Need Help with Meal Times - NEW SYSTEM IN PLACE

[Freedom]

Maybe I just need to be more in control and not let the cats run things.

Right now, this is when they Ask For It and eat:
7 AM; 12 noon; 4, 6, AND 8 PM. And before I put the lights out for bed.

The first feeding of the day, well someone got it in another thread - there is NO snooze button on this alarm clock!

Noon - they start whining, meowing, sidling up to me, rubbing my legs and basically being pests at about 11:15, which is when I usually start preparing our lunch. (Dad and me) No, they do NOT get our food.

4, 6 and 8 all the antics are performed again. Until i can't stand it and I feed them.

When I go to bed, I usually sit and read for a time. Then I have to get up to feed them before I can put out the light. If I don't? Forget trying to sleep anywhere in the HOUSE!

Vet says they should eat twice a day. All I can say is, they haven't read that book!

This has been going on for over a year now. If I am out and it gets to be feeding time, so what? Nothing happens. None of them bother Dad. (Dad is the typical grandfather to my cats. He plays with them, spoils them, brushes them. Does not feed them, empty litter boxes, clip nails, give baths, give meds when needed; none of the "chores." But don't get me wrong - if I am sick with a winter cold, he does fill in, no problem.)

I have tried ignoring them to the point that even Dad can't stand the uproar and commotion they create. Sparkle will start clearing things - the dining table, the kitchen counters (she only goes up there when she is REALLY upset), my dresser, the coffee table, the top of the refrigerator (we are so busy with the others we don't even see her get up there to stop her; she has been up there 3 times in 6 months, so this is a last resort with her.) What with things crashing down, Chestnut whining, and all the rest, we give in and they get fed.

Needless to say, none of them can try out for the part of Twiggy! (if you are too young to get that, just ignore it and keep reading.)

I need to try and get a more established routine.

Now there has to be exceptions to the routine.
Ruffles. Age 15; most of her teeth removed before she came to live with me. She eats about every half hour, around the clock. Five to 8 pieces of kibble. She has been like that for 2 of the 3 years she lived here. At night, she sleeps in a bedroom alone with the door closed and a dish full of food. She is at a good weight, the vet said she does not need to lose or gain. If she goes too long with no food, her stomach acid gets too much and she vomits, but there is only stomach juices coming up.

Chestnut. He does not chew his kibble, he just inhales it. As a result, if he gets over hungry, he inhales and within 5 minutes it all comes up again. Which is how I know it doesn't get chewed going down. So if he misses a meal time, I have to lock him in a room and give him 5 pieces. Wait 15 minutes (with him whining and crying and pounding on the door) then go in and give him the rest of his portion. He is overweight and I am having no luck getting his weight down with this feeding 6 times a day routine!

Ebony. She has lived here about 4 months. She is on a different time zone, I guess. She only came from Warwick, 15 minutes down the highway, but she is on Pacific time or something. She eats twice a day, except when she eats once a day, and on rare occassions she eats three times a day. She tells me when she wants to eat. She ignores what the rest of them are doing. If I am feeding the others and call her, she doesn't even bother to come see what for anymore, she knows she isn't hungry and she is NOT going to interrupt her nap! In spite of this, she has filled out a little since she arrived 4 months ago, and she really didn't need to do that.

When I see those photos of the Abys partaking of one dish of food (is Gary the one who posts those? I am not sure of everyone's names yet) I just stare in disbelief! Chestnut runs around from dish to dish swallowing all he can get, and saves his dish for last. He even settled at one dish with his feet in Vita's dish last night. lol. He is in such a muddle for food! Crystal will finish her dish first, then move on to whatever is left in other dishes. Cuddles sometimes doesn't get enough, Crystal moves her out of her own dish!, and then Cuddles has to let me know she is hungry a short time later.

So. In other muti cat households, how do you handle feeding?
For reasons I can't go into now (this is way too long already), I need to get them on a better routine, even when I am here. Or maybe especially when I am here!

