Stress eating?

catnurse22

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I'm bottle feeding a little 3 wk old kitten for awhile and my two boys aren't too happy about it. I keep the little one in the bathroom and mine get free roam everywhere else. Since this is only a temporary thing (probably until Friday) I'm not worried about introducing them or anything like that. However, I have noticed something strange. I usually feed them 1/2 C split between them about 3-4 times a day. They'll both eat a little when I first fill their bowls then graze for the next few hours. Since the baby is here both of them have eaten everything that's in their bowls as soon as I put it down. They have never done this. Do cats ever eat out of stress? Or maybe it's a competition thing...knowing there is another cat in the house so eating "while they can"? But that doesn't make too much sense b/c little one has never been around them let alone their food. Otherwise their behavior is pretty normal. They'll come smell on me after I've been around the kitten and hiss a little, but other than that they've been their cuddly selves. I'm not worried about it, I'm sure it has something to do with the kitten. Just curious. Anybody ever have anything like this happen?
 

darlili

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From what I've read, some cats will definitely over eat or change eating habits due to stress - and for your boys, just knowing that baby kitty is there, and that your attention is, necessarily, a little split right now, may be enough to make them think it's time to eat while the eating's good, before anything else happens to disrupt the household.
 
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