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6 Best Whisker-Relief Cat Bowls for Cats – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

cat with long whiskers looking up

If you have noticed that your cat has suddenly stopped eating and drinking from their usual food and water bowls, they may be suffering from whisker sensitivity. Whisker sensitivity, or whisker fatigue, is a surprisingly common issue in cats. Your cat’s whiskers are extremely sensitive, and placing their heads deep into their bowls to access their food pushes their whiskers to the side, causing them discomfort.

This is a relatively modern problem caused by the deep bowls that owners typically use to feed their cats. The solution is simple: a whisker-relief bowl that has a much shallower design and will not cause your cat’s whiskers to be bent backward while they eat and drink.

The concept may sound simple, but there are many whisker-relief bowls on the market that attempt to solve this problem, and finding the right one can be confusing. We found the six best whisker-relief bowls and put them to the test, creating in-depth reviews to help you choose the best whisker-relief bowl for your cat.

hepper-cat-paw-dividerA Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl
  • Elegant, ergonomic design
  • 10-ounce capacity
  • Unique, spill-proof design
  • Budget Buy
    Second place
    Dr. Catsby's Whisker-Relief Cat Bowl Dr. Catsby's Whisker-Relief Cat Bowl
  • Made from food-grade, BPA-free stainless steel
  • Unique and highly researched bowl shape
  • Side cut-out to make it easy to pick up
  • Third place
    CatGuru Whisker Stress-Free Bowl CatGuru Whisker Stress-Free Bowl
  • Inexpensive
  • Made from surgical stainless steel
  • Non-slip base
  • ViviPet Elevated Cat Bowl ViviPet Elevated Cat Bowl
  • Made with lead-free ceramic
  • 15-degree tilted angle for easy access
  • Elevated design
  • Lorde Shallow Melamine Cat Bowl Lorde Shallow Melamine Cat Bowl
  • Non-slip legs
  • Elevated and non-slip
  • Made with BPA-free melamine
  • The 6 Best Whisker-Relief Cat Bowls for Cats

    1. Hepper NomNom Elevated Whisker-Relief Cat Bowl – Best Overall

    Hepper NomNom Grey

    Material: Stainless Steel
    Capacity: 10 ounces (1 cup)
    Food compatibility: Wet and dry food

    The  NomNom Elevated Whisker-Relief Cat Bowl from Hepper is an elegant yet functional cat bowl and is our top choice overall. This bowl set was designed with whisker relief in mind! The water and food bowl set has a unique raised design that will catch any spilled food or water on its concave edges, while still providing a comfortable eating and drinking experience for your feline. The stainless-steel bowls are shallow and wide, with a 10-ounce capacity, and are removable for easy cleaning. Both the base and bowls are dishwasher safe, and the base is made from pet-safe, chew-proof plastic to stop bacteria build-up and deter cats that like to chew.

    The only notable issue we had with these bowls is that while they are great for whisker relief, they don’t hold an excessive amount of water, so you may need to refill them often. However, cats love fresh water so this may work to your cat’s benefit! All in all, we think this is the best whisker-relief cat bowl you will find.

    Pros
    • Elegant, ergonomic design
    • 10-ounce capacity
    • Unique, spill-proof design
    • Shallow stainless-steel bowls for whisker-relief
    • Dishwasher safe

    Cons
    • May need to refill the water bowl frequently


    2. Dr. Catsby’s Whisker-Relief Steel Cat Bowl – Budget Buy

    Dr. Catsby's Food Bowl for Whisker Relief

    Material: Stainless Steel
    Capacity: 12 ounces (1.5 cups)
    Food compatibility: Wet and dry food

    If you are looking for a budget buy bowl option for your feline, this whisker-relief bowl from Dr. Catsby’s is a great choice. The bowl is shallow and wide, ideal for cats with whisker sensitivity, and is made from hygienic, food-grade, BPA-free stainless steel that won’t scratch or chip and harbor bacteria. The shape of the bowl was developed by measuring a large sampling of cats’ whiskers to come up with the ideal shape for whisker-friendly eating. The bowl has a side cut-out to make it easy to pick up and a non-skid silicone bottom to prevent spilling.

