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Is your cat a gobbler? Does food vanish down their throat in seconds, only to reappear a few minutes later on your hallway carpet? It’s possible that a puzzle bowl or another slow feeder bowl for cats might help. These dishes require your cat to pause (or use paws) between bites, spreading their mealtime over several minutes and, we hope, preventing them from later spreading it all over your house.
Why Do Some Cats Eat Fast?
This PetMD article explains what causes feline “scarf and barf” syndrome and how to combat it. The reason it occurs so often with dry food it that all the kibble the cat devours absorbs water in the stomach. Then the food swells and this triggers the cat’s regurgitation reflex.
If your cat keeps vomiting after eating, the experts’ first recommendation is to switch them from dry food to a predominantly wet food diet. But if your household needs to stay on kibble, you can try switching the type of dry food to see if ingredients are the culprit. And you can try one of the slow feeder bowls and puzzle feeders we list below.
If your cat is regurgitating frequently and there are other health issues (such as weight loss) be sure to check with your vet promptly.
Finding the Best Slow Feeder Bowl for Cats
Most slow-feeder solutions, in both bowl and puzzle toy styles, are made to be used with dry food. But we did find two solutions for those of you who feed your cat wet food and are trying to slow their roll—check out the ceramic Paikka dish and AquaPaw “lick mat.”
Keep in mind that some of the slow feeders for cats were originally designed for dogs. Read the reviews from cat parents and keep in mind that features that may frustrate dog parents (such as lightweight dishes or easy-to-chew plastic materials) are unlikely to be a problem with most kitties.
Our Picks for the Best Slow Feeder Bowls for Cats
Our favorite slow feeders range from simple bowls to challenging toys and pricier automatic feeders. But whatever the type, we’ve placed an emphasis on devices that will be easy for you to keep clean. We’re sure you’ll find one or two devices that will discourage your cat from overindulging at dinnertime.
Feed your kitty wet or dry food in this bowl and watch as they slow down to work around the three columns in the center of the dish.
Notable features:
- Non-skid grip at the base of the bowl
- Two-cup capacity
- Dishwasher-safe
We like the durable, easy-to-clean ceramic material and the choice of sizes beginning at 0.84 cup (heart-shaped center) and 1.68 (fish-shaped center) for kittens and small cats. Paikka dishes are made of a “unique cooling ceramic material” to keep food fresher—soak it with normal tap water for 45 seconds to activate the cooling effect.
Notable features:
- Attractive design and choice of colors
- Made from 100% ceramic earthenware
These were designed to keep dogs distracted during baths and grooming, but they also work as slow feeders for cats. The idea is that rather than slurping up the contents of a bowl, your cat has to work to lick all the goodies and gravy from in between the little raised bumps on the mat. We like this lick mat because it’s made of microwaveable, dishwasher-safe silicone.
Notable features:
- Dishwasher- and microwave-safe
- Non-skid
This spinning food dispenser will challenge your cat while slowing their eating. You fill the center compartment with dry food or treats, and your cat opens compartments to tease the food out from the tunnels.
Notable features:
- Non-slip rubber feet keep feeder in place
- Dishwasher-safe
- Half-cup capacity
Rather than mindlessly gobbling from a bowl, your cat will have to work to get to the kibble in the top of this tower raked down through the levels and into the dish underneath. This is guaranteed to slow down even the fastest feeder.
Notable features:
- Stimulates your kitty physically and mentally
- Can be adjusted to three different size settings and levels of difficulty
- Easy to take apart and hand wash with a gentle dish soap
Watch the Food Tree in action:
The five tubes in this puzzle toy are varying heights and widths, challenging your cat and triggering their natural instinct to dig and paw out smaller portions of food.
Notable features:
- Easy-to-clean non-skid base
- Can be used for mealtime or the smart doling out of treats.
- Easy to take apart and hand wash—the tubes have cup-shaped bases
And now, for a slow-feeding solution that takes a completely different approach to controlling your cat’s dining habits: Instead of putting dry food in a bowl, you put it into three plastic containers with openings, which you then tuck into bird-shaped fabric shells. Hide the “birds” around your home and let the kitty hunt down its meals. Reviews suggest that this is a great system for feeding bored cats that yowl for food at night and early morning, but that it’s less successful with cats that insist on having their food in a bowl.
Notable features:
- Both plastic and fabric components are washable
- Adds exercise and amusement to your cat’s mealtime routine
If you want to leave kibble or treats out for your cat but are concerned they’ll gobble it all at once, this is a clever solution. Your kitty must tumble the ball to get some food to spill out, and only a small amount comes out at a time.
Notable features:
- Holds 2/3 cup of dry food or treats
- Dishwasher safe
This battery-operated programmable feeder lets you decide how much your pet gets, and how often. Several small meals a day are more likely to stay down and get digested.
Notable features:
- The feeder bowl is removable and dishwasher safe
- The top-loading dispenser is easy to refill
- Available in multiple sizes (18 cup and 30 cup)
- Uses 3 D-cell batteries (not included)
If your cat tends to “scarf and barf,” you can use this programmable feeder to deliver five petite meals in one day, reducing the chances your cat will give you unwanted “feedback.” While each section can hold a cup of dry food, you can put in far less and have a mini-meal delivered five times a day—just snap the lid on and the cups of food rotate through.
Notable features:
- Five-cup capacity
- Dishwasher-safe food trays
- Runs on four D-cell batteries (not included) that last up to 12 months
Further Reading
Featured image via Luisella Planeta Leoni/Pixabay