The placement of food and water bowls is one of the main decisions cat owners have to make. It is important to consider several factors when considering their location:
• Be always available to the cat
• To be in a quiet place
• Don’t get in the way and don’t trip over them at night when you visit the toilet
Some of the most popular choices are the kitchen, hallway, bathroom or laundry room if it is large enough. Whichever location you choose, it is important that your purring friend is comfortable with the location of the food and water bowls. If you’re not sure about the best place for your cat’s food and water bowls, we’ll give you some ideas to help you out.
1. The laundry room
Many pet parents choose this place to keep their cat’s food bowls. The laundry room is an excellent location because it is usually away from high traffic areas. In addition, most cats have positive associations with clothes that have not yet been washed. Clothes retain the unique odors of their owners, and cats can smell them.
In case you stop at this place – make sure that the bowls are far enough away from the washing machine and the place where you keep detergents or cleaning products. Also, the noise of the washing machine can be stressful for some cats, so watch to see if your pet is comfortable eating in an area where the washing machine is running. If the cat remains indifferent to the noise – then the place is suitable.
2. The kitchen
Most pet owners keep their cats’ water and food bowls in the kitchen where the rest of the family eats. However, the kitchen is usually the center of the household, which means there will be people coming in and out most of the time. However – if you have a quiet corner to place the bowls – this is a good choice. The good thing about the kitchen is that the floor is tiled so it will be easy to clean the area as cats often take food out of their bowls when eating.
3. The bathroom and/or toilet
Another suitable place is the bathroom or toilet or both if they are together. Although this space is usually designated for the litter box, depending on the layout of your home, it may be more suitable for the food and water bowls and the toilet to be in a different location.
4. The corridor
The hallway may be the perfect place for your cat’s food and water bowl if you don’t have many visitors and it’s not too noisy. These places usually always have some nook, cranny, or hard-to-reach place for you, but perfect for cat food bowls. Make sure the petting companion is comfortable and the place is not too noisy. Some buildings have old, noisy elevators that rattle or neighbors who have a barking dog. Check if your cat feels comfortable eating in the corridor and if so – then this is the place.
5. The hall
A less popular choice, but if you have enough space and have found the perfect place for food and water bowls – why not. If you have a parquet floor – consider a mat to place the food and water bowls on to keep it safe.
Where to put the cat bowls if we have a dog
While the places above can be perfect for your cat’s accessories, the situation can change a bit when you have a dog. Many cats refuse to share their food and water bowls with dogs, and you wonder where to put the bowls so that all animals are happy and don’t eat each other’s food.
One option is to set aside a shelf large enough that there is room for the food and water bowls and your cat feels comfortable eating there. This way the dog will not reach them. Another option is to divide the areas of your apartment into “cat” and “dog” areas and leave food for them at either end. Automatic feeders can also be an option, as this is how you set up food to be available at a specific time. A disadvantage of these feeders is that they are expensive.
You can put a cat flap in the room where you keep the cat’s food and water bowls so that she can go in there whenever she wants without the dog having access. Of course, if you have a small breed dog and it wouldn’t be a problem for him to go through the cat door – this option is not available.
Cats are special animals. Sometimes they won’t eat if their food isn’t in a place where they feel safe. It is best to place your cat’s bowls in a quiet area where not too many people pass by. Try different locations until you find the best fit for your meowing friend.
Photo: iStock
