Pls help! finicky kitten lives with non-finicky kitten

naomi

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I need some advice. I have a 4 1/2 mth girl and a 9 mth male. My little girl only wants to eat wet food (or dry mixed with wet) and she is a slow eater, prefrring to eat a little bit and then return later for more.

However, my boy will eat everything in site - including her food if it is wet or dry mixed with wet. I separate them during feeding but I can't sit with them all day to guard her dish from him. I've tried to transition her to dry only, where the male won't finish her food, but she just won't eat it.

I'm stuck. She needs to have the opportunity to eat as much as possible b/c she's a growing kitten but if i keep them together during the day when i'm out my boy will eat her food. I feel like my only option to ensure that she is eating enough is to keep them in separate rooms all day when i'm gone - but i don't want that :-(

Please help!
 

goldenkitty45

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Wow, you do have a problem. What I suggest is to give her the amount she will eat in 5 mins. - even if its only a spoonful or two. Do this several times a day when you are there to supervise. For example, if she will eat 1/2 small can of canned food, then break that down to 2-3 meals so that she's eating the same amount but you won't have to worry about Mr. Piggy
stealing her food when she's not around.
 

urbantigers

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Because she's so little her stomach can't take large amounts of food so it's best for her to eat little and often. As she gets bigger the problem will resolve itself and scheduled mealtimes 2 or 3 times a day should be ok if you supervise them. I had a similar problem when I got my new kitten in that he wanted, and was used to, free feeding whereas Jaffa is a greedy guts who would scoff whatever I put down. I compromised by feeding Mosi a mixture of scheduled and free feeding. I would put his food down at mealtimes but when he'd had enough I put what was left away where Jaffa couldn't get at it. When Mosi made it clear he wanted a bit more I put it down again for him and watched over him so that Jaffa couldn't pinch it. I put a bit of Jaffa's food aside so that when Mosi got fed again he could have a little bit of his too and not feel left out. Now that Mosi's 6 months he just manages on 3 meals a day like Jaffa and will eat enough in one sitting.
 

commonoddity042

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How much bigger than her is he? When I foster a mixture of cats and kittens, I Get a medium-sized, super-cheap plastic bin, cut a hole in the side the size of the kittens that the cats can't get though, and put a heavy ceramic dish of food in the far end. That way the little ones can free-feed and the adults won't be able to hoover their much-needed food up and turn into bowling balls with legs.
 
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naomi

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Thank you for all of your replies. I would love to be able to feed her small meals often but I work 9 -6+ which makes this very difficult.

The plastic tub is a good idea. Do you know where i might be able to find one of those?

The size difference is considerable so theoretically it couls work - she's about 4+ pounds and I think he's pushing 11 pounds (he's a Bengal so he is due to be a little larger than most cats anyway but he does like to eat - he'll stick his head in the dog food bowl while the dog is eating and challenge him over the food!). I'll have to find something to hold it down though because my boy is a beast. He pushes our bathroom scale around with his head if he wants something that's rolled under it, like a toy!
 

commonoddity042

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Originally Posted by naomi

Thank you for all of your replies. I would love to be able to feed her small meals often but I work 9 -6+ which makes this very difficult.

The plastic tub is a good idea. Do you know where i might be able to find one of those?

The size difference is considerable so theoretically it couls work - she's about 4+ pounds and I think he's pushing 11 pounds (he's a Bengal so he is due to be a little larger than most cats anyway but he does like to eat - he'll stick his head in the dog food bowl while the dog is eating and challenge him over the food!). I'll have to find something to hold it down though because my boy is a beast. He pushes our bathroom scale around with his head if he wants something that's rolled under it, like a toy!
It's just a plastic storage bin with a "lock down lid" (a pair of plastic latches at the ends of the lid. I got it from the dollar store or kmart (I forget which). In addition to the entry hole I put a few random airholes at about mid-height on the sides so the air inside wouldn't get too stale.
 
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naomi

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Thank you. I'm going to give it a try today, perhaps i'll even post a picture tomorrow or the next day because my boy is going to go CRAZY trying to get into that tub - plus, if i'm lucky, i'll get a clear one
It might help her out too to think of eating as fun since i'm sure this bin will turn into a play fest.

Thanks again for a great idea and will let you know how it turns out.
 
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