Alright Guys, Let's Brainstorm...kibble Question

EmersonandEvie

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I am free feeding our new kitten dry kibble during the day. My other two cats are on a timed feeding schedule, getting raw in the morning and canned at night. Can anyone help me brainstorm how to allow only the kitten to have access to the dry food so he isn't cooped up in a single room all day? He needs all the food he can get and my other cats definitely don't :p;).
 

Jem

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I know a kitten needs to eat, and eat more than an adult cat, but have you thought of putting your kitten on a wet food schedule during the day and only keep him in his room with all the kibble he wants at night?
In general, wet food is more satiating, so it might be enough for him, especially if you feed him 4 times during the day (and just watch that the other two don't steal it). And at the same time he'll get a feel for "scheduled feeding" and might be easier to transition him to scheduled feeding when the time comes.

I'm not sure of your schedule, but as an example...once in the early morning as soon as you get up, once more before you leave for work, once as soon as you get home or if you go home for lunch, then after dinner and even one more at bed time when you put him in his room, with all his kibble.

I haven't had a kitten in a long time so I really can't remember how often they eat, or if they just graze all day...I don't know. Just a thought.
 
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EmersonandEvie

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I know a kitten needs to eat, and eat more than an adult cat, but have you thought of putting your kitten on a wet food schedule during the day and only keep him in his room with all the kibble he wants at night?
In general, wet food is more satiating, so it might be enough for him, especially if you feed him 4 times during the day (and just watch that the other two don't steal it). And at the same time he'll get a feel for "scheduled feeding" and might be easier to transition him to scheduled feeding when the time comes.

I'm not sure of your schedule, but as an example...once in the early morning as soon as you get up, once more before you leave for work, once as soon as you get home or if you go home for lunch, then after dinner and even one more at bed time when you put him in his room, with all his kibble.

I haven't had a kitten in a long time so I really can't remember how often they eat, or if they just graze all day...I don't know. Just a thought.
We may implement that after the Thanksgiving holiday. Our new kitten was not planned and we have had to scramble around to accommodate him. I was originally giving him dry and wet food but he was having horrible diarrhea, so I cut the wet food out until his stomach gets a little stronger. We are leaving for the holidays (preplanned) and we will have someone come and feed the big cats and Dexter 2x/day, play with everyone, clean the litterbox, etc. I definitely don't want to leave the sitter with any major tummy issues!
As far as feeding during the day... both my husband and I work about 40 minutes away from home, so it isn't an option for us to come home during lunchtime. We could possibly do the early morning/right before we leave and then as soon as my husband gets home, but that isn't until after 5. Nine hours seems like such a long time to go between any sort of meal for such a small baby. :(
 

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Furballsmom

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Nine hours seems like such a long time to go between any sort of meal for such a small baby
You're right, that's too long considering that kittens, until after they've reached a year or more of age, need to eat as much as they can consume.

You have him in a room by himself, maybe continue with that (until after the holidays) and provide him with a different brand of wet food than you were using for him, along with his kibble?
 

qtpidani

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Did the poops get better after taking your kitten off wet? I first took in my stray, we thought she might have a food allergy/sensitivity because she had nasty poop. Turns out she had roundworms, but they weren't detected until her 3rd fecal, which was unfortunately not until almost 3 months after I took her in.

Also, maybe try a carrageenan-free (or however that's spelled) type food. I've read that can mess with a kittens GI tract.
 

cat princesses

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I would caution you with dry kibble - a wet food diet is far better than dry. Dry food is very high in carbs and can contribute to a variety of health issues including diabetes. My cat was a dry only eater until she was diagnosed diabetic. Just taking her off dry kibble and switching her to wet food drastically decreased her blood glucose numbers and I have now gotten her into remission after a change in diet and insulin for 1 year. If you can, please consider no kibble and either a good quality wet canned food ( I like the weruva cats in the kitchen grain free ) or a raw food diet ) either will also help to get much needed moisture into your kitties diet.
 