[kimlovescats]

I have a feeder out, they free-feed! Incredibly, none of mine are really overweight. I do have two that have to have canned food because of dental problems, but the rest do fine with it.

EDIT: Well, I do have one overweight kitty, and that would be Fuzzy ("fluffy") girl. But, it seems to be hereditary as her sister Rumor tends to be a fluffy girl too! Right jazzcat?

[fragrancehound]

I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one having trouble with the whole feeding time. My oldest cat Panther keeps me up all night long begging for food. I've yet to have a solid nights sleep. I don't really have any advice but I will be watching this thread closely. I'd love some answers too.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Well I also used to free feed but now I can't because Sky, Starr, Pearl, and now Ziggy would probably eat it all. Storm and Sunny could probably do very well being free fed but now they can't do this any longer.

Here's my routine M-F:
Usually around 7am-7:15am- first morning feeding; Storm and Sunny get wet and dry food mixed together and the rest get dry food

Usually around 8:50-9am- second morning feeding; they all get dry food

Usually between 7-8pm- first evening feeding- Storm and Sunny get wet food and dry food mixed together and the rest get dry food

Usually around 9pm- each cat gets 6 pieces of greenie treats; Ziggy doesn't seem to like these yet so she just watches

Usually between 10-11pm- second evening feeding- they all get dry food

On weekends I may start their first feeding as late as 8am and their second feeding as late as 11am.

Each cat eats about 1/2 cup of food a day. I think that Ziggy eats a bit more though since she's still growing. I divide each feeding into 4 small meals so the first 2 morning meals equal about 1/4 of a cup and the 2 evening meals equal about 1/4 of a cup.

Sometimes Sunny and Sky will eat too fast and will throw up their food but luckily this doesn't happen too often if I stick to this schedule. They're all at a very good weight right now but I think that Pearl may still be growing.

The key is to not give in. It's very easy during the week because I'm at work but it can sometimes be hard when I'm home on the weekends. I'd suggest that if they bug you too much, then just give them a very small amount. Over time they'll learn that this is all they get. It's hard for them to understand in the beginning but hopefully they'll get the hang of it. Good luck.

[K & L]

We free feed. There's no way with 29 cats I can be on a regular routine and work too! I do give them all a morning treat of a teaspoon of wet food. You would think they're starving the way they're waiting for it in the mornings!

We've put our cats on the "light" food, but we still have a couple of "plump" cats.

[catmandu]

Theres always Dry Food and Water out, and when the feeding frenzy occurs, its when they gather fot the opening of the Fancy Feast,
the Food Of The Food Gods.
And then its every Cat for himself or herself , although generally they are very good at sharing.

[jenluckenbach]

OK, I run this house, not the cats.

Foster cats are free fed dry with canned fed 1 time per day.

My own cats eat dry food twice a day: in the am (6-7) and in the pm (6:30-7:30).
10 of them have their own crate that they are locked into until everyone has finished.
Rutherford eats in a room by himself.
and of the other 5, 1 in the kitchen, 2 in the living room and 2 in the cat room.

That's IT! no canned food, no regular treats, no exceptions. (well, OK, Fern and Willow DO get canned food mixed with their dry....it is the oly way they will eat it)

I know who ate what and how much. I know if a cat is "off-feed". I can feed special food to 1 or to all and they won't be in each others dishes.

This has worked for me for YEARS. They don't gain or lose weight so I know that they are not going hungry. And it is amazing how quickly a cat can adjust to the system. And they RACE for their carriers and wait to be fed. (those who eat outside of carriers are those who are too intimidated by them).

Ans so it goes at the Luckenbach house.

[mruffruff]

I wish I had mine willing to eat in carriers! It's really the way to go. It would have been real helpful when I had to treat them all for URI last week.

Nearly all of the 14 are carrier-shy. They were trapped ferals so they really don't like being enclosed. I don't think I could squeeze in 14 carriers in the 10 by 10 room with cat trees and 2 cages anyway.

