MealDIY slow feeder for dogs and cats: safe ways to make one
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Straight answer: Yes, you can make a safe slow feeder at home with a muffin tin, a cookie sheet, an upside-down bowl or a few cardboard tubes. Use only things your pet can't swallow or cut itself on, and supervise anything made of cardboard. If you'll use it every day, a made-for-food insert or bowl is easier to keep clean.
You do not need to buy anything to find out whether your dog or cat eats better from an obstacle course. The AKC itself suggests several homemade methods. The trick is to keep them safe, which mostly means checking size, edges and materials.
DIY slow feeder for dogs: safe methods
Upside-down bowl. The AKC's version: take a bowl one or two sizes larger than your dog's regular dish and set it down flat, then put the regular dish upside down inside it. Food goes in the gap around the edge. It costs nothing, but a determined dog can knock the inner bowl loose, so use a heavy bowl and watch the first few meals. This is also the answer to "diy slow feeder dog bowl insert" if you have no insert.
Muffin tin. Put a small portion of food in each cup of the pan, as the AKC describes. The dog has to move from cup to cup. For a harder version, the AKC's cognitive-toy article puts a tennis ball in each cup so the dog has to nudge it aside, and mentions miniature balls and a mini pan for toy breeds.
Cookie sheet or scatter feeding. Spread the food over a cookie sheet so your dog has to take tiny bites and pick pieces up with its tongue. The AKC says this works especially well with kibble. No sheet? Scatter the food across a clean floor, a towel or a snuffle-style mat.
Ball in a bowl. Set a ball in the bowl with the food so your dog has to push it aside. The ball is where this goes wrong. PDSA says a ball should be large enough that your dog cannot fit the whole thing in its mouth, and the AKC says never to use balls too small for your dog. We found no standard diameter, so judge it against your own dog's mouth, not a chart. If you have any doubt, skip this one.
Smaller, more frequent meals. Not a feeder, but the AKC suggests splitting the daily food into two or three meals. It costs nothing and combines with the others.
DIY slow feeder for cats
Flat pan. Spread the meal across a large, flat, food-safe pan so the cat has to move for each bite. This is our own reasoning from how scatter feeding works, not a sourced size.
Obstacles in the bowl. Obstacles that are too small become a choking hazard. We found no standard size: if it fits in your cat's mouth, leave it out.
Cardboard puzzles. VCA lists toilet and paper towel rolls and empty egg cartons among DIY feeder materials. A simple version: stand a few tubes upright in a box or tape them together, drop kibble in, and let the cat paw it out. Cut any flap so no sharp edge is left, and supervise.
Muffin tin. The same muffin-tin idea works for a cat if the cups are deep enough that kibble stays put.
The vet check matters more for cats. Regular vomiting, especially with weight changes, can have medical causes, and a feeder will not fix that. See our cat slow feeder picks if the DIY version does not stick.
What not to use
- Small objects. Anything that fits in your pet's mouth can be swallowed, from marbles and golf balls to bottle caps. The AKC warns against objects that are too small, and PDSA says the same about balls.
- Sharp edges. Cut cans, cracked plastic, broken ceramic, torn foil and ragged cardboard can cut a tongue. File or tape edges and replace anything that cracks.
- Containers not meant for food. Craft foam, painted wood, old takeout tubs that have been through the dishwasher many times, anything that has held chemicals. We have no authority that says exactly which plastics are safe, so use what you would eat from yourself or buy items made for pet food.
- Squeakers and loose parts. PDSA says to avoid balls with squeakers and to replace any that crack or break apart.
- Soggy cardboard. The AKC says make sure your dog does not eat bits of cardboard that break off. Throw it out once it is wet or chewed.
- Anything left alone with a pet. The AKC says homemade puzzle toys are meant to be used under supervision.
Cleaning a homemade feeder
Metal and ceramic pans and tins are the easiest, since they go in the dishwasher or the sink. Wash them right after the meal, before food hardens. Cardboard cannot be cleaned, so use it once or a few times and replace it. Muffin tins hold crumbs in the corners, so scrub them. Our cleaning guide has a routine that fits most setups. Don't reuse a kitchen tin for your own baking if it has been chewed or dented.
