One feeding bowl or two?

[Catty1]

Over a year ago, my vet advised me to feed my boys separately, and measure the food. They're now on Hill's Dental, which is good for weight, teeth and crystals.

HOWEVER, these two will snitch from each other's bowl...they don't eat everything at once, which is good...but that leaves extra for the snitcher.

Should I just measure for two cats and put it in one bowl? Trying to keep up the other way gets a bit nuts...and I am not here all the time. They don't ALWAYS do it, but it doesn't take much extra to make a difference on a kitty! :)

Oscar did lose weight, and is at a good one. Cole has been a steady 7.1 kg (right to the .1) since last September. That's 15.62 lbs! :eek: He COULD lose a bit more, for sure!

Any experience, ideas?

Thanks!

[Freedom]

Have 3 set feeding times per day. Put the food down, with them separated by a closed door. Set the timer for 10 minutes (so you don't forget them!) When it rings, pick up the left overs, and put it all away behind closed doors; doors which THEY can't open.

I feed in the morning when I get up, at 4 PM, and before I go to bed. I use 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a hallway! If I can juggle 10, I just KNOW you can work it out for 2! ;)

[Catty1]

Sandy - what are your 3 set times? Morning, and evening...several days a week I am not home (job share). Just wanting an idea on when dinner #2 or #3 is dished out.

Thanks! :)

[Freedom]

The morning feeding is whenever I get up. Usually between 7 and 7:30 AM. Can be later if I stayed up watching a movie. :rolleyes:

And the last feeding is just before I get in to bed. That way they are full and sleepy (which only lasts for a few short hours he he hee)

The 4 PM feeding also gets bumped a bit depending on what I am doing. That is when EVERYONE gets fed, so the dogs keep me on the straight and narrow for that one. Has been as late as 5:30 PM. Of course, no one complains if I feed them at 3:30 because I am heading out the door. :D

[catmandu]

I JUST PUT THE FOOD OUT AND LET THEM EAT.
PRINCESS GETS HER FOOD ON HER PILLOW, AND MICHAEL IN HIS PUP TENT , BUT AFTER THAT THEY ALL SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/cat%20angels/cats1012041.jpg

[lvpets2002]

;) Sorry Candace but I with Uncle Gary I just leave food out all the time.. Now I only feed wet food in the mornings & then dry stays out the rest of the time.. Good luck with 2 bowls..

[Catty1]

I have been using two bowls, and will continue. Trouble is, Cole continues to be overweight - he does snitch other food. (Oddly enough, he is the more playful of the two!) So I am trying Freedom's suggestion of putting the bowls away.

I think today the bowls will be out 4 times....in the morning, the guys get their wet food mixed with the Omega 3-6 oil, then the crunchies, and two Medi-treats each. Then they each head for the litter box, and come back to crunch some more. (Oscar was QUITE peeved when he returned from the box and found No Bowl, so I will allow the return trip and THEN put the bowls away).

Back about 2 pm...and brought the bowls out for a few minutes.

Will bring them out again at 5 or so (when I am getting my own dinner together).

Evening - we'll see...they got 1/2 c this morning, and that will last them til tonight. They should get 3/4 c each to be between 11 - 13 lbs.

If I can get Cole to a healthy weight, then I might go back to leaving the bowls out, as he seems to 'maintain' VERY well. :D

With only two cats, it's pretty easy! :)

[Freedom]

FOUR feeding times? Oh boy, they will love you!

My vet keep telling me that 2 feedings per day are plenty for cats. And I keep telling him:

My cats haven't read your books! :eek:

[Medusa]

Given my weird schedules over the years, I've always done free feed. I can imagine the chaos that would ensue if the time comes that I have to measure and separate. I don't even wanna think about it.

[Catty1]

Freedom - what I meant was, I am weaning them down to three feeds a day, as per the way you do it.

I don't add any food, by the way. If someone's dish is empty for the bedtime feed, they may get their extra 1/4 cup that fits in with the plan.

Again, I just want to get Cole down to a good weight, so will try this for a month. Free freeding will not help him do that. I want him to be healthy and around for a long time! ;)

[kb2yjx]

Years ago, I read the New Natural Cat by Anitra Frazier. Since then, I follow her " rules " about feeding cats. The Clan is fed in the morning round. Round 1 goes down, they eat. Each cat has a placemat and each cat knows where they eat(the catsitter is amazed). One hour passes, they eat round 2(the food is divided between both rounds, years ago we had cats that ate so fast that they would just vomit right after they ate). After they finish, the dishes are picked up and washed. Only water is left out between meals. The same routine at supper. Our vet has always said that she has never seen lean felines as ours(trust me, I should be so lean!!!)!!! Barry and I make sure that there is no stealing of other cats food. That would be a violation of the third Campbell Cat Commandments: " Thou shalt not steal from the other cats at meal times." Since our cats are used to this routine, I think they do pretty good.
Good Luck with your cats!!!!!!!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've also had to stop free feeding because I now have several cats that don't know when to stop eating. Since I work long hours during the week, I give them 2 small feedings in the morning and 2 small feedings in the evening. The first feeding is usually around 7:15am or so and everyone gets wet and dry. Storm usually only gets wet and he gets a lot to make sure that he receives plenty of moisture. Then at around 9am I feed them all a little dry.

At night I feed them usually between 7-8pm or even later if I get home late. The first feeding is wet and dry and Storm once again receives a lot of wet. Then I feed them again before I go bed which is usally 11-11:30pm. So far everyone is at a good weight except for Starr. He's still on pred and he's now a whopping 12.5lbs.:eek: I also started a thread in cat health about him if you'd like to read more. My cats eat Innova Evo wet and dry and also some wet Evanger's Organic Turkey and Butternut Squash. They get about 1/2 cup or a bit less of the dry each day. I also give them Vitakitty Chicken Breast Treats a few times a week for treats.

I guess I may have to try to start feeding Starr less food. I feed him in my bedroom so it should be easier to control what he eats. Good luck with your furkids Candace. Your Cole sounds just like my RB Pepper.:)