10 Best Cat Water Bowls in Canada in 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

A water bowl is one of those cat essentials that you have to be selective about. Not all water bowls are created equal, and since there are so many options on the market, finding the perfect one might prove to be difficult.

Choosing the best bowl won’t be as easy as you might initially think, and your cat will surely let you know if the bowl you’ve chosen is subpar.

We’ve gone ahead and selected the best cat-approved water bowls available in Canada to help you narrow down your choices. Keep reading to find our thorough reviews of these bowls and to learn more about water bowls so you can make an informed decision before buying one for your kitty.

A Glance at Our Winners of 2023

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Kitty City Raised Collection	Two bowls included in the set Modern design Promotes healthy drinking posture	Check Price
Best Value		Van Ness Heavyweight Crock Dish	Affordable price Dishwasher safe Not too deep	Check Price
Premium Choice		LumoLeaf Elevated Set	Food and water bowl included Adjustable angle Elevated stand	Check Price
Best for Kittens		Messy Cats Box Set	Shallow design prevents whisker fatigue Easy to clean Rust-proof and scratch-proof design	Check Price
		PetSafe Healthy Pet Water Station	Huge water capacity Simple design Easy to clean	Check Price

The 10 Best Cat Water Bowls in Canada

This set of two bowls from Kitty City Raised Collection has a modern pedestal design and is available at an extremely affordable price. The unique design is said to promote a natural eating posture while also ensuring your cat won’t experience whisker fatigue while eating or drinking. The oval design provides an easy access front so your cat will be more comfortable when they’re using their bowl. These bowls are the best overall cat water bowls in Canada as they’re not only functional but nice to look at as well.

The bowls are made from pet-safe plastic, though the manufacturer does not specify the type of plastic. The bowls are very light, which can make a mess if your cat is a bit wild when it comes to food and water time.

A water dish doesn’t have to have all the bells and whistles for it to be functional. Van Ness Heavyweight Medium Crock Dish rings in at a very affordable price, providing the best cat water dish in Canada for the money. This bowl is one of the biggest on our list with a capacity of 20 ounces. It is listed as “heavyweight” but it is quite light, though the plastic construction is heavy-duty. The bowl isn’t too deep, so your kitty won’t need to strain his neck to drink from it.

As with the Kitty City product, the manufacturer does not specify the type of plastic used in the construction of this bowl. All they say is that it is made from plastic approved by the US Food & Drug Administration.

LumoLeaf Elevated Set may be higher in price, but you’re receiving an entire feeding station for the cost, so it’s a great investment. The bowls will hold 2 cups of food and anywhere between 6–10 ounces of liquid, depending on the angle you choose to use. These bowls sit on a three-inch raised stand that brings their food and water to mouth level to reduce any neck burden your kitty may experience while eating or drinking. The angle can be adjusted to find the perfect spot for your pet. There are non-slip rubber pads on the bottom of the station that will prevent any sliding or tipping to keep your floors clean.

The bowls are on the deep side, however, which may annoy some cats who suffer from whisker fatigue. You can adjust the depth slightly by changing the angle, but it may not be enough for some cats.

Messy Cats Box Set is perfect for the kitten in your life. It comes as a four-piece set with two stainless-steel saucers and two lids. The bowls can hold 14 ounces of liquid of 1.75 cups of food. Since these are so low profile, neither your kitten nor your adult cat will experience whisker fatigue or irritation while eating or drinking. The stainless-steel design makes these bowls non-toxic and rust resistant. Both the bowls and their lids can be tossed in the dishwasher for easy clean-up.

The bowls don’t have non-slip padding on the bottom to prevent spills, but you can set them on top of the silicone lids to reduce some spillage.

This PetSafe Healthy Pet Water Station has a huge capacity (64 ounces) which makes it fantastic for multi-pet households. It’s great for you, too, as you’ll need to fill it less often. The reservoir is made with BPA-free plastic and twist locks into place to prevent spillage. The bowl your cat will drink out of is stainless-steel to provide a more hygienic drinking place. The entire system is simple to clean, and the stainless-steel bowl can go right in the dishwasher when it gets grody. This water bowl is compatible with Healthy Pet Water Filters, which will allow you to offer filtered water to your pets. These filters are not included with this product, however.

