Chasing before feeding time

RocketPuppy97

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Our long thread regarding their introduction

So for a little backstory:
So we got Monty in June of last year and Cosmo in July. They are both neutred and indoor cats only. We had quite the journey introducing them to each other, but since december last year they became quite good buddys.
They get fed 4 times a day: 6:30 in the morning (wet food), 1 pm. (dry food), 7:30pm. (wet food) and another portion of dry food before we go to bed.
They were fine with this for quite a while. However, Monty being the dominant one started chasing Cosmo before mealtime for like 2 month now? It's not like he really wants to fight or anything, he just gets on his nerves and thinks he'll get fed if he countinues to chase Cosmo (we don't give in). Cosmo will growl and hiss at him but Monty doesn't take him seriously at all. Cosmo behaves normal after every incident.

We tried playing more with them to get his energy out, but it's not helping.

We are currently trying feeding at different times and in different locations. To see if we can break this habit like that
 

Mamanyt1953

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I'd feed at the same time, but in different locations. That way, Monty won't be anticipating snagging an extra meal. Feed them at the same time, but in different rooms. Preferably so that they can be closed off from each other, and poor Cosmo can eat in peace.

LOL, I kept trying to call your cats "Monte" and "Carlo." I have exotic locations on my mind!
 
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RocketPuppy97

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I'd feed at the same time, but in different locations. That way, Monty won't be anticipating snagging an extra meal. Feed them at the same time, but in different rooms. Preferably so that they can be closed off from each other, and poor Cosmo can eat in peace.

LOL, I kept trying to call your cats "Monte" and "Carlo." I have exotic locations on my mind!

Sorry for replying so late!
Monty doesn't specifically try to steal cosmos food. He'll start chasing him way before feeding time. Like an hour or so.

And the Monte Carlo thing qite hillarious xD


The dilemma I'm facing right now is he wants to get a reaction out of us and of course it works because we don't want Cosmo to be bothered by Monty all the time.
We now tried feeding on different times to avoid him chasing, but that would just mean feeding earlier and earlier.
Different locations was also becoming quite difficult:
I had to feed Cosmo first, because no matter where his head would be in the food bowl the moment it hit the ground.
And Monty would then be fussy about eating because it wasn't familiar to him. He's never a fussy eater so that was strange

We also play with them everyday in the evening.
Around lunch he'll still chase him around, but we both don't have the time to get up every single time and it starts again after 2 minutes.
Playing doesn't keep him from doing it also
 

flybear

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have you tried free feeding dry food ... in multiple locations and just do wet food in separate locations with closed doors? My cats have access to food all day and at different food and water station out of each others sight ... it seems to alleviate stress ... Chasing and going bonkers in the. evening however is. a cat thing ... they. just get a spurt of energy at dusk and dawn- I have 5 cats lumbering around twice daily just for fun chasing each other lol ... crepuscular animals ...
 
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RocketPuppy97

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have you tried free feeding dry food ... in multiple locations and just do wet food in separate locations with closed doors? My cats have access to food all day and at different food and water station out of each others sight ... it seems to alleviate stress ... Chasing and going bonkers in the. evening however is. a cat thing ... they. just get a spurt of energy at dusk and dawn- I have 5 cats lumbering around twice daily just for fun chasing each other lol ... crepuscular animals ...

Free feeding would be hard to pull off I think, both of them are quite food motivated and I would worry that Monty would tend to over eat and become a little fat kitty over time.
Yeah, I know the bonkers kitty thing, that thing just seems to be a bit different as it happens like clockwork 1 to 1 1/2 hours before feeding time. And I mean out of 4 feedings it's usually before 3 of them Monty will chase Cosmo around.

They are really comfortable with each other the rest of the time. While feeding their fine as long as the other doesn't get too close and every other time they're fine too.

How would I switch them to free feeding? I mean Monty would surely inhale the whole dry food portion at once if I let him
 

flybear

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mine have always free fed and I never had to transition ... I would think that most cats can self regulate but they are creatures of habit and. once they are used to one system ... who knows what happens ... you can try for a week or two and change if it isn't working ... I would also incorporate puzzle and enrichment feeders ( always more than one if you have a dominant cat )- I switch feeding/ water places frequently and have given food in stuffed paper towel rolls and in empty tissue boxes ...
 
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RocketPuppy97

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So I tried free feeding, I bought two enrichment feeders and especially Cosmo ate so much kibble. Like too much. I had to resort to filling up the puzzles often with small portions too stop Cosmo from eating way too much.
Now even after playing with them before theri two wet food meals (morning and evening) Monty still chased Cosmo around 1-2 hours after that, because Cosmo didn't leave any kibble for Monty and I had to fill it up again.
It's a bummer that leaving dry food out all the time doesn't seem like an option. I mean they were happy cats eating double their normal portion the first days of trying free feeding. But I would end up with two really fat cats in the end
 
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