Cats don’t need much care except a little grooming. Hence, there is no harm in pampering these felines with a good bowl for food and water. Cats don’t get thirsty easily which is why they don’t generally drink as much water as they need, this leads to their dehydration which is bad for their health. A responsible cat owner should choose the perfect cat bowl that your cat will accept and love drinking from.
Criteria for choosing a cat water bowl
It may seem very easy to choose a bowl, however certain things must be kept in mind before buying the bowl.
- Non-skid Bottom
The bottom of the bowl should ideally be non-skidding. It should not slide on the floor and scratch the floor.
- Shape and Design
The bowls should be made so that the cats can easily drink from it. Ideally it should be wide and shallow so that whiskers are not affected when the cat is drinking from it. Cats have extremely sensitive whiskers and must be taken care of.
- Material
While choosing a bowl for the cat, it must be kept in mind that cats are curious creatures and often tend to play with their bowls after finishing off the food and water. Hence, materials prone to breaking easily should be avoided as much as possible. Bowls made out of ceramic, stainless steel or melamine suit the cats the best. Plastic bowls should be avoided. Plastic tends to absorb odor and often this will deter the cat from drinking from that bowl. Ideally, stainless steel is the best option one can choose for their cat.
Basic bowl
This is a simple bowl easily available at all pet stores and also on the internet. There are many companies manufacturing these bowls, each priced differently based on the quality, size and brand.
These bowls have bottoms made of rubber making it non-skidding. It won’t slide on the floor and scratch the floor.
The bowls are also easy to clean.
These are usually bacteria resistant. Hence it is safe for the felines.
The material it is made of, is usually thin and tends to break. These bowls are also not as wide or shallow as the rest of the cat bowls.
Hence, the cat might find it difficult and get its whiskers dipped in water. However, this is a good option if anyone wants something cheap and worthy of each penny.
Stainless Steel Bowls
These bowls are simple, wide and shallow bowls, suited best for the cats. The shape and design are perfect for the cats.
Stainless steel is bacteria resistant and easy to clean. These are priced quite low.
The stainless-steel bowls are not fancy but they are the best option for owners who are looking for something durable, simple and affordable.
Modern Cat Bowl
This kind of bowl has a small division, providing space for both food and water for the cat. This is wide and shallow, making it easy for the cats. Usually cats require two bowls, one for food and one for water. In this case, one bowl will serve the purpose of two.
Silicone bottom bowls
These bowls have silicone bottoms; hence it doesn’t scratch the floor or skid on the floor. Many a times cats tend to play with their bowls and bowls of other materials may scratch the floor. These bowls are usually priced very low.
Thermal Bowl
These bowls are equipped with high technology. It keeps the water inside the bowl warm. This is apt for countries with cold climatic conditions, where the water easily freezes if left in the open.
In such cases, these bowls can be plugged in, it will keep the water warm and prevent it from freezing. However, if anyone is using these, one must be careful that the cords are chew resistant and the wires are well insulated.
Cats tend to chew onto wires and cords, it might end up getting killed, if precautionary measures are not taken.
These bowls cost higher than regular bowls and must be bought only if necessary.This bowl is specifically made for water. Some variants of this bowl having two slots, are available, but they are very costly.
Collapsible Bowls
These bowls can be folded, flattened and pumped up again before use. This is of high utility especially for people who travel with their cats. They are easy to carry and don’t occupy much space. However, these bowls are not recommended for regular use and should be used only during travelling for convenience.
Ceramic Bowls
These are fancy bowls for people who prefer aesthetics. Though the bowls are made of ceramic, the bottoms are usually made of materials that prevent it from skidding on the floor. There are many designs available for this bowl on the internet.
The pretty designs on the body, makes these bowls popular with cat owners. The bowls are priced decently. However, while using these bowls, one should be extremely careful, as ceramic breaks easily.
Stoneware Bowls
These bowls are made of stone like material and are usually heavier than the usual bowls. The heavy weight of the bowl is designed to prevent it from toppling over.
However, these bowls are not as wide as the others and may cause the cat some difficulty. It is also expensive and is one of those bowls that one might want to use occasionally for their cats.
Automatic Cat Feeder Bowl
These bowls function on high-end technology and releases water into the bowl at regular intervals. The frequency of the water released, can be controlled by the owner.
This releases the owner of the hassle of manually refilling the bowl at regular intervals. These are priced heavily but worth each single buck spent on it.
Cats or any animal or even human beings, can eat to the fullest only when they are comfortable. Hence, while choosing a bowl for the cat, the first thing that must be kept in mind is the comfort of the feline. The utility factors and convenience the bowl offers for the owners can be considered secondarily. The price and fancy looks can then be taken into consideration in the end.