Advice on Multi-Cat Households

[ibbykitty]

Hi there! 

I'm moving in with a friend who has a cat.  The problem is that her cat uses an automatic feeder with controlled portions and my cat is free fed dry food all day (with one wet food meal around dinner time).  My cat is young (6 months) and very active, so I definitely don't want to put him on a strict diet.  I don't really have say over what my friend feeds her cat, and don't want to mess up her routine by letting her cat have access to my cat's food.  My understanding is that her cat was slightly overweight and she put him on a stricter diet to make him more healthy.    

My question is what the best solution is.  I have a few months before the move, so I could transition him to meals.  But, like I said, I definitely don't want to be too strict because he's still small (he's currently 8.5 pounds) and very active.  If I did transition him to meals how much dry food per meal and how often should I feed him so that he won't lose weight?  

If anyone has advice it would be much appreciated!! 

Thanks! 

 

[fhicat]

Meals are generally better than free feeding, although with kittens you may feel like you're free feeding considering how much they need to eat.

Both cats must have completely separate meal areas. It's not foolproof, but your kitten can have his meals high up on a shelf, for example (of course, it should be accessible 24/7). If you can feed meals, that cuts down on the potential stealing by a bit. Again, with kittens, they will need lots of food, so give him every time he's hungry.

If it's feasible for you, you can also consider feeding more wet, or all wet. The decent brands are generally higher in protein and may keep your kitten fuller and feel more nourished. 

 

[Columbine]

My feeling is that cats do better on timed feeding regimes. It's not necessarily about dieting or smaller portions. I rescued a 8-9month kitten in March. She was pitifully underweight. I've never free fed her, and she's still gained 3lbs or so since I took her in. It's just a matter of feeding to appetite when you have a still-growing kitten.

fhicat has given you some great advice. Feeding more wet is a great idea if you're able to. Cats are likely to become dehydrated on dry food, and it can set up health problems like flutd in later life.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

By the time this transition happens, your furkid will be about 8 or  9 months old, right?.  At that point, he will not actually need to have food 24/7.  Scheduled meals 3 times per day would be fine for him.  

As far as how much to feed, maybe these articles will help you:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-much-food-should-i-feed-my-cat

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transitioning-free-fed-kibble-kitties-to-timed-meals

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transit...-to-a-new-type-of-food-canned-raw-or-homemade

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/choosing-the-right-food-for-your-cat

Now, how about transitioning the CATS themselves to living together?  Do they know each other?  Having two cats move in together is not always just a matter of putting them together and letting them be.  There is sometimes many weeks or months of working with them so they can get along harmoniously 

.  If they aren't already buddies, this will give you time to do the food transitioning, while they are separated, yours in your room and the other cat in his/her room.  

If you need it, here's an article on introducing cats:  

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats

 

[ibbykitty]

Great! Thanks for the advice!  

As far as introductions, I know it might be a little rocky at first.  They have met each other briefly, in an effort to get them at least a little familiar with the smell of one another.  Her cat is also fairly young, so I don't expect it to be too hard of a transition. 

Thanks for the articles, though! I really appreciate everyone's help 

 

 

[bonepicker]

To this day I feed two cats in different rooms. They get two timed feedings and before bed snack. I give them 1/2 hour to eat before I let one cat out of his room. The smaller female knows if she leaves any he will eat it which is ok, since he is twice her size. I feed only wet, my girl used to vomit on dry.