Help, pls, with feeding in a multi-cat household...

[tricollie4me]

As you folks know, we just recently adopted a sweet pair of sibling orange & whites. The kittens are almost five months old and have a wonderful disposition -- they have softened my torti/calico up to the point where they have cute little snuggle/grooming sessions and all my furbabies are getting along famously...

Until feeding time. They all want to be fed at the exact same moment in time which of course is impossible. To avoid too much distraction, I feed Bonnie, our resident cat, first, upstairs, and then carry Levi and Charity, the newbies, downstairs in my arms to feed them, then I feed our pup. This works out okay until Levi decides he's finished his food and wants to finish Charity's, and then comes up and wants to finish Bonnie's...

How do I keep Levi out of their food dishes? Bonnie used to like to take her time with her food, eating a bit at a time. Now, if she leaves her dish, Levi cleans it up for her and then Bonnie goes back to her dish later and...it's empty.

What do you folks suggest? I can't monitor their individual dishes every minute or put little alarms on them...but I really want all my kitties to eat the way they like (all at once, taking their time, whatever) instead of feeling like they must protect their own food dish because of Levi's appetite.

Thanks for any advice, I could really use it!

[catmandu]

I think,that there are Plexi Glass Barriers,to keep Pups,out of The Cat Food,with an entrance,that will allow Cats,but not Dogs.I cant remember,where I saw them,maybe Pet s Mart.

[jenluckenbach]

Let me tell you how I do it. I have 15 (er, um, well, sorta 16?) cats. 11 of which eat in their own designated carriers [door closed]. 1cat is in the room with the carriers (cat room), 1 in our middle bedroom, 1 in the kitchen on the top most cabinet and 2 in the living room. The 2 in the LR are monitored, but usually eat together peacefully.

The cats have been trained NOT to go up on the kitchen cabinet as I feed Fern first. They need to follow me to their room, and they do so quite willingly.

You would be surprised how quickly the new ones to this routine catch on to when are where they get their food. And I alwyas know that they are getting exactly what they are suppose to be getting.

There is NO free feeding though, so your Bonnie would have to learn to eat at breakfast and dinner, and not be able to nibble all day. But trust me, she could learn. Each of my cats learned at incredible speed how this system works.

I don't know how other multi cat houses do it. Good luck.

[NoahsMommy]

16, Jenn???? (yippee!!!!! )

Great advice, Jenn! I didn't know how you fed them.

I free feed, but all my cats eat the same food. Sorry I'm not able to help.

The only thing I'd suggest it keep doing what you're doing. The cats will eventually learn to eat quicker.

[Toby's my baby]

Great advice everyone.. how do you do it Jenn...??

We free feed our cats too... so we dont have a problem with that, sorry I couldnt help!

[prechrswife]

We free feed, also.

[Craftlady]

1/3 of a cup in 3 bowls ... 3x a day
Eleanor cleans up everyones leftovers. She got us in trouble at the annual vet appt. LOL
If I see one of the gang didnt get their full 1/3, I make sure they get a little extra.

[sandragonfly]

no problem-o! let me help you.. I have thirteen (13) dear hungry felines. everyday. for four years.

I know how frustrating this can be. it happens to me everytime I have a new cat/s..

no free-feed, (not my boys would stop themselves from eating all day!) so I set up same time, each of their own "where to eat" spots for all of them and you be the boss.

so when I whistle, "breakfastime!" of course, everyone SCATTERS. what do I do?

I go by same steps in order daily, (one cat on counter first, then two on table, then four on the floor, then two in left corner and last four in right corner) so your cats would know you will give to them next, it takes some times.

at first when I had four new last boys (the right corner boys), it was pretty hard to manage them because the others already got used to their routine spot and would wait but I still would have to be quick, putting down the bowls, from next to next. but those boys would run over to others' bowl.. I had to push every of them away while putting the others' bowls down...then took these boys and their bowls (two bowls in one hand, two boys in other..lol) put them (bowls/boys) down in right corner where their food are then again for the other last twos...phew! but by doing that so constantly, they'll began to understand that their food will be coming and stay there and wait!

