<p>H wants to get the cats (we have 2) an elevated feeder because he read somewhere that it is better for their digestion. I can see why an elevated feeder might be a good thing for large dogs, but cats? They are already so low to the ground to begin with . . . </p>
<p>Cats can have arthritis or they could have other troubles that make swallowing hard but healthy cats don’t need elevated bowls to help them eat. And from my little experience, they spread the food around on the floor just as much because they flick pieces, drop, etc. One of my cats is truly messy. </p>
<p>I do put ice cubes in the water bowl. Running a “controlled” experiment, they go for the really cold stuff rather than the bowl in the favored position if that one is warmer. </p>
<p>Saintfan, so glad you are no longer invisible. Love the sweater.
We have only had two cats, but they have no problem eating from the ground, and the little pure bread who looks like a princess is a S L O B when it comes to eating. I wouldn’t want to do anything to encourage our fat boy to eat even more. </p>
<p>Cats prefer to eat food off the floor and drink water from outside. A cat will eat, look sideways at the water dish that is right there, go to the door to be let out, drink from a bowl of rainwater then want right back in the house again. Actually the dog prefers outside water too even if it’s just from the hose.</p>
<p>Matildamae, I love it that your dh is concerned about your furbabies!
My cat had a feeder like the one you linked, and the tag on his collar would sometimes get caught on the frame. As we like to say, everything would go kattywumpus!</p>
<p>Oh, I thought you meant elevated like the one we have 4 feet off the floor. They have to jump up onto the windowsill and then to the food shelf. This started to keep the dog from eating the cat food, but we still like it this way. It gives the cats some exercise before they eat.</p>
<p>We have a senior cat who seemed to dislike the bowl on the ground. So we put the food on a small plate set on top of the bowl; raises it a couple of inches and that seems high enough. We keep a plastic place mat underneath for spills.</p>
<p>My elderly cat has an elevated dish - it’s on the fourth stair of our staircase. She gets finicky and determines her “spot” and stays there until she decides on a new one. She goes up to the bathroom for water, and her litter box is at the bottom of the stairs (yes, in my living room, but that beats her using the floor). For four months before this she lived in the kitchen…</p>
<p>Yes, he is attached to the cats; plus, he likes to order things from Amazon . . . </p>
<p>Our cats are pretty neat eaters and they are pretty adaptable. I think H has already ordered something so I guess we’ll find out what the cats think soon. </p>
<p>@lotsofquests My cat puts her paw in her water dish before drinking too. They do that to move all the residues or particles that float on the surface out of the way. Since cats clean themselves, that’s how the particles get into their water dish: from the last time they drank. Cats are really smart creatures.</p>
<p>This one is for the cat who is planning to order a bride by mail. “Let’s see, I think I’d like a chartreux or if you’re all out of those, how about a Scottish fold shorthair?”</p>