Go to any pet store and you will find a plethora of cute feeding dishes for cats. They come in all sizes; some are shallow and others deep. For water and kibble, choose the deeper ones, but for wet food go shallow.

Cats have whiskers, very sensitive specialized hairs used for measuring the width of openings and in hunting. Having to stick their faces into a deep dish to feed causes the sides of the bowl to press on the whiskers. Some cats might not mind this but others may find it uncomfortable on a daily basis.

Perhaps you have noticed your cat scooping her food out of a bowl onto the floor before she consumes it. Cats eat off the ground in nature, so maybe your kitty is trying to tell you something.

One of my cats does this with water! On several occasions I have found him scooping water from the bowl to form a “river” on the floor, which he then drinks from. This has happened often enough that I have had to put the bowl in a tray with a waterproof mat underneath in order to protect the wood floor, previously damaged from said water play. He does the same thing to the water bowl in the catio.

I probably should invest in a kitty fountain, although some cats won’t use them. Case in point, the front porch kitty prefers to drink from the gutter even though there is a running water feature by the front door.

I used to feed wet food in bowls but there was often food left in the corners. These dishes also did not stack well in the dishwasher.

One day I found some 4” glazed plant saucers on sale and thought I’d try those. The cats love them and so do I as they take little room in the dishwasher. If you want to try this yourself, be sure to buy glazed saucers as clay or plastic ones can harbor bacteria over time.

Just stop to watch your cat when things are amiss in her world. She really can communicate with you if you’ll only listen.