological contamination of dog food bowls: effect of feed type, cleaning method and bowl material. BMC Vet Res. 2023;19(1):261. 

4. Luisana E, Saker K, Jaykus L-A, et al. Survey evaluation of dog owners’ feeding practices and dog bowls’ hygiene assessment in domestic settings. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(4):e0259478.