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bowl/dish  

post #1 of 32
12/21/11 at 4:07pm
Thread Starter 
Wanting to get new food and water dishes. Problem with stainless steel bowls i hav now is they slide everywhere,what kind of bowl would b best to get that wont move around to easily? Dont want plastic.
post #2 of 32
12/21/11 at 4:13pm
A good heavy ceramic dish is best. A shallow saucer-type for wet food, slightly deeper for dry food, and I prefer deep, dog-size dishes for water.
post #3 of 32
12/21/11 at 4:30pm

I've had the same problems with SS bowls in the past. I got Mia 2 ceramic bowls that fit into a Metal (nicely decorated too) platform. Each dish has its own tray. It lifts the bowls up from the floor a bit. I got it at Wal-Mart for $10. They still have them as I saw them this past week when I was hunting for cat toys. :)

post #4 of 32
12/21/11 at 4:48pm
Still Stainless Steel.
I use Durapet Stainless steel bowls, which have a rubber ring on the bottom, preventing them to slide around - they work beautifully. I have the flat ones, and the slow feeder, for Lucky.
Ceramic develops microscopic cracks on the enamel/outer layer, which makes it easier to harvest bacteria in them... If you are going to use something else to prevent acne other than SS, try glass wavey.gif
post #5 of 32
12/21/11 at 4:56pm
I also use the durapet SS bowls and they do have a rubber bottom. You can also use glass bowls but they will slide around. wavey.gif
post #6 of 32
12/21/11 at 6:50pm

If you want to be sure to avoid any future skin infections or breakout problems, your best bet is to purchase only glass or stainless steel bowls - and that includes water fountains.

 

Stainless stool bowls with rubber bottoms are available, or you could just lay a towel under the glass and non-rubberized stainless steel dishes.

 

Regards.

 

AC

post #7 of 32
12/21/11 at 7:31pm

There is no need for special rubber bottom anything IMO, it just makes dishwashing a chore as you have to take those off on some of them.  The rubber ring ones at Petsmart for example are really cheap rubber with a very powerful smell that detracts from the food aroma.   Just get yourself an anti-skid mat to place whatever you want on it, and then anything generic will work.    My cats don't care that my glass plates are made for people.  smile.gif

 

Plates are preferred over bowls I think, since the whiskers won't touch the edges of the bowl.

 

Regarding materials, if you use a dishwasher after every use, its really not important what you use.  

 

1) Plastic is porous and the worst at harboring bacteria, but the chemicals and high heat and steam of dishwashers eliminates the concern.   Handwashing is very wasteful anyway.

 

2) In theory stainless steel is non-reactive and should not change the flavor of food or drink, but hardly anyone uses stainless steel plates or glasses to consume their human food off of, and I believe its because stainless steel comes in various grades and its likely that the impurities affect the flavor and make them unpopular choices.   I know caviar is never to be served on stainless, so it must be for a reason. 

 

3) Ceramic is hygienic and heavy, so its what I used for my water fountain and is good for plates too IMO.

 

4) Glass is also hygienic and I think looks neat, and is what I eat my food off of too.  Glass plates are so pure now and usually thick enough that durability is not a concern.

post #8 of 32
12/21/11 at 8:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducman69 View Post

There is no need for special rubber bottom anything IMO, it just makes dishwashing a chore as you have to take those off on some of them.  The rubber ring ones at Petsmart for example are really cheap rubber with a very powerful smell that detracts from the food aroma.  

To the OP: Not the case with Durapet, btw. Not cheap rubber, no smell, no need to take it off, and nope I don't even own a dishwasher nor ever felt the need of having one to wash these bowls. Durapet is not found on Petsmart.
post #9 of 32
12/22/11 at 1:10am

I was told cats don't like their whiskers touching the sides while eating. So I find glass plates. Ceramic too. I had candle holders once,  only have three now.

Flat dishes for can/wet food. Large dog ceramic bowls for water and food. No SS, my dog is afraid of it and won't drink. Of course the cats they are braver. But we have to think of big brother too. All the cat food are up on a table I don't use. Two for dry as we make our choices Three sometimes.

post #10 of 32
12/22/11 at 1:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carolina View Post


To the OP: Not the case with Durapet, btw. Not cheap rubber, no smell, no need to take it off, and nope I don't even own a dishwasher nor ever felt the need of having one to wash these bowls. Durapet is not found on Petsmart.


I use Durapet dishes here, and send kittens off with them too. Agree there is zero smell and cleaning is very easy.

