TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Care & Grooming › Ideas on how to get a cat to slow down when eating?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Ideas on how to get a cat to slow down when eating?

post #1 of 7
1/27/12 at 10:30am
Thread Starter 

Cassie absolutely LOVES her dry food (Buffalo Blue Wilderness) and she inhales less than a quarter of a cup in nearly one bite! It's like she's rushing to finish her's so she can steal Monet's. Monet is a slow eater.

 

I don't feed them the dry that often.. a few times a week as a treat or when they're begging for seconds of wet, less than a quarter of a cup each. I'd love to feed Monet more to maintain his weight while Cassie loses some.

 

Separating them is hard because Cassie knows Monet has food and she'd hit herself on the door and I'm afraid she'd hurt herself. I've even pulled her away from Monet's bowl when she's finishes hers.. though she struggles and does not give up. I've even given her a few bits at a time, but she'd get annoyed at the control and wind up pushing Monet out of the way.

 

Monet is not protective over his food. He'd let Cassie push him out of the way.

 

I am actually getting tired of supervising her! I'd like to just leave some dry out for them to graze on here and there, but I know Cassie would eat it all up in seconds. The automatic feeder won't work since I won't be able to supervise.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Reply
post #2 of 7
1/27/12 at 4:36pm

Some people have had luck putting a golf ball or something similar into the food bowls - the cat has to slow down to eat around it.

 

Hopefully someone else has some good ones for you. I can't say this is something I've had to deal with with my guys.

Reply
post #3 of 7
1/27/12 at 4:44pm

This works well - they have to roll it around to get the treats to come out:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018CG40O/ref=oh_o00_s00_i02_details

 

I sometimes throw some kibble in this before I go to bed because I feel bad that the cats won't be fed for another 8 hours. If I put kibble directly in a bowl, it will be gone in minutes.

Reply
post #4 of 7
1/27/12 at 5:53pm
Another trick to try is using a large plate, elevated, so it's at head height (like on a foot stool). Without being able to put their head down, it's impossible to scoop - especially if on a plate. :)
Reply
post #5 of 7
1/27/12 at 6:51pm
Thread Starter 
Great ideas all! Thanks I will give the ball a shot first
Reply
post #6 of 7
2/2/12 at 12:16pm
I used to use the ball in the bowl trick. It works, but I started to worry about how to clean the balls well.

Now all my cats have Durapet Slow Feed bowls, size small, purchased through Amazon. They are stainless. They work great, especially for Lily, my scarf and barfer.

Robin
Reply
post #7 of 7
2/5/12 at 4:54pm

I know with dogs they say to spread the food out on a cookie sheet.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Care & Grooming
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Care & Grooming › Ideas on how to get a cat to slow down when eating?