Experimental evaluation of the effect of the feed bowl design on the eating behavior of domestic cats in the context of whisker stress

Aim of the study. To evaluate the effect of feed bowl design on the eating behavior of domestic cats with emphasis on the phenomenon of whisker stress. Materials and methods. A prospective within-subject study with sequential exposure to two feeding conditions was conducted in 26 clinically healthy domestic cats. Animals were sequentially fed from a standard deep narrow bowl (control) and a wide shallow bowl (experiment) with a 3-day adaptation period. The following parameters were recorded: amount of feed consumed, amount of dropped feed, number of approaches to the bowl, presence of pauses and attempts to extract feed with a paw. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Fisher's exact test and binomial test. Results. No statistically significant differences in feed consumption were found between the two conditions (p > 0,05). When using the wide shallow bowl, no feed dropping was observed (0%), whereas when feeding from the standard bowl, dropping occurred in 38,5% of cats (p < 0,05). In the preference test, cats did not show a preference for either bowl (p > 0,05). Behavioral markers of sensory discomfort were not recorded. Conclusions. Bowl design affects feeding ergonomics and the amount of spilled feed but does not confirm the existence of whisker stress as a systemic phenomenon in domestic cats. Recommendations for the use of wide bowls may be justified by practical considerations of convenience.