There are some concerns about how well the water flows when using a filter. Since the filters are sold separately, we’re not counting that as a con, but it is good to know as a consumer. The system is heavy when it’s full, but as the water levels lower, it is easy for cats to tip over, especially since there isn’t non-slip rubber on the bottom. There seems to be a learning curve when it comes to attaching the plastic bottle to the steel bowl, too.

Mlife Stainless Steel Bowl come in a set of two. They have a flat bottom with rubber bases to help prevent skidding while your cat is eating or drinking. Their stainless-steel construction makes them simple to clean and dishwasher safe, though the rubber bases should be removed before putting them in the dishwasher. Since they’re made of steel, they are naturally scratch and rust resistant and will have a much longer lifespan than bowls made with poorer quality materials. They come in four different sizes (8-, 16-, 26-, or 40-ounce), so finding the perfect water bowl size for your household should be a breeze.

The removable rubber base can be difficult to reattach, and without the rubber, the bowl will slide all over your floor.

LumoLeaf water bowl has a splash-free design that will not only keep your kitty dry when he’s drinking but your floor dry as well. Thanks to this bowl’s interior floating disk, it is a slow water feeder which will encourage your pet to drink water slowly to prevent gulping and vomiting. It has an anti-slip base to further help prevent spillage, which makes this a great bowl to take along with you on road trips. The bowl is easy to clean and top-rack dishwasher safe.

The bowl comes apart easily, which is great for cleaning but can be a downside for households with smart cats who will figure out how to take it apart, rendering its “splash-free” design useless.

This cute Necoichi Raised Cat Water Bowl non-absorbent porcelain water dish has an elevated design that allows your kitty to drink his water at mouth level without putting any unnecessary strain on their neck. The measuring lines on the inside of the dish help you to keep track of how much water your kitty is drinking every day to ensure they’re getting the hydration they need. The curved design of the lip and the heavier weight of the bowl ensures as much water stays inside the bowl as possible.

The one big downfall to this item is that it’s not as wide or shallow as some of the others we’re reviewing today. The deep and narrow design can cause whisker fatigue.

Navaris Ceramic Cat Bowls are as cute as they are functional. They have rounded edges to prevent any unnecessary discomfort from sharp or harsh edges and are slightly angled so your cat can get into their bowls with ease. Their ceramic construction makes them resilient and long-lasting, plus they are scratch-proof, so they won’t harbor any potentially harmful bacteria. This set comes with two bowls in colors of your choosing (violet, blue, or rose and green). They are dishwasher safe and perfect for both water and your cat’s favorite wet or dry food.

The bowls have silicone feet, but they aren’t the best quality. This can lead to the bowls being poorly balanced and potentially big water messes. The angled design can make it difficult to get every last water or morsel of food from the bowls.

Lionwei Ceramic Cat Bowl comes in a wide variety of colors, including gray, green, marble black, marble pink, pink, white, and yellow, so finding a color that suits your home décor is easy. The bowl is made of 100% porcelain ceramic materials, so it’s non-toxic and easy to clean. The wood stand is designed to be non-slip to prevent any messy water spills.

The bowls are large and deep, presenting a problem with whisker fatigue. The wood base doesn’t seem to be very high quality and, in some cases, doesn’t hold the bowl snugly, which can make it very unstable.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Select the Best Cat Water Bowl in Canada

It’s not enough to read about the ten best cat bowls, you need to educate yourself about the topic before you can decide which will be best for your cat. Keep reading to learn what factors you must consider before buying a bowl as well as the science behind water bowl placement and whisker fatigue.

Material

The material of your cat’s water bowl will not only determine its longevity, but its safety, as well. Each material type comes with a list of pros and cons that you should familiarize yourself with so you can make an informed buying decision.

Plastic

Plastic bowls generally aren’t recommended by veterinarians because they can be made of petroleum-based chemicals and their naturally porous nature. Poor-quality plastic bowls can leach chemicals as they begin to degrade. It’s easy for plastic bowls to become cracked or scratched, which can harbor bacteria that can cause health issues in your pets.

Plastic bowls are much more affordable than bowls made of other materials. The plastic options we’ve included on our list are the highest quality bowls on the market. If you choose to go with one of them, however, you’ll need to be very careful when you’re cleaning them. You don’t want to scrub too vigorously and cause any accidental scratches on the plastic.

Stainless-Steel

Stainless-steel is one of the best materials for cat water and food bowls. They are very easy to clean and won’t absorb odors like other poorer quality materials. Stainless-steel is very durable and won’t break, crack, or shatter if you drop it.

