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10 Best Ant-Proof Cat Bowls – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Oliver Jones

By Oliver Jones

himalayan cat white eating hepper nom nom bowl

Ants are pests — they climb all over your cat’s food and put your feline off their meal. Unfortunately, this means our wallets suffer too, especially when our cats can’t eat the food that we set out for them. Most ant species bite and can make cleaning up difficult if they leave itchy bumps on you and your feline.

Water-filled trenches and elevated food bowls are the main choices for ant-proofing your cat’s food. These reviews will introduce you to both options and a few others, so you can make the best choice to fend off your persistent ant frustrations and enable your feline to eat in peace.

hepper-cat-paw-dividerA Quick Look at Our Winners (2024 Update)

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Hepper NomNom  Cat Bowl Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl
  • Durable & easy to clean
  • Provides whisker relief
  • Stylish
  • Budget Buy
    Second place
    Frisco Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowl With Silicone Mat Frisco Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowl With Silicone Mat
  • You can put water in the silicone tray to reduce ants
  • Water and food bowl, all in one
  • Removable stainless-steel bowls
  • Third place
    Frisco Heavy Duty Non-skid Silicone Diner Frisco Heavy Duty Non-skid Silicone Diner
  • Silicone base can be filled with water
  • Two sizes
  • Two-in-one design
  • AHX Cat Bowl for Food and Water AHX Cat Bowl for Food and Water
  • Elevated
  • Includes two ceramic bowls
  • Bowls are dishwasher and microwave safe
  • Pet Parade Non-skid Bowl Tray Pet Parade Non-skid Bowl Tray
  • Holds two 8.5-inch pet bowls
  • Built-in water trench
  • Dishwasher safe
  • The 10 Best Ant-Proof Cat Bowls

    1. Hepper NomNom Spill-Proof Elevated Cat Bowl – Best Overall

    kitty eating from hepper nom nom grey on the counter from chair

    Check Price on Hepper

    Dimensions: 9 x 16 x 2 inches
    Weight: 1.7 Pounds
    Materials: Plastic, stainless steel

    If you are searching for an effective way to eliminate ants from crawling your cat’s bowl, look no further than the Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl! This bowl was created with a small tray barrier around the removable, stainless steel dishes, effectively deterring ants from finding their way in. We recommend adding a little bit of water into the barrier so it can act as a moat against the ants. This means you may need to empty the moat and the bowl frequently to keep it clean and ant-free, but with the whole bowl being dishwasher safe, it’s an easy task to handle.

    This innovative bowl not only ensures the utmost protection against ants but also features an optimal dish depth, safeguarding your feline’s whiskers from getting pushed back, wet or soiled while they happily enjoy their pest-free meal. Additionally, the slightly raised design promotes comfortable, level eating, while the overall construction guarantees durability and effortless cleaning.

    Although it comes at a slightly higher price point compared to generic alternatives, when considering the design advantages, it’s clear that this ant-proof cat bowl proves to be an outstanding investment!

    You might have guessed, this is our own product – but we love it so much we just have to share it, and hope you get to own one too!

    Pros
    • Ant-proof design
    • Whisker-friendly depth
    • Elevated, sleek design
    • Durable, dishwasher safe construction

    Cons
    • Need to clean it frequently to keep it ant-free


    2. Frisco Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowl With Silicone Mat – Budget Buy

    Frisco Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowl with Silicone Mat

    Dimensions: 3 x 4.3 x 1 inches; 5.6 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
    Weight: 68 ounces; 1.19 pounds
    Materials: Silicone, stainless steel

    Dishwasher safe and BPA free, the Frisco Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowl With Silicone Mat is our budget buy pick. This product has two stainless-steel bowls that you can remove to fill or clean, and the silicone base collects spills and has a shallow basin that you can fill with water to prevent ant infestations.

    You can choose from gray or teal, and there are two sizes available. The dual design saves space and enables you to feed and give your cat water in the same place.

    Some owners have complained that their feeder shipped without the stainless-steel bowl inserts. Also, the lightweight structure makes this design easy to tip over.

