Dogs & Cats · BUYING & LIVING NOTES
Choose a feeding mat around the bowls you own
A feeding mat gives the bowls a defined place in the room. This guide focuses on the Gorilla Grip silicone mat in Gray, 18.5 × 11.5 inches. Measure your dog or cat’s feeding setup before choosing a size.
Measure the complete setup
Place the bowls in their normal arrangement, then measure the footprint. Include room for a water bowl and any practical gap between bowls. Compare those measurements with the mat’s usable flat area, not just its outer dimensions.
Look at the edge and surface
The linked Gorilla Grip example is a silicone feeding mat. Mat thickness, edge height, texture and flexibility vary. Check the listing for the version you choose and consider how easily the mat can be lifted without disturbing a full water bowl.
Build cleaning into the layout
Choose a position that is easy to reach for ordinary cleaning. Read the mat’s washing instructions and check any care requirements for the floor below it. Lift and dry the mat and the surface underneath as part of the routine, especially after a spill. For the linked Gorilla Grip example, the maker instructs you to place it on a dry floor and keep the underside dry because water underneath can cause slipping.
Make the choice fit the household
A cat feeding corner and a larger dog setup may need very different sizes. In a shared household, think about where each animal normally eats. The right mat is the one that fits the bowls, the available floor space and a cleaning routine you will maintain.
The tradeoff
A raised edge helps with everyday mess, but it is not an unlimited spill reservoir. Water underneath can make the mat slip, so a washable mat still needs to be lifted and dried. The outside dimensions also overstate the flat space available for bowls.
A practical fit check
For two bowls each 6 inches across with a 2-inch gap, the footprint is 14 inches wide before adding any margin. That leaves 4.5 inches across an 18.5-inch mat before allowing for its edges. Use this as a planning example, then measure your actual bowls and the mat’s usable area.
Product information source
Gorilla Grip feeding mat specifications and care
Information checked November 2, 2026. Models, sizes and seller listings can change. This is a researched buying guide; no firsthand testing is claimed.