The downside of this material is that it tends to be lighter than others. This may make them easier to knock over, which can lead to a huge mess in your home. Some cats might also be allergic to this stainless-steel, but you won’t know until you’ve purchased the bowl and given it a try.

When doing your research, make sure the manufacturer of your stainless-steel bowl has not coated it with a powdered coating or epoxy. They sometimes add these coatings to the exterior to make the bowls more decorative. They sometimes even add these coatings to the interior of the bowl, which will eventually act as poor-quality plastic over time, degrading its quality.

Ceramic and Porcelain

Ceramic and porcelain are great materials for pet food and water bowls because they’re heavy and won’t be as easy to tip over or slide across the floor.

The downside of these materials is that they’re fragile. One drop or bang can shatter or chip your bowl, rendering it useless.

Ceramic and porcelain can only be kept clean as long as their coating stays intact. If you notice any scratches or cracks in the coating, it’s time to get a new one.

Capacity & Size

The capacity of the water bowl should be another factor you consider as you’re shopping. How many cats will be drinking from the bowl, and how often are you willing to fill it? Bowls with smaller capacities will need to be filled much more often, especially if you have a multi-cat household. You can opt for bowls that hold less, but we would then recommend having several of the bowls throughout your home so that when your cats are thirsty, they’ll have more than one bowl to try and find a drink in.

The size of the bowl should be another thing you consider. The size will determine not only the bowl’s capacity but also its ability to fit where you plan on storing it. If you buy a huge water station, you’re not going to fit it into an area of your home where there just isn’t space for it.

Design

The shape and design of the cat bowl can determine whether or not your cat will like it. Bowls that are too wide or deep can be annoying as they can cause whisker fatigue (more on that later). Bowls that are too short or shallow can be difficult for some cats to reach.

Older cats or those with orthopedic issues might find drinking and eating from raised bowls easier and more comfortable.

Any cat owner can attest to the fact that cats are finicky little critters. A bowl design that works great for one cat may have another cat in your household acting out. If you have multiple kitties under one roof, you might need to invest in bowls of different designs to keep everyone happy and hydrated.

What Is Whisker Fatigue?

Whisker fatigue is a real problem for cats that can cause a lack of appetite, mood changes, and behavioral issues. But before you can understand whisker fatigue, it’s important to understand what whiskers are and the role that they play.

Whiskers act as touch receptors that reach under your cat’s skin to connect with their nervous system. They don’t have feelings in their whiskers, but any movement or touch that affects them will send signals to your cat’s brain and sensory system.

Think of whiskers as an antenna that is always collecting information about the environment and guiding your cat through its daily functions. They help them navigate throughout your home and can detect subtle changes in air currents.

The whiskers have sensory organs known as proprioceptors on the end that send your cat’s brain messages telling it the position of their body and limbs, so they’re always aware of what every part of their body is doing. This is how cats know that their bodies can squeeze into tiny spots and how they’re always able to land on their feet.

So, what do the whiskers have to do with your cat’s eating and drinking habits?

Now that you know how sensitive whiskers can be, imagine how much of a sensory overload it would be for your cat to try to drink from a shallow bowl that their whiskers are constantly touching.

Luckily, it is rather easy to prevent whisker fatigue from occurring in the first place. Shallow bowls with wide mouths help ensure your cat’s whiskers won’t touch the sides of the bowl when they’re eating or drinking.

Where Should I Keep My Cat’s Water Bowl?

You might think that keeping your cat’s food and water bowls nearby is ideal so they can go have a drink of water when they’re finished their meal. In reality, however, this isn’t the most ideal location to keep their water bowl.

There are a series of boxes you must check to find the perfect location for your cat’s water.

If you have multiple cats under one roof, it’s ideal to have one bowl for each cat. This will prevent any fights over the water and will let your naturally territorial cats have their own special bowl that belongs to them.

Conclusion

The best overall cat water bowl in Canada comes from Kitty City, thanks to its modern whisker-friendly pedestal design. Van Ness’ heavyweight dish provides the best value cat water bowl thanks to its very affordable price and shallow design to prevent neck strain.

We hope our reviews and buying guide have provided you with some insight so you can decide which water bowl will be best for your kitty.

Featured Image Credit: Sweetlouise, Pixabay