    Pros
    • You can put water in the silicone tray to reduce ants
    • Water and food bowl, all in one
    • Removable stainless-steel bowls
    • Silicone base
    • Dishwasher safe
    • BPA free
    • Gray or teal
    • Two size options

    Cons
    • Sometimes shipped without the steel bowls
    • Lightweight and can be easily tipped over


    3. Frisco Heavy Duty Non-skid Silicone Diner

    Frisco Heavy Duty Non-skid Silicone Diner

    Dimensions: 9 x 1.75 x 17.5 inches; 10 x 2.25 x 19 inches
    Weight: 7 pounds; 2.59 pounds
    Materials: Silicone, stainless steel

    Constructed with a heavy-duty non-slip base, the Frisco Heavy Duty Non-skid Silicone Diner is a two-in-one water and food dish. You can fill the silicone base with water to protect against ants, and the included stainless-steel bowls are removable and dishwasher safe. The silicone base is also easy to clean and protects your floor from food or water spills.

    Available in two sizes — 3.5-cup or 6.5-cup capacity — small and large cat breeds and their canine family members can all benefit from this option.

    The heavy-duty, sturdy design does make this choice more expensive than some other two-in-one options.

    Pros
    • Silicone base can be filled with water
    • Two sizes
    • Two-in-one design
    • Heavy-duty design
    • Non-slip
    • Dishwasher-safe stainless-steel bowls

    Cons
    • Expensive


    4. AHX Cat Bowl for Food and Water

    AHX Cat Bowl for Food and Water

    Dimensions: 36 x 10.12 x 6.38 inches
    Weight: 76 pounds
    Materials: Cadmium and lead-free ceramic, plastic, wood

    Made from ceramic that’s free of both cadmium and lead, the AHX Cat Bowl for Food and Water has two bowls and an ergonomic, elevated stand. Unlike some other products, the heavy material used for the bowls ensures that this option is sturdy enough to withstand even the most eager of hungry kittens.

    Along with the high splash barrier to protect your furniture from messy felines, the elevated tray has a shallow well that you can fill with water to prevent ants from reaching the food.

    While the ceramic bowls are dishwasher and microwave safe, the plastic stand isn’t and needs to be hand-washed. Ceramic is also expensive and fragile.

    Pros
    • Elevated
    • Includes two ceramic bowls
    • Bowls are dishwasher and microwave safe
    • Splash barrier
    • The tray can be filled with water to prevent ants from reaching the food
    • Heavy, sturdy design

    Cons
    • The included stand is hand-wash only
    • Expensive
    • Breakable


    5. SUHEEUS Raised Pet Food Bowls

    SUHEEUS Raised Pet Food Bowls

    Dimensions: 11 x 7.48 x 5.04 inches
    Weight: 93 ounces
    Materials: Plastic

    The SUHEEUS Raised Pet Food Bowl is sold in packs of two. By filling the surrounding trench with water, you can keep your feline’s food safe from ants both inside and outside the house, and the non-slip base prevents spills and knocks. Therefore, this option is suitable for your pet cat or for neighborhood strays and feral felines.

    With the pack of two bowls, you can keep your kitty’s water dish or your multi-cat household free of ant infestations.

    Although the SUHEEUS food bowl is suitable for outside use, there’s nothing to stop the water from evaporating and leaving the ant-proof trench useless.

    Pros
    • Two-pack
    • Suitable for stray, feral, or pet cats
    • Indoor or outdoor use
    • Built-in water trench
    • Non-slip base
    • Supports multi-cat households

    Cons
    • Water evaporates quickly when left outside


    6. Pet Parade Non-skid Bowl Tray

    Pet Parade Non-Skid Dog Bowl Tray

    Dimensions: 21 x 10.5 x 3.08 inches
    Weight: 2 ounces
    Materials: Plastic

    Dishwasher safe and able to hold two 8.5-inch pet bowls, the Pet Parade Non-skid Bowl Tray is another great ant-proof cat bowl. Made from BPA-free, durable plastic, this tray has a non-slip base and a splash guard to protect your floor and walls from food or water spills. The built-in trench can be filled with water to stop ants from reaching your cat’s food.

    Both available bowl areas give you plenty of space for a food and water dish or two food bowls for multi-cat households.

    Due to this option being a tray rather than a dish, you’ll need to purchase cat bowls separately. It can also be difficult to remove the stickers.

