Ingenious food bowl helps overweight cats become healthier

Many cat owners can understand how difficult it is to keep their pets from overeating. The health problems associated with obese pets are heart breaking and can even be expensive. Some cats do well at maintaining their proper weight and will eat a healthy amount of kibble without any assistance. Others need their owners' help. But it can be difficult to achieve, especially for those who leave their cat alone for extended periods of time.

This ingenious food bucket allows the cat constant access, but the narrow opening on top is designed to keep the cat from putting her face into the kibble. The cat must insert one paw into the opening and scoop out the food, one kibble at a time. It drops the food on top of the bucket to eat it. The cat gets her food at a much slower pace and is more likely to stop eating earlier.

Buffy is seen here demonstrating the proper technique to get at her food. She is a plus sized cat that has had her share of struggles with portion control. Since this food bucket was introduced, she has become a little bit slimmer and healthier.

Buffy is a clinic cat that lives at the Sherbrooke Heights Animal Hospital in Peterborough, Ontario. She was brought to the clinic as a stray for euthanasia when she was very ill during the last few days of pregnancy. The veterinarian decided that there was slim chance the Buffy could be treated. She made a miraculous recovery and found her forever home in the process. Buffy shares her home with Stella the four eared cat, and Alvin, a former feral cat. They are all rescues and each one is a welcome addition to the clinic. The staff and the clients adore Buffy. She spends her day near the front counter, anxious to greet the visitors.