Food Bowl Placement

ty3535

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Hi!

Enzo eats, but not quite as much as he should (wet food only). I have read you should not place food near the water bowl, but how far should the distance be if they do need to be in relatively close proximity?

Also, he seems to eat more when we are gone. I don't know if this is from boredom or if he feels more comfortable eating where people can't see him. Currently his food bowl is next to our dining table and out in the open. Thanks for any advice!
 

tabbytom

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Hi there Ty3535, I've not heard about not to place food near water bowl. What is the reason and where did you get this information from?
Most of all if not all have their food and water side by side.

Maybe you could move his bowl to a less quiet and less traffic movement area? He might not like to eat when there's much movements? I do t think he eats more out of boredom. Let him have his own corner and proably he'll feel more comfortable away from noise and movements. ;)
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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Like TabbyTom, I also have not heard that food and water bowls should be placed apart. However, I prefer to place our cat Milly's water dish away from her food area and on top of something water-absorbent as she loves playing with her water at odd times. She's a splasher!

Regarding the food dish, I've noticed that Milly likes to eat from a dish that is up off of the floor, usually on a dresser or table. Cats seem to feel more confident and "powerful" when they are up high. Have you tried putting Enzo's dish up on a tabletop or such? Somewhere that places him higher than the ground, and with a view of the room. Milly is less fussy with her food when she eats in such a place. Just my 2¢.
 

LTS3

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I think maybe you heard it wrong or got misinformation. Food and water bowls should not be placed near a litter box. Who wants to eat where they go potty? Food and water bowls can be placed next to each other with no problem at all.
 

mizzely

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I have also read about the food next to water thing (in addition to both not next to the litter box). Don't know if it's an urban myth type deal but if you Google it you get a lot of hits. Example:
http://www.factswt.com/did-you-know...o-drink-from-the-water-bowl-which-is-next-to/

My cats do better with the water fountain away from their food dish. Before I moved it, Lydia would try to drink out of the sink or toilet. Moved it, and no issues. So it's true for 50% of my house lol.

Mine are about 8 feet apart on opposite sides of the room. Seems to work the best for us.
 

jcat

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Cats in the wild instinctively don't eat next to their water supply or spots where they eliminate, hence the recommendation to place food at the opposite side of the room and whenever possible in a different room from the litter box. Ideally, water should be somewhere between their favorite place to sleep and their food to "remind" them to drink as they pass by.
 
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ty3535

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Thanks for the responses! I've read on several different websites about keeping food away from water. Mostly because of instinct, and I've also read that the smell of the food is offputting and won't encourage them to drink (and cats already don't drink as much as they should). It's number 4 on this list just as an example but there are a ton of different sites that advise against and especially against those dual sides bowls. http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/how-appealing-is-your-cats-water/

I bought an elevated feeder to see if that helps. I think I might move the location as well I'm just not quite sure where yet. He has two water fountains, one upstairs and one downstairs and ideally I would like to place the food bowl in the same vacinity as the upstairs water fountain but I am unsure how far apart the bowls should be kept. I can't find suggestions or guides about that anywhere. I am concerned about placing it too close because I need him to drink as much as possible because he's had urinary issues.
 
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