    Pros
    • Holds two 8.5-inch pet bowls
    • Built-in water trench
    • Dishwasher safe
    • Non-slip base
    • Splash-proof
    • Suitable for multi-cat households

    Cons
    • Bowls aren’t included
    • Difficult to remove stickers


    7. WDD Design and Co. 3-in-1 Ant Free Pet Dish

    Dimensions: 25 x 5.75 x 3.5 inches
    Weight: 96 ounces
    Materials: Plastic

    The WDD Design and Co. 3-in-1 Ant Free Pet Dish has three parts to keep ants away from your cat’s meal: a water bowl, an elevated food dish, and a hidden water reservoir. Removable for cleaning, the elevated food dish design also makes it easy to prevent ants without using chemicals or gels.

    This option is available in five colors: black, blue, pink, green, and red.

    Although the WDD Design and Co. can be bought in two sizes, both are on the small side and are lightweight enough for your cat to push around as they eat. The gap between the base and the elevated food dish isn’t large enough to be effective against big ant species.

    Pros
    • Hidden water reservoir for protection against ants
    • Elevated and removable food bowl
    • Water dish
    • Available in five colors

    Cons
    • Ineffective against large ant species
    • Lightweight
    • Cats can push it around
    • Small


    8. Iconic Pet Anti Ant Stainless Steel Pet Food/Water Bowl

    Iconic Pet Anti Ant Stainless Steel Pet Food/Water Bowl

    Dimensions: 75 x 6.75 x 2
    Weight: 32 ounces
    Materials: Stainless steel

    With a durable stainless-steel construction, the Iconic Pet Anti Ant Stainless Steel Pet Food/Water Bowl is easy to clean. Sturdy enough for both food and water, the bowl’s mushroom-like structure is what fends off ants instead of a trench that you have to keep filling with liquid. The non-slip base means the Iconic Pet doesn’t rattle against the floor and scare nervous felines or move while they eat.

    This design works by forcing ants to climb underneath the bowl and up the inside of the base. As a result, it’s ineffective if it’s accidentally pushed against a wall or something else that gives the insects a route to the outer bowl. The sticker on the inside of the bowl can also be difficult to move.

    Pros
    • No need to refill a water trench
    • Suitable for food or water
    • Non-slip base
    • Outdoor or indoor use

    Cons
    • Doesn’t work if pushed up against a wall
    • The sticker might be difficult to remove


    9. Ants Away Food Water Bowls

    Dimensions: 5 x 7.75 x 2 inches
    Weight: 12 ounces
    Materials: Plastic

    The Ants Away Food Water Bowls saves space in smaller households by giving you two bowls in one ant-proof design. This dual food and water bowl enables you to keep ants away by utilizing a wide and deep trench to drown the ants before they can reach the food. Made from baby bottles, this food bowl is durable and dishwasher safe.

    Kittens that struggle to reach the main bowls may drink from the lower trench. The trench design also only works against ants when it’s filled with water. Although the bowl comes in blue or green, you don’t get to choose the color that you receive.

    Pros
    • Two-in-one food and water bowl
    • Space-saving design
    • Water trench
    • Dishwasher safe

    Cons
    • Can’t choose the color
    • Only works if you keep the trench filled with water
    • Cats might drink the water in the ant-proof trench


    10. MXCELL Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowls

    Dimensions: 14 x 9.84 x 2.36 inches
    Weight: 64 ounces
    Materials: Plastic, stainless steel

    Available in pink, blue, or green, the MXCELL Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowls are designed to be for both water and food. The stainless-steel bowls are removable for easy cleaning and filling, while the plastic base has a raised lip to reduce food and water spills.

    For locations with ant problems or if you’re feeding stray and feral cats, the base can be filled with water to prevent ants from stealing the food.

    Cats might drink the water in the surrounding trench, making the ant defense useless. There are also no handles to easily remove the steel bowl inserts, and their design might make it difficult to take them out to clean.

    Pros
    • The surrounding trench can be filled with water
    • Available in three colors
    • Removable stainless-steel bowls
    • Two-in-one design
    • Raised lip reduces food and water spills

    Cons
    • Cats might drink the water in the trench
    • There is no handle to ease the removal of bowls

    hepper cat paw divider

    Buyer’s Guide: Picking the Best Ant-Proof Cat Bowl

    Ant-proof cat bowls enable you to keep your cat’s food away from ants and other insects without having to spray your feline’s eating area with chemicals or use gels that they might ingest. With the variety of styles available, though, choosing the right ant-proof cat bowl for you and your cat can be a challenge.

