Best cat bowls & dishes according to redditors
We found 163 Reddit comments discussing the best cat bowls & dishes. We ranked the 71 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 163 Reddit comments discussing the best cat bowls & dishes. We ranked the 71 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
YTA - Cat's are not dogs. They are finicky eaters. They prefer to be fed in situations that are familiar and comfortable to them. If they do not want to eat off the floor because it is uncomfortable to them and you're just waiting it out then you're pulling a trick that most people don't even do with kids anymore to cats that understand it even less.
Here are some suggestions:
Some ideas that have worked for my anxious kitty who also didn’t like exercise:
Feliway brand pheromone spray and collar (or any of their other products). It helps the cats feel calm and humans can’t smell them. https://www.feliway.com/us
A timed auto feeder. My cat has harassed auto feeders instead of me, which is a nice break for me.
Indoor hunting feeder (like this brand https://docandphoebe.com/). It mixes exercise and play with food because the cat has to seek out where their food is hidden.
“Puzzle” feeders like this one: https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Egg-Cersizer-Interactive-Dispenser-Treats/dp/B003H44R5K. Like the hunting feeder, the cat will have to work at least a bit to get his food.
Lots of toys for exercise! I sew mini pillows (about the size of your palm) and fill them with catnip and crinkly paper in addition to normal polyester pillow stuffing. I hide them around the house for the cats to find. They love them and they’re very cheap to make with scrap fabric.
I’ve also introduced more rewards that aren’t food related. Our one cat (Spud) needed to lose quite a bit of weight. It was hard because I love to give him treats when he’s sweet. I started giving him bits of catnip, cat grass, toys, extra cuddles, and brushing him instead. He now has more things he associates with positive behavior that aren’t treats!
I wish you the best!!
If you plan on leaving, please bring your pets with you. They would be terrified and could possibly pass away. We are able to make snap decisions like hiding in a closet, bathroom, basement, etc. They are not. It is dangerous to leave them alone, even if you think your cat can take care of herself for a few days in a well-built home with food, water, and a litterbox.
Pet travel list
Check out Airbnb if you are still having difficulty finding a hotel. Many are offering rooms for free, and are willing to be lenient towards pet policy. Some local animal shelters and veterinarians are offering free microchipping. I am not in Florida, unfortunately, so I am unsure who is offering it. Be sure to check and ask around on Facebook or tune in to the local news. I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
She might have whisker stress, Google it. There is a special type of bowl that you can buy that will solve it.
Edit: here I googled it for you
Edit 2 electric boogaloo: Here is an example of a whisker stress bowl.
I got my cat this dish, which has shallow, tapered walls, and now there’s no more cratering: Dr. Catsby's Food Bowl for Whisker Relief https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017DUKHKM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FOZaBbCJ0QER3
I wouldn’t worry too much about them during the day, as long as they get to do some sort of activity at night like free roaming in the living room or bathroom, or getting access to some fun toys.
To keep them amused, I would recommend taking a look at this page: http://karasratworld.tumblr.com/post/75017549861/rat-toy-masterpost which features a lot of great ideas for cheap, do-it-yourself toys for rats that you can make. I find that my rats are generally not interested in the ferret and cat toys I buy them from the pet store. Same with stuffed animals I give them. Cheap toys that my rats enjoy include: small cardboard boxes that fit in their cage - I will open one end of the box and put the open end on the floor, so that the box is upside down. They love bringing in paper towels and fabric scraps into the box and making a nest. My rats also love paper bags. Big brown paper bags from the grocery store, or small brown paper bags for packing lunch. They will also treat it as a little ‘cave’ or ‘den’ and bring paper towels into it to shred into a comfortable, warm rat nest that they then sleep on. It’s really cute, and it’s cheap! These generally need to be thrown out after 1-2 days because they will be urinated on, and a rat sleeping inside a paper bag isn’t receiving terribly great ventilation and will probably be inhaling the ammonia from the urine. Tissue boxes are also much enjoyed by my rats. I rip out the clear plastic lining surrounding the tissue hole before giving it to them, so that they can’t accidentally eat any of it when they chew up the box. I also like to give my rats paper towel or toilet paper roll cores for them to chew on or curiously poke their head into. My baby rat used to be able to walk through them too!
My rat also enjoyed this toy. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003H44R5K/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It was recommended by another rat owner. It’s basically a toy with 3 holes, and you can turn the top half of the toy to control how many of these holes are open (1, 2, or all 3) and how big the openings are (half open, fully open, etc). You can put little treats in there. Treat recommendations include: home popped popcorn (microwave popcorn is covered in tons of unhealthy additives and flavorings), NON-sugary cereals, organic baby food “cereals” or puffs, sunflower seeds (in moderation!), maybe some sort of non-messy fruit like small blueberries. When I used to feed dry rat food to my rat, I would put the kibble bits into this toy and give it to her at night, so she had something to entertain herself with.
Other easy enrichment ideas include: nuts in shell. Just try to make sure they aren’t salted, and that they aren’t raw (unless soaked/sprouted). Brazil nuts in shell, peanuts in shell, pistachios, etc. They will have fun chewing off the shell to get the nut inside, and the chewing will allow them to wear down their teeth, which are always continuously growing. I want to say, however, that if your rats are sick with mycoplasma, you my want to avoid giving them nuts or seeds. Nuts and seeds are high in an amino acid called arginine, which has been said to trigger mycoplasma outbreaks. For this reason, my pink eyed white rat no longer gets sunflower seeds/nuts (but she gets plenty of other healthy treats!)
