Cats are sensitive animals and very particular. Before they ingest their food, they thoroughly examine it with their sense of smell. They do the same with their food bowl. If something is wrong with the bowl, this may be the reason why your cat is spurning its meals. Above all, however, cats love cleanliness, so they want to get their food from a clean food bowl. Food residues or wet pieces of dry food can quickly spoil a cat’s appetite. If you have several cats, each one should have its own food bowl from which it can eat without being disturbed. The size of the bowl also plays a role. Cat breeds with a flat nose and long whiskers, for example, need a shallow bowl in order to reach the contents effortlessly. If they constantly hit the bowl while eating, this can be bothersome.

If your cat paws the area next to its food bowl, this is not necessarily a cause for concern. Your cat is following a natural instinct with this behaviour: it wants to bury its “prey”. This is how wild cats hide the remains of their food from adversaries. After all, there are no regular meal times in the great outdoors. In this way, clever animals hoard the food they have caught for bad times. When house cats paw at their food bowls, they are usually full and want to keep their leftovers safe. Cats who don’t touch their food at all and merely lick it cautiously are assessing whether the food even tastes good and is worthwhile. Particularly fussy cats, however, may want to bury food they don’t like, in the hopes of getting something better. Every cat simply has its own individual eating habits.

The choice of surface material is important for hygiene: high-quality plastic bowls and bowls made of ceramic, steel, porcelain, or enamel are suitable. They generally have a smooth surface. Ceramic should always be well-varnished to prevent bacteria from settling in the pores. In the case of enamel and porcelain, you should ensure that there aren’t any visible flaws or cracks. The same applies to plastic bowls. Bacteria can quickly form in even the smallest of scratches. The bowl should also be sturdy and easy to clean. Suction cups or rubber stoppers can ensure the necessary slip resistance in case your cat goes a little wild while eating.