Flies all over the cat's food?

In the summer weather, there are always a few flies buzzing around the feral cat's food. But this summer, I'm serious, they're driving me crazy! Morning, night, afternoon...there's about fifteen, twenty flies buzzing around while I'm trying to feed the cats food.

And not to mention, it also seems unattractive to neighbors and visiting family. I clean the bowls twice a day, and change the dry food twice a day as well. (I'm aware that dry food isn't good for cats, but I give it to the ferals because they like to come back and nibble throughout the day and the wet food I give them in the morning doesn't last). I was wondering, does anyone have any potential solutions to this?

It's so frustrating. Especially since I have a pathological fear of bees and the buzzing of the flies scares the heck out of me...:lol3:

I have 2 outside and some tnr ferals who stop by here and there.  I make a fly trap with a soda bottle.  cut the top off right and the top of the label unscrew the cap put in a few ounces of wet and invert the cut part back in so the bottles top it pointing the wrong way.

I get SO many flies.  It is great for days I am trapping as this heats up and the flies go there.

My cats never leave yards so they eat at set times as opposed to having food out all the time-maybe you can try to leave food out for periods of time vs all the time?

Yeah, the flies in the summer are just awful. I don't have any suggestions because my feral shelter is away from my house a bit. But the flies to congregate immediately around the food in the summer. My feral cats usually know that I only feed in the morning in the summer hours so they eat up the food right away. Solves the problem of food being left out all day in this heat. But I totally know what you mean... flies are nasty!! :slant:

OH wait - I just thought of something you could try! We do this at the horse barn in the horses stalls during the summer months. We hang up fans that blow all day and night on the horses to keep the flies away and help cool their bodies at the same time. IF you keep the ferals food on the back porch or patio - you could bring out a box fan and leave it run during the day. Face it towards the food bowls and that will keep the flies off the food. Don't put it on too high though, let the cats get used to the nice breeze first. :lol3:

You wrote put in wet? What do you mean by that?? I have been trapping ferals and fostering the kittens. They are in my garage and when it's hot I open the garage doors so they have some fresh air and the flies are everywhere. I have been covering their food to hope keep them away. I feed the ferals outside amd I also have a cat of mine that is fed outside. Like in a previous post it's embarassing. I need to find something that keeps them away.Thanks for your help.

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I feed wet food in the morning and evening year round.  Yet with the wet food I only feed it when the cats are around.  If they don't eat it within the hour, I pick it up and put it away.  Then as soon as they are finished I take the bowl away.  I do leave out dry food and the flies rarely bother it.  I may have a few, but nothing that is too bothersome.  It's the wet food they are after.  Some caregivers feed in the morning and night, but pick up as soon as the cats walk away.  It trains the cat to eat on a schedule so there is no food left sitting around for the pests to get after.

Flies and other insects are a bother. 
 

I read recently that basil will keep flies away.  So I went to the nursery and got a plant and put it in the enclosure with Schofield.  And you know what, it worked!  Noticeably less flies.

I also have two rolls of flypaper hanging in there and a sheet of flypaper (about 8.5" x 12").  All of the sticky paper is covered with flies and other insects, so that is working as well.  But I planted the basil near where I put his food and really noticed there are fewer flies swarming on it.

The bad news is, basil is an annual around here, so I can't just plant a bed.  I will have to buy new plants or start some from seed every spring.