    The only issue we found with this bowl is that while it is great for wet and dry food, it’s not ideal for water because it spills easily and needs to be refilled frequently.

    Pros
    • Made from food-grade, BPA-free stainless steel
    • Unique and highly researched bowl-shape
    • Side cut-out to make it easy to pick up
    • Non-skid silicone bottom

    Cons
    • Expensive
    • Not ideal for water


    3. CatGuru Whisker Stress-Free Cat Food Bow

    CatGuru Cat Bowls

    Material: Stainless Steel
    Capacity: 5 ounces (1/2 cup)
    Food compatibility: Wet and dry food

    This whisker-relief bowl from CarGuru is made from hygienic, surgical stainless steel with pressed ripples to enable your cat to eat comfortably and access their food easily, so it is the best whisker-relief bowl for the money. It has a non-slip ring fitted to the underside of the bowl to help prevent spillage, and since it doesn’t absorb smells or scratch or crack easily, it is a breeze to clean and completely dishwasher safe. The saucer design with ripples ensures that the food moves to the center of the bowl as your cat eats, making for an easy, comfortable mealtime.

    That said, this bowl works great with dry food, but not so much with wet food. The shallow, slippery design makes wet food slide easily out of the side, which causes a mess. Also, there is only one small notch on the underside, making the bowl frustrating to pick up once your cat is done eating.

    Pros
    • Inexpensive
    • Made from surgical stainless steel
    • Non-slip base
    • Easy to clean and dishwasher safe
    • Great shallow design

    Cons
    • Not ideal for wet food
    • Difficult to pick up off the floor


    4. ViviPet Ceramic Q Elevated Cat Bowl

    ViviPet Raised Ceramic Cat Food Q Bowl Dish

    Material: Ceramic
    Capacity: 8 ounces (1 cup)
    Food compatibility: Wet and dry food

    The ViviPet Ceramic Q Elevated Cat Bowl is made with premium, lead-free ceramic, with an ergonomic 15-degree angle and shallow design that makes it ideal for cats with sensitive whiskers and flat-faced cats like Persians. The bowl is elevated, making it ideal for keeping pests out of your cat’s food, and is perfectly dishwasher-safe and microwaveable. The bowl can hold up to 1 cup of dry food comfortably and comes in four different colors to suit your cat’s unique personality.

    Due to the slanted design, this bowl cannot be used for water and is not ideal for dry food either because it spills out easily all over the floor. The ceramic design also means the bowl may crack and chip easily, which can potentially harbor bacteria.

    Pros
    • Made with lead-free ceramic
    • 15-degree tilted angle for easy access
    • Elevated design
    • Can hold 1 cup of food
    • Available in four different colors

    Cons
    • Not ideal for water or dry food
    • Chips and cracks fairly easily


    5. Lorde Shallow Melamine Cat Bowl

    Lorde Cat Feeder

    Material: Melamine
    Capacity: 8 ounces (1 cup)
    Food compatibility: Wet and dry food

    These melamine bowls from Lorde have a unique, adorable cat design and can be used as a decoration as much as for feeding your cat! The bowls have an elevated design for easy access and to help keep out pests, and they are shallow to cater to cats with whisker issues. They’re made with melamine, which is more durable and less prone to chipping than ceramic, with non-slip legs to help reduce spillage. The bowls come in a set of two for food and water and in three different color combinations: black and white, pink and white, and yellow and white. They are also dishwasher-safe and easy to clean.

    Several users report that the non-slip pads on the legs come off easily, and the bowls are a bit too shallow to use with water.

    Pros
    • Unique design
    • Elevated and non-slip
    • Made with BPA-free melamine
    • Non-slip legs
    • Dishwasher safe
    • Available in three different color combinations

    Cons
    • Non-slip pads fall off easily
    • Too shallow for water


    6. Lakerwin Stainless Steel Whisker Fatigue Relief Cat Bowl

    BiteKing Stainless Steel Cat Bowls

    Material: Stainless Steel
    Capacity: 10 ounces (1 cup)
    Food compatibility: Wet and dry food

    The Lakerwin Stainless Steel cat bowls come in a pair and are shallow and wide to provide relief for cats with whisker issues. These bowls are made from BPA-free, food-grade stainless steel that is dishwasher safe and easy to clean and will not scratch easily or harbor potentially harmful bacteria. These bowls can hold 1 cup of wet or dry food, and they can be used for water too, making them perfect for your felines!

