How to Keep Ants Away from Your Cat's Food

Ants can be a real problem when feeding your cat. They tend to carry away the cat's food and often make the cat reluctant to eat. After all, would you want to eat if your food was swarming with ants? Below are some ways to keep ants away from your cat's food.

Store food in an airtight plastic container. Instead of keeping food in bags, transfer it to a plastic container once the bag is opened. There are many types of containers designed specifically for storing pet food.

Wash the food dish. Ants are often attracted to food crumbs or leftovers. Be sure to wash the dish at least once every two days, or more frequently if possible. This is especially crucial if you're dealing with an ant problem.

• Use a cat-safe detergent and rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Keep the feeding area clean. To prevent ants from being attracted to the feeding area, the first thing you need to do is keep it tidy. Clean up any food scraps or leftovers after your cat finishes eating. Use vinegar or a lemon solution to mop the floor and deter ants.

• You can put the dish away when your cat isn't eating, or move it to another location during certain hours, then bring it back out in the evening.

Change the feeding spot. You could also try moving the food dish to a different area. This way, ants might not be able to find the new location. If ants have entered your room, move the dish away from the ant trail.

Create a protective barrier around the food. Try setting up a barrier around your cat's food bowl to prevent ants from crossing it. There are several substances that can help repel ants.

• Draw a line of chalk around the dish.
• Place newspaper beneath the dish and sprinkle cinnamon, coffee grounds, chili powder, or ash around it.
• Apply motor oil around the rim of the food container.
• Spray vinegar or lemon juice on the floor around the dish. Mix 1 part vinegar or lemon juice with 1 part water. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and spray it around the dish to create a protective circle.

Apply motor oil to the edge of the dish. A somewhat messy method to keep ants away from the food is by applying motor oil to the edge of the dish. Ants will find it hard to move across a slippery surface like that.

• You can also place the dish inside an open box to create a protective barrier.

Use essential oils. Many types of essential oils can help repel ants. Try using a cloth dampened with a few drops of peppermint oil to wipe the floor around your cat's food bowl. Ants will stay away from such strong scents.

• You can also use lemon, orange, or grapefruit essential oils to keep ants away. Try soaking a cotton ball in the oil and wiping the floor around the dish.
• Essential oils are safe and free of chemicals.

Use bait to attract ants. A good way to keep ants away from the bowl is to place ant bait (in a cat-safe box) in a common area of the house. Make sure there is only a small hole for the ants to enter and eat the poisoned bait. Be sure your pet can't access the bait.

• You can secure the box to the floor or floorboards. You may also place it behind the stove or refrigerator in case the space is tight enough that your cat can't get to it. Keep in mind that cats are curious and might get into places you'd never expect.

Remove ants from your cat's food bowl. Empty the ants and the contaminated food into the trash. Quickly seal the bag and dispose of it outside. This will prevent ants from returning to the food.

Wash the dish. Ants often leave scent trails that attract other ants, so make sure to clean the dish thoroughly with hot water and detergent. If the dish is dishwasher safe, you can use the dishwasher for cleaning it.

Clean the area around the food. After driving the ants away, clean the area surrounding the food. It's important to remove any scent trails left by the ants, so they don't return. Try using vinegar or lemon juice to eliminate odors and keep ants from coming back.

• You can also wipe around the food container or the entire kitchen floor. You may use regular floor cleaner or dishwashing detergent for this task.

Find a bowl holder. Look for a shallow, wider container that can hold your cat's food bowl. You can use a baking tray, a baking sheet, a roasting tray, or anything that can support your cat's food bowl.

• Make sure the holder isn't too large. However, there should be at least a 2.5 cm gap between the edge of the holder and the food bowl. This gap will prevent ants from getting to the food.
• Some companies sell bowls with built-in ant barriers around the edges. They work great and are easy to use, and the bowls can be easily removed and cleaned. But if you don't want to spend money before knowing whether this method works, you can make something similar yourself.

Fill the container with water. Add a little water to the container. You don't need too much water, as it could wet the food, but enough to create a barrier that ants can't cross. Ants can't swim well, so they may either drown or avoid crossing the water.

• To keep the ants from crossing, you can add a bit of vegetable oil, lemon essential oil, or dishwashing liquid to the water barrier. However, only add dishwashing liquid if the space between the holder and the bowl is narrow enough that your cat can't lick the water.

Place the food bowl in the ant barrier container. Put the food bowl into the water-filled container. Ensure that there's at least a 2.5 cm gap between the edge of the container and the food bowl. Then add fresh food to the bowl.

• If the container is very wide, place the bowl near the edge so your cat can easily reach the food, but far enough that ants can't cross.
• If the container is shallow, use a platform to lift the bowl higher than the container's edge.

Replace the water in the container as needed. Ants or food might fall into the water. Change the water when it starts to evaporate or becomes dirty.

Keep up with this task. Eventually, the ants will stop coming back. In some areas, like warmer climates, you may need to feed your cat this way regularly because the ants will never truly leave.

• If the feeding area for your cat remains relatively clean, you should never have an issue with ants.

• Do not use insecticides or other poisons. These can be harmful to your cat.