I am totally on board with wet food being the very best thing and have been committed to feeding my fur family the same - however I may have to reconsider this because of an ongoing chronic illness.
Basically I live alone and tend to be hyper-responsible. What this means is that I recognize that as a result of my medical condition (or even just the randomness of life itself), I could need to be admitted to the hospital or (randomness) be in an automobile accident. So I've arranged things with the very few friends I have to call them on a daily basis - a "check in" as it were - saying that the cats have been feed, have fresh water and litter box cleaned.
All well and good, eh? Well, after many months I can hear the weariness in their voice as this seems to have to become like "crying wolf" everyday (some days the pain is so intense you can hear it in my voice). I get it, people, no matter how well intentioned will tend towards thinking nothing is going to change because nothing has changed.
Well, things have not changed, I really shouldn't be driving, for instance, but I have to work… and so at any time there is a reasonable chance that I may not make it home.
Knowing this when I first got my buddies (suggested by the same friends as a "distraction" from the illness and unconditional love) I did arrange to have a "god parent" in case the worst happened, so that they would always have a home. My main concern is that they do not starve in the event of the unexpected actually happening.
So…. I'm thinking of converting from timed feedings to free feeding dry food (supplemented with wet) so that this cannot happen (leaving enough food and fresh water for a week at a time - which should be enough to cover most emergencies - of course I would still need to check in weekly, but I think that would be less of a burden).
My main concerns for the cats now being the health issues related to dry food feeding and the possibility that they will gain weight and possibly gorge with a "limitless" supply of food vs the timed feedings.
I'm only at the stage of considering this change. I know it would have been easier if they started on dry food instead of timed feedings, but it is what it is. So I'm throwing this out there to see how others might handle this and/or to find out the best of the worst (dry food). Ha.
Thanks.
Basically I live alone and tend to be hyper-responsible. What this means is that I recognize that as a result of my medical condition (or even just the randomness of life itself), I could need to be admitted to the hospital or (randomness) be in an automobile accident. So I've arranged things with the very few friends I have to call them on a daily basis - a "check in" as it were - saying that the cats have been feed, have fresh water and litter box cleaned.
All well and good, eh? Well, after many months I can hear the weariness in their voice as this seems to have to become like "crying wolf" everyday (some days the pain is so intense you can hear it in my voice). I get it, people, no matter how well intentioned will tend towards thinking nothing is going to change because nothing has changed.
Well, things have not changed, I really shouldn't be driving, for instance, but I have to work… and so at any time there is a reasonable chance that I may not make it home.
Knowing this when I first got my buddies (suggested by the same friends as a "distraction" from the illness and unconditional love) I did arrange to have a "god parent" in case the worst happened, so that they would always have a home. My main concern is that they do not starve in the event of the unexpected actually happening.
So…. I'm thinking of converting from timed feedings to free feeding dry food (supplemented with wet) so that this cannot happen (leaving enough food and fresh water for a week at a time - which should be enough to cover most emergencies - of course I would still need to check in weekly, but I think that would be less of a burden).
My main concerns for the cats now being the health issues related to dry food feeding and the possibility that they will gain weight and possibly gorge with a "limitless" supply of food vs the timed feedings.
I'm only at the stage of considering this change. I know it would have been easier if they started on dry food instead of timed feedings, but it is what it is. So I'm throwing this out there to see how others might handle this and/or to find out the best of the worst (dry food). Ha.
Thanks.
