How to Keep Roaches Out of Kitties' Food Bowls?

[Wellspotted]

I have been putting their small food bowls in bigger bowls with half an inch of water in the bottom, in the belief that roaches don’t cross water.

But the roaches are getting into the food. They are the little horrid cupboard roaches, not the big outdoor ones.

I tried putting a ring of Vaseline around the bigger bowls, as for ants, but the roaches walk right through it.

Yes, I spray for roaches. I put out roach traps. Still they come. It is an apartment building and they are in the walls. Last night I decapitated one and squashed several more. I would keep a light on in the kitchen all night but it would keep me awake (bedroom is right off the kitchen).

I don’t want to put boric acid near the kitties’ bowls.

What can I do???

[Louise]

Don’t leave food out for the cats. You feed, they eat, you pick the bowls up, wash them and put them away.

[Wellspotted]

Thanks. I have thought of that too. But they are used to feeding at will, if they are fed only at “mealtimes” they gobble instead of nibble, and then often it comes right back up.

[Louise]

I have a gobble then barfer, also. I solved the problem by giving her half, waiting about 15 minutes, then giving her the other half. Or, Google “cat dishes to slow down eating” and get a couple of those.

[Wellspotted]

Thanks, Louise.

[Big_Grey_hunter]

Burning down the entire apartment would be a good start.

Did I mention I really, really hate roaches?

[twotrudoc]

Move.

[Twisting]

I second the move option. You know those suckers are crawling on your counters and your dishes at night. Little disease carrying monsters. Complain to the manager if moving isn’t an option, there has to be a health code or something.

[Wellspotted]

If I could move I would.

[Kat_Renee]

Not sure what you feed, but wet food helped my cat slow down. We don’t have an issue with roaches in the food (but tree roaches, ugh!), but we did have an issue with the cat and food. We started scheduled feedings when said kitty gained too much weight. I researched how many calories should be fed for my 11 pound cat and did scheduled feedings. I started him with a tablespoon of dry and 1/4 can of wet/per feeding when I noticed how much dry he scarfed down in a few min. The wet helped slow him down. He has adjusted to his scheduled feedings and is doing fine.

We very recently adopted a kitten who had free-range food. She is also on scheduled feeding with the older cat and dog and is doing just fine.

When we would pet-sit (the now deceased) in-law’s westie, he was put on scheduled feedings with our older cat and dog. He adjusted within 2 days.

The little roaches in apartment buildings you can’t do much about. You can control when and watch your kitty feed to prevent the roaches from coming in the kitty’s dish.

[Chall]

I’d go for a self covering food dispenser, maybe you can find something here:
http://www.catfooddispensersreviews.com/
Some of the reviews are almost funny but honest,
“Customers complain of the feeder shutting on the cat’s head when the infrared line loses contact with the tag …”

Ohh, not what you’re looking for, but this one sounds good for multicat household, it tells you if cat is not eating enough:
http://www.catfooddispensersreviews.com/wireless-whiskers/

[Laurierace]

We had a major roach infestation after I accidentally brought them home from the race track in a basket of dirty bandages. We had an exterminator come out who used bait in a toothpaste type tube all over the place in dark places like behind doors and under cupboards. You can get a similar bait at Home Depot. I believe the landlord is responsible for making sure your environment is safe which would include roaches. Look into your options about withholding rent to pay for the exterminator if necessary. I understand wanting to protect your cats but you need to worry about yourself as well.

[LauraKY]

[QUOTE=Chall;7758809]
I’d go for a self covering food dispenser, maybe you can find something here:
http://www.catfooddispensersreviews.com/
Some of the reviews are almost funny but honest,
“Customers complain of the feeder shutting on the cat’s head when the infrared line loses contact with the tag …”

Ohh, not what you’re looking for, but this one sounds good for multicat household, it tells you if cat is not eating enough:
http://www.catfooddispensersreviews.com/wireless-whiskers/[/QUOTE]

Since roaches can get into toothbrush holders (experienced in China), I doubt that the feeders will keep them out.

[Dewey]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;7758844]
We had a major roach infestation after I accidentally brought them home from the race track in a basket of dirty bandages. We had an exterminator come out who used bait in a toothpaste type tube all over the place in dark places like behind doors and under cupboards. You can get a similar bait at Home Depot. I believe the landlord is responsible for making sure your environment is safe which would include roaches. Look into your options about withholding rent to pay for the exterminator if necessary. I understand wanting to protect your cats but you need to worry about yourself as well.[/QUOTE]

Second this. Several years ago. we brought the little German roaches home in a box from the grocery store. Ugh. Our exterminator used some gel bait, putting dabs in the corners of the cupboards. Got rid of them fast.

[french_fry]

You know roaches getting into the cat food bowl isn’t your biggest problem, right? :eek:

You need an exterminator.

[Nicker]

Actually, one of the recommendations to get rid of roaches is to not leave out any standing water. They can go a long time without food, but not water. When we bought our current house it was divided into two apartments. One tenants idea of washing dishes was to throw the dirty dishes in the cabinet below the sink and just leave them. When he was evicted I doubt he took anything with him, the apartment was a disaster. I was gagging the entire time I was cleaning out the cabinet, it was disgusting and completely not what we were expecting! I ended up calling an exterminator and having them treat for a year. Especially since that kitchen ended up being our laundry room right off the master bedroom. We didn’t move in till the house had been treated twice!

[Ambitious_Kate]

Water is the big attracter for roaches. When you keep that in mind, cleaning up and putting things away takes on a whole new tone. Dishes go in the cabinets, dried. The sink is wiped dry. All food and particles are disposed of and the trash taken out (far from the house). It goes without saying that the pet food is fed, while you watch, dishes removed, cleaned, dried and put away. In the bathroom, tooth brushes are dried off and stored where they can air. No glasses or jars have anything at the bottom of them. The tub and shower is dried off and the drain stoppered up. All drips and leaks are stopped and plummed. Nothing, I mean nothing, is left out in any manner. Ever.

Then the landlord is dealt with - take him all the way to the bank. If not, take him all the way to the courts. Period.

[red_mares]

I’m dealing with the same thing - my neighbor’s got their house bug-free, so the bugs moved into mine.

On dealing with your landlord - check your state landlord/renter laws. I’m pretty sure dealing with this will be similar to what I had to do with my leaky ceiling in a previous apartment.

While it’s really easy to just pop into the apt. office & say "Hey, can you fix the (ceiling, leaky faucet, bugs, etc.) it doesn’t really count legally. Take the time to make a written, dated complaint to the apartment manager.

I think my letter was something like “In accordance with state law XXXXX, leaks need to be fixed or the lease is void…” It really got their attention.

BTW, Ortho Home Defense Max is awesome, and after it dries is safe for 2 & 4 legged critters. Not so much for the 6 legged varieties.

[gottagrey]

If this is a building w/ several apartments or more - the landlord or property manager needs to exterminate ALL of the units in the building at the same time - otherwise the little buggers just run back and forth from unit to unit… and with an apartment building seems like whenever people paint that stirs them up too. In the meantime, I would see if there are any bug bombs you can use but you’d have to remove the cats during the bombing (same if the Landlord brings in an exterminator)

and piggy backing on redmares - good idea to document such things in writing - you never know when things can get muddles

[red_mares]

I wouldn’t bother with the bug bombs. I did it on Sunday. I think it just pissed the little devils off.