All cat owners understand that their cats need a bowl to eat from, but there is a surprising range of different bowl types on the market. As well as the traditional choice of ceramic or stainless steel, there are also elevated, tilted, and even automatic bowls. There are shallow bowls designed to prevent whisker fatigue and fast- eater bowls that prevent your feline friend from wolfing down their food.
And then you have to consider the practicalities of a bowl.
Will it rattle when your cat eats? Or slide around the floor? Is it easy to keep clean?
Below, we have reviewed 10 of the best cat food bowls in the UK to help find the ideal bowl for your cat’s food. To try and answer any niggling questions you have, and remove any lingering doubts, we’ve also included a guide to help you choose the ideal product for you and your four-legged friend.
A Glance at Our Favourites (2024 Update)
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Product
Details
Best Overall
Stainless Steel Cat Bowls
Stainless steel bowls are safe for food or water
Heavy and durable bowls are relatively stable so won’t slip around
Stainless steel is sturdy so any damage is minimal
Stainless steel is considered safe, durable, and practical. It is used to make medical grade equipment, won’t easily suffer scratches and dents, and it can be put in the dishwasher to keep it clean. This set of 2 stainless steel bowls is made from 304 grade stainless steel, so it can be put in the dishwasher but is also easy to rinse with water. Plus, it won’t rust.
The bowls are wide and fairly shallow, with rounded edges, which means that it is easy for your cat to get every last bit of food.
Because the bowls have been designed to be dishwasher safe, they don’t have a rubber or silicone base, so while they are heavy enough that most cats won’t be able to rock or slide them around, voracious eaters might still scrape them against hard surfaces while eating.
The stainless-steel material means that these bowls can also be used as water bowls, and their combination of quality and durability, as well as affordability, makes them our choice as the best overall cat food bowls in the UK.
The Cotill Cat Bowls are a set of three melamine cat bowls. Melamine is a plastic compound, but it is BPA free and is considered non-toxic. The bowls have an anti-skid rubber base which acts to stop the bowls from sliding, skidding, and scraping on hard surfaces. Each bowl holds more than 200 grams of wet or dry food, and they have a slight tilt, which makes it easy for your cats to get their food out.
The bowls are cheap and come in a convenient set of three, meaning you can have one each for dry food, wet food, and water, or simply have spares in the cupboard. This combination makes them the best cat food bowls in the UK for the money.
However, the anti-slip feet mean that the bowls cannot be put in the dishwasher and do have a tendency to fall off.
The PetLibro Automatic Cat Feeder is expensive because it is much more than just a cat bowl. The automatic cat feeder has an automatic food hopper that will hold 4 litres of dry kibble and dispense a set amount according to your schedule. It dispenses up to 50 portions of food and up to 6 meals per day.
It is dual powered, so it can be powered via the USB-C adapter or using three D batteries. It has a clear window so that you can determine how much food is left in the dispenser, and the bowl itself is made from stainless steel that is dishwasher safe. It even has a personalised meal call which plays a recording of up to 10 seconds of your voice to attract your cat or to soothe them when you’re not at home.
There’s an infrared sensor that prevents food from being dispensed when the outlet is covered or otherwise blocked. The PetLibro is expensive, approximately 10 times as much as a standard food bowl, but it can be used to automatically feed your cat when you’re away or to dispense food on a schedule while you’re at work. It’s easy to clean and its dual powered capability gives you peace of mind.
Pros
50 portions of food and up to 6 meals per day
Automatic
Stainless steel and dishwasher safe
Battery backup means your cat still gets fed even if the power goes out
The 3Pcs Ceramic Cat Feeding Bowls are a set of three ceramic, shallow cat food bowls , that are ideal for cats that suffer whisker fatigue. Three bowls mean that the set is ideal for owners of multiple cats, for a combination of food types, or so that you can keep spares ready for cleaning time.
The extra- wide, shallow design not only prevents whisker fatigue and makes them suitable for small cats, but it also means that the bowls are difficult to topple, even if your little one stands on the edge of the bowl during the excitement of feeding time.
The bowls are quite expensive, and because they’re ceramic, they can chip if they are knocked around. They will also need regular cleaning to ensure that you properly remove any bacteria that is lingering in the porous material.
PETBEA Tilted Cat Bowls are a plastic food bowl stand with two bowl inserts. The bowls are tilted at a 15-degree angle, enabling your cat to get their head in the bowl and retrieve food without having to hunch over. This feeding angle is especially suitable for older cats with limited mobility but can benefit cats of all ages.
The stand has anti-slip feet that will prevent it from slipping and sliding around the floor while also protecting the floor itself from scratches.
