New to canned food - pieces of food around the bowls?

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starling

Member Since 2014
I just started feeding canned food (Friskies Pate), and the results have been great for my diabetic cat, who's now off the juice, and even for his non-diabetic brother, who looks great and seems to have lost his lifelong bad breath (I still can't believe that).

But I don't understand why they drop tons and tons of little pieces of canned food around their bowls when they're eating. Pieces of food also get stuck to the OUTSIDES of their bowls and all over the floor around the bowls, and it's definitely not a huge problem at all. I can live with it. And I put down mats under the bowls to catch most of it, but I'd like to t understand why they do it.

I'm feeding them from small (5 inch diameter?) plastic salad bowls. Would official cat bowls work better? The cats are both around 12. Do other cats do the same thing? Or do my cats maybe have issues with their teeth? I'm just curious.
 
Re: Newe to canned food - pieces of food around the bowls?

Max does that as well. I put a towel under the plate now. He never eats the dropped pieces from the carpet or towel either. I wouldn't worry about this for a second.
 
Re: Newe to canned food - pieces of food around the bowls?

I think theyre just messy lol. Mine have always done it. Yuri's the worst because he's so skittish that he worries someone will get him so he eats so fast that it goes EVERYWHERE!!!! In my opinion the bowl type doesnt matter, I've tried plates, bowls, pet specific food bowls....they're all the same. I think what it really comes down to is HOW they eat. They're leaning over a bowl, licking it up, ya they pick some of it up with their teeth but for the most part their tongue is doing most of the work.
 
Re: Newe to canned food - pieces of food around the bowls?

Well, their mouths were designed to rend and tear chunks of meat off, not lap up food from a bowl. Perhaps their mouth isn't well designed for the lapping thing.
 
Re: Newe to canned food - pieces of food around the bowls?

Some cats to like the bowls clean. For my home, my dog takes care of any left over food.
 
I cat sit for someone and 2 of his cats are "messy eaters". Chopping up the pate wet food and adding about a tablespoon of water seems to help create less mess. When I mash the pate and stir in the water to an applesauce consistency, they seem to be messier. ohmygod_smile

No messy food area at my house. My 2 civies Monet and Dancer always like their bowls clean and are sure to clean up the teeny tiny bits left behind by Wink. Dancer has had multiple tooth extractions but she is still a neat eater.

Sometimes, you just have to experiment a bit. So yes, trying a different food dish or changing the consistency of the food may help.
 
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