It's like clockwork. You hear the tapping sound of a paw smacking against water, and then you walk in to find that same water all over your floor. A sticky solution can sometimes work for your kitty's current bowl, but if it doesn't, you might need to go shopping.
Step 1
Add a bit of adhesive to the bottom of the bowl. Keeping your kitty's bowl-tipping habits in check can sometimes be as easy as ripping off a piece of duct tape and sticking it to the floor and the bottom of the bowl. Other ideas include putty adhesive and superglue.
Step 2
Opt for a heavier bowl. Putting a stainless steel or plastic bowl in front of your kitty is like matching a lightweight boxer with a heavyweight. A few slaps of the paw and that puny bowl is going down. Go with a ceramic or glass bowl, which are often heavier and less likely to tip. If you enjoy plastic or stainless steel, take your kitty's current bowl with you when you go to your pet store, and try to find one that's a good bit heavier than the current bowl.
Step 3
Bring in a bowl with a wider, flared bottom. These bowls are sometimes referred to as no-spill bowls, and for good reason. A standard bowl is usually narrower at the bottom than at the top, so it doesn't take much to tip them over. Bowls with a wider bottom require your kitty to put a lot more force into her paw smacks before they tip over.
Step 4
Try a dual food and water bowl. Dual bowls, as the name implies, join together two bowls, one for food and one for water. The upside isn't only convenience, but more stability. With the added weight and dimensions of the extra bowl, it's less likely your kitty will tip over the water. The downside is that if your cat likes splashing her water, she might drench her food.
Step 5
Use a dispensing water bowl. Dispensers often come in the form of a reservoir that releases water as your cat laps it up or as a continuously cycling fountain. The weight of both the reservoir and fountain keep the bowl in one place, and you don't have to fill it with water as frequently as you would with a standard bowl. Fountains also entertain felines who love moving water.
Step 6
Switch out your kitty's water bowl for a bowl with a less significant lip. A big lip running around the outer edge of your bowl is just making things too easy for your kitty. One smack of the paw and you'll have a soaked floor. If your kitty hits a small, less protruding lip, she has less leverage to flip over the bowl.
References
Tips
- Burn your kitty's energy by playing with her throughout the day. Some cats mess around in their water because they're bored.
- Although the aforementioned suggestions may prevent your feline rascal from tipping her bowl, she may still paw at the water and spill a few drops. Consider filling the bowl only halfway to reduce spillage. You can also place a rubber mat under the bowl for easy cleaning.
Warnings
- Be careful with superglue. Test it out on in an inconspicuous area first, just to make sure you can remove it easily after it dries and it won't mar the surface.
Writer Bio
Located in Pittsburgh, Chris Miksen has been writing instructional articles on a wide range of topics for online publications since 2007. He currently owns and operates a vending business. Miksen has written a variety of technical and business articles throughout his writing career. He studied journalism at the Community College of Allegheny County.