If you own cats, we’re guessing you love and adore them and want to keep them as healthy as possible. Providing them with a raised bowl can make it easier and healthier for them to eat thanks to a reduction of whisker fatigue and access to food and drink without added joint stress. However, these bowls are usually more expensive than the standard ones, and with so many brands available, it can be difficult to choose the best one for your pet.
We’ve chosen several different brands to review so you can decipher between them. We’ll tell you the pros and cons we experienced with each brand, and we’ve even included a short buyer’s guide where we discuss what makes one bowl better than the next. Let’s get to it.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
IRIS Elevated Pet Bowl
Durable
4-cup food capacity
2 stainless steel bowls
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Best Value
Richell Raised Cat Bowl
Lightweight
Ergonomic design
Dishwasher and microwave safe
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Premium Choice
Nom Nom Cat Bowl
Easy to clean
Sanitary stainless steel material
Whisker-friendly design
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Best for Kittens
Necoichi Raised Cat Food Bowl
Artistic design
Built-in curvature
Microwave and dishwasher safe
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Best Tilted Cat Bowls
ViviPet Ceramic Q Elevated Cat Bowl
Holds plenty of food
It doesn’t bother whiskers
Dishwasher and microwave safe
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The 8 Best Raised Cat Bowls
The IRIS Elevated Dog & Cat Bowl with Airtight Food Storage is our pick as the best overall raised cat bowl. It raises the bowls close to 9 inches off the floor, and it comes with two bowls, so you can feed two cats or provide one cat with both food and water. It uses an extremely durable plastic and has a four-cup food capacity so you can keep the dry crunchies right on the table. It disassembles and reassembles quickly, so it’s easy to clean.
Height: 8.9 inches
Frame Material: Plastic
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We love the IRIS Elevated Dog & Cat Bowl and use it all the time. The only problem we can complain about is a small lip to remove the bowls that catch food and water, and you need to clean them frequently.
All in all we think this is the best raised cat bowl on the market.
Pros
4-cup food capacity
2 stainless steel bowls
Durable
Easy to clean
Cons
Food catching lip
The Richell Raised Cat Bowl is our pick as the best value raised cat bowl. It has an ergonomic design that is comfortable for your cat to use. It’s lightweight but uses padded silicon feet to prevent it from moving while your cat uses it. It uses an extremely durable plastic that’s both dishwasher and microwave safe.
4-cup food capacity
2 stainless steel bowls
Durable
Easy to clean
- 4-cup food capacity
- 2 stainless steel bowls
- Durable
- Easy to clean
Food catching lip
- Food catching lip
Height: 4.1-inches
Frame Material: Plastic
We liked the Richell raised cat bowl and were impressed with the low cost. The only problem we had with it was that the actual bowl is quite small and may not be suitable for larger cats.
Pros
Ergonomic design
Durable
Lightweight
Dishwasher and microwave safe
Cons
Small size
Hepper’s NomNom Cat Bowl is our premium pick for cat owners looking for a high-quality raised cat feeder. This feeder has two separate bowls surrounded by an attached tray. The tray is a great addition as it catches any stray kibble from littering your home while also preventing water splashes from ruining your flooring. The tray is made of a solid plastic material that will be impossible for your cats that love to chew to nibble on. The tray comes in three colors—gray, pink, or white—so you can choose one that best suits your home aesthetic.
Ergonomic design
Durable
Lightweight
Dishwasher and microwave safe
- Ergonomic design
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Dishwasher and microwave safe
Small size
- Small size
Height: 7.75 inches
Frame Material: Plastic, stainless steel
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The dishes themselves are made of food-safe stainless steel, which not only makes them very durable but simple to clean, too. They are top rack dishwasher safe. The dishes can hold 10 ounces and are shallow enough to prevent whisker fatigue. The bowls could be raised a bit higher to be more comfortable for larger cats or those with orthopedic problems to eat more comfortably. That said, the slightly lower height of this feeding system might appeal more to cats who are tentative around other higher raised bowls.
Pros
Easy to clean
Sanitary stainless steel material
Three color options
Whisker-friendly design
Tray catches crumbs
Cons
Bowls could be higher
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Easy to clean
Sanitary stainless steel material
Three color options
Whisker-friendly design
Tray catches crumbs
- Easy to clean
- Sanitary stainless steel material
- Three color options
- Whisker-friendly design
- Tray catches crumbs
Bowls could be higher
- Bowls could be higher
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- Necoichi Raised Cat Food Bowl – Best for Kittens
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Height: 3.9 inches
Frame Material: Ceramic
The Necoichi Raised Cat Food Bowl is our pick as the best-raised cat bowl for kittens. It features an attractive artistic design on a durable ceramic food bowl that’s heavy enough that it doesn’t slide around while your cat is using it. It also has a built-in curvature that keeps the food in the center while your pet is eating. It is also microwave and dishwasher safe.
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Height: 3.9 inches
Frame Material: Ceramic
The downside to the Necoichi is also what makes it great for kittens. It’s just a little too small for many full-grown cats, so you will need to get a second one in a year or two.
Pros
Built-in curvature
Artistic design
Microwave and dishwasher safe
Cons
Small size
The ViviPet Ceramic Q Elevated Cat Bowl is our pick as the best tilted cat bowl. The tilted design helps keep the food together and makes it easier to eat. The bowl is also quite wide, so the cat can eat without bumping the whiskers. It uses a ceramic material that is both dishwasher and microwave safe.
Built-in curvature
Artistic design
Microwave and dishwasher safe
- Built-in curvature
- Artistic design
- Microwave and dishwasher safe
Height: 4 inches
Frame Material: Ceramic
The ViviPet is an attractive bowl that many of our cats enjoy using, but one problem with this brand is that the kibble frequently falls out as the cats eat, so it can make quite a mess.
