Friend's cat scatters dry food EVERYWHERE

[david68]

I often take care of a friend's 15 year-old Maine Coon when she's out of town. She takes very good care of him, and the cat gets in-home visits from a mobile vet. He is an only cat. He eats an expensive dry food.

But when I cat-sit for him, part of the job is cleaning up the mess he makes when he eats, which is like nothing I've ever seen before. You have to vacuum scattered bits of dry food all around the feeding area every day. He makes more of a mess in one day than my four cats make in a week. She's tried to deal with it by getting a larger bowl, but even that doesn't seem to help. I've noticed that he bends down to eat and then flips his head up to chew. This is when food gets scattered. He never eats the bits he's scattered.

Has anyone encountered this before and figured out a good solution?

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

Does he eats from an elavated bowl? Sometimes that helps. Also hard food can be difficult for them if they have any dental issues.Dental may not be noticable if you cannot really get a good look in their mouth. Mine will sometimes get food on the floor when she has a dental problem.I only feed wet food.

 

[game misconduct]

thats my daily routine with graycie but just add in bits of food canned or dry into her water bow i have no solution to it either

 

[FeebysOwner]

I'd try the elevated bowls, as suggested above. No reason not to add an extra large mat underneath that would make for easier clean up too. If your friend id willing to try this, please let us know what happens.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

thats my daily routine with graycie but just add in bits of food canned or dry into her water bow i have no solution to it either

Sometimes the easiest solutions are the hardest to see. For the "food in the water bowl," MOVE THE WATER BOWL a few feet from the food. Works like a charm. She'd have to pick the food up and literally drop it in the bowl.

 

[game misconduct]

Sometimes the easiest solutions are the hardest to see. For the "food in the water bowl," MOVE THE WATER BOWL a few feet from the food. Works like a charm. She'd have to pick the food up and literally drop it in the bowl.

i clean her water bowl and fill with fresh water daily when food is in it just means i clean it sooner

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Phoebe scatters her food (and her litter!) everywhere too, regardless of it being in a bowl with moderately high sides. Never known how she does it, maybe it's the tossing her head around thing too. Doesn't bother me, most of it goes on the placemats, where it's easy to sweep up.

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

Sometimes the easiest solutions are the hardest to see. For the "food in the water bowl," MOVE THE WATER BOWL a few feet from the food. Works like a charm. She'd have to pick the food up and literally drop it in the bowl.

Love it!!!! Sometimes we really do make things more complicated then they are

 

[Cat McCannon]

Get a puzzle feeder that’s like fake grass. The kibble will get down in the “grass” and be harder for the cat to flick.