 

post #11 of 32
12/22/11 at 2:18am
I've got a whole collection of china, stainless steel and glass plates and bowls. The cats prefer glass salad plates like these: Arcoroc Canterbury Salad Plate They're shallow, so they don't disturb their whiskers, yet deep enough that you don't have food all over the place. They also can be put through the dishwasher very easily. I pick up several whenever I see them on sale.
post #12 of 32
12/22/11 at 2:33am

Wow, Jcat, those're some fancy dishes your cats get to eat from! Mine have to make do with a simpler design; Target, $1.54 ('though I am a HUGE fan of Amazon!). :-}

11254844.jpg

post #13 of 32
12/22/11 at 3:15am
Mine are in various designs, because I picked them up at supermarkets and department stores, usually for between $1 and $2. The cats have fancy ones, and we use plain ones for salads.I just provided a link to Amazon to give people an idea of what I'm talking about. The Arcoroc ones hold up really well.
post #14 of 32
12/22/11 at 5:06am
Thread Starter 

thx for all the ideas,my cat only eats dry food,wont touch wet,all these ideas now i really dont know what to get lol,ss is cleaner than ceramic from what it sounds,id like to get something that wont bother her whiskers and esp that wont slide,where can i get a anti skid mat??? pet store?

post #15 of 32
12/22/11 at 5:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Racn1320 View Post

thx for all the ideas,my cat only eats dry food,wont touch wet,all these ideas now i really dont know what to get lol,ss is cleaner than ceramic from what it sounds,id like to get something that wont bother her whiskers and esp that wont slide,where can i get a anti skid mat??? pet store?


If you want ceramic, you don't need to worry about its hygiene.  

 

Porcelain, the thing that 99% of the human world eats off of (I'm sure you do too unless you have glass plates), is a high temperature ceramic.  Lower temperature thicker ceramics are used in coffee mugs and some bowls in just about everyone's homes.    Toilets are made of ceramic because it stays clean so easily.  

 

Not that the stainless one with the integrated rubber thing might not be best (no personal experience with it), just if you prefer the aesthetics of one over the other don't worry about it.  smile.gif

 

Antiskid also called antislip mats or placemats are everywhere from home improvement to walmart to bigger grocery stores and are quite inexpensive.    They usually look like this in a little grid, but there are solid ones without holes too:   http://www.amazon.com/Non-slip-Dash-Grip-Black-Color/dp/B000P910W8


Edited by Ducman69 - 12/22/11 at 5:43am
post #16 of 32
12/22/11 at 8:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcat View Post

I've got a whole collection of china, stainless steel and glass plates and bowls. The cats prefer glass salad plates like these: Arcoroc Canterbury Salad Plate They're shallow, so they don't disturb their whiskers, yet deep enough that you don't have food all over the place. They also can be put through the dishwasher very easily. I pick up several whenever I see them on sale.

Very nice dishes clap.gifclap.gifclap.gif I have a few glass plates that I got from Target - but not as pretty as yours clap.gifclap.gif.
post #17 of 32
12/22/11 at 8:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Racn1320 View Post

thx for all the ideas,my cat only eats dry food,wont touch wet,all these ideas now i really dont know what to get lol,ss is cleaner than ceramic from what it sounds,id like to get something that wont bother her whiskers and esp that wont slide,where can i get a anti skid mat??? pet store?

Any pet store. I get my mat's from Petco or Petsmart. They have many mat's to choose from and the dishes will not slide around. I use these and they can easily be machined washed.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3458666
post #18 of 32
12/22/11 at 10:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducman69 View Post



If you want ceramic, you don't need to worry about its hygiene.  

If you don't have a dishwasher you do.
post #19 of 32
12/22/11 at 12:00pm

AS far as the non-skid mats go, my two youngest think they are toys, and will pull the mats out from under their dishes, causing a big mess (think spilled water mixed with yucky damp kibble argh2.gif)  They even pulled one out from under their fountain!!

 

So, needless to say, we don't use those anymore!  I DO like to use the metal stands, though, to raise their dishes off the floor, especially since we have one porker who used to just lay down next to the bowl to eat.  We use ceramic bowls in those stands, for their kibble and water, then we use glass bowls that are narrow at the bottom and and wide at the top for the wet food.  I just set those on the rug in the dining room (apapropriate, no?) since they don't stay out all day.

post #20 of 32
12/22/11 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LDG View Post

If you don't have a dishwasher you do.