Pros
Dishwasher and microwave safe
Holds plenty of food
It doesn’t bother whiskers
Cons
Kibble falls out
The OurPets Store-N-Feed Elevated Dog & Cat Feeder is another great raised cat feeder. Like our top choice, this brand has a large compartment for storing food, and this model can store up to 15 pounds. It comes with two stainless steel food bowls so you can feed two pets, and it has a self-watering notch where you can place a water bottle to hydrate your cat and a spill ridge that will contain any debris, so they don’t end up on the floor.
Dishwasher and microwave safe
Holds plenty of food
It doesn’t bother whiskers
- Dishwasher and microwave safe
- Holds plenty of food
- It doesn’t bother whiskers
Kibble falls out
- Kibble falls out
The downside to the OurPets Store-N-Feed is that it is quite expensive compared to many of the other brands on this list and it’s also quite large if you only have one cat.
Pros
Holds up to 15 pounds of food
2 stainless steel bowls
Spill ridge
Self-watering notch
Cons
Expensive
Large size
- Ethical Pet Mediterranean Double Diner Elevated Cat Bowls
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Height: 5.5 inches
Frame Material: Stainless steel
Ethical Pet Mediterranean Double Diner Elevated Pet Bowls are an extremely attractive set of raised bowls in a black powder finished cage that is extremely durable and won’t rust. The two bowls are stainless steel and are dishwasher safe, and each has a large capacity for food or water.
Holds up to 15 pounds of food
2 stainless steel bowls
Spill ridge
Self-watering notch
- Holds up to 15 pounds of food
- 2 stainless steel bowls
- Spill ridge
- Self-watering notch
Expensive
Large size
- Expensive
- Large size
Height: 5.5 inches
Frame Material: Stainless steel
The downside to the Ethical Pet Mediterranean brand is that since it is all steel, it tends to rattle and make considerable noise as the cats eat. The steel feet also do little to prevent the tray from sliding, so it usually winds up a substantial distance from where we placed it.
Pros
Attractive design
Black powder finish
Two stainless steel bowls
Dishwasher safe
Cons
Bowls rattle
Slides
The Platinum Pets Modern Double Diner Elevated Wide Rimmed Pet Bowls features a simplistic but effective design that makes use of wrought iron to create a stand that’s heavy enough that your large cats won’t push it around while they eat. The frame has a powder-coated finish so it won’t rust, and it comes with two dishwasher-safe stainless-steel bowls. We like that it’s available in many colors so it will match any décor, and you can also purchase it in multiple sizes.
Attractive design
Black powder finish
Two stainless steel bowls
Dishwasher safe
- Attractive design
- Black powder finish
- Two stainless steel bowls
- Dishwasher safe
Bowls rattle
Slides
- Bowls rattle
- Slides
Height: 8.75 inches
Frame Material: Stainless steel, wrought iron
The Platinum Pets is a great raised cat bowl is the best raised cat bowl for large cats. If you have small and large cats, these bowls can help you to separate their food because little kitties won’t be able to reach the food in these bowls, which is a pro, and a con. You definitely won’t be able to have a small cat use this bowl, but the large cats will love it.
Pros
Powder-coated finish
Multiple sizes and colors
Dishwasher safe
Cons
Too tall for smaller cats
Powder-coated finish
Multiple sizes and colors
Dishwasher safe
- Powder-coated finish
- Multiple sizes and colors
- Dishwasher safe
Too tall for smaller cats
- Too tall for smaller cats
Buyer’s Guide: How to Select the Best Raised Cat Bowl
Why Should I Get A Raised Cat Bowl?
Strained Joints
When a cat eats off the floor, it can strain the joints in the neck, possibly leading to soreness or discomfort, especially as the cat ages and develops arthritis and other joint problems.
Improved Posture
Not only does a raised bowl prevent your cat from straining its joints, but it also improves the overall posture of your cat while it’s eating. Better posture causes the digestive tract to be more in line, making it more effective at breaking down food.
The Cat is More Likely to Eat
Many cats seem to prefer eating food raised a bit off the floor, so they don’t need to reach down as far. So raising the food can be a great way to get a stubborn cat to start eating again.
Prevents Contamination
Another great reason to raise your cat’s food bowl is to prevent contamination. Many insects, including ants, can take significantly longer to get into the food if you raise it off the ground. Raising the food is especially helpful if you keep a food bowl on the porch or other outdoor location.
How Tall Should The Cat Bowl Be?
It can take some experimentation to find the best height for your pet as each cat will have a preference, but most experts recommend starting with a bowl that’s about as high as its knees. You can also use a measuring stick to measure the cat’s shoulders from the floor and subtract about six inches.
Tip
Before you purchase your raised cat bowl, we recommend using some old books to raise the bowl they currently use. It will allow you an inexpensive way to find the right height for each of your cats, and you can then shop for a brand that provides what your cat wants.
Conclusion
When choosing your next raised cat bowl, we highly recommend our choice for the best overall. The IRIS Elevated Dog & Cat Bowl with Airtight Food Storage provides your pet with a raised eating surface and provides you with a convenient, airtight place to store the dry food. It’s extremely durable, easy to clean, and you get two stainless steel food bowls. Another smart choice is our pick for the best value. The Richell Raised Cat Bowl is inexpensive, attractive, designed for your cat’s comfort, and is dishwasher and microwave safe. Our premium pick is the Nom Nom Cat Bowl for its sleek, whisker relief design, and raised dish holder with a lip that catches any spills.
- Related Read: 6 Best Tilted Cat Bowls
Featured Image Credit: Chewy
