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My cats are both 12ish, one is dealing with medical issues and I'm trying a different food with her that's $20 a freaking 5lb bag. I can't afford to feed it to them both, so the other one is getting $10 a bag food and now I have to feed them on a schedule when for their entire lives they've been free fed.
This isn't working.
First of all, both of them are SO needy anyway. As in, the minute I walk in the door from work, they're on my lap. I get up to go to the bathroom, they follow. I get in bed, they're lying on me. I get in the shower, they're sitting on the tub. If they can't be right on me or with me at all times, they howl like I've yanked their hearts out. I literally go nowhere but work, and am home all the time, it's not like I leave them for days or something. They're just needy. They always have been.
So, having to split them up to feed, neither one will eat a bite unless I'm sitting right there with them. And while I'm sitting there with that one, the other is howling outside the door or in the next room. It takes forever for them to actually eat, because they want to climb all over me to be loved on. And that forever is how long the other one howls.
Anyway, neither one would eat a bite this morning, they were too busy needing to be in the bathroom while I was getting ready.
I just got home and tried again, no way.
At this point, they haven't eaten for almost 12 hours. I know they'll eat when they get hungry enough, but I have GOT to get them on a feeding schedule.
It can be done, but it takes a lot of patience and it takes time. Your cats don't sound "needy" to me, they sound like normal cats.
Have you tried feeding them the separate food, but in the same room? Each of my cats has her own meal spot. At meal times they sit in their spots and wait for me to put the food down. They are all three eating different things. Not too long ago I had four cats on different diets.
The feeding times will become routine, but it takes time for a cat to adjust to any change.
Here's my advice.
Say you want to feed two meals a day, and then a bed time snack. For the morning meal, portion out each cat's food, say 1/4 cup each. put a dish on one side of the room and a dish on the other. Pick up the slower eater, place her in front of her dish and put half her breakfast in the dish, then pick up the other and repeat at the other spot. You will have to be the Dreaded Cat Food Police.
When the faster eater has finished, put a one kibble at a time in her dish to keep her busy until the slower eater has finished. Then, give the slower eater her other half of breakfast. Put a few more kibbles in the faster eater's dish. Parceling out the one who eats more quickly slows her down so the other can finish without the speedy one trying to barge in.
At supper time, do it the same way, but save out a little of each portion for a little snack right before bed.
How to turn this into routine, is to do the same thing before the meal. For instance, in the morning get up, put on your coffee, shower, whatever. Give them a few minutes of play time or cuddle time, then start the meal. Soon they will get used to that succession of events.
At night, same thing. Come home do your chores, whatever. Then they get their special one on one time, then the meal. Then the snack before bed.
Another way to keep the faster eater from barging in on the slower eater is to play Chase the Kibble. Toss some of her meal across the floor for her to chase down. This gives her some fun attention, too.
I love meal times. Each cat has her own little rituals and routines she must follow, it's real bonding time.
PS you must try very hard to keep your stress level down at meal times. Cats are emotional barometers, and your cats are very bonded to you. If you are sitting there seething over whether they are going to eat or not, they will feel that and react in negative ways. Be cheerful at meal times. Use the same words and cheerful tone to announce every meal.
Have the Game or cuddle, then call out in a cheerful voice "Are you Hungry?" Or "It's time to eat!" , something like that.
Remember, cats are creatures of habit, they thrive on routine. You are going to change a lifetime habit of free feeding. It won't happen in a day, or even a week, probably, but don't give up. It will happen.
Last edited by catsmom21; 01-17-2012 at 07:43 PM..
PS Use their names a lot, talk to them, tell them what's happening. Call them to the meal and tell them they will be eating on opposite sides of the room, and why.
When you pick up slower eater, say her name. When you put her in front of her dish say her name again and also say "This is YOUR spot (kitty's name). When you put her food in the dish, again "here's your food (kitty's name)!".
Repeat with other cat. The more you communicate with them verbally, using their names and using the same words every time, the more they will adjust to the new routines.
I would try feeding them in the same room too and supervise so they don't snatch the others food. If that doesn't work, maybe you can rig something up like a gate or something so that they can see you, but be on opposite sides, but somehow high enough so they can't jump? I don't know, just a suggestion. Sounds like your cats just love you to death is all, that's a good thing
Oh, I feel your pain, trust me and I have my own dilemma ever since recently switching from dry to canned food.
For both of my cats, I have broken the feedings down to 3 and sometimes 4 times a day; 7am, noon, 4pm and around 8pm.
The problem is for one of my cats, I think she must have been a rooster in her recent life. Every morning when either the alarm clock goes off, she hears me moving around, or if she just feels like it, she will start meowing, more like howling and howling until someone comes downstairs. Honestly, at this point I am concerned she is going to strain her throat given the intensity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmjones311
My cats are both 12ish, one is dealing with medical issues and I'm trying a different food with her that's $20 a freaking 5lb bag. I can't afford to feed it to them both, so the other one is getting $10 a bag food and now I have to feed them on a schedule when for their entire lives they've been free fed.
This isn't working.
First of all, both of them are SO needy anyway. As in, the minute I walk in the door from work, they're on my lap. I get up to go to the bathroom, they follow. I get in bed, they're lying on me. I get in the shower, they're sitting on the tub. If they can't be right on me or with me at all times, they howl like I've yanked their hearts out. I literally go nowhere but work, and am home all the time, it's not like I leave them for days or something. They're just needy. They always have been.
So, having to split them up to feed, neither one will eat a bite unless I'm sitting right there with them. And while I'm sitting there with that one, the other is howling outside the door or in the next room. It takes forever for them to actually eat, because they want to climb all over me to be loved on. And that forever is how long the other one howls.
Anyway, neither one would eat a bite this morning, they were too busy needing to be in the bathroom while I was getting ready.
I just got home and tried again, no way.
At this point, they haven't eaten for almost 12 hours. I know they'll eat when they get hungry enough, but I have GOT to get them on a feeding schedule.
WWYD?
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