How to keep flies off wet cat food

20th June 2019

At any time of the year it can be difficult to keep a cat’s food fresh, but in the summer months, flies can also be a problem. Some cats will only eat wet food and prefer to graze throughout the day rather than eat all their food as soon as it’s served. Exposed food degrades more quickly in the heat. It also attracts flies that can lay eggs on your cat’s food. So what can you do to keep the flies at bay?

Food location

Start by serving your cat’s food in a cool room in the house that is out of direct sunlight, well away from your cat’s litter tray. Keeping their food cool should help to keep it fresher over time.

Fly traps

Get rid of flies by putting a fly trap or fly paper close to your cat’s food, but out of reach of inquisitive paws. This should catch a few flies before they even make it to your cat’s food bowl. Homemade fly traps could also work and can be easily made by cutting off the top of a plastic bottle and inverting it and placing an inch or two of water in the bottom along with some smelly food. Put a few drops of washing up liquid in the water so that when the flies fall in, they're less likely to get out again.

Dealing with spoiled food

If you discover fly eggs on your cat’s food, throw the food away immediately in an outside bin. If you throw it away in an inside bin, you could end up with more flies in your home. Clean your cat’s bowl thoroughly and fill it with fresh food.

Keep your cat's food covered

Consider giving your cat a bowl with a lid to keep flies out when your cat is not feeding. Our SureFeed products have a lid that closes onto a sealed bowl, which not only keeps flies out, but keeps your cat’s food fresher too. The SureFeed Sealed Pet Bowl is ideal for single cat homes as it will open for any pet, while the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder or the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect are great for multi-cat homes as it not only keeps flies out, but it stops cats stealing each other's food too.

With your cat’s food protected from flies, they are more likely to feed normally and lead a healthier lifestyle. Keeping your cat’s food fresher also reduces waste and can save you money.