We will have to agree to disagree, as clearly I don't believe you do. 

 

Out of curiosity, what material plates do you as a human eat off of?   Do you get sick from bacteria left over from the last meal?   I am over thirty years old now and to date have never gone to someone's house and been served on stainless steel plates, and while I do prefer glass, I am the only one of my close friends that actually has a set.    Just about everyone uses white ceramics dishwasher or no, and thats with frequent use of cutting knives on them. smile.gif

post #21 of 32
12/22/11 at 3:47pm
No, but I don't put my head down and lick the food off my dish. I use forks, knives, and spoons. And if I did lean down to lick the food off my plate, I don't have fur to pick up bits of food or bacteria in the minute cracks on the dish.

The concern is generally not about cats getting sick. It is about allergies or sensitives. It has nothing to do with belief. People who have been battling chin acne on their cats will be all too happy to tell you about the problem. For some, all it took was switching from plastic or ceramic to stainless or glass. For others, it was removing the plastic mat underneath the dishes.

The FACT is that bacteria can collect in the cracks in ceramics or in plastics, and this can cause chin acne. Why run the risk. Use glass or stainless.
post #22 of 32
12/22/11 at 6:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LDG View Post

No, but I don't put my head down and lick the food off my dish. I use forks, knives, and spoons.

The FACT is that bacteria can collect in the cracks in ceramics or in plastics, and this can cause chin acne. Why run the risk. Use glass or stainless.

I assure you, whether or not you lift the food to your mouth with a spoon or lick it off the plate, your food is coming in contact with your plate.   If there were significant bacteria on your plate, it would be on your moist food, and then in your mouth, that is common sense.

 

Thus we simply disagree on what you state is fact, and I do not believe there is any risk, and am confident in washed ceramic plates being sanitary or I (and most of the world) wouldn't eat on them.

 

I am guessing someone online heard something about crazed ceramic and then used such an extreme exaggeration to cite that all ceramic plates harbor bacteria. 

post #23 of 32
12/22/11 at 6:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducman69 View Post

I assure you, whether or not you lift the food to your mouth with a spoon or lick it off the plate, your food is coming in contact with your plate.   If there were significant bacteria on your plate, it would be on your moist food, and then in your mouth, that is common sense.

Thus we simply disagree on what you state is fact, and I do not believe there is any risk, and am confident in washed ceramic plates being sanitary or I (and most of the world) wouldn't eat on them.

I am guessing someone online heard something about crazed ceramic and then used such an extreme exaggeration to cite that all ceramic plates harbor bacteria. 

Ducman.... IMHO to you now everything has become "someone read this or that online" and this and that can not be verified, therefore it is gossip, and not true. It makes things really hard, since this is an online community... dontknow.gif You can actually see the little cracks on the ceramic surface. Not all plates have it, but yes, with time they can develops cracks... With daily use they can. And yes, in those cracks with moisture from saliva, water, plus the food, you are creating the perfect environment for bacteria. Not bad for all cats.... But for those fighting feline acne, it is an issue. So, as you say, a matter of common sense.
Obviously, you do not have that issue with glass or Stainless, as you do not have a glaze. You do not have the deep scratches/porosity you have with plastic either.
Remember, there are members here dealing with Acne, those members have issues that are different that the usual cat. Mine can deal with ceramic AND plastic. Some do have extreme issues - so extreme in fact that they can't even use plastic mats. Not all cats are the same here.

During manufacturing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaze_defects
http://gare.com/support_faqs.cfm
Edited by Carolina - 12/22/11 at 7:17pm
post #24 of 32
12/22/11 at 7:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducman69 View Post

I assure you, whether or not you lift the food to your mouth with a spoon or lick it off the plate, your food is coming in contact with your plate.   If there were significant bacteria on your plate, it would be on your moist food, and then in your mouth, that is common sense.

Thus we simply disagree on what you state is fact, and I do not believe there is any risk, and am confident in washed ceramic plates being sanitary or I (and most of the world) wouldn't eat on them.

I am guessing someone online heard something about crazed ceramic and then used such an extreme exaggeration to cite that all ceramic plates harbor bacteria. 

I'm not talking about getting sick from ingesting bacteria. It seems you didn't read the entire post? Or I'm just misunderstanding how your response has anything to do with bacteria getting on a cat's chin?

