Benefits of Slow Feeders
Whether it be a dog or cat, some pets can treat dinner time like a race and inhale their food like there’s no tomorrow. This can cause all sorts of digestive issues and can cause them to choke on or even throw up their food. If this sounds very familiar then we have the solution for you. A slow feeder! Slow feeding bowls and matts are a great interactive tool that can be used for both dry and wet food diets.
A slow feeder can be found in many shapes and sizes and have some kind of obstacle for your pet to figure out in order to get their food. This will not only slow down their eating time but also encourages your pet to work for their food, improving their mental stimulation. Eating too fast, especially in larger breeds, can cause complications as they are gulping down large quantities of air with their food which can cause a whole array of issues.
The Benefits
Promotes Mental Stimulation and Memory Skill
This forces your pet to problem solve and use their memory to figure out how to get the food from the feeder. They are designed to be challenging for your pet and turn mealtimes into a game which improves their mental stimulation. Additionally, this replicates their natural behaviour as they are required to use their problem solving skills. This leads to less boredom and ultimately less problematic behavior.
- Improves Digestion and Portion Control
- Eating slower will allow your pet to reduce the possibility of discomfort, gas build up, bloating and belching as it will reduce the amount of air swallowed from eating too much food at once. A less gassy dog/cat is a happy one (and the owner too!). Likewise, the faster you eat, the hungrier you feel when you finish a meal as your stomach hasn’t caught up with you yet. If your dog eats slower, it allows them to feel full once they are finished eating.
- Less Chance of Choking/Vomiting
- Slow feeders make it more challenging for your dog to get their food from the feeder which will result in them chewing their food more before swallowing. This will reduce the chance of them choking or vomiting the food back up as the food will be better digested.
Important to Note
Some things to keep in mind is that if you have a very strong or enthusiastic chewer, it is important to get a strong slow feeding bowl or mat so that they don’t end up swallowing bits of plastic along with their dinner. It also isn’t advised to use or change to slow feeding bowls if your pet is a picky eater. If they don’t tend to be motivated by food, slow feeders won’t work for these dogs or cats so we would suggest sticking to a standard bowl.
