Cat food autofeeder (to stop morning meowing): Good or Bad?

[dthlo]

I am new to fostering, and brought in a ~3 year old cat who left another foster home because she didn't get along with other cats. She regularly meows in the morning, but I am very good at not acknowledging the meows (though I am loosing tons of sleep). As a result, I bought a cat food autofeeder a week ago, since I read that people set it so they can feed the cat early in the morning to prevent the meowing, and gradually adjust the feeding time so that she doesn't meow so early every day.

Firstly, she meows at random hours in the morning, any time between 3-5am. I set the feeder for 4am for 1 tablespoon of dry food, but she'll meow at very random times: 3am, 4:10am (right after her meal), 4:30a, or 5am. The best day was when she meowed at 3:30a, autofeeder at 4a, and then didn't hear her until 6a. But overall seems like a moving target.

Then, during the day, she'll probably spend 30 minutes ramming her paw into the autofeeder to jigger out any loose dry food she can. She'll also paw at all the drawers which hold various treats. This is on top of hand feeding her 3 meals throughout the day. She seems pretty food motivated, but very active and not overweight.

Ultimately, my goal is to get a good nights rest until at least 6am. Looking for other's experiences with cat food autofeeders, and feeding/portion recommendations.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

1 tbsp is not enough. I would set for a minimum of 3-4 feedings per day, 1/4 cup per feeding. Some kitties are "talkers" and some aren't. She still may meow at early hours. But I think she needs more food per feeding.

I use a gravity feeder (a free feeder), so I don't set portions. However, this can lead to overweight kitties. But it may be an option for you at least for now.

 

[ArtNJ]

She does sound very food motivated and may have actual food anxiety. So I agree with sweetblackpaws that you might want to try free feeding, although if the cat overdoes it weight gain can happen fast so you would need to monitor closely. I've had some success with free feeding with moist food, on the theory that they will eat the browned food if they get hungry enough. So I just modify the portion put out at night until there is a little something left over in the morning.

 

[jcat]

I've had mixed experiences with automatic feeders. Our last cat was a dry food fan, while I'm a firm believer in feeding wet food to provide proper hydration. Our compromise once he reached adulthood was dry food for breakfast and wet for dinner. He got his full breakfast ration at 5 a.m. from an automatic feeder and was perfectly content with that. Once he got accustomed to using it, he stopped crying or attempting to break it open.

Our current cat is obsessed with food and starts running around and crying well before 5 a.m.. He has health issues that require prescription canned food, but I figured a snack of dry food at 5 a.m. would tide him over till 6 or 6:30. It didn't. He broke two automatic feeders within just a few days, even smashing one against the wall to get it open, which led me to invest in a big expensive one that was supposedly cat-proof. He made such a racket that I gave up and reserved the feeder for our cat sitter's use. A few years ago he managed to break it open while we were away for the week and injured his eye. Nowadays I get up at 5 a.m. to feed him and just go back to bed if I'm too tired.

Neither cat was self-limiting, so free feeding was out of the question.

I think an automatic feeder might work if you feed the full breakfast ration and your cat isn't too determined and greedy. It might help to put it away during the day, as she could injure herself trying to get it open.

 

[LTS3]

How much food are you feeding daily? Is it only dry food or are you also feeding canned? What brands? You might not be feeding the cat enough, hence the constant meowing and trying to get more food out of the feeder. It's generally suggested to feed 20 to 25 calories per pound of ideal body weight daily. A 10 lb cat might need 200 to 250 calories daily.

There are general tips to keep a cat more or less quiet at night here:

How To Stop My Cat From Waking Me Up At Night (Step-By-Step Plan) - TheCatSite

Discover how to stop your cat from waking you up at night with our comprehensive step-by-step plan. This guide provides practical strategies to align your sleep patterns with your cat's, ensuring peaceful nights for everyone.

thecatsite.com

 

[dthlo]

I'm feeding her 6 tbsp of dry and 1.5oz wet Blue Buffalo food for a 10lb cat (250 cals). I was thinking that 1 tbsp at 4am would be enough to hold her over until 6am, but after 1 week, this doesn't seem to be the case. Maybe she's meowing out of boredom and not hunger? How does one tell the difference?

I am trying to avoid free feeding, since she isn't a great self regulator. Is there an advantage to having 2 large meals per day rather than 3 smaller ones?

After reading LTS' link, I am considering feeding her at after play time (10pm) as usual, and just putting in earplugs and hopefully she'll stop meowing. Not sure how I can tackle boredom at 3am, if that's the cause. The only toys she likes are interactive toys which require me to physically wave a wand.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

She is not getting enough. You don't have to free feed her, but you need to increase her calories.
Most canned food is about 100/cals per 3 oz and kibble is approximately 350 per cup. If she is getting 1.5 ounces wet per day + 6 tbsp dry (which is .38/cup), it is not enough.

 

[cataholic07]

I would suggest a major play time before bed and the last meal being quite a large one. That might help her sleep for longer. You also should completely ignore her when she is meowing, no talking, don't even move if you can. After awhile it will stop. So have the morning and last meals be the large ones, and the one in the evening being the smallest. Feeding 3 times a day is always best.