Regarding the sneezing:
Are you keeping them in a plastic storage container? With a lid of some sort? If so, the lack of ventilation may be contributing to the sneezing. Many rat fanatics are against keeping rats in glass tanks (the same ones used as fish aquariums), even if the top is covered in a wire mesh or open to the air, because they feel that having 4 solid walls hinders ventilation too much for it to be healthy. If you are keeping them in a bin with 4 solid walls (as opposed to in a wire cage where air flows through their 4 walls and ceiling easily), then their sneezing may be due to the lack of ventilation. More specifically, ammonia from their urine can irritate their respiratory systems. Pet rats are commonly said to have very sensitive respiratory systems, and unfortunately, rats are very prone to having a certain respiratory infection called mycoplasma. Mycoplasma is said to be so common in rats, that they every rat you come across will have it - UNLESS you specifically obtained a rat from a laboratory that was bred to be mycoplasma-free (a process which involves submersing the mother in an antiseptic and birthing her babies via sterile C-section, thereby sacrificing the mother’s life to keep her babies mycoplasma-free). A symptom to watch out for (aside from sneezing) is the buildup of a red substance on their face (especially around their eyes and nostrils) called porphyrin. Porphyrin is present in their mucus and saliva, and when a rat is sick with mycoplasma or stressed out, porphyrin buildup is commonly seen on their face. If you find this, I would recommend trying to get them into a better ventilated cage, cleaning their cage or changing their bedding more often (try to keep the amount of urine in the cage low by switching out towels more often, etc), giving them more fresh fruits and veggies (generally, if it’s a fruit/veggie that humans can eat raw, then female rats should be fine to have it too. Male rats should not be given citrus or mangos.)
I have two female rats - one is white with pink eyes. The other has black eyes and black and white fur. I notice that my pink-eyed-white wakes up and becomes active at 7:30pm, and is active all night until around 6am, when she becomes sleepy and goes to bed. When I stay home from work, she sleeps ALL day and the cage is super quiet until she wakes up at 7:30pm. My black eyed rat is a little younger, so she is more active, even during the daytime - but I am not sure if this difference is due to her youth or her eye color. (I specify their eye color because I have read that albino rats have a different REM sleep pattern. Source: http://www.ratbehavior.org/AlbinoPigmented.htm However, not all pink eyed whites are albino. Albino and pink eyed whites are not the same thing.) If your lady rats are anything like my pink eyed white, then they will likely be sleeping all day, so I would not worry about leaving them home. To further ease your concern, I want to say that I worked from home until I recently started having to go into the office for a 9-5 job, and I was also worried about my rats feeling neglected… until I learned their sleep patterns, and was able to confirm during my days off that my ratites are sleeping all day anyway. :)
To keep them entertained when they are awake, please consider trying some of the toy ideas in the website I linked above. It’s not my website, but I have definitely taken ideas from it that my rats enjoyed. The best toys are not necessarily the expensive ones or the ones that are time consuming to make. In my experience, my rats have enjoyed playing in things that would have gone into the garbage (boxes, paper bags, wrapping paper) more than the toys I bought them from the pet store.
If your rats are litter trained (which isn’t hard to do at all! but that’s a post for another day) and you have a spacious, rat proof bathroom where they cannot damage your items or escape, then a low effort way to exercise their bodies and minds may be to just leave their cage open in the bathroom, and throw some toys/boxes around the floor and let them explore. Maybe hide some food in there for them to find. Just be sure to rat proof the bathroom or remove things you don’t want them chewing on (toilet plunger, bottle of bleach toilet cleaner, bath rug, etc). Close the toilet seat so they don’t fall in.
Here it is, I happen to have the same one. Resolved my cat's binge-/over-eating problems.
We aren't the ones profiting from the product or the solicitors, I'm pretty sure it's okay to recommend products as consumers.
You could try hiding a few puzzle toys around the apartment to keep her occupied at night, like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Egg-Cersizer-Meal-Dispensing-Cat/dp/B003H44R5K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1522775421&sr=8-3&keywords=cat+puzzle+feeder&dpID=41uLQR4-1IL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
>Pioneer Pet Tiger Diner Ceramic Food Dish/Bowl, Black
>The number one problem with most food dishes is that they allow cats to eat too much. The Tiger Diner fixes all that with a design that challenges cats to fetch out their own food. They will eat only as much as they need, so there's less waste and less overeating. The Tiger Diner also helps aid in digestion and stop stomach upsets due to eating too fast.
> * Cats eat less – saves money on food bill
>Shipping Weight: 1.4 Kg
https://www.amazon.ca/Pioneer-Tiger-Diner-Ceramic-Black/dp/B007DOS9C2
Tiger Diner Demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II-Y78p2rHY&t=1m25s
It's not good for a cat to be fat. It can cause health problems down the line. He also needs to stop eating human food and hot dogs; get him down to scheduled feeding twice a day. Make sure you're measuring out exactly how much he's actually supposed to be eating.
One tip I have is to try a meal dispenser like the Egg-Cersizer, which makes cats work a bit to get their food.
I had a similar issue with my boy. I tried the ball in the bowl, I tried a slow feed bowl, I tried wet food, I tried an automatic feeder. Nothing seemed to work until I found this puzzle bowl: Pioneer Pet Tiger Diner Ceramic Food Dish/Bowl, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007DOS9C2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EahqDbACC3B8H
They have to stick their paws in the holes and can only get out a few pieces at a time. It's seriously been amazing. He rarely ever throws up now from eating too fast. It is a bit pricey, but it's worth not having to clean up puke constantly.
My vet calls that "scarf 'n barf"
I have 4 cats and one of them was my "gorger". Our vet recommended these to stop the scarfing. They work beautifully!!
That, and slo-bowls
And Puzzle Bowls
Keeps them all from scarfing it down so they eat slower, don't "scarf & barf", and it reduces desperation at the next meal time.
If she's on dry food: toys that you can put food into. For an overweight cat, sometimes play to eat is the only play they want to do, initially (you might find this changes as she loses weight). I literally bought something like this for mine and it really helped to get her just doing a little bit more moving and interacting and little less sitting on her ass.
