Cats eating too fast

[Brice53]

I have three cats who are about 1.5 years old. They are all siblings and get along great. My problem is that one of them(aptly named Mooch) is absolutely obsessed with food and constantly tries to steal the other two’s food.

We watch Mooch to make sure he isn’t stealing but his past behavior has resulted in all three eating their canned and dry food way too fast before anyone else can steal it. The one cat will vomit up all of its plate sometimes and I’m pretty sure it’s because she isn’t chewing her food and is just gorging herself.

Are there any products or techniques you would recommend that would help break them of their habit?

 

[Maurey]

There are a few possibilities that could help, depending on your cat's temperament and the food you feed.

The most expensive, though likely most practical and secure, is to buy your cats microchip feeders, so only the keyed in cat can eat from their specific bowl to prevent food being stolen. This might naturally help him eat slower, as he wouldn't be worried about the others getting at his food. Additionally, you can squish wet food down into a bowl to make it more difficult for him to gorge wet food. Dry food can be given in small amounts, several pieces at a time, though this is less practical, ofc.

Slow feeder bowls (work for any type of food) and puzzle feeders (generally intended for dry food) are a great way to slow down how quickly a cat eats and provide enrichment, all at the same time. However, it stems on your cat actually being interested in using his puzzle/slow feeder over stealing food from another cat. If this is likely to be a problem, it might be best to get your other two cats microchip feeders, regardless of what you end up doing for Mooch.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Do you feed your cats on a schedule? Do they generally eat their food in one sitting? If yes to both, I would put Mooch - or the other two - in a separate room for their meals, so that Mooch can't "mooch".

Aside from the timed feeders, which Mooch might just try to 'nose' his way into the others' food bowls while they are open, you could consider a micro-chip cat flap to place in a bedroom door and feed your other cats in there. If your cats are microchipped there are cat flaps that can be programmed from the RFID in their chips - but, not Mooch's.

If your one cat is throwing up because of eating too fast to keep Mooch away from her food, one of the above solutions would soon teach her that she can relax a bit while eating. There are also slow feeder bowls made for wet food as well.

 

[maggie101]

I have three cats who are about 1.5 years old. They are all siblings and get along great. My problem is that one of them(aptly named Mooch) is absolutely obsessed with food and constantly tries to steal the other two’s food.

We watch Mooch to make sure he isn’t stealing but his past behavior has resulted in all three eating their canned and dry food way too fast before anyone else can steal it. The one cat will vomit up all of its plate sometimes and I’m pretty sure it’s because she isn’t chewing her food and is just gorging herself.

Are there any products or techniques you would recommend that would help break them of their habit?

I set my alarm at 6am to feed my cats half of their morning meal. I do have to watch them eat then back to bed. No more stealing food in the morning and no more throwing up! They are less hungry for their morning meal. I use food timers bought on amazon

 

[Maria Bayote]

I have the same problem with my new rescue cat Casper. So I have to guard them while they all eat. Problem is, my cat Graham eats way toooo slow. So, like one advice above, I have decided to feed Casper at a different room and lock him there while he eats. He can only get out once the rest of the cats are done.

 

[Brice53]

I do feed them on a schedule but today I started separating Mooch by putting him in a separate room to eat. The other cats still are eating quickly but I’ve been given them smaller portions. Over time if I keep Mooch separate will they learn to eat slower? Thanks for some of the recommendations for products. Definitely going to check those out!

 

[FeebysOwner]

If what was causing them to eat too fast was the fear of Mooch stealing their food, then I would think over time when they realize he isn't there to take their stuff they would slow down. The only way that might not happen is if eating fast has now become a habit. If that should turn out to be the case, then the slow feeders might be the next thing to try.

 

[neely]

This Article has some great tips and information for fast eaters, scroll down to #13:
18 Awesome Cat Feeding Tips By Thecatsite Staff Members – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Katy Perkins]

My cat has the same problem and he was like that for the past 13 years of his life. Now in his 14th year, we have hacked the problem. Instead of giving your cat a full serving (whether it’s a full sachet of wet food or a measured amount of biscuits) split the serving in half. Serve the first portion at the time you usually would, and then the second serving in half an hour or an hour’s time… Or maybe even wait until your cat realizes they’ve been short-changed and give it then!

Hopefully, this works for you

 

[kittenmittens84]

For the eating too fast issue, if they eat wet food instead of a bowl try putting it on a plate and spreading it out over the plate. They’ll have to work harder to eat it. For dry food, you can get a slow feeder/puzzle bowl like this FRISCO Fish Shaped Ridges Slow Feed Bowl, Light Blue, 1.25 cups, 1 count - Chewy.com

 

[Mr. Meow]

K kittenmittens84 beat me to it. I use plates to slow my cats down. Can't shovel in a mouthful if it's only one layer thick.