11 Best Slow Feeder Cat Bowl Selections For Cats

Cat Supplies, Cats, Pet product reviews

Last Updated - December 12, 2023

Quick Comparison of Our Top 4 Picks

Best Overall
Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl

4.9/5

  • Non Slip based
  • Dishwasher safe
  • BPA & phthalate free
Best Ceramic
Bandit Bowl Cat Slow Feeder Pet Bowl

5/5

  • Oven safe
  • Heavy & wont move
  • Ok for dishwasher
For Training
HANAMYA Slow Treat Dispensing Dog & Cat Mat

4.8/5

  • Works for many pets
  • Dry & wet food
  • Non slip tray
Best Interactive
TRIXIE Activity Fun Board

4.6/5

  • 5 in 1
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Non slip rubber feet
Best Overall
Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl

4.9/5

  • Non Slip based
  • Dishwasher safe
  • BPA & phthalate free
Best Ceramic
Bandit Bowl Cat Slow Feeder Pet Bowl

5/5

  • Oven safe
  • Heavy & wont move
  • Ok for dishwasher
For Training
HANAMYA Slow Treat Dispensing Dog & Cat Mat

4.8/5

  • Works for many pets
  • Dry & wet food
  • Non slip tray
Best Interactive
TRIXIE Activity Fun Board

4.6/5

  • 5 in 1
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Non slip rubber feet

More Top Picks & Recommendations

Did you know that obesity in cats is in part due to cats who eat too fast? Cats who gulp their food can have a whole bunch of problems, including bloating, vomiting, and indigestion. Finding ways to help your cat eat slowly at mealtimes can have many health benefits and may even be required if your cat is overweight or suffers from serious digestive issues. You should always speak to your vet to ensure that you address any underlying causes, but one way to help slow down your cat's eating habits is to get a slow-feeder cat bowl for its food.

Slow feeder bowls are designed to slow your pet down, with grooves, raised columns, and bumps that spread out the food and make it more challenging to eat. These designs force your feline friend to slow down when it eats and can also be quite mentally stimulating, serving a second purpose of being entertaining.

Let's take a look at some of the most popular brands as well as some of the best slow feeders that serve specific purposes so you can find what works best for you.

11 Best Slow-Feeder Cat Bowls

Each cat should have its own slow feeder bowl for a multi-cat household to avoid any competition and greed.

Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl

Best Slow-Feed Cat Bowl Overall

overall 

4.9/5

Price

$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl

Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl is a great all-around choice when it comes to slow feeding and slow dispenser pet bowls. This bowl comes in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and designs to meet any pet's needs. Slow dispensing food bowls like this slows your pet's eating up to 10x, thus preventing common eating issues related to gulping or ingesting too much food. These bowls are great for wet or dry food and are made with a non-slip material that is top-rack dishwasher safe for easy clean-up.

Material

Plastic

Food Capacity

2 Cups

Size

8.75 x 8.75 x 2.25 inches

What We Like

  • Bowls are BPA, PVC, and phthalate free
  • Non slip base
  • Works with dry, wet, & raw food
  • Top rack dishwasher safe

What We Don't Like

  • Made of plastic, not suitable for chewers
  • Can be hard to clean

Frisco Melamine Slow Feed Dog & Cat Bowl

Best Feeder Bowl on a Budget

overall 

4.5/5

Price

$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

Frisco Melamine Slow Feed Dog & Cat Bowl

For a slow-feeder cat bowl on a budget, you can't get much better than this Frisco Melamine Slow Feed Dog & Cat Bowl. This bowl is available in three sizes ranging from 0.5 to 3 cups capacity. This bowl is cream-colored with a gold trim making for an elegant and practical bowl. The raised columns in the bowl are designed to slow fast eaters down and reduce the likelihood of bloat, indigestion, regurgitation, and overeating in your cat.

Material

Plastic

Food Capacity

0.5, 1.5 and 3 cups

Size

7 x 6.85 x 2.5 inches (1.5 C)

What We Like

  • BPA-free
  • Available in 0.5, 1.5 or 3 cups
  • Good for cat all ages
  • Affordable

What We Don't Like

  • Can be hard to clean

Melamine Slow Feeder Cat Bowl

Best Puzzle Feeder Bowl

overall 

4.5/5

Price

$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

Melamine Slow Feeder Cat Bowl

The Melamine Slow Feeder Cat Bowl is ideal for pet parents who want to slow their furry friends down when they eat while stimulating their cat's minds. This bowl is made from quality, food-grade melamine, making it non-toxic, odorless, bite-resistant, and sturdy. The shape of smooth spikes and fish shapes will engage your pet's mind and improve its agility. The bowl design will encourage gulpers to slow down and prevent blasting and indigestion, as well as overeating and obesity.