Secondly, weigh the food as much as you can. Doing it by the cup tends to mean you underestimate what you're feeding, even if you've got a cup with measuring marks on.
Thirdly, for motivation, a weigh in and measure her stomach size every month with a tape measure. Sometimes, it comes off their waist more noticeably than it comes off their weight. Stick it in your calendar. Get her a little (non food!) treat if you both do well. Sometimes it really helps to have goals, even if it's just "if she weighs less two months in a row, she gets a new ball".
Not who you asked but my chonk likes this egg I got off Amazon. He gets half a can of wet food in the morning/evening but he gets a small portion of dry food in between. This egg helps him eat slower and he gets some playtime while I'm at work.
Something like this thats stainless steel so the dog can't chew it? A small bowl that clips to the kennel that you only leave a small amount of water in?
If the pups already struggling to hold it (btw i consider 4 hours pushing it at that age, although some don't) then i don't know why you're looking to offer more water. Id just make sure pup is drinking regularly while you are there. You may consider looking at better AC/fan if heat is a potential issue for your dog chugging water?
I have a cat that did that also, he would throw up and then ask for more food because he was hungry again, and the cycle would repeat.
I got him this and it's worked perfectly. He's slowed down and hasn't thrown up his food at all in the 6+ months since I bought it. It's the perfect size for 1 or 2 cats, as a lot of the ones for dogs are fairly big. Just wash it once a week or so and you'll be good to go.
septum jewelry 7.00
combat boots 29.19
pet waterer add on 7.49
dino dog chew add on 4.87
Total 48.55
In that case, you could try a portion control bowl (they have to fish each piece of kibble out of it with a paw, slowing down the rate at which they can eat). If Hercules isn't the brightest, it should keep him occupied for hours.
Have you tried a maze bowl? You can get one on Amazon or at pet smart, it might help. https://www.amazon.ca/Slow-Feed-Bowl-Maze-Cats/dp/B015ZTH5EE
Mind you DONT pay 56 bucks for one hahahaha you can find them way cheaper but that gives you an idea what I mean lol
We have a very similar situation. After lots of experimenting, we finally settled on:.
Use a cat calorie calculator online to look up the recommended calories for a cat 1-2 pounds less than him. Then figure out how much canned food, kibble and treats he gets each day to add up to that. Once he's almost at that target weight, look up the calorie level for a pound less and adjust the food accordingly. Repeat until you reach his ideal weight.
Don't just calculate calories for his ideal weight starting now - too rapid of weight loss is harmful to them.
Also, add in some vigorous play time, preferably before each meal since that mimics the natural cat life of hunt-eat--groom-sleep. The exercise will help him get in shape and burn off calories. He may be able to go less than a minute initially, but you should be able to build up. I highly recommend [Da Bird] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BOVEU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KKmnDb31BNCKA). It's far better than other wand toys; I've never met a cat who wasn't excited by it.
I cannot suggest this dish enough: https://smile.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Tiger-Diner-Ceramic/dp/B007DOS9C2?sa-no-redirect=1
It really helped curb our frantic eater!
Use this bowl for our boy It works pretty great. :)
he's bored, get a wide treat/kibble feeder like;
http://www.amazon.com//dp/B009WPXKUQ
for wet - duct tape the dish to the floor or mat.
Chronic vomiting in cats is not normal! It drives me insane when I hear that vets have told owners that nothing is wrong with their cat that pukes every day. You see any wild cats doing that, vet? Cats are essentially physiologically unchanged from their wild ancestors - they should not be puking out their guts.
Before we look into things - wet food should be a cat's only source of food. http://catinfo.org/ for all the reasons never to feed kibble again. No joke, no more kibble, not even "special magical prescription kibble the vet insists you have to buy". The reason - cats are descended from desert critters who have a low thirst drive. They are designed to get their "moisture needs" from their prey - namely, meat. Kibble is a completely unnatural food for them (and it doesn't "clean their teeth" like some people will tell you!) When we feed them dry food, we literally force our cats into a state of constant dehydration. My cat ate kibble for the first 14 years of her life - I didn't know any better then. Then she was diagnosed with kidney failure - she had lost over 75% of her kidney function and was not expected to live another 6 months. I switched her to an all-canned diet immediately and eventually to a fully-raw diet, and she is still happy and healthy four years later at age 18! She loves her raw food and has the appetite and energy of a cat a third her age.
So I am a huge proponent of canned food diets for cats. ESPECIALLY males - Dr. Pierson's site above goes into some of the horrible urinary tract problems male cats can develop when they are on kibble.
So - we have to start at the beginning to help your little guy. When does he vomit? Does he vomit IMMEDIATELY after eating, or some time later? Does he puke white foam, green foam, or partially-digested food? Have you offered him "cat grass"?
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=2809 - helps you determine whether your cat is vomiting vs. regurgitating.
This site has a chart that may help: http://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?meta=Generic&pId=11343&id=5124222
And this is an excellent paper/info packet on feline vomiting except for their recommendations on completely inappropriate kibble diets:
http://www.cliniciansbrief.com/sites/default/files/attachments/Vomiting%20Cat%20Cases.pdf
Basically what we're getting at is, your cat's problem could be as simple as excess stomach acid. You can literally give a cat Pepcid - in a much smaller dose - for the same reasons a human would be using Pepcid. I'm going to link you to Tanya's CRF site, which is a site for kitties with chronic kidney failure (like mine), but the medication/vomiting info might still be helpful:
http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#acid_blockers
I wouldn't necessarily jump into medicating your little guy with Pepcid off the bat - though it probably won't hurt him - without discussing it with a vet first.
