The Best Nice-Looking Cat Bowls, According to Cat People
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Finding the stylish, nice-looking, or generally unobtrusive versions of cat stuff — fromtoystocat treestolitter boxes— can be more challenging than it would seem, in part because the most aesthetically pleasing products are not always the ones that will best suit your kitty’s needs. That is certainly true for the bowls and dishes you use to feed your cat(s), as there are some important criteria to keep in mind for their health and happiness. The first is that it’s best to avoid plastic, if you can; porcelain or stainless steel are preferable, says Kerrie McKeon, lead feline-care specialist atBideawee, because those materials are easier to clean and less likely to harbor bacteria. Some cats also develop chin acne from plastic bowls, McKeon adds. A raised and/or angled dish can also be beneficial, especially for older cats or cats who are prone to speed eating, and slow-feeders can help lessen the chance of vomiting for cats who scarf their food, McKeon says. Additionally, she advises avoiding deep bowls, as many cats dislike the feeling of their whiskers touching the sides (also known aswhisker fatigue).
To find nice-looking cat bowls and food dishes that meet these criteria and still look nice, I talked to stylish cat owners to ask about the ones they actually use in their homes.
Under $30
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Zara Stoneware Pet Food Bowl
Amelia Doherty, founder ofCleohausinterior-design studio, recommends these simple Zara dishes, which she says look “more like contemporary stoneware you might buy for your kitchen than something from a traditional pet aisle.” While Zara might not be the first place you’d think to shop for cat supplies, Doherty notes that more and more mainstream retailers are starting to add pet accessories to their home collections. She especially loves the irregular edge, neutral colour, and slightly organic feel of these dishes, which are made in Portugal and come in three sizes. Doherty recommends the smallest size for cats.
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Tamara Leicester, an interior designer and former cat-café owner, recommends these budget-friendly stoneware bowls from Ikea. “The stripes are fun and they mix well into any décor,” she says. The low, wide shape is ideal for avoiding whisker fatigue and the bowls are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
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Strategist deals editor Sam Daly likes these dishes from CatGuru. They are designed to be whisker-friendly, with a low and wide shape, and have subtle ridges to encourage slower eating. The bowls come in three material options, including melamine (a form of plastic), but also ceramic and stainless steel.
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I heard about this raised Necoichi bowl from my colleague Reilly McGavern, an SEO analyst at Vox Media, who uses them for her two cats. It comes in a few different styles, but the large extra-wide tilted version is especially well designed so that cats can easily and comfortably. You can also choose from four different designs. The basic version has a small cat icon in the center and paw prints on the base. The other three are variations on that style: One has colorful dots alongside the paw prints, one has cherry blossoms alongside the cat and paw prints, and one has a Mount Fuji design with clouds.
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Another raised option I like the look of is Wild One’s slanted cat bowl. The stand is made of BPA-free plastic, but comes with a stainless-steel bowl insert to hold your cat’s food. The steel bowl is removable for easy cleaning, and it has a silicone grip on the bottom to keep it secure in the stand. Wild One also sells amatching place matthat would look very nice in addition to helping contain any dinnertime messes.
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This even-less-expensive raised option is from Target’s Boots & Barkley brand and pairs a melamine stand with a removable and dishwasher-safe stainless-steel dish. Its neutral color and minimalist look should easily blend into many homes.
Under $50
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Furrther Multi-Angle Adjustable Pet Bowl Stand Set
Furrther’s adjustable bowl and stand set comes with an adjustable metal stand, a collapsible silicone bowl, and a flower-shaped ceramic bowl. Kate Benjamin, who writes the blogHaus Panther, says that being able to adjust the angle of the stand makes it easy to accommodate cats of different sizes. Plus, Benjamin notes, you can fold the stand flat for easy storage, if needed; the silicone bowl is handy for travel, too.
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Catenary’s Halo bowls are the ones that Doherty uses for her own cats. She says Catenary is generally a great place to find cat products that are “design pieces in their own right,” and these bowls are no exception: “The Halo is really simple and sculptural, with a lovely organic shape that doesn’t immediately read as petware,” Doherty says. She also appreciates that the bowls are wide and shallow enough for her cats’ whiskers, and that Catenary offers both a lower and elevated model, so you can choose the version that best suits your cat’s preferences without compromising on the design. (Doherty also disclosed that she is currently a part of Catenary’s creator/affiliate program, but had purchased products from the brand and recommended it for years prior to that relationship.)
