I know they will avoid it if possible, but I guess if they have to stand on it to eat, they will. Not exactly the same thing, but I have one of those mats (original purpose being a door mat) where I will step on it before I hit the basement steps, but they have plenty of different routes around it so they avoid it.

So far no starving, whining cats with about a 1/2 cup of food in their main (now smaller) bowl. And they still are leaving some in the bowl. Funny thing, I put the almost empty, filled with mostly little bits now, large bowl on the counter before deciding what to do with it and I noticed Kinsey (only) eating out of it and leaving the bits around it. For one thing, it's much easier to clean up the bits. Two water bowls are already on the counter and now I think I'll try subtracting one water bowl and leaving a food bowl on the counter.

Yes, I tried the fountain, but being lazy got tired of the maintenance. I'm still using the base as a water bowl. I put Brita filtered water in that one and tap water in the others, just in case they have a preference. It's just easier to wash the bowl than to deal with the cleaning and filter care of the fountain.