Kitten and Teen cat eating each other's food

[zoey602]

Good morning

I recently adopted a 3 mo. old kitty named Behr, and after a rocky start, he seems to be getting along really well with my 1 yo. cat Zoey. However, at first, when he tried to eat her food, I lifted it onto the counter top and left it there, since he can't reach there yet.

But, Zoey seems to enjoy eating all of his food when I'm not around to tell her to stop and her food seems barely touched. I got home from work yesterday and his bowl was completely empty and same thing this morning. Behr runs to the bowl when I refill it, which makes me think he's not getting much while Zoey eats it.

For now, I've moved both foods next to each other in the kitchen, so that at least he'll get something while I'm not around, even though it's adult food. His foster mom told me that he was probably getting a mix of both kitten and adult food anyway as she kept them both out. (Science Diet)

Is this not a big deal? Or does anyone have ideas to keep them eating from their own bowls?

Thank you so much!!

 

[Willowy]

If you keep food out all the time there isn't any way to prevent them from eating each others food. I would just switch to a good all-life-stages food like Taste of the Wild. That way they can both eat the same food. Science Diet is pretty junky stuff anyway.

 

[stephanietx]

If you want them eating separate food, go to scheduled and supervised feedings and don't allow them to free feed. If you do this, be sure to offer food every 3-4 hours to the little one.

 

[harrison]

Try feeding them in separate rooms.