These bowls are easy to clean, compatible with wet and dry food, and suitable for cats and dogs.

Material

Melamine

Food Capacity

N/A

Size

9.06 x 9.02 x 1.54

What We Like

  • High-quality and food grade melamine, non-toxic and odor-free
  • Top rack dishwasher safe
  • Slows down the cat

What We Don't Like

  • Can be hard to clean
  • Will take time for cat to learn to use it

SusanOHanlon Bandit Bowl Cat Slow Feeder Pet Bowl

Best Ceramic Slow Feeder Bowl

overall 

5/5

Price

$$$$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

Bandit Bowl Cat Slow Feeder Pet Bowl

Bandit Bowls are handmade ceramic pet bowls designed to slow down fast eaters. This design extends mealtime, reduces blast, and can help prevent obesity in felines. This bowl comes in six primary colors. These bowls are safe, durable, and provide great entertainment for cats who need to slow down at mealtimes.

Material

Ceramic

Food Capacity

N/A

Size

6" D

What We Like

  • Microwave or oven safe
  • Recommend hand wash but can sanitize in dishwasher once in awhile
  • Heavy and wont move

What We Don't Like

  • Heavy, makes it hard to clean
  • Will take time for cat to learn to use it

TRIXIE Activity Fun Board

Best Interactive Feeder Bowl

overall 

4.6/5

Price

$$$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

TRIXIE Activity Fun Board

The TRIXIE Activity Fun Board is more of a food mat than a pet bowl but is still a great way to feed your pet while also encouraging and stimulating your cat's mind. This is a 5-in-1 strategy mat cat toy that is great for slowing down mealtime and entertaining energetic and curious cats. There are fish bowl-style globes, pegs, tunnels, unique raised areas, and holes to keep your cat busy and challenged. 

Non-slip rubber feet keep the mat in place to contain any messes. Most cats will figure out how to use activities on their own, and it is perfect for cats of all ages.

Material

Plastic

Food Capacity

N/A

Size

11.75 x 15.5 x 3 inches

What We Like

  • 5-in-1 cat toy
  • Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
  • Non-slip rubber feet
  • A challenging and stimulating outlet 

What We Don't Like

  • Not all cats will love it
  • Will take time for cat to learn to use it

BiuBiu Elevated Cat Slow Feeder Bowl

Best Elevated Feeder Bowl

overall 

4.4/5

Price

$$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

Elevated Cat Slow Feeder Bowl

The Elevated Cat Slow Feeder Bowl is two bowls joined together with a feeder that divides your cat's food and water bowl on one raised platform. The puzzle bowl has a design to slow down gulper and fast eaters to promote ideal digestion and prevent obesity in cats. This is ideal for very young or elderly cats since the elevation makes for an easy and more comfortable way to eat. The bowls are on an anti-spill tray, on a non-slip base to reduce mess and waste.

Material

Food-grade ABS materials

Food Capacity

N/A

Size

15.35×8.39×2.64 in

What We Like

  • Spill proof design
  • Scratch resistant
  • Non-slip feet

What We Don't Like

  • Will take time for cat to learn to use it

PEGGY11 Durable Stainless Steel Lick Pad for Cats & Dog

Best Feeder Bowl for Wet Food

overall 

4.5/5

Price

$$$$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

PEGGY11 Durable Stainless Steel Lick Pad for Cats & Dog

The PEGGY11 Durable Stainless Steel Lick Pad is a metal pad that works as a slow feeder for cats and dogs who are prone to gulping their food or overeating. The various designs on the mat encourage an enriched feeding experience and can help relieve a cat's anxiety, boredom, and destructive behavior. Suction cups keep the mat stabilized to prevent the mat from sliding around. This mat is ideal for wet food and is easy to clean, either using a dishwasher or hand cleaning. 

Pro tips: Soak it with hot water so that cleaning can be easier.

Material

18/8 Stainless steel

Food Capacity

N/A

Size

13.3 x 9.5 x 0.8

What We Like

  • Dishwasher safe and hand washable
  • With 48 strong suction cups, you can easy stick it to smooth surface
  • Stainless steel

What We Don't Like

  • Edges can be rough

HANAMYA Slow Treat Dispensing Dog & Cat Mat

Best Feeder Bowl for Training

overall 

4.8/5

Price

$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

HANAMYA Slow Treat Dispensing Dog & Cat Mat

The HANAMYA Slow Treat Dispensing Dog and Cat Mat are ideal for young cats and kittens just learning how to eat on their own or transitioning to hard food. This mat will help cats slow down at mealtimes and provide mental stimulation and entertainment. This mat has two lick mats, one slow-eating food plate, and one fresh food feeder tray and comes in two color schemes. The mat comes with suction cups and non-slip pads to keep the mat in place.

