Plastic, Ceramic, or Stainless-Steel Cat Bowls? Why Stainless-Steel Cat Bowls are Safest!

A healthy diet is crucial for your cat to live an active and long life. However, your feeding efforts may go to waste if you ignore the safety and hygiene of feeding containers.

Your pet’s health depends on the kind of container or bowl you use and how frequently you clean them.

Feeding bowls come in a variety of materials, from plastic and ceramics to stainless steel. Which one of them is the best for use as a feeding bowl?

This article gives an in-depth guide that will help you to choose the right material for your cat’s feeding bowl.

Stainless Steel Bowls

Advantages

• Sturdy and can’t be broken into small harmful pieces, making it safe to chew on for your pet.
• Can also be reused several times, reducing the need for buying multiple bowls for long periods.
• Stainless steel is non-porous. This means that there are no tiny holes on its surface, where tiny bits of food can seep into and become stuck. Thus, the material acts as a shield, preventing the buildup of harmful bacteria on its surface. 
• The steel bowls can be easily sterilized by placing them in boiling water, killing germs. After use, you can clean them easily with dish soap and water or place them in a dishwasher. However, stainless-steel bowls shouldn’t be cleaned with rough materials such as steel wool, as it can create scratches, making a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Stainless-steel bowls don’t release toxic chemicals.

Disadvantages

• Come in a variety of models, which can make it a bit difficult to buy a stainless-steel bowl of good quality. Some steel bowls even consist of lead which makes them toxic for use as a feeding container.
• Luckily, We Love Doodles has enlisted high-quality stainless-steel bowls at a reasonable price that pet owners can use as a feeding bowl.

Ceramic Bowls

Advantages

• Are heavy, making it easier to feed pets who can easily knock out lightweight bowls when eating.
• Can rinse ceramic bowls easily with dish soap and water.
• Ceramic bowls with properly polished surfaces are recommended as they don’t consist of crevices or cracks where bacteria growth is prominent.

Disadvantages

• Bowls made of ceramic material are delicate, making it easy to break them, creating a choking hazard. Your cat can accidentally swallow a small broken piece while eating, which can damage its digestive tract or cause other digestion problems.
• Some ceramic bowls are polished with lead-based paints. Such ceramic bowls can’t be used for food consumption as they can cause lead leaching into food items. Lead is a toxic chemical for all living things. If consumed in small amounts, it can inhibit the development of the nervous system in kittens. Large amounts may result in damage to the nervous system, kidneys, and even the digestive tract. Lead poisoning can cause your cat to show anaemia-like symptoms, including lethargy.
• Ceramic material is brittle and can easily get cracks and crevices on its surface. These features serve as a breeding ground for bacteria, where they can easily multiply and spread. Even proper washing and rinsing won’t be able to exterminate all of the bacteria as it only occurs at the surface.
• The material is also porous, meaning tiny food particles can seep into minute holes, increasing the likelihood of bacterial growth on the surface of the bowl.

Plastic Bowls

Advantages

• Are very cheap, making it easier for pet owners to use, dispose of, and buy new plastic bowls for their pets.
• Plastic bowls are sturdy. They won’t break easily even if they fall from a height or are kicked by your pet.
• Are safe to be washed in a dishwasher.

Disadvantages

• With rough handling, scratches can appear on the surfaces of plastic bowls over time. These scratches provide enough space for bits of food to get stuck into them. Such conditions provide a robust environment for bacteria to multiply on the surface of the bowl.
• Even thorough washing with soap can’t help to eliminate all the bacteria that hides within these cracks and scuffs. Placing your cat’s food in such bowls can rather induce a negative impact on its health. Germs can spread within the food and can cause food poisoning if eaten by your cat.
• The buildup of germs on plastic surfaces can cause allergic reactions on your cat’s chin. If you notice swelling or black dots on your cat’s chin, take it to the vet for getting diagnosed.
• Several plastic materials consist of a dangerous chemical called BPA (Bisphenol A) which can leach into food items. Even in small quantities, it can cause your cat’s health to deteriorate. The toxic chemical can disrupt the normal functioning of the endocrine and reproductive system. This creates adverse impacts on the brain and the circulatory system of mammals and has the potential of causing cancer.
• Plastic material consists of phthalates, a group of chemicals used for increasing the durability of plastic items. Phthalates are harmful to animals and can result in abnormalities in their reproductive system. It can leach into food items when placed in plastic containers.
• If your cat tends to chew on its feeding bowls, small bits of plastic can break off and be swallowed by your cat while eating. This can lead to intestinal blockage.

Conclusion for Cat Bowls

When it comes to selecting a feeding bowl for your cat, choose the material type that is safe for chewing, is durable, and doesn’t host any kind of harmful chemicals.

While plastic bowls are cheap and can’t break easily, they pose a risk of tiny bits being swallowed by your pet that can come off while chewing.  Ceramic bowls are heavy to move and can work for pets that are playful with their food bowls. This makes stainless-steel bowls the safest option as they have a non- porous surface, making it difficult for the buildup of bacteria.

Courtesy of Myrah Abrar MBM Blog Article Author