Some of the treatments I'd start out with -
-Raise his food dish. Either get an elevated food dish such as https://www.amazon.com/Necoichi-Raised-Cat-Food-Bowl/dp/B00KAV98ES/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480926103&sr=8-2&keywords=elevated+cat+food+bowl or https://www.amazon.com/Bowl-Food-Water-Elevated-Stand/dp/B01K5MH5VY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480926092&sr=8-3&keywords=elevated+cat+food+dish - this can help a TREMENDOUS amount.
-Feed him small portions more often (schedule permitting). For example, if you usually put the whole can of cat food in his dish at once, put only 1/4 of the can. Let him eat it all and wait 10 minutes. See if he vomits. If he doesn't, you can offer another 1/4 of the cat. Space out the meal if you can, or feed him small portions throughout the day. He'll need some adjustment time as he will feel as though he is "starving to death" in the meantime, but this can help if he's overeating or eating too fast and vomiting because of that.
-As someone else mentioned, try a truly "limited ingredient" canned food such as Natural Balance, or try freeze-dried raw food or frozen raw. My cat is on a fully-raw diet, and although it IS expensive, it is literally a miracle. I have a friend in Arizona whose cat was a chronic puker, plus had chronic diarrhea, before switching to a raw diet.
I know I tossed a lot of info at you at once - my apologies! But your kitty's case definitely isn't hopeless and you shouldn't have to be resigned to cleaning up vomit for the rest of his life.
I recommend using a puzzle feeder like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Tiger-Diner-Ceramic/dp/B007P5XUNW/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451890324&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=ceramic+cat+puzzle+feeder
It keeps the cat's mind active and they don't over eat.
My cats used to snack throughout the day and then suddenly one of them was gorging herself and puking. To slow Little Miss Piggy down we bought this upside down bowl thing with holes around the edges. Mine is plastic and has a little cover so we just dump dry food in the top and they have to pull each piece out one at a time. The piggy one complained that it was some sort of torture device, but she figured it out. Sometimes they'll scoot it across the floor a bit, but they've never tipped it over.
Oh, sure! It's one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Tiger-Diner-Ceramic/dp/B007DOS9C2/ref=pd_sbs_petsupplies_1
The one I bought is plastic, though, and my cat is strong enough and smart enough that sometimes he doesn't want to wait and sticks an arm in the hole, lifts, and dumps the whole thing over. I think the ceramic one is heavier and less prone to that sort of behavior. They also make one with a lip on the base so there is less mess, but I corral my cat's mess by keeping the bowl inside an old cookie sheet so the kibble doesn't get everywhere.
Something like this is good for kitties who eat too fast as well, but less cheap than your idea, good job!
Someone recommended this snappy fit bowl to me some time ago. Been using it since and it's awesome. I just snap it to my pup's crate and she can have water all day without me worrying about spills.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0033PR7FA/ this is what you want. It won't stop the dog from sticking their feet in, but it certainly reduces how much water gets splashed on the floor.
Here's [one] (https://www.amazon.com/Feeder-Bloat-Outward-Hound-Orange/dp/B00FPKNRCS)
but those are for dogs.
Here's [more] (https://www.amazon.com/Slow-Feed-Cat-Dog-Bowl/dp/B015ZTH5CG)
I searched for slow feeder bowls.
Oh and [this one!] (https://www.amazon.com/Catit-Senses-2-0-Food-Tree/dp/B00D3NI31Y/ref=pd_sim_199_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00D3NI31Y&pd_rd_r=K9Q79JW9MQG6Q3M5Q8C2&pd_rd_w=BbNm0&pd_rd_wg=q9DkT&psc=1&refRID=K9Q79JW9MQG6Q3M5Q8C2#customerReviews) The first review is amazing.
it's funny I have the opposite
Maybe try an automatic cat feeder for that one problematic cat? Something like Trixie Tunnel Cat Feeder: https://www.amazon.com/TRIXIE-Products-Tunnel-Self-Feeder/dp/B009WPXKUQ
My cat also gave me a hard time at night. Not because of food, but because she wanted to play. She'd meow, jump on me, scratch the bed from underneath, just do anything to get my attention.
This might help; my puppy used to knock her water bowl over in her crate as well until I got this bowl. It's secures very tightly, so they can't tip it over with their noses. :)
We free-feed our cats and one was eating too much and making herself sick. We got her one of these which just slows her down - she's not eating as much, has lost weight and stopped being sick so often.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pet-Tiger-Diner-Ceramic/dp/B007DOS9C2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410743148&sr=8-1&keywords=ceramic+cat+dish+tiger
> ShutUpYou'reNotDyingThereIsFoodInYourBowl
My vet suggested I start feeding my dude with this egg toy that only dispenses the food when played with. Sebastian totally doesn't get it, and is just mega pissed and meowy at me all the time now, until I give him a pity scoop of food in a bowl.
Congratulations, you must be so excited!!!!
Well sounds like you are on the right path in terms of having done your research and be as prepared as you can be. Here are my tips as a fellow tiel owner:
First I want to say, bird owning is all about trial and error. Everything you read about is only dependent on how your bird reacts. The internet is a great place for recommendations and advice, but YOU have to be the expert now.
Checklist: Cage - small bar spacing, big enough for tiel to be comfortable
Food/Water Bowl - Get a few, you'll want to use different ones for different foods. I prefer metal over plastic because I find it easier to clean without any discoloring. I use these as food bowls (not a good option as water bowls): https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Homes-Pets-Stainless-Animals/dp/B0012GS73S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1494878762&sr=8-4&keywords=bird+food+bowls
Varied perches - Natural wood, conditioning and rope are the three top varieties you'll see recommended in different sizes and shapes. I personally cannot use the rope perches, because my little guy likes to eat the fuzz balls that form on it which is no good for him. But mine love the natural wood ones, especially ones that have bark they can chew as well as the natural wood rope ladder that I hang like a bridge.