also, maybe try this too, once you see a cat goes into other's bowl, make a firm hiss (or a coommand "no!" at it, then push it away gently over again and again until it learns to finish his/her food and walk away. so everyone can have the equal amount of food. this worked well for those last little boys and they have finally learnt to not go into others bowl before or after they get theirs (took about two weeks but worth it forever). now I don't have to monitor them as much as before and everyone get to finish everything and respecting others' bowl in six minutes! (I'm so proud of my cats)

just an addition -- (it was easier for me to have everyone eating in the same room, otherwise running upstair/downstairs...into other room and cats could run away..back into that room, and start eating puppy's without you knowing,..to train, etc). --

sorry this is a lot already! so, now for your cats, maybe it's best to not leave bonnie's bowl all the time? because the two little ones could get hers anywhere anytime. or...since you said bonnie's a finicky eater, maybe to feed charity and levi first. then the pup next instead of walking upstairs and back downstairs or bonnie second upstairs if the pup is pretty patient, I think every dog is! (crayola wouldn't get up until I am done with putting bowls down and call for him!)

anyway, it's worth trying every chance we all shared. ....but if you must free-feed, do the same to charity & levi then?

good luck!! you'll get over with whatever you try, I promise. just keep your constant routine, confidence & patience.

[lv4dogs]

I only have 2 but I free feed their dry. It's avail 24/7 in 2 dishes.
In the evening they split a small can (fancy feast size) of canned food. I feed them on opposite ends of the kitchen. Because they only get a small amount of canned they finish it at about the same time.

[tricollie4me]

Thanks for much for the feedback, everyone!

Gina's Ark, great advice with lots of tips that should really help! And to clarify, I don't free feed my kitties (or my pup). They get fed twice daily. I have fed Bonnie up on a counter (because otherwise my pup would happily eat her food!) and she usually ate about half, then might walk around, have a nap, and then go finish her meal. But with our new kitty Levi around, there's no going back to anything as he quite insistently helps himself to anything left in any bowl, even to the point of nudging another kitty aside a bit (they don't seem to mind, they move a little but keep eating too) to share the wealth, as it were. When I brought the kits in for their first vet visit after adoption, Levi was 6 lbs, Charity 4.5 lbs -- I know males can weigh more but it's a reminder that Charity's food needs some protection so she has the time to eat what she needs to!

Anyway, to make a long story longer still the past few meals I've fed them in the order that makes sense for our house (first Bonnie, our resident cat, pushing Levi and Charity aside -- then taking Levi & Charity's food downstairs to their feeding station (they'll willingly follow once they realize I'm carrying their dishes!), and then back up to feed Bijou, our pup. For a short time, everyone eats on their own and there's peace...when Levi is done and comes hopping up and tries to get into Bonnie's dish, I push him away and/or close the door to where Bonnie eats. If Bonnie is done eating for the moment but hasn't finished her food, I move her bowl out of reach for all the cats and wait until Bonnie returns to her spot for the rest of her food, and then I give her her dish back. So far, it's working okay, but it takes so much more of my attention than I thought it would My "people kids" don't eat much in general and would rather walk the plank than touch their brother or sister's leftovers, so my furbabies wanting to eat all the time no matter the source is a new issue for me.

I think it will work out fine with some of the tips you all have so generously shared...in the meantime, maybe if I give my people kids their meals out of a kitty dish, they'd start eating better! tee hee

[sandragonfly]

tricollie,

yeah I understand what you're saying. my counter cat, zephyra was just like bonnie when I first got her. and since she was my first and only one I had, I free feed because she wouldn't take more than 10 bites. ...until I got ocean and miles...boys eat all they want!!! then I've stopped free feed and fed three (oh my gosh..only three...lol) 1/3 cup 2x/day.

and pour out the amount would fit her "10 bites" (leaves 2/3 nibbles). so the food can be gone before the boys get hers. but every three days, I put more in zephyra to see if she have increased her "bites", she did! by doing it so again until she has reached her limit. and setting time, limited to her bowl, she seems to get hungier but full at a perfect time (well, two or one nibble left) - heh.

you said bonnie would eat half, maybe just put half in it. and she'll live by a few hours getting another half or even a cup! I do feel guilty by taking away their 'unfinished' dishes but not like you would leave your two-legged kids' food out there! ..(eww). training time, kids!