How to Keep Ants Away From Cat Food?
A popular question on the site is how to keep ants away from a cat’s food. Ants can be problematic for cats because when ants get into their food, it makes the food unusable.
Ants eat anything, and a bowl of cat food is no exception. Many people ask why they’re attracted to their cats’ food in particular, but the truth is they’re not. They’re just looking for something to eat and your cat’s food bowl is as good as any other source of sustenance.
Your cat may be happy to share his food with the ants, but you probably aren’t. But if your cat’s food keeps attracting a crowd of unwanted guests, there are things you can do to keep the ants at bay.
10 Ways to Keep Ants Away From Cat Food
Ants are attracted to food just like cats and other animals. They are especially drawn to the sugar in cat food. Ants will eat through the bag of cat food, making it unusable by your cat. Ants can also carry diseases and spread them to your cat.
If you’re feeding your cat outside, put the dish on a piece of aluminum foil. Ants cannot climb up the foil and they will not cross it to get to their favorite food source. Here are some other ways to keep ants away from your cat’s food…
1. Use an ant-proof pet bowl
The best way to keep ants out of your cat’s food is to use a bowl with a moat. A moat is a small water-filled ditch that surrounds the food. Ants cannot cross the moat so they are unable to get into the cat’s food.
Moats are usually made by using a cat dish with a built-in moat, or by placing an ordinary cat dish inside another container, like a pie plate. The container with the moat should be deep enough that ants will not be able to climb up the sides to reach the food.
There are different types of bowls with moats available depending on your preference and budget, including ceramic and plastic dishes.
How does a bowl with a moat keep ants out?
A bowl with a moat is a simple water barrier between your cat’s food and the outside world. Ants rely on their sense of smell and touch to navigate. When they encounter water, they can’t smell or feel what’s on the other side, so they turn back.
2. Store pet food in airtight containers
If your cat’s dry food doesn’t come in an airtight container, consider storing it in one after you open it. This will help prevent bugs from getting inside the bag or container and contaminating the food. You can also find airtight containers specifically designed for storing pet food at many pet stores and online retailers.
Store cat food properly – Store excess cat food in a sealed container, especially if you live in an area where ants are prevalent, such as the southern states. Storing cat food in a large plastic trash bin is ideal, but any plastic container with a lid will suffice. However, avoid using glass containers with cats because they can easily be broken and cut your pets’ paws.
3. Keep your home clean
Cleaning regularly removes crumbs that fall on the floor during feeding time, which can attract ants into your home in the first place.
4. Keep the bowl away from walls and corners
Ants like to travel along walls and corners because it’s an easier route for them to take. Placing the cat’s food bowl away from these areas can help prevent ants from finding their way to it. If possible, try placing your pet’s food bowl on top of a table or countertop instead of the floor when you can’t supervise his or her mealtime routine.
How does this work?
Ants are very social creatures, and they are always communicating with each other. Typically, they will leave pheromone trails on the ground so they know where to go. If your cat’s food bowl is near a wall or corner, these pheromone trails can lead right up to it and you will have ants invading your cat’s food. To prevent this, keep your cat’s bowls away from walls and corners so ants can’t follow these pheromone trails right up to the food bowl.
5. Use bait traps
Ant bait traps and repellents are available at most pet supply stores and online and can be used in areas where you don’t want ants to enter.
They usually contain some kind of poison that the ant takes back to his colony for other ants to eat, so be careful when using them around pets or children. Ants seem to prefer certain types of bait over others, so you may need to try several different kinds before finding one that works for you.
6. Put cat food away between feedings
If you leave cat food out all day, you’re just asking for ants (or other pests) to move in! Instead, put food away between feedings and only put it out when it’s time for your cat to eat.
7. Place bowls where ants can’t reach them
Putting out bowls after you’ve cleaned the area around them may not be enough to prevent ants from climbing over to get at food and water. To keep ants from making a bridge to your cat’s dish, place it on a chair, table or countertop. This will keep ants from reaching it easily.
8. Use ant spray around entryways
Cleaning up crumbs and keeping surfaces clean are two ways to limit ant infestations in your home, but they aren’t foolproof methods of prevention. Ants can still find their way into your home and towards the cat food bowl. Spraying around entryways like windows and doors can help prevent this.
9. Use a waterproof mat under the food bowl to catch any stray food
Using a waterproof mat or tray under the food bowl keeps food from getting onto the floor. Some cat parents also use pet placemats specifically designed to keep cat bowls in place. These placemats come with special rubber grips on the bottom to keep them in place and prevent spills, making them mess-free and easy to clean.
10. Keep food inside
Keeping your cat’s food inside eliminates any chance of spilling it outside for ants and other pests to eat. But what about free feeders? Or those who leave food outside for their cats to graze on? With indoor cats, there’s no need to leave food out all day because they’ll eat when you feed them. The only exception is if your cat has a medical condition that requires her to eat smaller meals more frequently.
If you have an outdoor cat, leaving out dry food is fine as long as you make sure there are no spills underneath the bowl. If ants do manage to get inside, spill some borax powder around the area
In summary, Unwanted pests such as ants can be a big problem for cat owners. Ants are attracted to the food, water, and feces that are left behind by your cats.
They will also eat away at the wood on your house and other structures, causing costly damage. There are several ways to keep ants away from cat food, but you should be careful because some products that kill ants can also harm your pet if it ingests them.
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