Toys - varied colors and materials, you'll honestly just have to experiment as you get to know your new friend. Every bird is insanely different in what they like to play with. Two of mine like to shred paper and one is scared of it, so it just depends. A lot of my toys I get on amazon cause they are the cheapest I have found but I also try to make my own as well.
Mineral block/cuttle bone - again, there are different varieties and colors, just see what your friend likes. They are important though and you should have one.
Covering - I cover my tiels completely for bed because that's what they are used to and that's what they like, the back of their cage stays covered during the day too unless they are outside. I have read some that do not cover completely and leave a night light on.
Cleaning - cage should be cleaned every day. Different safe ways to clean it but I like to use DIY home stuff cause chemicals worry me (I have a sensitive breather in my flock). Poop off wipes are a great thing to have on hand. Food and water bowls should be emptied and cleaned daily.
First Aid Kit - Google and gather the different supplies now to create a bird first aid kit because you may think you don't need it but birds are so fragile and finding yourself without it could mean the difference between life and death. If you have an avian vet, ask if they have emergency hours or find one that does and keep their number on hand.
Training - It's important you bond with your bird and training is a great way to do that. There is the option of clicker training and you can find a book as well as plenty of online resources on that. Training also helps to keep your bird from having bad behaviors or habits which in turn protects them. Usually the first thing they learn is "step up".
Food - I use Harrisons mash and pellets following the dosage on the package, daily fresh veggies/fruits, nutriberries, avicakes and Safflower Gold seed (best mix I've found, read lots of people who use the same) as supplemental treats as well as table food like rice and eggs. My flock is also a big fan of Harrisons birdie bread.
Bathing - You can try getting a spray bottle and gently mist the bird in their cage. You can buy a suction cup perch for the shower and arrange them so the mist hits them (directly under the shower might not be good due to water pressure). They might bathe in the bathroom or kitchen sink. You could get a bigger bowl and use it in their cage that's separate from their water bowl. I have a bird that kind of hates baths but for some reason when I present wet veggies to her, she bathes in them. I've read birds should bathe every day (mine refuse) but it can be very helpful with the dander or when they are molting.
In regards to their dander, I definitely recommend either a vacuum or a sweet duster of sorts because it's just insane. They shake and you can see this poof of white dust/dander just come off of every part of them. Insane.
When I go to work, I leave light music on for them. I have built them playlists and have also found already made bird ones with calming music they seem to enjoy.
Lastly, try to have patience and approach everything with calm. It is very easy to get caught up in the little things which can make you miss out on a lot. When one mine was younger, he was standing in front of the mirror and sticking his tongue out. I had never seen behavior like this and immediately thought he was gagging or choking (its good to know all the possibilities) but I started freaking out and researching and going crazy thinking something was wrong when he was just being a silly bub. That's just to tell you to enjoy it as much as you can and try your hardest not to overreact. They are amazing pets and we don't deserve their love but they give it unconditionally anyways!
Or this!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015ZTH5EE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mv0.ybESS1PYW
Try a free-feeding puzzle feeder. My cat got to a chonking 16 pounds (which is large for her size). We purchased a Catit puzzle feeder and she lost the weight in a few months. And she’s maintained herself at a perfect (for her) weight of 8.5 lbs for over 2 years now. Because my girl is a natural borne ✨Diva✨ my husband was against it at first, but it’s cheap, so...what’s to lose? I spent a couple minutes poking my fingers in and knocking bits down to show her the idea and she took to it like a fish to water. We now have a second one, of a different style and different maker, that we put elsewhere in the house and fill with a different flavor/type of food. Both my cats love them. The idea is to prevent them from easily eating too much when bored and to make eating more stimulating, like a hunt.
They can eat as much as they want for as long as they want, but they have to earn every last kibble of it. My (former) fat cat seemed to live in front of the feeder at first - knocking food down most of her waking hours. But now it’s just a few times a day, and maybe a single tablespoon’s worth of food at a time.
This is another Catit puzzle feeder. They also have a variety of puzzle feeder toys - if you’re OK with bits of kibble all over the house. This is just one example.
(We actually just had to put our former chonker on a special renal diet. (She’s 18). We picked her favorite puzzle feeder and changed just it to the new, specialty food and left the normal food in the other. My two girls haven’t had a stitch of trouble telling which is which. I think the only downside - as they see it - is that they’ve lost the diversity of two feeders. (According to the stuff I’ve read, they recommend multiple feeders spaced around the house to engage their instinct to search out food.) But I’ll be damned if I’m going to have multiples for each type of food spaced around the house. After all, there’s only so much room in my house.)
YES!! Major improvement after introducing the feeder puzzles. I have two kinds, because these buggers get used to one and then figure out how to speed eat.
https://www.amazon.com/Mogoko-Interactive-Feeding-Anti-gulping-Stopper/dp/B06Y4NTY7M
https://www.amazon.com/Trixie-4590-Activity-Fun-Board/dp/B001O8L2UO
My cat has a roller track that he can use autonomously. We don't tend to see him use it that often nowadays, but he does occasionally play with it in the mornings while he's waiting for us.
He also has a tall cat tree where he can sleep/watch out of the windows, and he often uses the windowsill in our study to watch for birds. He also has his pick of cardboard boxes scattered around the apartment and often chooses to play/sit/nap in them on his own.
We also have a tunnel feeder, and a treat ball -- both used to keep him occupied and thinking at meal times.
I like putting some dry food along with a few treats in a puzzle ball before bed. You can adjust the number of open gaps (and how far open they are) to make it so she might have to spend an hour getting everything out. I often hear my cat nudging it about early in the morning.
It sounds like she may still have a kittenish temperament. Is it also possible that she's just bored? Does she have various toys to play with when you're asleep? Do you play long enough to exhaust her in the evening?