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EmersonandEvie

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Thank you for every one of your replies!

First and foremost, we have rigged up a system to where Dexter can access his litterbox and his kibble. It involves a large dog cage, a cut up Sterilite container lid, zip ties, and much trial and error.

We had him on Redbarn lamb (all life stages) and fancy feast kitten food. We reintroduced the wet food as of Sunday and he has done great! I think the diarrhea was from something that the vet gave us a prescription for. I want to say she said Coccidia.

Let me address the concerns about wet vs. dry food. I understand the importance of wet food in a cat's diet. I am a raw feeder (Evie and Emerson get homemade raw in the morning and canned at night), and Dexter will be transitioned accordingly as he gets older. The kibble that we feed (for the curious, Nature's Variety Instinct Kitten) is due to the fact that we simply cannot accommodate his caloric needs while we work during the day and while we will be away for Thanksgiving. The cat sitter is only coming by twice a day. I think it is unfair to him to have to go 8+ hours between any sort of food. We will start giving him more "timed" feeds as he reaches 6 months of age.

He does, however, eat as much canned as he wants when we feed the cats in the morning and at night, and we offer him some before we go to sleep. He drinks a lot of water, easily more than Evie and Emerson combined.
 

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Older cats tend to dislike food they never ate as kittens, maybe experiment to see if you can find some food they hate and get the kitten on it? Just an idea.

Or manufacture a box only the little one can get in and put the food there :p
 
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EmersonandEvie

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Older cats tend to dislike food they never ate as kittens, maybe experiment to see if you can find some food they hate and get the kitten on it? Just an idea.

Or manufacture a box only the little one can get in and put the food there :p
We never had a food that Evie didn't like :rolleyes: Emerson was always the picky one of the two...lol. It's why we don't free feed them kibble (among other things)...Evie would weigh 30 lbs by now.
 

Tagrendy

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We never had a food that Evie didn't like :rolleyes:
Oh wow, that's a blessing. Mine takes weeks to get used to new food, and it's usually healthy food he takes the longest to eat. I almost always have to mix good food with less quality food so he eats it.
 

Kflowers

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It isn't a terrible thing to have Dexter separated during the day. He won't like it, the others won't like it, but they will all sleep most of the day. Eating is more important right now. And they will get to play paw poke under the door.

Eating is more important right now, eating some cat food many times during the day. When ours were that age we were feeding 6 times a day.* You can't do that, but dry kibble is better than air, or possibly the bed, cushions, drapes etc. It's not perfect, but neither is life.

* They ate six times a day until they were 6 months old and 12 lbs.
 
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ArchyCat

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I've always had the impression that a kitten should be fed all they can eat.Preferably the kitten version, because of the higher caloric and protein content.

And how can you tell you are feeding them enough? When there is food left over.
 

sargon

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There are 2 ways, a room only your kitten can access via an access controlled cat door ( they make a chip based that reads your cat's microchip and one that just is activated by a magnetic collar dongle. The magnetic is less useful in some regards, but also is MUCH cheaper.)

They also make cat feeders that only open for microchip programmed kittys. You coudl aso make your own with a larg crate, box, or storage bin and a magnetic or microchip cat flap as the only access for your kitten.
 
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EmersonandEvie

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It's a dog crate that we have fixed to where only Dexter can access. It has his litterbox and his hard food. My other cats have been unable to get inside. He is free to roam the house during the day.
 
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EmersonandEvie

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Wow! Is she/he a main coon?
No, she is not lol...that was slightly dramatic on my part. She would definitely be...quite portly if we free-fed her. She is sitting right at 11 lbs now and the vet said, and I quote, "don't let her gain anymore."
 

susanm9006

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All you need is a storage tub with a latch lid. Cut a door in it large enough for the kitten to get through but too small for the adults and then put her kibble at the far end.
 
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