9 Best Spill-Proof Cat Water Bowls: Reviews & Buyer’s Guide (Updated in 2023)

Unlike dogs, cats have a low thirst drive, and they’re not known for instantly falling in love with their water bowls. In addition to their propensity for making it challenging for their owners to choose a water bowl, some cats enjoy treating their water and food bowls like toys. Kittens and young cats are more likely to play with their dishes, but adult cats are not opposed to knocking the bowls around every once in a while.

Cleaning up the mess from flimsy dishes is a hassle, but you can use spill-proof bowls to reduce the spills and prevent your furball from attacking the water and food receptacles. The immense number of spill-proof bowls may make you cringe when you think about researching each one, but we’ve streamlined the process for you with in-depth reviews of the 10 best spill-proof cat water bowls.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2023

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Hepper NomNom Spill-Proof Elevated Cat Bowl	Easy to clean Shallow bowls prevent whisker fatigue Moat catches food and water	Check Price
Best Value		Necoichi Ceramic Elevated Cat Water Bowl	Dishwasher and microwave safe Elevated bowl Measuring lines for portion control	Check Price
Premium Choice		Torus Filtered Dog & Cat Water Bowl	Heavy base prevents sliding and spilling Carbon filter keeps water fresh Made from food-grade materials	Check Price
Best for Kittens		UPSKY Dog Bowl	Prevents spills Great for spill-free travel and car use Base is heavy enough to prevent tipping	Check Price
		PetHaven Dog Bowl Cat Bowl for Food and Water	Heavy bowl prevents tipping Non-slip base Keeps water cool for hours	Check Price

The 9 Best Spill-Proof Cat Water Bowls

1. Hepper NomNom Spill-Proof Elevated Cat Bowl

Are you tired of cleaning up after a messy cat? The Hepper NomNom Spill-Proof Elevated Cat Bowl is the answer to your problems. We awarded the NomNom our best overall cat water bowl because of its clever design and ease of cleaning. It includes two stainless-steel bowls and a plastic base with a small channel that catches spilled food and water. Unlike many of its competitors, The NomNom bowls and base are dishwasher safe.

Hepper uses 10-ounce shallow bowls to prevent whisker fatigue. Whisker fatigue is a problem when the bowls are too deep, and your cat’s whiskers constantly hit the side of the bowl. The base is made of hard plastic to discourage felines from gnawing on the bowl, and it’s durable enough to take abuse from destructive cats. For customers who experience problems with ants, Hepper suggests filling the base’s moat with water to act as a protective barrier to the water and food. However, some customers complained that the ants outsmarted the trench by crawling underneath the bowl and entering between the gaps of the bowl cutouts in the base. Although that’s the only drawback of the product, we suggest only filling the bowls during feeding time to prevent ants.

Disclaimer: You might have guessed, this product is our own, but we love it, and so we bring it up in the hope that you get to own one too.

2. Necoichi Ceramic Elevated Cat Water Bowl – Best Value

The Necoichi Ceramic Elevated Cat Water Bowl is ideal for cats with arthritis and mobility issues, and it’s our winner for the best water bowl for the money award. The bowl is elevated, so your cat does not have to bend its neck down to take a drink. It’s dishwasher and microwave safe, but it’s unclear how many cat owners will actually need to microwave their cats’ drinking water.

Our favorite feature of the bowl is the measuring lines painted on the bowl’s interior. Cats are notorious for avoiding their water bowls, and many cat moms and pops worry their felines are not adequately hydrated. With the bowl’s measuring lines, you can see how much water your cat drinks every day, and you can also use the measurements to portion out medicine or supplements that mix with water. The bowl has a small lip to minimize spills, but it’s not as effective as having a platform underneath to catch the water.

Although it’s not genuinely spill-proof, we couldn’t find any other reason to use another brand. For the quality and price, you cannot go wrong with the Necoichi.

3. Torus Filtered Dog & Cat Water Bowl – Premium Choice

Some cats spend more time playing with their water bowls and knocking them over than they do drinking. Our premium pick, The Torus Filtered dog and cat water bowl, has an ingenious solution to the problem. It only releases a small puddle of water into the bowl and automatically refills the basin after the cat finishes drinking. Since it weighs more than most cat bowls, your cat cannot knock it over or cover your kitchen floor with water. The bowl is constructed of BPA-free food-grade material, and it uses a replaceable carbon filter to ensure your cat’s water stays fresh and free of contaminants.

