Do your cats make a mess when eating?

[JenLindleyShitMom]

I feed them wet food. I got them some plastic place mats to try and make it easier to clean (they go in the dishwasher) but they are no good for protecting the skirting boards. I clean it up but when I go to work they usually still have food in their dishes so I leave it until I come home and it is often dried on by this stage which makes it a bugger to pick off.

I'm thinking of feeding them dry food instead but I've heard it isn't as good for them as wet food?

Can anyone think of a way round this mess?

Are the bowls next to the skirting board? If so pull them out so they aren't against the wall

Yes, it's our downstairs loo and it's very small so I have them against the wall so we aren't tripping over them but I guess I can move them out and tell DC to take care.

Yes my cat does lots feel like I'm always scrubbing cat food off everything! 🙈

Ours are buggers for this and make a real mess. Also pick through and leave what they don't fancy and it goes rotten so fast in the summer! It's not the most environmentally friendly but if I'm feeling lazy I put down a puppy training pad for a few days then I can just screw up the whole lot and bin it. You could probably fold it so it goes halfway up the wall too. Maybe a towel or similar would work and you could just bung it in the wash?

Oh good idea with a puppy pad/towel! I wonder if I could even blu tack a couple more placemats to the wall then it can all go in dishwasher.

My cats used to eat dried food. They would be munching away, a noise or movement would attract their attention and they would just drop the food from their mouths. I was constantly sweeping up kibble.

I have a cat food tray like this - no mess! It's annoying that you don't get extra bowls to swap while the bowls are being washed, but does contain any mess

M cat pulls the food off the plate with his paw to eat it. He will drag it off whatever mat I put his food bowl on before eating it

I have three cats and spend half the day cleaning a mix of wet and dry food from the floor. One cat likes to pick up the wet food with her mouth, then walk about three metres in the opposite direction, drop the food on the floor and eat it from there (or sometimes, if she's feeling active, she'll take it into the hallway). The boy cat gobbles his food up and spills a load in the process. One of the cats is a dainty eater, but then she doesn't particularly like food at all. I have found no way around the mess - other than constant cleaning .

Yes our skirting boards frequently look like that. Dh is a messy eater too, I think it's a plot to send me batty.

Yes. Ours eats mostly dry and manages to get it stuck to the wall too! Sometimes she crunches and a bit comes shooting out. Am frequently cleaning up after her.

If any friends or relatives still take papers, use newspaper. You can fold it/position it so that it covers the lower wall and then, when it becomes mucky, you can just pull off the top layer and discard it.

That's a good idea cozie, I suppose kitchen roll might even work too.

It might - but it's usually more 'squidgy' than newspaper - not as large in sheet size and doesn't fold as well. (I use that also for a cat-related item but not this particular task. Seniorboy has had newspapers under his feeding and water stations for years.)

Good point!

I got my 2 something like this each, but replaced the bowls with metal/ceramic/glass bowls, because many cats don't like eating from plastic bowls. Keeps the mess contained.

I use the Sunday papers under Mr C's range of bowls, plants, silver dishes, etc. Rip the top page off and he gets a clean tablecloth daily.

Every couple of weeks I do that awful skirting scraping. Why is catfood stronger adhesive than superglue?

I use puppy pads they work great!

Welll I say great they still get wet pet food everywhere, but it's somewhat better strangely this does not happen with chicken to steak

And it is like superglue it's awful stuff

I hear you, Lana - but, I fear, tabloids work best.

I use one of these and put the bowls inside.
Especially in summer, it's easier to hose it out.

Takes up lots of space though.

Our cats are the same. The posh diva one sits nicely and dips her paw in the food and then licks it off...

Yes, same here and we haven't got space for a big mat or container. Steam cleaner is good for getting it off hard surfaces.

We have 4 none of those lovely trays will work , it's constantly like you've dropped a curry in my utility room.

Ooh, yes, forgot about steam cleaner. I am the proud owner of one but a lazy slattern and it waits patiently in the Hell Hole, (understairs cupboard).