This Clever Feeding System Lets Indoor Cats 'Hunt' for Their Food

Inside every lazy indoor cat beats the heart of a hunter. That’s why Liz Bales, a Philadelphia-based veterinarian, created the NoBowl Feeding System, the Daily Mail reports. Instead of feeding your kitty with a bowl, the NoBowl comes with five rodent-shaped pods that you fill with dry food and hide around your house. That way, your cat can hone its natural mousing instincts—and get a workout in the process.

Bales invented the NoBowl because “in my practice, so many of the most common problems that I see in cats are born of wellness and lifestyle issues,” she told the Daily Mail. “Cats become obese, lazy, anxious and even destructive or sick in the absence of the ability to hunt and interact with their food.”

To find a solution, Bales consulted with feline veterinarians, nutritionists, and behaviorists. She then collaborated with a team of inventors and designers, who helped Bales create the NoBowl's rodent capsules—tiny, egg-shaped food trays, covered in removable mice “skins.”

The rodent capsules are equal part toy and meal dispenser, Bales says. Once a kitty discovers a food-filled mouse, they can eat the meal inside—or have a little fun with the fuzzy animal.

“The NoBowl Feeding System is designed with a soft skin to simulate its prey. Cats love to pick it up and use their claws to enhance the experience,” the NoBowl System’s website states. “Its shape is designed to roll and move in the way a mouse or bird would. Cats are exhilarated without being scared by an unpredictable movement.”

After more than 20 years of research and testing, the NoBowl is currently in production and available for pre-order, thanks to successful fundraisers on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. You can order the NoBowl online, starting at $38, or visit the system’s website for more information.