If you’ve a cat that can keep a healthy weight and body condition score even when free-fed, you might be used to leaving a plate with food that they can use if they get hungry. However, leaving food outside can often attract ants that will get into the food, preventing the cat from eating it. If this sounds like a problem you are having and would like to know what you can do to solve it, keep reading while we list several methods you can use to keep ants and other insects from ruining your pet’s food.
The 9 Methods to Keep Ants Out of Your Cat’s Food
1. Water Bowl
While your cat’s hatred of water is legendary, ants hate water even more and will go to great lengths to avoid it. One of the best ways to keep ants out of your cat’s food is to place the food bowl inside a water bowl so there is a water gap between the floor and the food plate. As long as the water can’t get into the food, it will block the ants from getting to the food by creating a type of mote.
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2. Baking Soda
Baking Soda is effective at repelling ants if you spread it around the bowl to create a barrier. Baking soda works opposite to the water method, and it dehydrates the ants, causing them to avoid it. If they can’t find a clear path to the food, they will not disturb it. It’s a non-toxic and inexpensive method for keeping the ants away, and the only downside is that you will need to check it frequently to make sure the barrier is intact and add baking soda as required. You will also need to make sure your cat does not ingest it, while a little bit is innocuous, you do not want your precious kitty to ingest a lot of baking soda.
If you have any concerns, speak to a veterinarian.
3. Chalk
Another thing that ants don’t like is chalk, and they will often avoid it when possible. Using ordinary school chalk, you can draw a thick line around the bowl to discourage ants from getting to the food. In our experience using this method, it lasts longer than baking soda but isn’t quite as effective unless the line is quite thick, which can take a while to draw with school chalk.
4. Tape
If you are only keeping the food outside for a short time, an easy method you can use is double-sided tape. The ants will stick to the tape and will not be able to get to the food until enough of them are trapped. The downside to this method is that it can be quite unsightly, and once there are enough ants trapped, the ants will be able to walk over them to get the food.
5. Vaseline
You can rub Vaseline around the outer edge of the bowl, and the insects will not pass through it. Vaseline can repel the ants longer than most other methods, and it doesn’t smell bad and won’t bother your cat. The downside to using Vaseline is that it can collect dirt, and it’s bad for the environment.
6. Vinegar
Another fantastic way to prevent ants from getting into your cat’s food is to scrub the floor directly below the bowl with vinegar. Vinegar has a bad smell that often repels ants. Cats don’t like it either, but cats should return to the bowl long before the ants do. Most people already have vinegar in the home, so it’s easy to give it a try.
7. Different Food Locations
Ants use a complex system to find food that uses scouts and sign language to direct the colony to the food. Once they find the food, they will often return frequently to the same spot to see if there is more, and it can be challenging to discourage them. Changing the position of the food bowl can be a great way to keep the ants away until a scout finds a new placement. Securing your new position with a ring of baking soda or chalk might help keep them clear.
8. Limited Access
The best and most inexpensive proven way to ensure no ants get into your pet’s food is to limit access to the bowl. Instead of leaving the food out all day, we recommend putting it down only when it’s time for your pet to eat and removing it again a short time later. If your cat likes to eat all the time, know that you can transition them into eating set meals. If you are away for long periods, consider an automatic feeder bowl.
9. An Anti-Ant Bowl
You can find special anti-ant bowls. There are different designs available; some have a space to create a water gap to help keep ants away, while others have a raised rim. This might be one of the easiest methods if your cat will not transition into set feeding times.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are several ways to keep ants out of your cat’s food. In our household, the method that works best is to limit access, but if you need to leave food out because you won’t be available when it normally eats, you will need to use another method. Baking soda works well. It’s inexpensive and easy to use to create a barrier that the ants won’t cross. Vaseline works well in a windy environment where chalk and baking soda won’t work, but we use it only when necessary because it’s not eco-friendly.
We hope you have enjoyed reading over this list and found the answers you need. If we have helped preserve your cat’s outdoor meal, please share these vet-approved methods to keep ants out of your cat’s food.
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Featured Image Credit: pedphoto36pm, Shutterstock