Compared to other bowl designs, the Torus is more suited to take on the road. The removable fill plug has three settings. One allows you to remove the plug to fill the reservoir, the second position releases the water, and the third setting keeps the water in the reservoir for travel. The bowl’s biggest drawback is its high price, and some customers were surprised how expensive it was to use new carbon filters every month.

4. UPSKY Dog Bowl – Best for Kittens

When you’re raising a young kitten, it’s tempting to use a tiny water dish for the little creature. Unfortunately, hyper kitties often knock their little bowls around the kitchen. With UPSKY’s Dog Bowl, you can train your kitten to drink from a larger bowl that’s nearly impossible to tip over. It features a floating bottom that only releases water when the cat’s nose or paw presses down the top. The distance from the water release holes to the lip is high enough to prevent spills, and it’s even designed to use in automobiles. If you’re driving on rough terrain, the water stays in the reservoir unless the floating bottom is pressed down.

The UPSKY bowl effectively keeps water off your floor, but it may take time for your kitten to get used to the device. Most animals should figure it out in a few days. Although some customers complained that the floating bottom trapped water, the piece can be pulled apart and cleaned to prevent odors or contaminated water. If you clean the bowl at least once a week, the water will stay safe and fresh. The Torus product description includes a picture demonstrating how to disassemble and clean the bowl.

5. PetHaven Dog Bowl Cat Bowl for Food and Water

The PetHaven Dog Bowl is a great product for inside or outside water drinking. The double-walled stainless-steel design creates an air pocket between the interior and exterior wall that keeps the water cooler. It’s similar to other bowls made by Yeti, but it’s much cheaper. At 2.25 pounds, it’s one of the heaviest bowls we reviewed, and most customers were impressed when they saw their pets attempt to knock it over. The non-slip rubber gasket helps it stay in one place, but it does not have a raised lip or channel system to prevent spills. If you only fill the bowl halfway, you can minimize spills, but it may be too deep for small felines.

The PetHaven bowl claims to be dishwasher safe and easy to clean, but one customer mentioned the paint came off in the dishwasher. However, most cat owners were pleased with the bowl, and the paint issue was not a common occurrence. Since the bowl does not require disassembly, we suggest washing it with soap and water instead of using the dishwasher.

6. Heininger Waterboy Portable Pet Bowl

The Heininger Waterboy Portable Pet Bowl is a handy accessory if you’re taking your feline on a road trip or an extended vacation. High-quality travel bowls are hard to find, but the Heininger is easy to use and designed to minimize splashing. You can store the bowl upright, and the water stays in the reservoir, and when you lay it on its side, the water slowly fills in the bowl. It only fills a small portion of the cup to reduce spills, but it’s not suited for larger dogs that need a full bowl to drink.

The only downside for cat owners is the size of the product; it’s too large to fit in a standard cat carrier or small animal cage. However, most healthy cats can travel in a carrier without water as long as you make several stops for food and water breaks. Most of the Waterboy’s negative comments came from customers with thirsty dogs that preferred a full bowl rather than a small puddle to drink. Although it’s probably too large and awkward to use as a regular bowl at home, it is easy to clean and store.

7. PetSafe Healthy Gravity Refill Dog & Cat Waterer

The PetSafe Healthy Gravity Refill Dog and Cat Waterer is similar to several other gravity-feeding water systems, but this one stands apart because of its stainless-steel insert and a large opening for easy cleaning. It’s available in a 64-ounce, 128-ounce, and 320-ounce bowl. You can fill the bowl with ordinary filtered water or purchase the Healthy Pet Water Filters that fit in the reservoir. It’s unfortunate that the filters are sold separately, but if you use filtered or distilled water anyway, it should not be an issue.

Although the bowl’s larger opening is easier to clean, you have to clean the reservoir and bowl by hand because they can get damaged in the dishwasher. The stainless-steel bowl is more sanitary than other brands, but you pay a high price compared to other models. The water control valve replenishes the water after the cat drinks, but some customers had issues with the valve becoming stuck.

8. Petmate Pearl Replendish Waterer with Microban

The Petmate Pearl Replendish Waterer with Microban is a gravity feeder made of BPA-free plastic. It features a Microban base that resists bacteria and a reservoir bottle with an extra-wide opening for easier cleaning. You have to clean the bottle by hand, but you can put the base in the dishwasher. The carbon filter in the base removes contaminants and keeps the water fresh. Although this model is less expensive than most gravity waterers, excluding our number 9 pick, it’s still priced high for a water bowl that has quality issues.

