Suddenly she won't eat unless I'm sitting with her.

Maggie decided yesterday that she would not finish her breakfast without me present. So I put her dish next to the couch. She started eating then would look at me. I would tell her she was doing good. Then she would continue to eat. This morning she wouldn't even touch her food without me right next to her. I know if I just let her not eat, her brothers will eat her food. She eats her wet food with no problem. How many days of only getting one meal a day do you think it would take to stop this behavior? I'm going to my sisters around Christmas and I'd hate to have to have the pet sitter stay with her while she eats.

Can you feed her in a different room away from the boys? This way she can eat in peace. She may see you as a protector, so if she can be eating in a safe place maybe it will break her of her neediness.

I'll agree with fifi1puss - try feeding Maggie in a different room from her brothers and see if that helps her feel more secure while she eats.

Harley does this too; she did it more a month ago when I first got her. At first, she'd refuse to eat at all unless I was standing with her in the kitchen. She still does it, but at least now she does go in there and eat on her own, though she seems to eat better if I'm standing there. Harley came from a house with another cat, and I think that he was eating most of her food; she looks to me to protect her food from everyone else!

Ramsay does this, too. I feed our other cat, who will steal any food in site, in a separate room, but Ramsay still will not eat unless I sit by him. He frequently stops and meows at me or wanders off, but I just shake his bowl and pet him and he carries on eating. It's annoying at times, but it makes him happy so I do it anyway.

My senior eats by herself in a different room and she still wants me around until she is done. I do not mind though.

I have found a way to make her comfortable. I sit on the couch & do my makeup with a small mirror. So I realized if I feed them while I'm doing my makeup I can put her food next to the couch, she eats and it doesn't require any more getting ready time from me. I'm still a little worried about when I go away and a pet sitter comes in, but I think since I won't be there and the food will be available 24 hrs a day she will eat when she can. She's 3 years old and has just developed this habbit. I know Jordan sometimes likes to pick on her, but they don't steel her food while she's eating. I just think it's odd that she just developed this habit.

I know what you mean. Fiona is like this and is my petite little girl so I get protective over her and want to make sure she is eating.

I have learned from watching her that she is also nosey. Alot of the time she just doesn't want to miss whats going on. She'll nibble a little and OFF she goes!

Even with treats she'll have 3 or 4 and the boys hang around for as many as I can dish out.

I just started letting her be....kept an eye on her weight and happiness level and it was okay. But I am sure she enjoys the special Momma time with you in the morning.

Originally Posted by fifi1puss

But I am sure she enjoys the special Momma time with you in the morning.

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I have wondered if this had something to do with it also. Since Jordan has had health problems I think sometimes I don't pay enough attention to the others. The boys are also more in you face kind of cats. Maggie is more likely to hang back and only come to me when it is just her.