The 19 Very Best Food Puzzles for Cats and Dogs

Feeder type: Grooved slow feeder | Food type: Wet and dry food | Material: Rubber

The LickiMat is a tried-and-true option that comes recommended by multiple experts. It’s suitable for both cats and dogs; its fairly uncomplicated grooved design works with both dry and wet chow and won’t make a mess of your floors, and its rubber material is durable and easy to clean, so it will last for years. “It slows them down and gets them physically involved because it’ll move and they can pull it around, but it won’t smear food all over your house,” says Kerrie McKeon, resident cat expert at the animal-welfare-and-adoption organization Bideawee. The licking motion can also soothe your pet, according to Kate Benjamin, founder of the stylish cat-gear website Hauspanther. “They were originally designed for hyper dogs to lick peanut butter off, but cats like it too,” Benjamin says. “There’s something about it that calms them when they have to work at licking this food off.”

When Strategist writer Arielle Avila bought one for her dog, Maggie, she reported that Maggie “licked for 15 minutes straight, not even looking up to bark at squirrels scurrying past our window.” The mat’s simplicity is “exactly what makes it work,” Avila writes. “It doesn’t require any searches or problem-solving.” So while you may eventually want to graduate to more involved feeders, starting your pet off with the Lickimat is a great way to introduce them to puzzle feeders and keep them engaged and entertained for long stretches of time.

Feeder type: Ridged slow feeder | Food type: Wet and dry food | Material: Porcelain

This thoughtfully designed slow feeder can hold both wet and dry food and resembles a waffle with its ridged grid, which creates a barrier to slow down rapid eating. Its wide, shallow design is adapted for cats because “cats don’t like their whiskers hitting the edge of the bowl,” says McKeon. “If they have to stick their face too far down into something, they might just walk away.” But this bowl is just the right size for cats to dine without any whisker disturbance — and is aesthetically appealing too, not to mention dishwasher safe. Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio tested this bowl with one of her two cats who is notorious for eating too fast, then stealing extra food from his slower-paced brother (he also often throws up on the rug). Trolio uses the bowl with wet cat food and says it slows down the speed racer enough that both cats now finish their meal at about the same time. She especially likes it for its ceramic material, “which looks so much nicer than plastic or silicone.”

Feeder type: Ridged slow feeder | Food type: Wet and dry food | Material: Plastic

Dr. Janet Cutler, a certified cat behaviorist at Cat World, says this Petstages bowl provides a moderate difficulty level “and is a great option to begin your puzzle-feeding journey with a cat.” The raised zigzag edges are high enough to pose more of a challenge than the shallower bowl above, but once your cat has figured out how to work around the ridges, they shouldn’t have too much difficulty.

Feeder type: Flower slow feeder | Food type: Wet and dry food | Material: Plastic

You can also try a bowl that is divided into shapes or patterns, like this fun flower-shaped option. Ward says these kinds of bowls are still “pretty easy” for pets, because once they figure it out, they can “go in with their muzzle and actually eat their meal.” Naser adds that dogs will “eat up to ten times slower with these.”

Feeder type: Swivel puzzle feeder | Food type: Treats and dry food | Material: Wood plastic composite

Cutler loves this Nina Ottoson ladybug puzzle feeder, both because it’s adorable and because it has adjustable difficulty levels. For cats who are new to puzzle feeders, you can start by simply placing kibble into the compartments and leaving it out in the open; once they’ve grown comfortable eating from the feeder, you can adjust the slides and pegs to increase the challenge. “This allows for a couple different activities in cats, in that they need to paw at the leaves to move them, and then lift the kibble or treats out of the compartments,” Cutler says.

Feeder type: Variety puzzle feeder | Food type: Treats and dry food | Material: Plastic

With a variety of different puzzles — a tunnel, fish bowl–like pods, and a squiggly path — this mat offers cats lots of challenging ways to work for their food. “Cats typically like to hunt for things,” says Satchu, “so this allows them the opportunity to use their paws and their noses,” to dig food out of the various compartments. Delgado agrees it’s good for keeping cats mentally stimulated. “The versatility means different types of problems to solve,” she says.

Feeder type: Spinning puzzle feeder | Food type: Treats and dry food | Material: Plastic

Karam says this spinning feeder is a good example of a fairly tricky puzzle “because your dog has to do a lot. You put the food into the center well, and as it spins, the food begins to land on the maze, and some of it lands underneath in the bowl.” She suggests giving this puzzle to an older dog “that enjoys taking their time with this kind of challenge,” rather than an impatient puppy.

Feeder type: Mice hunting feeder | Food type: Treats and dry food | Material: Plastic and fabric

This kit includes three mouse-shaped toys you can fill with food and hide around the house for cats to sniff out. Ellis says she loves that it has “toy mice for your cat to bat and pounce at to get their food, something they naturally love to do,” and Ward likes that the mice “engage your cat’s inner predator.” Naser says it gives cats “the satisfaction of finding the mice around the house, batting around their prey to release the food, and finally feasting on their catch.”

Feeder type: Ball hunting feeder | Food type: Dry food, wet food, and treats | Material: Rubber

This spherical dog toy works the same way as the PetSafe cat hunting feeder, above, but is made out of more durable rubber for dogs that tend to play rougher. Satchu is a fan and suggests filling one with food and water and then freezing it to make a “dog Popsicle” as a treat on a hot day.

Feeder type: Ball hunting feeder | Food type: Dry food, wet food, and treats | Material: Plastic

Dog trainer Julie Burgess uses this StarMark toy with her clients’ dogs and has heard tons of positive feedback about it. Since it has weights in the bottom, it will bob back and forth when nudged but always return to an upright and “ready for action” position, Burgess explains. It comes in two different sizes, to accommodate both small and large breeds, and the difficulty level can be adjusted via the “gate” at the bottom. Just note that Karam cautions against making the opening too small or you could risk disincentivizing your pup: “One little treat is not gonna make your dog happy,” she says, adding that they’ll need enough of a reward to ensure their effort is worth it.