Messy Mutts Messy Cats Interactive Slow Feeder Review 2025: A Detailed Look

If you have a chubby cat or a food-obsessed feline, you might have thought about using a slow feeder. But finding an effective and quality one for cats can be tough. I know, I've been searching for one for my hungry house cat for months. Thanks to Messy Mutts, I think I've finally found it. The Messy Cats Interactive Slow Feeder is the right size for cat-sized meals and is made for felines' short snouts. It's dishwasher safe and works well for both canned food and kibble. Most importantly, it's durable and made to slow feeding without frustrating the cat.

Find out what I like about this product, how my cat feels about it, and more in my full Messy Mutts Messy Cats Interactive Slow Feeder review, below.

About Messy Mutts

Messy Mutts started with a simple idea: Create functional and good-looking pet products that help reduce the mess while fitting seamlessly into home decor. This idea grew from dog-centered grooming and feeding supplies to include a whole line of cat products. This “Messy Cats” line includes cat feeders, litter box accessories, and food prep products.

Where Are Messy Mutt Products Produced?

Messy Mutts, owned by Jascor Housewares Inc., is based in Toronto, Canada. Most of their products are made in China using food-safe rubber, BPA-free plastic, and stainless steel.

Which Type of Cat Is the Messy Cat Interactive Slow Feeder Best Suited For?

The Messy Cat Interactive Slow Feeder is great for cats that eat their food too fast and still think they're hungry afterward. The bowl's unique design makes cats eat slower without getting frustrated or confused. It's not a puzzle feeder that makes your cat solve problems to get to the food. Instead, the high ridges stop your cat from taking big bites, effectively lengthening the eating process. This helps cats avoid regurgitation and feel more satisfied when they finish eating.

Overview

Here's an overview of the Messy Cats Interactive Slow Feeder by Messy Mutts. We'll look at what it's made of, how it works, care instructions, and the technical specs.

Materials

The Messy Cat Interactive Slow Feeder bowl is made of food-safe rubber and BPA-free plastic. The central part, which is dark gray, is plastic with ridges of different heights. This material is chew-resistant and hard enough to keep its shape, making your cat work to get to the food. The light gray outer ring and base of the slow feeder bowl are made of food-safe rubber. This softer material around the feeder means there are no hard or sharp edges to worry about. There are nine suction cups made of food-safe rubber built into the bottom of the shell to hold the feeder in place when it's in use.

How It Works

This slow feeder bowl works like most dog slow feeders. The raised ridges in the middle stop cats from taking big bites of food. Instead, they have to use their tongue and muzzle to move pieces until they can grab them, effectively slowing down the eating process. Unlike dog slow feeders, which usually have deep ridges and narrow gaps to force dogs to use their long tongues, this feeder has shallower, wider areas. Since cats have shorter, less dexterous tongues and short muzzles, this feeder works better for them than those made for dogs. This feeder can be used with kibble, canned food, and raw food.

Care

Caring for this slow feeder bowl is easy. It's dishwasher safe, so you can put it on the top rack when it gets dirty. The curved ridges don't hold food like other puzzle feeders, making it easy to rinse off between deeper cleanings. You'll need to rinse the bottom suction cups occasionally, especially if you feed kibble that leaves dust and grease. The Messy Cats Interactive Slow Feeder is made to keep its shape and color for years.

Specifications

This feeder is six inches in diameter, making it small and compact. It can hold ¼ cup of dry food or about one 3-ounce can of wet food. It's only available in one color, cool gray. Like most other Messy Mutts products, this one comes with a one-year manufacturer warranty.

Pros & Cons

Key Features

Built For Cats

This slow feeder is designed for a cat's anatomical proportions. The ridges are relatively shallow and the spaces between them are wider than most dog slow feeders. This allows cats to get kibbles and mouthfuls of wet food without frustration while still slowing their eating significantly. The small size and gripping suction cups are also suitable for cats and their owners.

