A microchip feeder helps decide which pet gets access to the food. But the bowl underneath the lid matters too. If your cat eats both wet food and dry kibble, a divided stainless steel bowl can bring two parts of the feeding routine into one protected space.
That is the idea behind the ePawDen Divided Stainless Steel Bowls: a reusable, two-compartment option for the ePawDen Microchip Pet Feeder, designed for everyday feeding and straightforward cleaning.
1. Two Foods, Without Two Separate Feeding Stations
Not every cat needs two foods. But for cats whose feeding plan includes both wet and dry food, putting them in separate compartments is a practical alternative to mixing everything together or leaving a second, unprotected dish nearby.
- Wet food on one side, dry kibble on the other: keep different textures side by side without deliberately mixing them.
- A tidier routine: lift out one bowl to fill, serve and wash.
- One access-controlled space: both foods sit inside the compatible feeder rather than one being left outside for another pet to take.
Measure both portions as part of the cat's total daily allowance. For a therapeutic diet, food trial or diet transition, ask your veterinarian which foods and quantities are appropriate before combining options.
Important: the divider is not a separate lock. Both compartments become accessible together to any pet authorized by the feeder. Use separate feeders when different pets need different diets.
2. Why Stainless Steel Is a Practical Food-Contact Material
The case for stainless steel is about a durable, cleanable feeding surface, not a promise that a metal bowl makes food healthier. A well-finished stainless steel bowl offers a smooth, nonporous surface that can be washed repeatedly and does not rely on a decorative glaze.
Food-contact plastic and properly made ceramic bowls can also be suitable. Their condition matters: inspect any bowl for damage, difficult-to-clean areas or a deteriorating surface. Stainless steel is not automatically sterile, antibacterial or safer than every alternative.
The FDA recommends washing pet food bowls and feeding utensils with soap and hot water after each use. Material choice supports that routine; it does not replace it.
3. Special Diets Make Consistency Especially Important
Selective-access feeders can be useful when one cat needs a particular diet and another cat or dog keeps helping themselves. They also serve healthy multi-pet households, so they should not be thought of as equipment only for sick cats.
When a veterinarian has prescribed a diet, three separate jobs matter: serve the right food, help keep other pets away from it, and maintain a clean feeding station. The feeder handles access; the removable bowl makes serving and cleaning easier.
A divided bowl does not prevent cross-contact between foods and is not a way to separate allergens. Nor does it guarantee how much a cat eats. Follow your veterinarian's plan, particularly if appetite changes or a strict elimination diet is involved.
For a fuller guide to access control, read how to protect your cat's special diet from food stealing.
4. Why Isn't Stainless Steel Standard in Every Feeder?
Bowl materials differ across models and accessory ranges. Some brands offer stainless steel separately: for example, Sure Petcare lists a stainless steel bowl accessory for SureFeed. It would be misleading to say competing feeders never use it.
There are several engineering and production trade-offs to consider. These are general design considerations, not claims about why a particular competitor chose its materials.
Cost Goes Beyond the Raw Material
A custom metal bowl can add forming, trimming, edge finishing, surface finishing and inspection costs. A divided shape brings additional geometry to control. The actual difference depends on thickness, tooling, production volume and finish, so there is no universal price multiple that applies to every stainless steel and plastic bowl.
Metal Must Be Considered in the Identification Design
Nearby metal can affect an RFID antenna's behavior, depending on the system and its geometry. Texas Instruments' low-frequency RFID guidance includes precautions about metal around the antenna.
That makes bowl shape, placement and reader design part of the same engineering problem. A compatible bowl should be evaluated with the complete feeder rather than treated as an interchangeable kitchen dish. It does not mean stainless steel makes reliable identification impossible, or that every system needs the same solution.
Fit and Finish Take Work
A divided bowl must sit properly in its tray, clear the lid and offer accessible surfaces for cleaning. Corners, the divider and the rim all deserve attention. Dimensional consistency, smooth edges and a stable fit matter just as much as the material label.
5. The ePawDen Approach: Stainless Steel, With a Divided Option
The ePawDen Microchip Pet Feeder includes a standard stainless steel bowl. For owners who want two compartments, ePawDen offers a separate 304 stainless steel divided bowl two-pack.
- 150 ml per compartment up to the divider. Fill below the divider to keep foods apart.
- 400 ml to the full bowl rim. This is not the capacity for keeping two foods separated, because the divider sits lower than the rim.
- Two bowls per pack. Keep one ready while the other is being cleaned, or use them in two compatible feeders.
- Designed for the ePawDen Microchip Pet Feeder. Compatibility with other brands has not been confirmed.
The bowl does not perform pet identification. That remains the feeder's job, and changing to a divided bowl does not create separate access permissions for its two sides.
A Simple Everyday Routine
- Measure the foods your cat is supposed to receive.
- Fill each compartment below the divider.
- Check that the bowl sits correctly and the lid opens and closes freely.
- Supervise initial use and confirm your cat can comfortably reach both sides.
- Wash the removable bowl with mild detergent, rinse thoroughly and dry before reuse. Follow food-label storage and serving guidance for leftovers.
Never microwave a stainless steel bowl. The feeder is not a refrigerator, and a closed lid does not make wet food safe to leave out indefinitely.
One Bowl, a More Organized Feeding Routine
A divided stainless steel bowl is a useful choice when your cat's routine calls for two foods in one access-controlled feeder. Its value is practical: separate compartments, a reusable surface and easier bowl rotation at cleaning time.
Shop Divided Stainless Steel Bowls
Need the feeder too? Explore the ePawDen Microchip Pet Feeder.
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