How to stop cats eating from wrong foodbowls.

ARGH.

I've been having a problem lately with our older male cat eating from whichever food bowl he pleases. It's gotten to the point where I take away their food bowls when no one is home because I know he'll stuff his face and eat BOTH bowls of food.

The sets of food bowls are about 5-6 feet from eachother, one set is dark pink (for the girl) and his are white. I've had to pick him up and move him so many times that when he's eating and I get close to him, he instantly runs away because he thinks I'm going to pick him up and move him.

Any ideas? I've tried dividing up their food portions into two 'meals' a day, but that hasn't helped at all...

Cats don't really care which bowl they eat from. Everything is theirs as far as they are concerned. Can you separate them during mealtime--like feed them in separate rooms, or one on the counter and one on the floor, or something like that?

I'm just curious why you would want your cats to eat out of specific food bowls? Are they on different foods?

i have learned there is NO stopping the cats from eating out each others dishes. I believe mikey feels that stewies food MUST be better than his otherwise why would i put another bowl out.

They're eating the same food, I just don't want the older cat hogging all of it and getting FAT while the other cat starves. We noticed he was gaining some weight and started watching them eat more. Turns out he was eating all of the food in his bowl as well as around half of the other one. I'll try putting the bowls on complete different sides of the room.

It's a lot easier to keep one away from the other if they're on the counter - years of experience talking here :-)!

I have a similiar issue. One cat eats slower than the other-I realized Viola was chasing Natasha away from her food when she was only about half way done. Now I watch them and when Viola is done with her food I pick her up and put her in the bedroom with the door closed till Natasha gets a chance to finish her food. I'm hoping she will eventually get the hint.

Unless you put one cat in a room with the food bowl and leave both there till they are done, you won't stop one cat from eating out of the others bowls.

That is why I don't like free feeding cats and train them when young to eat a certain amount and no food is left in bowl till the next feeding.

When we get Charlie (our ocicat) we'll have to separate the 2 cats during feeding times and watch so they don't eat each other's food. Right now, Ling's food is on the counter and she's fed twice a day. Charlie will be on a different table.

Canned food will be eaten quicker then dry.

We have been splitting their food into two meals a day, but that hasn't fixed the problem much. Maybe when I feed them I'll just split them into different rooms...

Arg.

I have to feed my cats in separate rooms and take up the food of the slower one when we're not home because my younger kitty will gorge herself while we're away. It's aggravating, but I'd rather have them at a healthy weight.

Stephanie