Easy to Use and Care For

This slow feeder is very easy to use, even for beginner cats and their owners. It's not a puzzle feeder, so your cat doesn't have to struggle to get the food. Instead, they can eat the way they normally do, but it will take them much longer to finish the bowl. As for care, this slow feeder is very simple to maintain. It's easy to clean by hand because of the wide gaps and curved ridges. Or you can put it in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning without much effort.

Works with All Kinds of Food

Whether you feed dry food, canned food, or something in between, this feeder is a great choice. It can hold up to ¼ cup of dry, freeze-dried, or air-dried food or a small can of wet food. For wet food, just use a rubber spatula to push it into the crevices. You can also use this feeder with raw diets, but make sure to wash it between each use.

Is the Messy Cats Interactive Slow Feeder a Good Value?

Yes, at only $10, this slow feeder is a great deal. Most similar feeders cost much more. And those that cost less are often only made of silicone, which isn't as durable as the plastic-rubber combination used for this bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is this bowl easy to keep clean?

Yes. Unlike many slow feeders and puzzle feeders, there are no places where kibble and wet food can get stuck in this feeder, making it easier to clean. It's very easy to rinse off and dishwasher safe.

Do the suction cups work on all surfaces?

You need to use this bowl on a clean, smooth surface for the suction cups to work. It will work on smooth plastic or vinyl feeding mats but not the textured ones. It works best on granite, finished wood, and tile.

Our Experience With the Messy Cats Interactive Slow Feeder

I've been looking for a slow feeder for my hungry cat, Makoa, for a long time. He's a big food lover and likes to gobble up his food as fast as he can and then say he's still hungry. This is an extra problem because he also has pica, which means he likes to eat non-food items. So, it's even more important that he feels full after eating. A slow feeder is the perfect solution for his problems because it lengthens the eating process (giving him a healthy activity) while helping him feel fuller when he's done. The problem is, Makoa eats silicone, which most cat slow feeders are made of, and he can't smell well either. I've tried a variety of special feeder options for him. Puzzle feeders don't work because he can't smell the food well enough to find it. And the silicone ones just end up becoming food for him. Luckily, the Messy Cats Interactive Slow Feeder has the right combination of features for my special little guy. While this feeder has some food-safe rubber on the sides, the food contact points are made of hard plastic that Makoa can't chew. And unlike plastic feeder bowls for dogs, the ridges on this one are shallow, which means even my nose-blind kitty can get all the kibbles out relatively easily. While this bowl doesn't cause any frustration, it still does a great job of slowing him down. He used to finish a bowl of kibble in about three minutes. Now it takes him at least ten, and he often takes breaks in between. This helps stretch meals out for up to an hour. Not only does this keep him entertained, but it also seems to make him feel more satisfied when he's finished. I've noticed a big decrease in his food-seeking behavior since he got this slow feeder. On my part, I like that this thing is dishwasher-safe and very easy to rinse off between washings. All the ridges are smooth, so there are no corners for food to get stuck in. There's even no gap between the plastic and rubber edge, which means food can't collect there either. The size of this bowl is about right for the amount of food Makoa gets each meal. However, if he got any more, it would get messy quickly. Even when just feeding ¼ cup of dry food for dinner, a few kibbles end up on the counter around the feeder. This doesn't bother me too much because it just adds to the time it takes him to eat everything, but owners who want to keep a cleaner home might see this as a drawback. But my biggest complaint about this dish is the suction cups. These cups are very strong and do a great job of keeping the bowl in place during feeding. This is especially true if you're using it on a hard, smooth surface like granite or tile. But the suction doesn't last long on any surface. After about ten minutes, the suction cups release. This isn't a huge problem since they also act as an effective anti-slip device. But for smart cats, it wouldn't take much to lift the whole bowl up and dump the food out. For me personally, the suction cups not staying engaged means I have to be careful to put this bowl away between feedings so Makoa doesn't carry it off and use it as a chew toy. But overall, this slow feeder has been a big success for my household. I have been and will continue to use it for Makoa at every meal. He seems to enjoy the challenge of getting all the food out, and I like that it gives him some quality enrichment while helping him feel fuller.