Found these
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-SlimCat-Meal-Dispensing-Blue/dp/B0006TQU36/ref=pd_sim_199_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0018CG40O&pd_rd_r=51NW1E76HWVBKXZRDG0P&pd_rd_w=L3BZt&pd_rd_wg=G3hTW&refRID=51NW1E76HWVBKXZRDG0P&th=1
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Egg-Cersizer-Meal-Dispensing-Cat/dp/B003H44R5K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1500758950&sr=8-4&keywords=cat+food+dispenser+toy
Is getting him a companion an option? Our rabbits have become very content getting affection from each other, instead of obsessively demanding it from us when we're not available.
Wild rabbits maintain a range of 3-10 acres and live in social groups. This is what they're hardwired to want, so making them live solitary lives in small cages, with limited opportunities to forage and explore mean that we have smart little creatures who are lonely, bored, and full of energy. Factor in their crepuscular natures, and it's really a marvel that anybody with a pet rabbit gets to sleep at all.
Try to increase his exercise during the day and provide more stimulation to mimic what he'd get in a more natural habitat.
More run time and more exploration of new areas and spaces (even just rooms he's unfamiliar with) can give him much needed stimulation.
Increase his forage opportunities: If he gets pellets, try feeding them in a puzzle toy ([like this]{http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Egg-Cersizer-Meal-Dispensing-Cat/dp/B003H44R5K/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1417559491&sr=8-10&keywords=kibble+dispensing+toy}) so that he has to exert himself to get them. Similarly, we'll sometimes crumple the end of a cardboard tube, put pellets in, and then stuff the other side with crumpled paper or hay.
Getting up and feeding him to make him quiet down will only teach him that if he makes enough noise, he'll get what he wants.
Awesome! Somewhere, a sad dog is about to get a little happier.
Some tips:
Most shelters don't give you any supplies, and these things make walking a somewhat neglected, excited, and eventually dehydrated dog much more enjoyable.
We have one too - it's from amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Snapy-Stainless-Steel-Small-Animals/dp/B0012GS73S
We bought him 2 new food dishes when this occurred almost 2 years ago.
Simply Pets Online Large Slow Feed Cat Bowl https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015ZTH5EE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_tdD0DbVG7R9ZH
Didnt work because he learned quickly to flip the bowl.
I tried treat balls similar to these:
meal ball
treat egg
He thought those were ok but he really loves when I put the treats somewhere he can put his whole arm in (I don't know why) like this:
mouse maze
He gets really into it and will dive bomb the maze and shove his arms as deep inside as he can. It slides around on the floor with him. The larger holes means some pieces come out very easily but enough get stuck/move around that he spends 20min+ trying to get every last piece out. He even uses his paws to cup pieces and lift them out.
Try this! http://www.amazon.com/Stimulo-Feeding-Station-Activity-Center/dp/B004EG21FS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1369856971&sr=8-5&keywords=cat+feeder
It makes them work for their food.
Very cool idea. It's similar to this bowl I got for my cat, which she definitely seemed to prefer over her old one with steep sides.
We use one of these water reservoirs for our two buns. It's heavy enough and has rounded edges so that our flipper can't toss it around. And it means we don't have to fill their water multiple times a day (it lasts about a week).
It was similar to this
My little jerk face boy Tesla loves flipping water bowls over for fun. I got this for the cage. Then I will fill little plastic bowls full of water on the floor of my shower and let him go nuts for fun. Bathrooms are one of the easiest rooms to ferret-proof. I let mine run wild while I'm taking my morning shower.
I bought a slow feed bowl for my cat when I put him on his diet. Since he eats slower, his food lasts longer.
cat bowl
MidWest Homes for Pets Snap'y Fit Stainless Steel Food Bowl / Pet Bowl, 10 oz. for Dogs, Cats, Small Animals https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012GS73S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mcVeAbPCVFH8B
I️ think this is what they were talking about with the first link. We got this for our puppy because she would always flip her bowl if she had to be left in her crate. It’s hard to tell in the picture but there’s two black plates on the screws that you would put on either side of whatever you’re fixing it to. Then obviously the wing nuts tighten it down. It works perfectly on the crate but you could probably fix it to something you already have like a table leg. Good luck!
twinsies
I would totally want this for my crazy, hyperactive cat!
As for me? If I win, surprise me? :)
You could try something like this that clips on to the kennel - this one doesn't look particularly secure but something with good attachments shouldn't be too flippable or spillable.
Edit - here's one that's designed just for that spill-proof purpose! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012GS73S/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000GDZ0GK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0A6HMY62YFZWPN6SQE5B
Excellent oval bowls that should be a part of any cat household. I got the oval ones and they work great with my cat!
https://www.amazon.com/CatGuru-Premium-Provides-Prevents-Overfeeding/dp/B0788JD51M/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=cat%2Bguru%2Bbowls&qid=1566252846&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1&psc=1
Okay, I have a few bits of advice for you.
First things first, I know it's hard to do emotionally, but you've got to stop leaving dry food out for your cats all day. I had a professor once who was a cat behaviorist and he put it like this, "People feed horses like they should feed cats, and cats like they should feed horses." Meaning that horses are grazers and should have food all day, not just at certain times of the day. On the opposing side, cats are hunters and should be fed only at certain times of day, and not have food out constantly (which should also help with weight management for your kitty darlings in general, since it's so important to keep them at a healthy weight as they get older anyway!) AND this SHOULD make your roomie's cat less interested in getting into your room-if he realizes there is no reward on the other side of the door.
ALSO-as far as your room-mate's cat goes, you're right, she shouldn't be giving him tastes. Not just for your sake and your kitties' sake, but for her own cat's sake as well. Human food can be bad for kitties for a number of reasons and it's safest just to keep him away from it. Not to mention, like you said, it teaches him bad manners.