They are basically free fed. I put down 6 double sided dishes of dry kibble at 6AM and pick up 5 dishes at 7AM. Then I put 6 back down at 5PM and pick up 5 again at 7PM. But there is always a double sided dish available. I've tried to "treat" them to wet food, but I end up throwing out most of it (thoroughly licked clean of gravy!). Temptations are given out at bedtime, only to those who are available. (Some like to hang out in the outside cat pen)

[Freedom]

I started 3 days ago. I have a house full of mystified cats. What's going on? Where's the food?

I decided that they could follow the vet's diet plan, at least up to a point. They eat in the morning at 7 when they insist it is time to get up.

Then they do not get food again until 5 PM. (I was trying for 6 but I couldn't do it - ME, not them!)

And a final feeding at bedtime (I didn't want to be woken up at 2 AM.)

The reason we HAVE to make a change is that we are considering adding to the family. A dog, one which under NO circumstances can eat cat food. So cat food can't be out and available all the time.

Afternoons are quite comical. What used to be quiet time with all 7 napping is now pacing time. They are all about trying to get me to feed them. I started this on a sunny day, and I just went out and did yard work so they wouldn't tear the place apart. (They are OK if I am not around, geesh.) Today is day 3. Only 2 are pacing. The others seem to get the idea.

Oh, one more change: I now put them in the bedrooms with the door closed while we eat lunch at noon time. I couldn't see not feeding them and having us eat; too much of a tease, almost cruel. They are going along with that. Today they voluntarily went in to the bedrooms, I didn't have to chase anyone!

They all still get excited and think it is time to eat at 11:30 and on until I put them in the bedrooms while we have lunch. Life is just a wee bit calmer around here.

Until the new arrival gets here!!!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

WOW Jen, that sounds perfect!!!

My cats get dry food at 7 am.
Between 9 and 10 they sometimes beg for more; they just get a very small amount then!

Lunch is being served at 12 noon: wet food for all 4! Their bowl is empty within 1 minute!!!

At 6 pm, they get dry food again.
That's it!

[slick]

I started to free-feed Max months ago and it was the best decision of my life. He was OK until Speckles left for the bridge, then he would start pawing at me at 7am for the morning feeding.

Now, he has crunchies all day and all night to nibble on (Medi Cal low protein) and in the evening he gets his treat of wet food. We are both so much happier now.

I wish I had some advice for you Freedom. Sorry.

[Purr-tender]

Freedom I just loved reading your post! I have 8 inside cats, 4 are 6 months old(teenagers) with huge appetites. Like you I am trying to work out feeding so that all get to eat. The "kids" have their heads stuck in the can as soon as they hear me opening it. They can be at the other end of the house and hear it!! If you would see them you would think that they are little starving urchins. I have started feeding them first, and then the older ones are locked in the laundry room by themselves with their own food. I used to be able to get up in the middle of the night for a potty break and then stumble back to bed, not anymore! When I come out of the bathroom I have a small crowd waiting on me. So of course I head to the laundry room to fill food bowls, if I didn't they would be tearing at the carpet outside the bedroom door or bouncing off the door! My poor husband is not an animal lover and they are driving him crazy. He is home now recuperating from triple bypass surgery a couple of months ago. Doesn't go back to work til mid December. I love these babies with all my heart and try very, very hard to keep up with them.

[lvpets2002]

Well I have never had problems with the girls.. They get a plate each 6:00 am of wet food {yup mom has a special tray to carry out 9 plates } then thru out the day they have dry food & treat bowls.. Now at noon & supper if mom gets chicken & or fish take home then they get some of that.. Normally all are happy thru out the day & night..

[orangemm]

I give my boys dry food in the morning. Binky also gets wet (when he indicates he wants it). They also get a little bit in the evening IF the dish is empty and IF they are begging.

Archy is still too plump...........

I used to have a 'free feeder', but did away with it.