Unfortunately I don't know the right combination to find threads without a lot of unnecessary time spent searching, but there have been members of TCS that found when they switched from ceramic bowls or plates to stainless steel or glass, their cats stopped having problems with chin acne. That is not a belief, it is the experience of members of this site, whether currently active or formerly active, or just here to solve the problem of chin acne. It's not, as you claim, some "someone online heard something about crazed ceramic and then used such an extreme exaggeration to cite that all ceramic plates harbor bacteria." I am not making this claim, I am citing the documented experience of people with their cats on THIS site.

What's the issue?

I'm not saying all ceramics have a problem. I'm saying why bother with ceramics when you KNOW you have even a less chance of winding up with chin acne problems with your cat(s) if you use stainless steel or glass?

Again - I am NOT talking about problems with INGESTING bacteria.

MY issue is that I believe it is irresponsible to make the claim that "If you want ceramic, you don't need to worry about its hygiene." With some ceramics, perhaps. But it is a blanket statement that is simply not correct.
post #25 of 32
12/22/11 at 7:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LDG View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducman69 View Post

I assure you, whether or not you lift the food to your mouth with a spoon or lick it off the plate, your food is coming in contact with your plate.   If there were significant bacteria on your plate, it would be on your moist food, and then in your mouth, that is common sense.

Thus we simply disagree on what you state is fact, and I do not believe there is any risk, and am confident in washed ceramic plates being sanitary or I (and most of the world) wouldn't eat on them.

I am guessing someone online heard something about crazed ceramic and then used such an extreme exaggeration to cite that all ceramic plates harbor bacteria. 

I'm not talking about getting sick from ingesting bacteria. It seems you didn't read the entire post? Or I'm just misunderstanding how your response has anything to do with bacteria getting on a cat's chin?

Unfortunately I don't know the right combination to find threads without a lot of unnecessary time spent searching, but there have been members of TCS that found when they switched from ceramic bowls or plates to stainless steel or glass, their cats stopped having problems with chin acne. That is not a belief, it is the experience of members of this site, whether currently active or formerly active, or just here to solve the problem of chin acne. It's not, as you claim, some "someone online heard something about crazed ceramic and then used such an extreme exaggeration to cite that all ceramic plates harbor bacteria." I am not making this claim, I am citing the documented experience of people with their cats on THIS site.

What's the issue?

I'm not saying all ceramics have a problem. I'm saying why bother with ceramics when you KNOW you have even a less chance of winding up with chin acne problems with your cat(s) if you use stainless steel or glass?

Again - I am NOT talking about problems with INGESTING bacteria.

MY issue is that I believe it is irresponsible to make the claim that "If you want ceramic, you don't need to worry about its hygiene." With some ceramics, perhaps. But it is a blanket statement that is simply not correct.


Ducman, in addition to everything Carolina and LDG posted, I'd like to ask you to please stop turning every thread that contains something you've not yet experienced or learned into an argument. I'm just a simple member of TCS weary of every thread becoming a battleground for your agenda, but I'd like you to think about what you get out of being here, and what you really want to bring to the TCS community.

 

Every experience is unique, and every TCS member who answers a request for help or advice has the right to offer their unique insight without having to defend themselves. More importantly, every new member should be able to anticipate the freedom to come here and ask for help without having to endure an unexpected firestorm. Many of them have cats that are in trouble; for heaven's sake, where is your empathy?

 

- - - - - - - -

 

Racn1320, I'm so sorry about all this. I'm very glad you're a long-time TCS member, and know the forum isn't the contentious battlefield it may seem.

 

I hope you were able to pull an adequate answer out of everything posted!

 

AC


Edited by Auntie Crazy - 12/22/11 at 11:57pm
post #26 of 32
12/23/11 at 3:12am

LDG, you either believe that ceramic harbors bacteria or you don't.   I don't, and have explained why and Carolina perfectly demonstrated how I believe the myth started, and I certainly wouldn't use damaged crazed ceramic... I own no crazed plates, the porcelain passed down from my mom is over sixty years old and hasn't crazed, and I doubt you've ever visted a home that served food on damaged plates, nor is stainless steel immune to damage and scratching (just look at my sink heh).   smile.gif

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auntie Crazy View Post

Every experience is unique, and every TCS member who answers a request for help or advice has the right to offer their unique insight without having to defend themselves.

Just let it go.   As I said, we can agree to disagree.   
 

