Help - Tito the night owl!

[lizzielou742]

See these threads for background:

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=60112

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59757


I still don't know what to do. I am still feeding them both 1/2 cup of food a day. I'm only supposed to feed them 1/3 cup a day each. I could cut Sophie's down easily, but my main problem is with Tito.

Every single morning, he is waking me up earlier and earlier, begging for food. This morning it started around 5:15 am. I can't handle this! My boyfriend can't either. I keep a squirt bottle by the bed, and squirt him when he gets near my head (he stands on my pillow and makes biscuits with my hair until I get up). It's getting worse - if I ignores him, in protest, he started chewing on the metal rods that hold up his kitty window seat! Talk about an ANNOYING noise at 5:30 am. So, the kitty window seat was moved to another room. But now he's chewing on the carpet, computer wires, anything he can find, until I feed him!! I squirt him when he chews, but by this point I'm already up, awake and mad, so I go ahead and feed him so I can go back to bed. If I kick him out of the room and shut the door, he digs up the carpet under the door. There's a four-inch rip in the carpet under my bedroom door from him already - and we rent!! :eek:

I am afraid if I cut down his food portions, his protests will only get worse. I know I have to figure out a way to end this association with chewing on stuff and waking me up/annoying me with getting fed - but how do I do it at 5:30 in the morning? If he wakes me up, I have to drag myself out of bed and feed him, and the longer I wait the less sleep I get. So I just get up and do it. Then I have to wake back up when he starts scratching the carpet under the door (Sophie eats in our bedroom with the door shut, otherwise Tito eats all her food as well as his) and open the door for him. It's such a pain.

Do you all think I should try an automatic feeder? Does anyone know where to get one? Maybe it would help end the association between me and food - but I don't know how it would work with two of them. Tito would monopolize the food and not let Sophie have any. Should I only feed them once a day, in the afternoon? Or would this just make it worse? Does anyone have any other ideas? Please! I can't remember the last time I slept through a night! :(

[aly]

Have you ever tried offering Tito more than half a cup? The only reason I ask is to see if he would really eat it all up or if he'd eat his portion then maybe come back later and nibble on it throughout the day.

I am able to free feed all 8 of my cats with no problems. I do know that some cats will overeat when free fed though.

Its also a little sticky since he is on adult food and Sophie's on kitten.

I don't know. I'd try mixing up some adult and kitten food together and then free feeding them both on a weekend when you can closely monitor who is eating what. That might make your decision of what to do easier.

If it looks like Tito is eating too much, you could always just take the food away again. I bet once he realizes the food is staying out though, he won't eat as much. My cats like to eat little bites here and there all throughout the whole day.

[lizzielou742]

I just changed Sophie over to adult diet food - at the advice of the vet. He said she was gaining too much too fast - she gained 0.3 lbs in two weeks.

Maybe I'll take him into the vet and get him weighed, free feed them the diet food, and re-weigh in two months?

[Tonya]

Throw pillows at him. :D I'm just kidding, of course. I have had the same problem with Ron. As soon as I roll over or get up to go to the bathroom he starts meowing. He has the alarm clock time down pat. He'll start at me a few minutes before it goes off and once it buzzes, he gets really insistant.

I am not exactly sure how much I feed my cats because I use a scooper, but I would guess it is about 1 1/2 cups a day. I fill the bowl up every evening before bed and there is normally still food in it in the morning. I guess in a way, I am free feeding them except when it is gone, it's gone. My cats are slightly over weight, but it seems to be working out ok.

[RICHARD]

EASY FIX!

Tell him you are going to vote Republican.

It's Karma, and for laughing at GWB....;) :rolleyes: :confused:

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Does Tito just never stop eating? My first cat we had on a meal feeding schedule, and she was such a hog. I think it is because of the denial of food, makes them want it more and more. Just like with me, if I have to diet, I get twice and hungry as before, just because I know I cant have it. Maybe thats the problem?
I think I would try a diet kitty food and free fed, just to see how they do. It might make the begging stop if they KNOW it will always be there, and after awhile of non stop eating, I figure they will stop eventually. Just a suggestion ;)

[QueenScoopalot]

My cats have dry food ( a variety mixed together) and eat when they chose to. I have a few chunky monkeys here, but the majority are a good healthy weight. With the exception of Thumbelina who is multiple handicapped, everyone else eats dry all day, and wet once a day. Thumbelina never touches the dry food thankfully, otherwise she vomits profusely. But if the wet's run out overnight, I wake up to her drooling onto my face. Nothing like a wet gooey noserub at 6:30 AM! :rolleyes: I'd try leaving extra dry food out before you go to bed, and maybe cut back on the daytime amounts. Or as others have said, switch to a light variety. ;)

[christa]

I'd try free feeding them.

He's a growing boy! Sounds like he's just staying hungry!

;) Hang in there Tito man!!!

[catmandu]

I would leave some Dry Food,out,as you dont want Tito,chewing,on wires,and being hurt.Or some toys,as a diversion,and halfa cup,sounds like very little,for a CAT!

[cruisetime]

I'm new at having cats but I had this problem two weeks ago with the cat (2-1/2 years old) I got from animal control. So I tried not feeding her so much but then she acted like I was starving her. I was feeding her Purina One Sensitive systems and she seemed to LOVE it. SO I switched to Purina regular indoor cat food and she didn't eat that much and free fed all day. So I thought I'd give her that in the morning and the better stuff in limited portion at night. Now she is finally free feeding on both the good and not as good food. If I let it run out she acted like she was starving but I notice that after a few days of always having food in the bowl she stopped eating so much - she finally figured out I wasn't going to starve her I guess and she could eat what she wanted and she would always eventually get more..... Try switching the food to something that isn't so good tasting (still good for them). And for a week or so try feeding him as much as he wants. maybe he will get fat but maybe he will figure out he will always have food and start eating normal. I thought about this because I'm like that. I can eat fine as long as I know there is food in the fridge but when I go somewhere like my dad's house where his wife is cooking and I only get to eat at certain times I seem to overeat just in case I don't get anymore to eat - sometimes lunch wasn't served.... Also because she is a great cook! :) Debbie

[cruisetime]

OH - something else I did - she seemed to be eating when she was bored so I would go over when she was eating and swing the sisal rope over her head and sure enough it was play time@! :) :) Try distracting him when he is eating. Just an idea... :) Debbie

[lizzielou742]

Thanks guys, for all your advice. I did actually manage to sleep through the WHOLE night last night, without Tito waking me up once! He's eating like a PIG right now!! :eek: :D :D :D :D I was so rested, I actually slept in a little this morning!! :D :D We will see how the free feeding goes. I feel like I'm going through a lot of cat food right now but hopefully it slows down soon.


Originally posted by kt_luvs_kitties
Does Tito just never stop eating?

Basically!! :eek: :eek: He's my little piggy man! :D

[kt_luvs_kitties]

I am glad you FINALLY got a full nights sleep, and that few extra minutes snuck in sure does make a world of difference doesnt it? I hope that Tito adjust well to his new *all you can eat* buffet. I think he will eventually lose interest once he realizes it is always there, no need to eat it all up at one time. Good luck! *hugs to Tito*:D