Stealing food and licking my face.

[2blackkitties]

We have a 6 month old male cat (Gunter.) We got him about two months ago, maybe a little longer. It's hard to remember. lol
He has two main issues. The first is he is always stealing food from the other cat. Luka is a big pushover and just lets him take her food. :/
So, I've been feeding them in separate rooms. I am wondering how long we will have to keep that up?
I even have to feed them snacks separately. If he sees her getting a snack, even if he is eating one at that very moment, he will scarf his down and run to steal hers right out of my hand. He has jumped at me with all four paws ready to latch onto my clothing in order to get the snack/food. 

I watched him one time after doling out their food. He was eating his while watching her eat hers and then he ran over and nudged her out of the way and started eating her food. She just walked over to eat his, but he ran over there and did the same thing again. 

The other thing he does is when I'm trying to sleep. He wants to sleep too, but he must do his ritual of licking my face and kneading my soft parts like my neck, cheek, or the inner part of my upper arm before he settles down.  He kneads hard, so it hurts. The licking gets annoying, too. So, I've tried to just keep him out of my room at night. Unfortunately, my husband lets him in there before he goes to work (at 5am) sometimes. He usually remembers to keep him out, but when he forgets, I get woken up to claws in my neck and wet kitty tongue on my nose. Even covering my head with the blanket doesn't work because he will walk all around the blanket looking for a hole to crawl into to get to my face. I either have to roll up into a burrito or get up and put him out of the room again. 
I assume he will continue these behaviors, so what else can I do to limit them?
Other than these things, Gunter is super laid back and a big cuddle bug. He and Luka get along great. They are constantly chasing each other and grooming and playing their kitty games. 

 

[meganelizabeth8]

My cats used to do the same thing. I had their bowls right next to each other, and Darla would eat her food and once hers was done she would go straight to Luke's. Luke would still be eating... Once they got a bit older they started eating from their own bowls, but after I put their food out Luke eats a tiny bit then I go and sit down on my sofa and he wants to be all up in my business. He stops eating, unless I walk over and put his face in the bowl.  

Do you have food out all the time for them or do you feed them twice a day? I feed mine in the morning and at night. I limit their food too, so they will both eat. 

I just recently started giving them wet food and they love it. I put it out for them and they both eat it without getting in each other's food. I also let them up on my counter to eat and separate them, Luke on one side of the counter and Darla on the other. Now the only time Luke stops eating is at dinner time. 

My thing is... when they are  hungry they will eat. As soon as your other cat is finished eating, pick up the food for both of them.   He will begin to realize that if he wants to eat he will have to eat when you feed him. 

On to the kneading, you just have to ignore him. Pretend like you are sleeping and don't move or show him that you want him to come over to him. When my cats do this I scold them and say NO and get in their face then ignore them and do not give them attention. The more attention you give him, the more he will continue. 

 

[2blackkitties]

I feed them twice a day plus one freeze dried liver snack. They are on wet food only.
Today, he still kept trying to get to her food even though she was in a different room. He barely touched his own food. I had to keep picking him up and taking him back to the kitchen for his own food. Once Luka was done eating her food, I picked it up and put it in the fridge for later.
He eats his all at once, so he never has left overs. 

 

[meganelizabeth8]

How old are your cats? 

 

[2blackkitties]

About 8 months and 15 months. 

 

[shamblesandcleo]

My one cat does the licking thing too but in the middle of the night. It's so annoying! I don't know how to deal with it and my other cat also sleeps with me so I haven't been kicking the other out (don't want to favor the other). I empathize!