Learn Why Plastic Feeding Bowls
Might Be Making Your Cat Sick
By Teri Champigny
How important do you think it is to have an appropriate food bowl and water bowl for your cat's liking? Some people will claim that it doesn't matter and that your cat should eat or drink out of anything. Perhaps this is true, but if your cat is domesticated and lives indoors most of his time, then he may view his feeding area a lot different than a cat would who feeds off of the scraps in the streets.
The water bowl and the food dish that you use to serve up your cats meals should be acceptable to him or else your cat may decide not to feed there. Also, it is important that the bowls you use do not scratch easily. There are some low cost feeding bowls that can dent easily if a cat scratches it hard enough and these little gashes can attract bacteria and food particles, which might make your cat sick.
This means that your best investment will be stainless steal dishes or high impact plastic dishes. And for those of you that want your cat's food and water bowls to match the decor of your home, you'll be happy to know that they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. You can shop online and browse through several pet specialization stores or you can order custom cat-made products through a variety of catalogs. But if simplicity is your best friend, like myself, then simply picking up a couple of stainless steel dishes from the local pet store will do just fine.
Remember To Avoid Plastic Dishes
Again let me remind you that plastic dishes are frowned down upon. Not only do they scratch easily and can attract bacteria into these little scratches (as mentioned above), but plastic bowls that have been scratched can also cause sores and lesions on your cat's face. This happens because the small gashes and digs that occur on a food bowl can stick out and run across your cats face as he is eating. If you use a plastic bowl and you notice that your cat is getting sores on his lips, face, or chin then it is advisable to switch bowls or move to a more sturdy material.
The most important, yet overlooked, aspect of pet dishes is to ensure that they are always kept clean. This cannot be stressed enough. Not only do you want to prevent old food from attracting bacteria, but you want your cat to eat his food when it is served. Trust me, house-cats are finicky and he will have no problem with turning his nose up in the air and avoiding eating if there is a sense that the bowl is dirty.
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