The bowl set is very reasonably priced. As well as the stand and bowls, the set also includes a food scoop that has a clip handle and can be used as a bag clip to keep dry food fresh between feedings. The bowls are easily removed and can be put in the dishwasher or cleaned by hand, depending on your preference.
While the bowl set is suitable for cats with limited mobility, it is still made from plastic, albeit BPA-free, FDA-approved plastic, and a dual stand like this may not be suitable for cats that prefer distance between their food and water bowls.
Pros
Includes bowls, stand, and scoop
Bowls are dishwasher safe
Anti-slip feet
Cons
Made from plastic
Some cats dislike having their food and water bowls so close together
The SUOXU Cat Bowl With Stand is another tilted bowl that comes with its own stand and offers an elevated dining position. However, unlike the tilted cat bowls above, this bowl is made from stainless steel.
While there is a double set available, the SUOXU Cat Bowl With Stand also comes as a single bowl option, which means that you can keep the food and water bowls apart. The stainless steel bowl can be put in the washing machine for easy maintenance while the plastic stand has a silicone base that prevents it from sliding on hard floors.
Although the double bowl is suggested for use as a food and water combination, not only do some cats dislike having them so close together, but the tilt means that you can only fit a small volume of water in the bowl.
Pros
Stainless steel bowls are safe for food and water
Bowls are dishwasher safe
Tilted, elevated position offers comfortable position for cats
Cons
Lightweight and easily slides around
Tilted angle and bowl depth not suitable for water
The Queta 3 Piece Cat Food Bowl set includes three identically- sized, stainless- steel bowls, and buyers also receive a free silicone mat. The bowls have a painted exterior with a cat’s head as the design, and the set consists of three different coloured bowls.
Each bowl has a silicone pad on the bottom that prevents slipping, and the rounded interior of the bowls means that they are easy to clean, if you choose to clean by hand. While the stainless steel is dishwasher safe, the painted exterior and the cat design will wear off if you do put the bowls in the dishwasher, which may necessitate hand washing. The bowls are well priced for a set of three.
The Natruth Gravity Water And Double Food Bowls set includes two plastic food bowls in an elevated and tilted stand, as well as a gravity-fed water bowl that keeps your cat’s water topped up for up to 3 days. The water bowl also has a splash-proof lid to prevent cats from splashing their water while drinking.
The set also includes a scoop to measure food and a silicone mat designed to catch messes and to prevent the bowls from being pushed around hard surfaces like wood and laminate. The bowls are made from a PP- resin- lined plastic, and the set is reasonably priced considering the number and range of items that are included.
However, the water bottle is somewhat flimsy, and because it is placed so close to the food bowls, it will end up with food debris in the water that will need cleaning out, potentially negating the benefit of having the water automatically filled.
Pros
Set includes bowls, gravity-fed water bowl, scoop, and mat
Gravity-fed water bowl can provide enough water for up to 3 days
Food bowls are tilted and elevated for a more comfortable position
The PiuPet Cat Bowl With Bamboo Frame is a double cat bowl set that includes a bamboo frame, as well as two ceramic bowls. The frame has anti-slip feet in each corner, designed to stop it from scratching on hard surfaces. The frame also prevents your cat from standing on the bowl and spilling the contents on the floor. The ceramic bowls can be removed from the frame and are dishwasher safe.
The set is expensive because it does use ceramic and bamboo, but the bowls are a decent size which means that they can easily hold enough food that the kibble or meat chunks shouldn’t end up on the floor or in the water bowl. Although the product looks good and won’t look out of place in most kitchens, and the bowls are of a decent quality, the bamboo frame is prone to breaking, especially if it gets knocked or used too vigorously.
The ComSaf Small Slow Feeder Cat Bowl is a melamine bowl with a patterned maze design. The maze is designed so that food is more difficult for your cat to get at, with the aim of slowing down fast eaters to prevent overeating and to stop vomiting and other problems associated with wolfing food too quickly.
The bowl itself is made from melamine, which is plastic but is BPA free and generally considered safe for use in food containers. The melamine material is dishwasher safe, and the bowl will hold up to 140 grams of dry or wet food. Rubber feet prevent it from slipping on hard surfaces. However, the bowl is small, and because it’s shallow, fast eaters will knock a lot of the food onto the floor. It’s also quite expensive for what is basically a plastic cat food bowl.