Now here's the tough part. It may sound ridiculous but obviously you need to talk to your roomie about this situation, which is conflict and awkward and horrible to deal with, I know. I really recommend looking up and doing some reading today on how to talk to people while avoiding conflict. There's stuff all over the internet about it, and it's a bit too hard for me to explain. Basically, not only is it a good life skill to have, but obviously you want to be able to talk to her about it without her getting upset or feeling personally attacked. Because cats are like your children, and people can easily get offended when they feel their "parenting" is being criticized. So I really, really, really recommend looking up just some general communication tips so you can talk this over with her without it being awkward or confrontational.
Also, here are some things that MAY help if you mention when you're talking to her (disclaimer: I don't know her, so you may have to cherry-pick things here that you think would help convince her):
-I don't know if her cat is overweight, but I think it's important to mention that even though fat cats are adorable and wonderful and everything, it's really not in their best interests to be overweight; just as with humans. Having a healthier relationship with food will help keep him at a healthy weight and can really help him live longer, as well as save her money (him maintaining a healthy weight can really keep down diseases and other things that cost lots of money.)
-I'd suggest this cat get fed separately from his brother, and given a toy such as this one:
http://www.redferret.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/e96a_stimulo_cat_bowl.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/Aikiou-Stimulo-Activity-Center-Green/dp/B00D91CQMW/ref=pd_sim_sbs_petsupplies_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0QE1JPXJM0J0SEXG885N
http://www.amazon.com/Northmate-Catch-Interactive-Feeder-Cats/dp/B00EB4IV2A/ref=pd_sim_sbs_petsupplies_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0QE1JPXJM0J0SEXG885N
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fg-ec2.images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FG%2F01%2Fkolpakov%2Forangeslimcat._V398607070_.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPetsafe-SlimCat-Meal-Dispensing-Blue%2Fdp%2FB0018CG40O&h=475&w=425&tbnid=eW1exz5JYvZ6FM%3A&zoom=1&docid=ZJge0SV6zuaQ1M&ei=-OAnVPjaF4f4yAS13oCgDg&tbm=isch&ved=0CCwQMygOMA4&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=1275&page=1&start=0&ndsp=20
http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B003H44R5K/ref=gl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=VQZ0PRAGLUYB&coliid=I12NBLS87B4NXX
All of those are designed to slow a cat down while eating, while at the same time giving them the same mental stimulation that comes with play. This would make him eat slower, which is better for weight management as well as helping him to feel full and satisfied (if he ever does) and would keep him occupied enough for everyone else to finish eating before he could even think of getting to them. Not to mention it's fun for them! I don't know if you're willing to do this, but you could buy one of those options and give it to her as a gift, under the presumption that it is so he will leave his brother alone (I'm sure since they're both her children she probably doesn't like it when he bosses the brother around). It really is probably best to feed him alone, to prevent him from getting into anyone else's business and also would make life easier for your roomie, too.
Sorry about the book I just wrote.
You mash wet food in. Found this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JHTKQNK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pTYnDbRRSNYYT
This is the exact product I got though there are many others like it in Amazon. Charlee (@charlee.thecloudbear) kept knocking her previous bowl over and splashing water everywhere. This prevents her from getting too messy, haha.
Maybe try a bowl that forces her to eat slower?
Phew! Glad that's all it is.
If she has to go on a diet with dry food (kitty crackers as we call 'em around my house) we have been using this interactive feeder in our house for the past few months with great success. Crackers go in every morning, and they have to fish 'em out with their paws and drag them onto the floor to eat. It slows them down and makes sure they aren't eating out of boredom. Both of our pudgy cats have been losing weight with it - one is back to normal weight, and the other (who has a little more to lose) is still losing.
I got it at my local pet store, but this is the same one.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003H44R5K/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=43833717082&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6007931978531074882&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7qvd7qy99g_b
This is the link to where I bought the bowls in case anyone was curious
Mogoko Cat Catch Interactive Slow Feeding Bowl, Anti-gulping Pet Bowl Insert Feeder, Bloat Gobble Stopper Dog Puppy Feeding Bowls Diet Dishes (10.4" 8.8", Purple) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y4NTY7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_33tBCb8QXA3D2
I used the Tigerdiner bowl for our cat - she decided to be a moron one day and ate so fast that she would throw up. Every. Single. Day.
It works fairly well for our situation, here is where we got it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007DOS9C2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_R-30BbWB7XXYN
>his use of 3D printer to solve a problem and segued.
He "solved" a problem that was already solved. Whisker stress is well documented and there are plenty of shallow bowls already for this exact reason.
Here's a classy one!
And one for the rest of us
Cat are finicky about water and prefer running/flowing water over standing one. You can look at getting a cat water fountain.
Catit Flower fountain is available for under 25 bucks, but if you are concerned about the cat playing with that, you can get a ceramic model. They would not tip over.
You can also look at something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JHTKQNK
How fast does your cat eat? My cat, who is just a month older than yours, will nearly inhale his food if we feed him from a bowl. He will swallow too much air doing this and rip the nastiest farts as all that air passes through him. We got him one of these to help him slow down. Now he spends 15-20 minutes eating instead of gobbling all his food in under a minute. His bad gas has disappeared.
As for the smelly poop, I mean.... It's poop. Poop stinks. Just like some people have really smelly poop, some cats just have really smelly poop. One of my in-law's cats poop stinks so bad it can clear a room. But their other two cat's poops stink just a normal amount. My cat's poop stinks pretty bad.
Its a little over, but free shipping
its a golden snitch necklace
edit: also, a cat lover myself
It's never easy. I think you just have to remember that she's lucky to be so loved and few bunnies get a forever home for one year, let alone 9.
