A saucer suits some pets far better than a bowl does. Cats whose whiskers brush the sides of a deep dish will often walk away from food rather than push their face into it, and flat-faced small dogs manage a shallow open shape much more easily than a steep one. A wide, low profile quietly removes an irritation you may not have realised was there.

The pattern is the reason most people pick this one, a bright Mexico City-inspired design in blue that looks like tableware rather than pet kit, which matters if the feeding spot sits in a kitchen you actually use. Underneath the decoration it is BPA-free melamine: chip-, scratch- and shatter-resistant, food-safe, dishwasher friendly, and held steady on the floor by a non-slip base.

• 13.2 cm diameter shallow saucer
• Durable, BPA-free melamine
• Chip-, scratch- and shatter-resistant
• Non-slip base to stop it sliding at mealtimes
• Food-safe and dishwasher friendly
• Suits indoor or outdoor feeding

On size, be realistic. At 13.2 cm across this is a small dish. It is right for a cat, a kitten or a toy breed, and right for wet food or a modest portion of dry. It is not the dish for a Labrador's dinner. If you are feeding a larger dog, treat it as a water or treat saucer rather than the main bowl and you will get on with it much better.

Who it's for: Cats and small dogs such as Chihuahuas, French Bulldogs, Bengals and Domestic Shorthairs, in homes where the feeding corner is on show.