 

[dthlo]

Great advice. I will increase amount of food, increase the portions of her first and last meal, tire her out in the evening, and put the autofeeder aside for now.

 

[LTS3]

Yes, definitely not enough food. One 3 oz can of Blue Buffalo has about 75-ish calories (depends on variety. Check the can for kcal or this chart). Half of that daily plus 6 tablespoons of dry is not enough. I suggest feeding at least one whole 3 oz can daily plus a little dry. Blue Buffalo has 5.5 oz cans which are more like 150-ish calories so you could feed half a can daily.

The auto feeder might be ok to use. Is it one of those dry food only gravity-type feeders or can it do both canned and dry?

 

[minish]

If the portion is enough in time she will adjust. I think 1 week is a very short time for that and maybe the attention is as important as food (hopefully not).
My cat is food obsessed and overeats if left to her own devices. I haven't used an automatic feeder but I reserve part of her daily ration for just before I go to bed. It helps for the morning

 

[dthlo]

Any particular reason why the autofeeder should be used, LTS3? It is a gravity fed kind, dry food only.

 

[LTS3]

Oh, well the gravity feeder isn't great then unless it's a programmable type that can dispense less than 1/4 cup of food at a time. If you have a feeder more like this one, you can spread the meals out over the course of the day. Canned food is fine to put in such a feeder.

 

[edie56]

with tassee she gets half large can three times daily and the dry food she gets free fed she seems to be hungry all the time the dry food we leave in her bowl for night time she seems to always eat but shes not overweight she is a savanna and they run around 10 to 15 pounds

 

[dthlo]

The gravity feeder I have can do a minimum of 1.5 tbsp at a time.

Update: Day 2, no meowing until 6am.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

That is great news!

 

[tarasgirl06]

I am new to fostering, and brought in a ~3 year old cat who left another foster home because she didn't get along with other cats. She regularly meows in the morning, but I am very good at not acknowledging the meows (though I am loosing tons of sleep). As a result, I bought a cat food autofeeder a week ago, since I read that people set it so they can feed the cat early in the morning to prevent the meowing, and gradually adjust the feeding time so that she doesn't meow so early every day.

Firstly, she meows at random hours in the morning, any time between 3-5am. I set the feeder for 4am for 1 tablespoon of dry food, but she'll meow at very random times: 3am, 4:10am (right after her meal), 4:30a, or 5am. The best day was when she meowed at 3:30a, autofeeder at 4a, and then didn't hear her until 6a. But overall seems like a moving target.

Then, during the day, she'll probably spend 30 minutes ramming her paw into the autofeeder to jigger out any loose dry food she can. She'll also paw at all the drawers which hold various treats. This is on top of hand feeding her 3 meals throughout the day. She seems pretty food motivated, but very active and not overweight.

Ultimately, my goal is to get a good nights rest until at least 6am. Looking for other's experiences with cat food autofeeders, and feeding/portion recommendations.

dthlo Welcome to TCS, by the way! My three cats are 17, 16, and 13. The eldest, both female, are each around 10 lbs. and the male is around 13 lbs. Each gets a 5.5 oz can of Blue Buffalo, Soulistic or other high quality food, divided into thirds, 3 times a day = 1 can each. They also have free-feeding high quality dry, and they get treats (Greenies) morning and night. Of course they have fresh water, in a fountain and stationary. They maintain good shape according to the cat weight charts, and because they are used to our schedule, wait patiently for me to get up at 7 to feed them.
Except for Tarifa, 17. She is usually stationed on the kitchen mat by 6, sometimes reminding me that she has waited ALL NIGHT for breakfast and to hurry it up, servant. (She's a tortoiseshell.)

 

[dthlo]

dthlo Welcome to TCS, by the way! My three cats are 17, 16, and 13. The eldest, both female, are each around 10 lbs. and the male is around 13 lbs. Each gets a 5.5 oz can of Blue Buffalo, Soulistic or other high quality food, divided into thirds, 3 times a day = 1 can each. They also have free-feeding high quality dry, and they get treats (Greenies) morning and night. Of course they have fresh water, in a fountain and stationary. They maintain good shape according to the cat weight charts, and because they are used to our schedule, wait patiently for me to get up at 7 to feed them.
Except for Tarifa, 17. She is usually stationed on the kitchen mat by 6, sometimes reminding me that she has waited ALL NIGHT for breakfast and to hurry it up, servant. (She's a tortoiseshell.)

Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

[dthlo]

Update Day 3:

• 3am meowing, zoomies.
• 6am zoomies
• 7am zoomies.

No #2 found in litter. Guess she's ready for playtime.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Update Day 3:

• 3am meowing, zoomies.
• 6am zoomies
• 7am zoomies.

No #2 found in litter. Guess she's ready for playtime.

That's very familiar to me! My tort, Tarifa, does all of the above at times. Plus yelling. She is one of the smallest cats I've ever shared life with, one of the older (17), and definitely the LOUDEST. And she storms through the house at times -- we have a long hallway that runs almost the entire length of the house and she can really get going through this. She's been known to make a "kill" of a twinkle ball, bring it outside the door of my roomies, and bellow. In the middle of the night. She used to bring one in to our room, but I guess she gave up on me getting the message. (That's her in my icon)