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Senior editor Jen Trolio recommends these porcelain slow feeders, which she has used with her cats in the past. The simple gridded design encourages slower eating and the low, wide shape keeps it whisker-friendly. The dish comes in two colors, Storm Blue and Cloud Gray, and is both microwave and dishwasher safe.
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Content creator and veterinary-science master’s student Michelle, who goes by@missfeministkittyon TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, told me she finds many nice-looking, affordable cat bowls atTJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods. She likes that many of the options she finds there come in fun colors and often have whimsical designs. While you’ll find the best selection in person, you can browse some cat-/pet-food bowls online atMarshallsandTJ Maxx. The bowl I linked here is an example of what you can find at these retailers’ websites.
$50 and over
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Smalls’ dishes are raised and made from ceramic, which make them easy for cats to eat from and easy to clean, respectively. I’vebeen usingthese bowls with my two cats for about three months and Trolio hasbeen using themfor about a year. I love the two color combinations of the bowls and stands: Mossball is dark green and light green, and Butterblue is blue and light yellow. They have a retro-cool vibe, which is rare to find among cat products. And even though the stands are plastic, not ceramic, they are quite sturdy; I haven’t noticed the bowls detaching or coming loose from the stands since I’ve had them. Importantly, the dishes are also dishwasher safe.
If your cat is a speed-eater, you can also add theSlooowserve silicone dishes, which have ridges to encourage slower eating. The silicone dishes fit right into the Smallserve bowls, so you can use them together. They are top-rack safe for dishwasher use too.
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Vetreska’s pet bowl has a similarly fun and playful aesthetic. Doherty likes it as a colorful alternative to the more minimalist and neutral options that are popular now. This set comes with a ceramic bowl, a bamboo stand, and a silicone mat, which Doherty appreciates because all the pieces were designed as one coordinated feeding station: “I particularly like that the whole feeding area still looks cohesive,” she says. The bowl can be removed from the stand, and it is both dishwasher and microwave safe.
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For a stand-and-removable-bowl combo with a slightly different look, consider Tuft & Paw’s elevated food dish. It comes with a dishwasher-safe ceramic dish and metal base with a silicone grip. You can choose from three colors for the bowls — mint green, white, or gray — all of which would blend in with a variety of décor styles. While I haven’t personally used this bowl and stand, I’ve tested arange of Tuft & Paw’sother productsand have always found them to be high-quality.
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If you’re looking for something bespoke, Doherty suggested Henry Holland’s personalized pet bowls. Each bowl is handmade in London and is made with your pet’s name on it — up to seven letters. You can choose from seven designs for the bowl and letters. “I love these because they bring Henry Holland Studio’s distinctive approach to ceramics into something as everyday as a pet bowl,” Doherty says. “They’re bold, graphic, and playful, and the handmade nature gives each one character.” The bowls are available in small and large sizes; Doherty recommends the small size for cats.
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And here is an ultra-luxury option recommended by Doherty, for those inclined toward splashing out for the finer things for their cats. This bowl and tray set from Australian homewares and furniture brand the Object Collective is made from natural marble and comes in three finishes (Rosso Levanto, Carrara, and Crema Marfil). “I love the idea of choosing a pet bowl in the same way you might choose stone for another element of an interior,” Doherty says. “It makes the feeding station feel like part of the room’s material palette, and it’s absolutely gorgeous to leave on display.” She also likes that both a water bowl and a food bowl sit on the same tray, which keeps the feeding area contained. Perhaps predictably, these bowls are hand-wash only.
More nice-looking cat stuff that we like
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A visually unobtrusive litter box with plenty of space and high sides, for your cat's comfort.
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A more colorful litter box, recommended by a cat behaviorist.
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The fun and vibrant cat tree beloved by senior editor Jen Trolio's cats.
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A minimalist cat tree recommended by an interior designer.
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The decent-looking sturdy scratching post that saved my couch from my kittens.
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The cute and easy-to-clean water fountain I use with my cats.
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The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
