Getting cats on a scheduled feeding?

Question

I have 4 cats. They have access to food whenever they want, but 2 of them are overweight, so i want to schedule their feedings. But, the cats do different things during the day. Some sleep, some go outside, and I think it might be hard to get them all to eat at certain times of the day. And, how would I feed them? If I feed them all at the same time, some cats might want more and eat some of anothers cat's share of the food. Does anybody have any suggestions? Thanks.

Answer 1

My cats are on a feeding schedule. First of all I would keep them all inside if I were you. It's the safest there and then you can monitor what they're doing and what they eat. I have an overweight cat which is why they are on a strict schedule. We feed them twice a day, abt. 12 hrs apart. For our fat cat, Jack, we use vet reccommended Science Diet Light Adult cat food. I give him only 1/4 c in morning and evening. He wants more but he knows by now he's not getting more. It was tough for me at first because I thought I was starving him. He eventually lost some weight. He was at the point where he couldn't even lick himself when he sat; he'd try then fall over! The other cats are on different foods because of other diet issues. But the others get how much they want really. I put a generous amt. in their bowls. When they're done, I don't really give them more.

Eventually all your cats will learn to be on that schedule if you deem it necessary. Just always have fresh water daily and things should be fine. No table scraps either.

Good luck!

Answer 2

You can change their schedule by making it a totally new one with new cues.

Each cat gets their own bowl, each one gets a different corner of the room to eat in, or a different room to eat in. All cats ONLY get to eat for 15 minutes then the bowls get taken up and put away till 6 or 8 hours later when you do this again.

Make a special food call that you say loudly and with urgency, calling all their names and acting excited when you go into the kitchen to get their food together. Say each cat's name when you put the bowl down in front of them. If they're in the same room, have them with their backs to each other.

You make a big deal of the food going down in front of them, then a quiet take up of the bowls, and no giving in to food cries outside of regular meal times. If they can bully you into treats or extra feedings--the cries never stop. If you don't give in to them and make each mealtime be an announced affair, they adapt to the new way pretty quick.

The key is to be consistent. Cats are gamblers. If whining and crying get them one extra feeding out of 20 tries, they'll consider it great and continue to do it because of the one time in twenty that it works.

Answer 3

Cats don't easily change to a different schedule and they will. Some will give you a harder time about it than others. It's definitely best if they are eating dry food that they eat only in the morning and again in the evening. Dry food is very hard to digest and takes a long time to be broken down in their stomachs.

You might go to: http://www.thepetcenter.com and read the article there on Feline Obesity. Also Dr. Jean has an article, "Feline Obesity" at her website: http://www.littlebigcat.com

Hopefully you might come to realise that dry food is NOT going to help overweight cats slim down.

Answer 4

Don't just leave the food for them to eat, and I suggest having them all inside because then you can monitor what they're doing, and it's safer for them. First, I also suggest having two big bowls so that two can eat at each one. If one eats with another two, just shush them towards their bowl. Second, you have to teach them to react to some kind of sound, like a bell.

At first, you could hold the bowl while you're ringing the bell so that they come towards you, the food, and the bell. Then, it just takes awhile and a lot of patience and training, and they will sooner or later know when it's meal time. When they finally do get it right, give them a lot of affection to show that they did something right. I hope this helps.

Answer 5

try to see when they are all in the place were you feed them and feed them then but if that never happens just get them all in the room your self for a while. but they'll eventually get it.