Watching an older cat eat off the floor tells you most of what you need to know about raised bowls. The neck goes down further than is comfortable, the shoulders take the weight, and a stiff animal shortens the meal rather than pushing through it. Lifting the bowl and tilting it forward brings the food to the animal instead, which is a very small change with a noticeable effect on how long a stiff pet is willing to stand there.

The bowl is ceramic and sits in a raised metal stand, and both parts matter. Ceramic is heavy enough to stay put when pushed, does not scratch the way plastic does, and washes properly, which is relevant because scratched plastic bowls hold bacteria and are a known contributor to feline chin acne. The forward tilt gathers food towards the near edge, so the last mouthfuls end up somewhere reachable instead of being pushed round the outside of the bowl and onto the floor.

• Ceramic bowl in a raised metal stand
• Bowl measures 12.5cm across
• Tilted forward so food gathers at the near edge
• Two colours: light green or beige
• Bowl lifts out of the stand for washing
• Heavy enough to resist being pushed round the floor

On sizing: at 12.5cm this is a cat or small dog bowl, and it will look absurd in front of a labrador, so buy on that basis. One further honest note: raised feeding suits cats and stiff older dogs, but the evidence around raised bowls and bloat in large deep-chested breeds is genuinely unsettled, so if that describes your dog, ask your vet rather than take our word for it.

Who it's for: owners of cats, small dogs and older pets who have started eating awkwardly, and anyone tired of sweeping the last few biscuits off the kitchen floor.