The various plates are interlocking, so you can decide for yourself which plates to use, where, and in what formation. The mat is made of thermoplastic rubber, a non-toxic, durable material.

Material

Thermoplastic Rubber

Food Capacity

N/A

Size

6 x 6 x 1 inches

What We Like

  • Works for cat and dog
  • Nonslip slow feeder tray
  • Feature four suction cups on the bottom—secure it to the floor or on a wall
  • Works for both dry and wet food

What We Don't Like

  • Hard to clean

Neater Pets Adjustable Non-Skid Plastic Slow Feeder

Best Adjustable Feeder Bowl

overall 

4.8/5

Price

$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

Neater Pets Adjustable Non-Skid Plastic Slow Feeder

Neater Pets Adjustable Non-Skid Plastic Slow Feeder is just the bowl for you for a height-adjustable feeder bowl. It contains a water bowl and a food bowl for easy feeding, with a food bowl capacity of 2.5 cups of food and 8.5 cups of water. The food bowl has raised columns to slow down fast eaters, preventing bloat, indigestion, and overeating. The adjustable legs have extenders that allow for three different heights, 2 inches, 3 inches, and 4.5 inches.

Material

Plastic

Food Capacity

2.5 C of food and 8.5 c of water

Size

Bowl 1 - 2.5-cup; 20-oz / Bowl 2 - 8.5-cup; 68-oz

What We Like

  • All-in-one double diner
  • Nonslip slow feeder tray
  • Feature base and leg extensions
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Works for wet and dry food

What We Don't Like

  • Depends on the size of your dog, it may not raise high enough

DDMommy Raised Cat Dog Slow Feeder Bowl with Stand

Best Feeder Bowl for Aesthetic

overall 

4.9/5

Price

$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

Raised Cat Dog Slow Feeder Bowl with Stand

The Raised Cat or Dog Slow Feeder Bowl with Stand is a great choice for homes with a specific aesthetic since it is quite elegant. This feeder is ceramic with a bamboo stand, raising it to about 3 inches for your cat's more comfortable eating experience. The bowl's design allows for slower eating, preventing indigestion, bloat, vomiting, or overeating. The bowls and stand are non-slip, with rubber feet on the bamboo to prevent cats from pushing the feeder over.

The ceramic bowls are easy to clean and are dishwasher and microwave safe. 

Material

Ceramic

Food Capacity

2.5 C of food and 8.5 c of water

Size

 8.5 "in diameter and 3" in height

What We Like

  • Rubber feet on the bamboo wood stand keep the cat dish on the stand and floor stably
  • Sturdy
  • Easy to clean and can put in dishwasher

What We Don't Like

  • The extra height boost may not be for everyone

Catit Senses 2.0 Food Tree Cat Feeder

Best For Mental And Physical Stimulation

overall 

4.4/5

Price

$$

Easy To Clean

Durability

Sturdiness

Catit Senses 2.0 Food Tree Cat Feeder

With this Catit Senses 2.0 Food Tree Cat Feeder, you can stimulate your cat both physically and mentally while encouraging their natural instinct. It will awaken your kitty's senses and satisfy its instinct to hunt and forage. With this food tree cat feeder, your feline friend will have to collect their kibble from the tree that is attached to a bowl on the bottom to prevent any spillage and mess. With the stabilizing base, this tree is hard to knock over and for your cat to cheat.

And when it's time to clean, this tree cat feeder is easy to take part and clean by hand washing.

Material

Plastic

Food Capacity

N/A

Size

12 x 12 x 13.8 inches

What We Like

  • Can be rotated to 3 different size settings to allow for different kibble sizes
  • Base doubles as a no-spill dish that resists messes
  • Easy to clean with hand wash

What We Don't Like

  • Not suitable for large cats as unit can tip over
  • Not difficult to figure out

Types Of Slower Feeders

Cat Wet Food Slow Feeder

Wet cat food slow feeder bowls can work for both wet and dry food. Unlike dry food slow feeders, wet food slow feeders have shallow bottoms like a lickable slow feeder mat.

Dry Food slow Feeder

Dry cat food can work with any of the slower feeders. However, some slow feeders like the food maze are designed for dry kibble only.

Food mazes are designed with kibble added in between the multiple ridges and will require cats to get them out with their paws.

