Stainless steel or China??

my cat mellow

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I am from England but currently live in Yorktown V
Mellow has plastic bowls, but I really want to get him some new heavier ones, I know that plastic is not the best to use but I bought them before I found TCS


I was thinking about getting some heavy bowls as mellow moves his bowls around and the food flies out of them and the water sploshes out, I currently have the bowls sitting in a deep oven dish, but he still manages to get the food bowl out.

So what do you use and what is better?

Thanks
 

yosemite

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China/ceramic can get tiny cracks in the glaze which then holds bacteria. IMO stainless is far better. I bought about 10 of them at the dollar store so as soon as one is used once it goes in the dishwasher for cleaning and sterilization.
 

whuckleberry

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I've used ceramic (china) bowls for several years with no issues. My kitty is able to move them around and sometimes water splashes out, but I don't mind. I've seen stainless steel bowls that have rubber on the bottom to stop them from moving- perhaps these would work for you (I've never tried them).
 

twstychik

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I use a big ceramic bowl for their water and give it a vinegar soak about every 2 weeks. For thier wet food I use paper plates and for their dry I use heavy plastic bowls from FreshFlow. What I'd really like to get are some bowl lifters so that the cats aren't hunched over thier food. Wickett will usually just lay down but Frankie sits and hunches and it can't be comfortable.

Of course, I keep their bowls (which had rubber bottoms and are pretty heavy) on cookie trays and the trays on non-slip stuff so nothing slides around but they still managed to paw food out and onto the floor. And water is a different story... Wickett drinks off his paw and loves to play in the dish.
 

babyharley

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I use ceramic, heavy bowls for my boys. I wash them out every other day with scalding hot water & then wash them in the dishwasher to keep them squeeky clean.
They have the rubber on the bottom so they don't move all over, but Harley has learned how to move the water bowl


I used to use stainless steel for their wet food, but I haven't replaced the ones we had for them that we lost in the flood. I should get them a new set, its easier to have a pair of bowls for their wet too.


Originally Posted by twstychik

What I'd really like to get are some bowl lifters so that the cats aren't hunched over thier food. Wickett will usually just lay down but Frankie sits and hunches and it can't be comfortable.
I would love to get those too, Harley lays down when he drinks his water, I just haven't found any lifters that fit the bowls I have
 

twstychik

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Originally Posted by babyharley

I would love to get those too, Harley lays down when he drinks his water, I just haven't found any lifters that fit the bowls I have
Neither have I. Everything I see has SS bowls already in it and I paid WAY too much for those petmate bowls to not use them.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by whuckleberry

I've used ceramic (china) bowls for several years with no issues. My kitty is able to move them around and sometimes water splashes out, but I don't mind. I've seen stainless steel bowls that have rubber on the bottom to stop them from moving- perhaps these would work for you (I've never tried them).
Mine all have the rubber - I didn't know there were any without rubber.
 

littleraven7726

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I use the Bamboo Feed + Toss diners. But instead of the disposable plastic bowls I use a Corelle Dessert bowl or a 5" ceramic cat bowl set in them. They are great because the bowls don't get pushed all over the mat when set in the Bamboo Diner.


A tip--Kmart has them for the best price. I've seen them at pet stores for $9.99, but Kmart had the double diners for $4.


My cats weren't big fans of stainless. Nabu won't even eat out of them if they have the rubber rings on the bottom. The ones I used to have, I threw out the rubber rings.
 

bnwalker2

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I prefer stainless steel bowls for their water bowls. For food, I use paper plates, with 13 cats the plates are just so much easier!
 

whuckleberry

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

Mine all have the rubber - I didn't know there were any without rubber.
Oh yes, the rubberless ones I've seen are just plain, lightweight stainless steel. Definitely not suitable for my boy, they look waaay to easy to tip over.


I'm thinking of getting a new bowl for his wet food, and I will definitely go for the stainless steel with rubber bottom.
 

sharky

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I love stainless but Gigi will only eat off ceramic... Zoey eats and drinks out of glasses ( dessert type)
 

laureen227

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i use ceramic square bowls for the dry, & ceramic plates for wet [think stoneware for the plates]. the outside cats have a melamine tray & a stainless tray, plus multiple water bowls, a combo of plastic & stainless.
all of the cats' dishes are actually human dishes... cheaper, match my decor & i don't have to worry about lead-based paints. ['course, you wouldn't have to worry about that w/stainless, either
].
 

sakura

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I voted for stainless steel. I have to be very careful/picky with the bowls I use because Mattie is really prone to kitty acne.

The only ceramic bowls I have are actually flat saucers. It's hard to find flat stainless steel dishes and I like flat ones more for wet food.
 

mezlo

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I switched from plastic to stainless steel because of Junior's chin acne. I figured stainless would be easier to keep clean and haven't had any issues since. The bowls I got have a rubber ring around the bottom so they don't move when Junior or Missy eat.

Mez
 

artgecko

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I use both, but recently I've bought about 10 1 cup glass bowls with covers (from the baking isle). I can use these for wet or dry food and pop the lid on to keep it fresh for later... They're also dishwasher AND microwave safe (which is a no-no with all the metal ones and some ceramics). They were also cheap at ~$6.99 for a set of 5.

I also have one of the food risers...I want to say it is made by petmate, but not sure... Came with two metal bowls and it has no skid "feet". Although I improved upon the original design by sitting it on top of a rubber mat that was ontop of a no-skid shelf liner material....REALLY cut down on the bowls moving around and water sloshing everywhere.

Art
 

dragoriana

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We use stainless steel for the food, as it's non-porous and easier to clean. And water in the ceramic one as it keeps it cooler
 

dragoriana

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Originally Posted by artgecko

I also have one of the food risers...I want to say it is made by petmate, but not sure... Came with two metal bowls and it has no skid "feet". Although I improved upon the original design by sitting it on top of a rubber mat that was ontop of a no-skid shelf liner material....REALLY cut down on the bowls moving around and water sloshing everywhere.

Art
I just bought one yesterday and wrapped it up for Charlie
it has two ceramic bowls and a gorgeous metal stand with rubber feet and rubber rollers in the holes so the bowls sit in nicely. I noticed it's a bit annoying for Charlie to crane his neck down to get the food right out of the corners so i thought this might be nice for him
 

saya

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I use ceramic bowls but stainless steel is less porous and better.

I wash my ceramic bowls regularly and have never had an issue, but again, stainless is better.
 

pookie-poo

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I use the Corelle dessert plates to feed the girls their wet food. They have several clear Pyrex bowls for water, scattered throughout the house, but they prefer the one in the spare bedroom, for some reason!

You can make a riser for their dishes out of just about anything. I have used landscaping bricks and a small wooden cuttingboard. You just need something that's about 2 to 3 inches thick (or however high you want the dishes), and large enough to hold the dishes or plates. Those nifty placemats that prevent sliding work great to keep their dishes stationary.
 
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