Smokey prefers I be in the room with him while he eats. It's
funny but, he doesn't care if one of the kitties pokes their noses
into his food bowl. He just "noses" them out.

I've always thought it's because I feed him shortly after I come
home from work & he's still trying to make sure I'm staying
around for awhile. Sometimes if I sit in the next room & read
the mail (but he can still turn around to see me) he's okay with
that & keeps eating.