When to buy one instead
A DIY feeder is a good trial. Buy one if:
- You use it every day and the muffin tin is annoying.
- Your dog flips the upside-down bowl.
- You want something dishwasher safe with a non-slip base.
- Your pet needs a specific size, such as a cat bowl.
An insert is the closest to DIY: it sits in your bowl. See slow feeder inserts, or the best slow feeder dog bowls and cat bowls. For other ideas, see how to slow down dog eating.
When to see a vet
Call your vet if your pet vomits often, brings food up, loses weight or seems unwell after meals. A swollen belly, retching without bringing anything up or restlessness after a meal is an emergency, so call a vet now; see the bloat guide. A homemade feeder is not a treatment.
Picks if you would rather buy
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Buy instead: cat feeder
Company of Animals (Northmate) CATCH Interactive Cat Feeder
- plastic
- for cats
- dishwasher safe
- non-slip base
Northmate says this open feeder is 27 x 23 x 8 cm with 37 rounded spikes 2 to 6 cm tall, four anti-slip feet and dishwasher-safe plastic. The cat pushes food out between the spikes, so it replaces a flat-pan setup. It has no walls, so scattered food can spread.
Worth knowing: It is an open feeder with no walls: food is scattered between the spikes
Specs from: northmate.com (checked 2026-10-16)
-
Buy instead: ready-made maze for a dog
Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl, Notch (Large, Sage)
- for dogs
- top-rack dishwasher
- non-slip base
- dry / wet food
Outward Hound pitches this 4-cup bowl at medium to large dogs and rates it Slow, the gentlest of its three levels. It is a ready-made version of the upside-down-bowl trick. Skip it for a chewer, and note the maker gives no dimensions.
Worth knowing: The maker's page does not give bowl dimensions or name the plastic; Non-slip base is claimed by the maker, but its construction is not described
Specs from: outwardhound.com (checked 2026-10-16)
-
Buy instead: small stainless bowl for either species
Neater Pet Brands Non-Tip Stainless Steel Slow Feed Bowl, Medium
- stainless steel
- for dog & cats
- dishwasher safe
- non-slip base
Neater says the medium holds 1.5 cups, is 2 in high with a 7 in opening, and has a removable non-skid rubber ring; it states it suits cats and dogs. It is the sturdier answer to a muffin tin that skids, and it goes in the dishwasher per the maker.
Worth knowing: The stated diameter is the top opening; the base is wider; Dog-weight ranges appear only in review text on the maker's page, so none are stated here
Specs from: neaterpets.com (checked 2026-10-16)
Common questions
FAQ
How do I make a DIY slow feeder for my dog?
The AKC suggests setting a regular dish upside down inside a larger bowl, spreading food on a cookie sheet, or filling a muffin pan with a little food in each cup. Supervise the first few meals and stop if your dog gets frustrated.
How do I make a DIY slow feeder cat bowl?
Spread the meal over a large, flat, food-safe pan so the cat has to move for each bite, or use a muffin tin with deep cups. VCA lists cardboard rolls and egg cartons as DIY feeder materials. These are our design reasoning, not tested sizes, so supervise, and see a vet if your cat vomits regularly.
Is a DIY slow feeder safe?
It can be, if every piece is too large to swallow, has no sharp edges and is meant for food. Cardboard should be supervised and thrown out when soggy. When in doubt, use a commercial insert.
What size ball can I use in a DIY slow feeder?
PDSA says a ball should be large enough that your dog cannot fit the whole thing in its mouth. We found no standard diameter, so test with your own dog. The AKC says never to use balls too small for your dog.
Can I make a cat puzzle feeder from cardboard?
VCA lists toilet and paper towel rolls and empty egg cartons as DIY options. Cut it so no sharp edges remain, supervise, and bin it when it is wet or torn.
Is a DIY feeder as good as a bought one?
For trying the idea, yes. A homemade setup may slide, tip or fall apart, and nothing confirms the materials are food safe. If your pet needs a feeder every day, a made-for-food product is easier to keep clean.