Although most of the comments about the Petmate Pearl are positive, several customers had problems with the bowl filling up. Some suggested that the carbon filter slows down the water flow, but you can use the base without the filter if you’re filling the reservoir with filtered water. The biggest issue with the product is the shape of the reservoir. The round container is difficult to hold and flip over when it’s full and slippery.

9. UPSKY Double Dog Cat Bowls Premium Stainless Steel

The UPSKY Double Dog Cat Bowls uses a similar design concept as our top pick, but unfortunately, it doesn’t match up in quality or performance. It’s inexpensive for a dual bowl system, but the base is light and capable of being knocked around by a medium-sized cat. The bottom of the base does not have a non-slip surface, and the channel system designed to catch food and water is ineffective if your kitty nudges the base. The base captures some of the food and water drips, but it works better for a cat than a dog. If you have a hyper dog that tries to steal his friend’s cat food, the kibble will end up on the floor.

The most common complaint about the UPSKY bowls was the quality of the stainless steel. Although true stainless steel is not supposed to rust, the UPSKY metal bowls are made of thinner metal that looks a shade darker on the interior. Although the manufacturer has not confirmed they use a coated aluminum finish on the inside of the bowl, several cat owners complained that the finish came off after being in the dishwasher. Like our number 9 pick, we suggest using this only as a temporary solution.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Pick the Best Spill-Proof Cat Water Bowl

We reviewed some exceptional water bowls that keep your floor and pet dry when your cat slurps up water. We only included bowls that function without using an electrical outlet. Although some of the fountain-style waterers we encountered seemed functional and aesthetically pleasing, they were not practical since they cannot operate during a power outage. If you’re not impressed with the products we reviewed, you can study this guide for advice on choosing the ideal bowl.

Price

Like our top pick, we found several affordable bowls that will function for several years. However, the cheapest bowls were generally not as durable as the competitors, and some were better for temporary or emergency uses. If you’re on a budget, the raised bowls and gravity waterers are the least expensive. The slow-feeder bowls are more expensive, and they require thorough cleaning to keep them safe and functional.

Water Capacity

Since cats drink less water than dogs, the bowl’s water capacity isn’t as important as it would be for a dog. However, if you plan to leave your cat at home for a day or two, a higher capacity bowl is needed.

Durability

If you’re shopping for a durable spill-proof bowl that’s built to last, you can expect to pay more for a premium unit than a basic bowl. Read over several customer comments to get an idea of the product’s durability.

Base Weight

A lightweight bowl is a tempting target for a cat that loves to bat its bowl around. Products with heavier bases are more stable and capable of resisting a powerful swipe from your feline.

Spill-free Effectiveness

Every bowl maker has a different concept for creating a spill-proof bowl. Unfortunately, some of the designs do not achieve the desired results. Our top pick, the Hepper NomNom bowl, has a simple design that is more effective at catching spills than many of its competitors. In addition to the NomNom, we found the slow feeders to be the best bowls for eliminating spills and wet floors.

Travel Friendliness

Most water bowls are not travel-friendly. When you’re on the road, you have to keep the bowl empty until your cat is ready to drink. The Torus, UPSKY dog bowl, and Heininger products are excellent travel bowls. You can keep them filled and avoid using a dingy gas station bathroom to fill up the reservoir.

Cat Preferences

It’s frustrating when you buy a premium product for your cat, but the little furball takes one look at it and walks away. An expensive water bowl is useless if your cat dislikes the design, but some products take a few days or even weeks to get accustomed to. When you buy a new spill-proof bowl, try to place it in the same spot as the old bowl but move the old model to another room. If you keep seeing your cat going to its old dish, you may have to try another model.

Conclusion

Cats do not drink from their water bowls as much as we would like, but when they do, it’s nice to have a spill-proof bowl to reduce the mess. Of all our product reviews, our top pick is the Hepper NomNom. It contained water and food spills better than competitors, and its low-profile design is subtle and more attractive than other models. Our winner for the best bowl for the money is the Necoichi Ceramic Elevated Cat Water Bowl. We liked the printed measurements on the bowl that help you determine how much water the cat drinks each day.