Pros
Designed to slow fast eaters
Dishwasher safe
Anti-slip feet
Cons
Expensive
Very shallow and no lip so food easily falls on the floor
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Cat Food Bowl in the UK
Many of us love them and find it difficult to imagine life without them, but cats can be picky and finnicky creatures. If you don’t get everything just to their liking, they will either let you know or simply refuse to do what you want them to. Getting your cat the right food bowl will help ensure that they eat their food and enjoy mealtime. It can also ensure that they’re comfortable and, especially in the case of cats with arthritis or other physical conditions, don’t have to endure pain to get to their food. Below are some of the most important factors we considered while compiling our reviews of the best cat food bowls in the UK.
Plastic: Plastic is a cheap material that can be formed into virtually any shape and design. It also comes in a variety of colours. However, there are major concerns over the safety of eating from plastic bowls. The plastic can become scratched or dented, allowing bacteria to multiply. If you do buy plastic food bowls, ensure they are BPA-free and non-toxic.
Ceramic: Ceramic bowls are heavy and are often chosen for their good looks. However, they can be smashed and may chip easily if knocked over. Ceramic is a porous material, which allows bacteria to multiply, and this can cause your cat to get ill. Ceramic bowls need a regular and thorough cleaning to ensure that your cat doesn’t get ill.
Stainless Steel: Stainless steel is generally considered the safest material for cat bowls, although there are different grades of stainless steel used. It is easy to clean, can typically be put in the dishwasher to make maintenance even easier, and they are durable. Stainless steel bowls also tend to be relatively inexpensive, but they can also be lightweight, so they need anti-slip feet or a shallow design to prevent them from tipping and food being spread across the room.
Bowl Types
Whatever bowl material you opt for, the following types of cat bowls are available:
Elevated Bowls : Some vets recommend that cats eat from elevated bowls. This can prevent neck strain and make eating more comfortable. Although elevated bowls are considered especially beneficial for cats with joint problems, they can be beneficial for all our feline friends. However, others argue that cats would eat food off the ground in the wild and that they are unnecessary for most cats.
Tilted Bowls: Similarly, there is debate over the benefits of tilted bowls. These are designed to make it easier for a cat to get to the food inside the bowl, in the same way that people tip their bowl up to more easily access soup or cereal. Bear in mind, however, that a tilted bowl will have reduced food capacity because it will spill over the lower edge of the bowl sooner than if the bowl is kept straight.
Shallow Bowls: Shallow bowls can be beneficial for cats because they help prevent whisker fatigue. Cats’ whiskers are incredibly sensitive, and small, deep bowls require that your cat buries their head in the bowl, pushing their sensitive whiskers into their face. It can be uncomfortable, and the sensation may prevent some cats from using their bowl at all.
Fast Eater Bowls: Fast eater bowls are more commonly used for dogs, but if your feline friend has canine eating habits, a fast eater bowl could be beneficial. These have a textured base that prevents your cat from being able to hoover food up from the bottom. It forces the cat to eat more slowly and can help prevent gastrointestinal upset, like vomiting.
Anti-Slip Feet
One of the most common features of a cat food bowl is the inclusion of anti-slip feet or an anti-slip base. Many people feed their cats in the kitchen, where it is common to have a hard surface, and a cat can apply enough pressure when eating to push a food bowl around the floor. If the bowl catches on a tile lip or raised area, it can tip over, spilling food everywhere.
Some bowls may even cause damage to the floor if pushed around hard enough. Anti-slip feet can prevent this from happening but may prevent you from being able to put the bowl in the dishwasher.
Image by: Laura Chouette, Unsplash
Feeding Mat
A feeding mat serves a similar purpose to anti-slip feet, in that it prevents the bowl from being pushed around the floor. It also collects any debris that falls from the bowl and makes cleaning up after your cat easier.
Bowl Frame
A bowl frame lifts the food bowls off the floor, thereby preventing any damage to the floor. Frames can hold one or two bowls and are made from metal, bamboo, wood, or plastic.
Should a Cat’s Water Be Away From Their Food?
Many cats do not like their food and water to be too close together, which means that you may need to separate the bowls by 5–6 feet to ensure your cat is comfortable eating and drinking from them. For this reason, frames and sets that put the food and water bowl directly next to one another might not be your best option.
Conclusion
Getting the right cat bowl can encourage your cat to eat more healthily, drink more often, and to create less of a mess. But, with so many bowls to choose from, getting the right one can seem challenging.
Hopefully, the reviews and guide above have helped you find a suitable bowl for your cat. We found the 2x Stainless Steel Bowls Set to be the best overall cat bowl in the UK because the stainless steel is safe and easy to clean. Alternatively, for a little bit less, the Cotill Cat Bowls set offers a very low price for three3 non-toxic, melamine plastic bowls and represents the best value for money.
Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe....Read more
