ANN/THE STAR – Once upon a time, a cat’s dining dish was simply a plain bowl, but nowadays, there’s an array of fantastic options to choose from.
In their natural habitat, felines dine from the ground, but at home, we often resort to repurposing human bowls and plates.
However, the latest trend combines the advantages of both worlds. Specially crafted wider, shallow bowls tailored for cats offer distinct advantages over conventional soup and dessert bowls originally intended for human use.
While they look similar, shallow bowls take cat bodies into consideration. Kitty whiskers are very sensitive and when they bang against the edge of a bowl, it can lead to whisker fatigue.
In addition, there are elevated tilted bowls. The height means your kitty doesn’t have to hunch over while eating. This will help prevent neck and back strain, especially for old kitties who are a bit stiff.
The tilt is important because it promotes the natural flowing down of your pet’s food from mouth to tummy. This is more efficient and may promote better digestion.
Finally, for kitties who gobble their food too quickly there are grooved and pebbled bowl for wet food. These require extra licking, slowing your pet down.
These textured surfaces are good for an active, greedy cat but not suitable for an older pet who tires out quickly. Also, they do trap food which can be an extra risk in a tropical climate where food spoils extremely quickly.
If you want the best for your pet, look for wide elevated tilted bowls to get the best mix of tech and natural feeding. But think carefully about using grooved surfaces.
