As pet owners we’re constantly being bombarded with new products and articles about what we should and shouldn’t be doing to keep our fur babies healthy. It’s easy to get sucked into buying the latest gadgets and gizmos just because some ‘experts’ claim that we need them in order to be the best cat parents possible. But how much of it is based on science and how much of it is just a clever marketing ploy to convince us to reach for our wallets? Cats are naturally wild animals so how can they possibly rely on these man made products to live? In this blog post we hope to answer these questions and in particular, get to the bottom of the one burning question that’s swept the world of petcare for the past few years: can my cat benefit from a raised bowl?
The short answer is yes. While it’s true that the natural eating position for cats is on the ground, bent over, it’s important to remember that our cats are domesticated creatures, meaning they’ve adapted a long way from their origins and, simply put, their needs are totally different. Just like they don’t need their claws for hunting (although they most definitely still need their claws so please don’t be tempted to declaw!) , they also don’t need the ability to eat from a lying down position. Why make them uncomfortable or cause them to strain if it isn’t essential to their survival? Technically we don’t need clothes and cars to live but our lives are significantly improved because we have them. The same goes for cats and ergonomic feeding stations.
Specifically older cats or those with digestive problems will benefit from eating from a raised feeding station as these eliminate the main cause of indigestion. Rather than bending their neck downwards and creating a more complicated pathway for digestion (which increases the chance of food getting lodged), your kitty can stand up to eat, allowing their food to travel straight along the natural passage. This reduces the risk of choking, vomiting or indigestion. Even relatively healthy cats may find this experience more pleasant as digestion is a lot smoother in general.
Another issue that tends to arise when cats eat from a bowl on the floor, is that the strain this puts on their neck, spine and legs can be uncomfortable at best, and at worst, cause long term conditions like arthritis or general pain in muscles and joints. By raising the bowl, you can prevent your cat from having to bend or stretch into awkward positions to eat, which allows them to relax their body much more.
As well as the physical benefits, an elevated feeding station could also make your cat a lot happier! It’s a well known fact that cats like things to be clean and tidy (just look at the way they use a litter tray!) so by raising their food off the ground, you’ll be able to make their eating experience a lot more enjoyable as they won’t have to worry about their food being contaminated with bits of debris or dirt. Double bowl feeding stations also tend to be a lot more stable and therefore won’t get knocked over as easily, thus saving you cleaning up any stray bits of food! A clean kitchen makes for a happier cat owner too.
Although our main area of expertise is the cats themselves, one added bonus is that raised feeding stations are great for owners who struggle to bend down. This means elderly people or those with disabilities may find it easier to pick up or refill the bowls as they don’t have to bend down as far. Raised bowls are ergonomically better all round for both cats and their owners, so it would be silly not to invest!
Aesthetically speaking, you can now find a huge range of elevated feeding stations to suit your kitchen and your kitty. We'd even go as far as to say some of them are quite stylish! They come in a range of colours and shapes so as not to be an eyesore, as we know this is important to those of you who are house-proud. Choose a more affordable option like our very own kitty bowls, or if you’re looking for metal, ceramic or glass bowls instead of plastic, there are a huge variety of alternatives on the market.