Deciding what you should give your cat to eat is difficult enough, but how do you present your cat with food? What kind of cat dishes or bowls you select (or the other way around -and more about this later) will make all the difference to your cat’s eating habits and overall health. Let’s look at these suggestions:

1. Do not use plastic bowls for cat food.

The manner in which you serve your cat’s food is equally as the type of food your cat eats. Photographs (c)Alena Ozerova Thinkstock.

Bacteria and oil accumulate within the scratches of the plastic material and can cause cat acne. It manifests as black spots on the cat’s chin. Make sure to choose bowls made of stainless steel or ceramic instead, according to Marilyn Krieger, a certified cat behavior consultant from The San Francisco Bay area, who is also known as the Cat Coach.

2. Take a look at the size of cat bowls.

Cats like bowls and dishes which are quite large and shallow. If cats put their heads too far into bowls take a bite, they might be uncomfortable, Krieger says.

“Some cats are extremely sensitive to the sensation of the food around their tiny whiskers” the vet says. “It could be uncomfortable for them. They could utilize their paws for taking food from dishes.”

Krieger mentions that cats could be uncomfortable when eating in the size of a bowl, especially as it stops the cat from being able to view their surroundings during eating.

Dr. Leticia Dantas, D.V.M., M.S. and Ph.D. and Ph.D. as a professor at the University of Georgia’s the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s Behavioral Medicine Service, says the idea of whisker-irritating theories about shallow, narrow bowls hasn’t been research-based. However, she does endorse the belief that most cats are happier with shallow bowls.

3. Some cats require different food bowls.

What happens if you have flat-faced cats like one of the Persian? Purchase special bowls that feature an angle and elevation to ensure that your cat with a flat face can eat more easily out of the bowl Krieger suggests.

4. Consider where you can find the bowls of food for your cat.

Consider the placement of your cat’s food bowls, as well, Krieger advises. You don’t want to eat in the toilet, so you shouldn’t put bowls in close proximity to your cat’s litter boxes. Set the bowls away in separate areas in the house to ensure that people don’t worry about stressing cats when they consume food. If you have multiple cats do not place the bowls too close because cats are lonely hunter and can be irritated if another cat is eating too close to them.

5. Make sure you keep your bowl clean.

Rinse the cat’s dishes or bowls for cats, at least each day, using the use of soap as well as water Krieger says. Dry cat food is more likely to be oily, which means that bacteria may accumulate and odor. In the event that you give your cat moist food, clean the bowls after each meal.

6. Move beyond the cat food bowls and cat dishes.

You can encourage your cat’s playful hunter with other food containers that are dry for food.

“It’s not just about the bowl, there are many different ways to feed cat food,” Krieger says. “Have your cat go on a hunt in a way by throwing pieces of food here and there.”

There are food puzzles available that will make your cat make a meal or make use of items such as muffin tins to make simple DIY versions. Another suggestion? Dry food items inside PVC connectors, and tennis balls with holes.

“You are free to use your imagination,” Krieger says. “You do not have to make use of the standard, conservative bowl. You can use that, as well, but mix it with other items.”

Doctor. Dantas, who is also an official from the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and recommends the use of traditional dishes and bowls for wet food. She suggests food puzzles and toys to dry food. “It is beneficial for their mental health as well as increases the amount of physical activity they do also,” she states.