Sorry about the drama-fest Racn!  laughing02.gif

post #27 of 32
12/23/11 at 3:55am
Purely for information purposes, good ceramic dishes don't have surface cracks. In fact, the surface of fired ceramics is glass. (Learned all about it in a fired ceramics class. )
post #28 of 32
12/23/11 at 1:34pm
I am going to stop posting on this thread for the sake of the OP. It is sad IMHO that this, like some recent threads, have become yet another IMO thread.
I wanted, however, post some Veterinarians recommendations on the matter, and leave it up to the OP to make her own decision. I found plenty of experiences online, of other cat parents, who were having severe acne issues, and switching to glass and stainless helped their kitties.
I can PM these links to the OP, however, because these are on other forums, it is against the rules to post.

Here are some vet and veterinarian hospitals, shelters recommendations on the matter - this is my final post - Good luck to you,
All my best,

http://www.justanswer.com/cat-health/40cxf-feline-acne.html
Quote:
Dr. Scott :
Plastic bowls can cause the chin reaction. Ceramic bowls are possible as well. Metal and glass should not cause problems. Chin acne is not common in a cat this age. The problem is caused by staph bacterial growth on the chin. The only alternative to washing the chin is oral antibiotics, which is also easier said than done in some cats.There are long acting antibiotic injections on the market as well. A long acting penicillin shot may fix the problem without having to clean or orally medicate the cat.

Read more: feline acne - JustAnswer http://www.justanswer.com/cat-health/40cxf-feline-acne.html#ixzz1hOdSyngw


http://www.cathospitalofchicago.com/online-cat-health-library/acne-in-cats/
Quote:
Prevention
We recommend switching from plastic or ceramic bowls to stainless steel bowls. Some cats can have a contact reaction to plastic. Stainless steel bowls tend to have the slowest bacterial growth. If the acne continues to be a problem the bowls should be sterilized daily. If your cat likes to drink from the faucet, try to dry his or her chin afterwards.


http://www.mdsalliance.org/pet-health/general-health/
Quote:
Meals
Feed a new kitten a high quality diet designed for kittens. Your veterinarian is your best source for information regarding an appropriate diet for your kitten or adult cat. Dry foods are usually most economical and have the advantage of providing a rough surface that will help reduce plaque and tartar buildup on your kitten’s teeth, but canned foods can be fed/supplemented if desired. Amount fed will depend on the diet, as well as the age, size, and activity level of your kitten or cat. Using stainless steel bowls is recommended because plastic and ceramic bowls can scratch, leaving crevices for bacteria to hide. The latter types of bowls (and resultant resident bacteria) have been associated with feline “acne” and skin irritation.
post #29 of 32
12/23/11 at 2:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post

Purely for information purposes, good ceramic dishes don't have surface cracks. In fact, the surface of fired ceramics is glass. (Learned all about it in a fired ceramics class. )

Thanks for pointing this out Mike, as that is where my head was going on the topic.

I bought a set of inexpensive ceramic dishes from Penney's one time, and they started to chip and crack within a month of purchase. Begin disgusted with them, I sold them and bought a set of Fiesta Ware, also ceramic, but fired at a higher temperature. That set has gone without a chip in 5 years.

All ceramic is not made equally. Unless you invest in a quality ceramic pet dish, chances are you are getting something that will have surface cracks. Porcelain is a high fired ceramic that forms a glass surface.

I have rubber bottom stainless steel, high quality ceramic, and porcelain bowls for mine.

And btw, toilets are made from porcelain. I know, technically its a high fired ceramic, but it is VERY different from normal ceramic.
post #30 of 32
12/23/11 at 10:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momofmany View Post

And btw, toilets are made from porcelain. I know, technically its a high fired ceramic, but it is VERY different from normal ceramic.

 

Its not "technically" ceramic, it is ceramic.   Ceramic is unofficially graded as pottery, stoneware, porcelain, and china.   Porcelain is the grade of "normal" ceramic that everyone uses for dinnerware, so it is certainly a normal ceramic.   When you hear "ceramic plates", or "ceramic toilets", or "ceramic washing machines", that is the norm, and they are not referring to low grade pottery clay.   The whole point of bringing up the anti-slip mats before is so that you can use normal dishes, it doesn't have to be pet specific, which includes normal ceramic, porcelain, the same thing you eat off of.   As Mike pointed out, they don't have surface cracks, and they aren't a bacteria risk dishwasher or no.    If one wants to believe otherwise, by all means, but I just want to make it clear that I was not suggesting people eat off of crazed, chipped, or broken and glued plates... which I thought was common sense.  smile.gif

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