Things that have helped our old man with his moulting is giving him lots and lots and lots of greens. They keep his guts hydrated and full of fiber to help push the fur through. In addition to his regular evening salad (which is about as big as he is) we give him a bunch of mint in the morning (1-2 cups) and leave a head of romaine in his pen for him to eat whenever. We brush him at least every other day with a rubber mit too until the mit comes away clean. We also got a bowl that filters his water and makes water noises because he can't see too well and the noise helps him find it and reminds him to drink when he isn't thinking about it. He also likes to rest with his front half up on a pillow, you can roll up some t-shirts and make a stack 2-3 inches thick for her. I think it takes some of the pressure off his arthritic hips and knees. If Momo is arthritic, cetyl-M/myristol has been really helpful. I got some from a friend who has a horse, but if you want I can send you some when I get a tub. It'll go bad before he can eat it all.
My little peke-faced rescue kitty has a tough time getting food in her mouth, but not on the floor. This bowl has an inside lip that helps keep the food mostly in the bowl and it’s elevated for easier digestion. https://www.amazon.com/Necoichi-Raised-Cat-Food-Bowl/dp/B00KAV98ES/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=elevated+cat+bowls&qid=1573588804&sprefix=elevated+cat&sr=8-3
Don't cut out pellets they are fortified with important vitamins and minerals.
Try putting pellets in this to make them work for it
PetSafe Egg-Cersizer Meal Dispensing Cat Toy
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003H44R5K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_O5dGwb8E0451N
I switched to this food bowl after my cat kept scarfing & puking his food. He has to fish out each piece of kibble with his paw so he can't inhale the entire bowl at once.
Roundtrip car ride from GA to NJ (about a 11 hr or so drive one way without breaks) with a 20 wk old pup was actually the smoothest drive we ever had. We kept him in his crate and he would drink the water we gave him (http://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Stainless-Steel-Snapy-Water/dp/B0012GS73S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1448963637&sr=1-1&keywords=crate+bowl here's a cheap one that comes in different sizes!) and sleep. Make sure to take them out about every 2 hours or so to go pee and don't forget to feed them!
I had a cat that became like this because my father got so annoyed by her meows that he would feed her every time she meowed just to shut her up. It did not work, because she just became conditioned that meows = food, and so, by the end of her life, she was just constantly meowing.
If he is going to meow anyway, I would say that it is worth limiting his food. A few weeks of dramatics should eventually fade off as he learns that it will not work. Cats are very smart animals - smarter than dogs, in some ways. They are highly trainable.
You can also try one of the many devices on the market that require the cat to "work" for its food, e.g. this ball that lets out just a little food at a time. Start slowly cutting down on his food as you add more and more kibble or treats to this ball.
We taught our cat to do tricks. The first thing that we did was to teach him to sit, and so now he always does this (sits politely in front of his food bowl or by your chair) when he wants food.
It is also worth mentioning that dry food is actually more fattening and less healthy than canned food, so a partial switch may be in order.
Lastly, you can try switching to an automatic feeder, so that humans are removed almost entirely from the equation entirely. This may help to rewire his conditioning.
Anyhow, best of luck!
Edit: I want to add that skin conditions are pretty common in obese cats. They may not be able to reach all of their fur to keep it clean. Having unkempt fur and skin that he can't reach would be very, very uncomfortable for your cat, and may be part of what is making him so miserable. There are wipes on the market that would allow you to clean the affected area for him, or you could consider giving him a bath every once and a while (I know, I know, but it is possible to ease him into the process). You can also try giving him a little plain olive oil every once and a while. This is safe for cats, can be good for their skin and coats just like it is for humans, and they sometimes really like the flavor. My cat has some very dry and damaged paw pads from his prior life as a stray, and so we put this stuff on his paws every once and a while. He will also eat it mixed into his food.
I actually use these! This one exactly. We have three ferrets. Two like to splash and one like to drag. I bought bowls like that to prevent our dragger from dropping the food down the ramps between levels, but it has not prevented our resident splasher from causing her own set of problems. I might switch to the plastic though, since the metal braces show some rust signs.
We use a pie dish for water on the floor when they're out of the cage, so he can't drag it around, but splashing is a problem there too. She's a little swamp ferret and ain't no one gonna stop her! Which is hilarious because she hates the wet floor....
get a spillproof water bowl they are awesome. We never had any spills unless I overfilled it.
I have been looking into something similar, I think I'm going to get this one though: https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Stainless-Steel-Snapy-Water/dp/B0012GS73S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478624396&sr=8-2&keywords=kennel+water
Maybe try one of these. Might filter out the bugs and cats like to drink moving water more anyways.
http://www.amazon.com/Cat-CleanFlow-Water-Filter-Bowl/dp/B008KG6W5S
In the morning, I give the 11 year old prescription Y/D dry cat food in a bowl because she has thyroid issues. I give the 5 year old Orijen in an Eggcersizer ball (http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Egg-Cersizer-Meal-Dispensing-Cat/dp/B003H44R5K) so it takes him longer to eat and gives the 11 year old time to finish her food or he steals it.
At night, I give them canned Y/D cat food and canned Weruva Paw Licken Chicken in spearate bowls.
The 11-year-old female was easy, she would eat anything I put in front of her. The 5-year-old kirkland addict, I had to transition to wet food slowly in this order over 2 months:
A couple days a month I will randomly give him Wellness or Nature's Variety to make sure he doesn't get picky.
The 11-year-old gets free-fed Y/D dry now because she's severely underweight. I transitioned her into eating it with coconut oil mixed in. Just enough that it keeps the 5-year-old from eating it but she'll still eat it.
I have a small version of this for my pugger. Since I take a water bottle with me, I found this to be the easiest to carry and use.
I used to have this but found it didn't work as well.
I have the same food bowl for my cat. The little paw prints and says 'Happy Dining' on it. Almost nauseatingly cute for a food bowl.
haha that's adorable. They were both like OMG it's over THERE.
I have this one for mine and they just go nuts with it.
It's a food dish that they need to dig their food out. Keeps them from gorging themselves as soon as food is put out, and is supposed to "[satisfy] your cats need to hunt and play".
Amazon Link
EDIT: did vs. dig