    This guide will show you the pros and cons of each option, so you can make an informed choice for your kitty’s new food bowl.

    Which Ant-Proof Cat Bowl Should You Choose?

    There are several styles of ant-proof cat bowls.

    siamese cat eating food from bowl at home
    Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock

    Elevated

    Cat bowls raised off the ground have a much higher chance of being safe from ants, although it does depend on the style of the elevated cat bowl that you choose. If the stand has legs, the ants can still climb up to reach the food.

    Choose a bowl with a stand on the inside, with an outer bowl. This style will force the ants to crawl underneath the rim to reach a place that they can climb up, only to fall off when they try to traverse the distance between their starting point and the outer rim.

    The downside to this design is that it’s ineffective when the bowl is pushed up against a wall or piece of furniture. Even if it’s accidental — done by your cat or your foot as you walk past — if you don’t notice in time, ants can use the wall to reach the food.

    Surrounding Trench

    Many ant-proof designs rely on a simple water moat to fend off ant attackers. The bowls themselves — either a single or dual design — are surrounded by either a thin groove or a wide tray with a lip. You can fill the space with water, drowning the ants before they can reach your cat’s food.

    Depending on the size of the trench, how deep the water is, and whether your cat drinks the water defending their dinner, this bowl design can have varying degrees of success. While a deep trench might work against ants, larger bugs, like roaches, might find it simple to reach across the gap and avoid the water completely, rendering the defense useless. Likewise, if your cat drinks the contents of the moat, all the ants have to do is crawl through the dry groove and up the other side.

    Some people use dish soap to help kill the ants, and while this can work, remember to consider how easy it is for your cat to ingest the soapy liquid too.

    red tabby cat eating wet food from a bowl
    Image Credit: Elizabett, Shutterstock

    Hybrid

    Combining two easy solutions, hybrid food bowls use a mixture of elevation and a trench to fend off ant invaders. This design has a hidden reservoir beneath the food dish. This tricks the ants into plummeting into the water as they try to find a way to climb up to the food.

    Better still, while your cat has access to fresh water in the second ground-floor bowl, they can’t reach the ant trap beneath the food dish. This enables you to use dish soap to kill the ants if you deem it necessary.

    Ant-Proof Trays

    If you already have a bowl and don’t want to buy another one, many ant-proof trays enable you to keep your existing bowl and still benefit from ant-proofing technology. Some trays are a simple stand design. They often have a raised splash barrier at the back and a shallow lip in front to protect your floor from spills and when filled with water, fend off ants.

    Another design uses a maze-like system to confuse the ants. Constructed with layers, the ants are directed inside the tray rather than on top where you keep the food dish. When they can’t find the food, the ants eventually move on to easier targets. This option doesn’t require chemicals or water, but it doesn’t get rid of the ants either; it only stops them from getting to your pet’s food.

    cat drinking from a bowl of red bowl
    Image By: fantom_rd, Shutterstock

    Stainless Steel, Plastic, or Ceramic?

    Along with the style of ant-proofing that you prefer, you should consider the material that the dish is made of. Both stainless steel and ceramic are often dishwasher safe, and plastic is less so. However, while steel and most plastic bowls can take a few knocks or a drop from a countertop, ceramic tends to be more fragile.

    However, ceramic has the benefit of stability. It’s weighty and will be less likely to be shoved under furniture or carried around if your cat — or canine — gets overexcited as they eat or decide that it’s their new toy.

    hepper-cat-paw-dividerFinal Thoughts

    Cat owners can use the Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl to keep ants away from their current food bowls. With space for two bowls and a shallow basin to fill with water, the moat protects your feline’s meal. Similar in design, the Frisco Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowl With Silicone Mat has the added benefit of affordability and includes two easy-to-clean bowls.

    Our reviews include several options for the best ant-proof cat bowl. Whether you’re looking for a trench design or an elevated maze to confuse the ants, hopefully, this list has helped you learn more about your options.


    Featured Image Credit: You are free to use this image but we do require you to link back to Hepper.com for credit

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