    The main issue that we have with these bowls is the lack of non-skid feet or bases, so they will move around on a smooth surface. Also, the design is a bit top-heavy, making the bowls easy to spill, especially with water.

    Pros
    • Made with BPA-free, food-grade stainless steel
    • Easy to clean
    • Comes in a convenient pair
    • Inexpensive

    Cons
    • No non-skid base or feet
    • Easy to topple over

    Found the perfect cat bowl? Now it’s time to fill it!

    If you're looking for a balanced, highly nutritious cat food made with human-grade ingredients, take a closer look at Smalls. You can even save 40% on this premium cat food by entering code HEPPER24 at checkout!

    hepper single cat paw divider

    Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Whisker-Relief Cat Bowls for Cats

    Signs of whisker fatigue

    While whisker fatigue is surprisingly common in cats, many owners do not recognize the signs and symptoms of this issue and often mistake their cat’s food as the culprit for their cat’s reduced appetite. This leads some owners to keep switching their cat’s food from one brand to another without much success. If your cat has stopped eating their food or is eating less, spotting the signs of whisker fatigue is fairly simple.

    Here are a few things to look out for:
    • Your cat flips their food out of their bowl and eats off the floor.
    • Your cat’s paws kibble out of the bowl.
    • Your cat still seems hungry but will not eat their usual food.
    • Your cat stares at their bowl and you for a while before eating.
    • Your cat doesn’t finish their food.

    Even if your cat doesn’t display all these symptoms, it’s sometimes a good idea to take a proactive approach and seek out a more comfortable, shallower bowl, anyway, especially for older cats. Remember that cats are experts at hiding their discomfort, and there is no downside to investing in a more comfortable bowl regardless of a lack of symptoms.

    persian cat eating dry food
    Image Credit: Patrick Foto, Shutterstock

    What to look for in a whisker-relief bowl

    Let’s examine a few of the factors that make a bowl good for whisker relief and what to look for when purchasing one.
    • The depth of the bowl is arguably the most important part of providing relief for your sensitive cat. A shallow bowl will stop your cat from having to lean so deeply into their food bowl and reduce the chance of their whiskers touching the sides, as they would with a deeper style bowl.
    • The bowl that you choose should be much wider than a standard bowl, to make sure the whiskers do not rub up against the sides.
    • Most of the time, whisker-relief bowls do not hold much food, but they should be able to hold at least 1 cup of dry food so you do not need to refill it multiple times.
    • When it comes to cleanliness and hygiene, stainless steel is arguably the best material for food bowls of any kind. Stainless steel does not crack or scratch easily and is easy to clean. Ceramic bowls are the next best thing, but they can crack and chip and become unhygienic after a while.
    • Besides width and depth, a bowl that is slightly raised off the ground will make it easier for your cat to feed, and it reduces the chance of pests getting into your cat’s food.

    hepper-cat-paw-dividerFinal Thoughts

    There are many whisker-relief cat bowls on the market, and this list includes just a handful of our favorites. The NomNom Elevated Whisker-relief Cat Bowl from Hepper is our top choice overall. This water and food bowl set has a unique raised design with stainless-steel bowls and a 10-ounce capacity, and it is a breeze to clean.

    If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly bowl option for your feline, this whisker-relief bowl from Dr. Catsby’s is a great choice. The bowl is made from hygienic, food-grade, BPA-free stainless steel with a side cut-out to make it easy to pick up, and it has a non-skid silicone bottom to prevent spilling. This whisker-relief bowl from CatGuru is another good pick, as it is made from surgical stainless steel with a non-slip base and has unique molded ripples to ensure that the food moves to the center of the bowl as your cat eats.

    Whisker fatigue is an uncomfortable condition for cats, so whisker-relief bowls can make mealtimes much easier for your feline. We hope that our in-depth reviews have helped you find the perfect bowl for your cat!


    Featured Image Credit: NON, Unsplash

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