Interactive Slow Feeder

Interactive slow feeders encourage cats to eat slower and reduce boredom and anxiety in cats while challenging them mentally, almost like an interactive game. Some interactive slow feeders include food puzzle toys or toys filled with treats.

How To Choose The Best Slow Feeder Cat Bowls

Dry or wet food

Slow feeder cat bowls are a great way to slow down your cat's eating. The consistency of food you are feeding your cat plays an important factor when choosing the best slow-feeder cat bowls.

Material

As your cat will be eating food in direct contact with the slow feed bowl, as a pet parent, it's important to ensure the slow cat feeder bowls are made from non-toxic, BPA-free, food-grade, and safe material. This way, you can put your mind at ease, knowing it's safe for your cat. For aggressive cats, avoid plastic, rubber, or silicon bowls as they may end up chewing and digesting them.

Plastic food bowls are the most budget-friendly materials. However, they can be the most easily scratched material, and a sharp scratched bowl's sharp edges can potentially hurt your cat's tongue. When looking at the plastic option, choose BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free ones.

Ceramic and stainless steel are great durable and long-lasting materials that are totally safe for cats. Ceramic is one of the best materials as its heavier weight gives them more advantage over the others.

Easy To Clean

Slow feed cat bowls require regular cleaning to avoid picking up any infections and bacteria from poor hygiene. If you are not interested in hand washing cat slow feeders by hand regularly, look for dishwasher-safe and dishwasher-friendly options.

Entertaining and stimulating

Cats are predatory species, and they have a natural instinct to hunt for their food. Pick a slow feeder design that can provide positive and much-needed mental stimulation for your domesticated cat. Let your cat work for its food, as in the wild, cats need to hunt their prey to secure the next meal.

Weight

The weight of a slow-feeding bowl plays an important factor, and it is best to look for heavy material options to prevent the bowl potentially from tipping over and spreading cat food everywhere. A bowl should weigh at least one pound for it to be heavy enough to be stable. Features like the anti-skid feet, anti-skid pads, rubber base, and soft rubber bottom can help prevent slipping and sliding.

Size

Whichever feeder cat bowl you use, make sure it can hold an entire meal. Otherwise, you will have to feed your cat multiple times or multiple small meals. Some interactive slow feeders can make feeding time fun but can only hold a small portion of cat food.

For kittens or small cats, a 5-inch bowl is sufficient enough. For larger cats, look for bigger ones.

What Are the Benefits Of A Slow Feeder Bowl

Better Digestive Health

Cats that inhale their food could have poor digestive health. As they inhale their food, they also ingest a lot of air, which can cause severe bloating.

With dry food, it will swell in the cat's stomach when it absorbs any liquid and causes digestive stress. This can cause a cat to feel uncomfortable and even vomit.

A slow feeder cat bowl is an easy solution to encourage your cat to slow down while eating. It will encourage a cat to eat slower and at a healthy pace and prevent bloating, vomiting, and digestion-related issues.

Healthy Weight

Cats that eat quickly are prone to overeating, which leads to weight gain and obesity. Obese cats are prone to major health problems such as heart disease, joint issues, diabetes, and other health issues.

Slow feeding bowls will help cats eat slower and allow their brains to register when they are full. This will encourage the cat only to eat what they need and reduce the risks of overeating and even help with weight loss.

Enjoyment

Slow feed bowls not only are good for your cat physically and mentally, but they also allow them to be natural-born hunters. Cats enjoy working for their food. A slow feeder will provide exactly that with the stimulation they need instead of taking it on your furniture, as happy cats are less likely to exhibit disruptive behavior.

FAQs

Why Does Your Cat Eat So Fast?

If you have more than one cat in your household, competition and greed can come into play during feeding times and cause your cat eats fast. Feeding in separate rooms and smaller portions may help prevent overeating and stealing by other cats.

Are Slow Feeders Good For Cats?

Yes! A slow feeder is specifically designed to help your cat eat slower and decrease the amount your cat eats. While you can feed your cat in small portions in multiple meals, which can be very time-consuming or use an automatic cat feeder, a slow feeder can provide mental and physical stimulation. It can help make mealtime feel like hunting, overeating, or eating food quickly. A slow feeder cat bowl is a great mental enrichment for a domesticated cat.

How To DIY A Slow Feeder Cat Bowl?

You can DIY a slow feeder cat bowl yourself by placing a golf ball, ping pong ball, or other items in a regular bowl. The objects will encourage a cat to eat at a healthier speed and prevent it from eating quickly.

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About the Author

Doctor of veterinary medicine with extensive experience in animal welfare with a strong interest in feline medicine and plans to pursue ABVP-Feline specialty board certification. A key member of many local veterinary associations and avid reader of animal related science journals and studies.