Feeding and play

[Novus888]

How long should one wait after the cat eats to engage in playtime? I know it should be play first, then eat, but Buddy is an erratic eater, and I'm forgetful. I keep his food bowl clean til I see him checking it out, then I have to warm food to room temperature, add in some water, and serve it to him before he loses interest.

 

[daftcat75]

That's a good question. I'd like to know that answer too. My angel kitty, Krista, was very food motivated and wanted to eat first and then play. The only time this was an issue (that I can remember) was a sitter (who won't be hired again for other reasons) who played her too hard right after feeding, and predictably, she popped. But I don't remember that ever being an issue with her and me or the other sitter I just adore. Krista would sometimes also poop right after a meal and then go on a poop zoom tear across the apartment.

I suppose it probably comes down to how much he eats and how hard he plays.

 

[vince]

Mine usually go off someplace and sleep for a while after eating. I think you should just let kitty rest for a while and engage him in play when he's up and about a bit later. It seems to be their natural behavior anyhow.

 

[Novus888]

Mine usually go off someplace and sleep for a while after eating. I think you should just let kitty rest for a while and engage him in play when he's up and about a bit later. It seems to be their natural behavior anyhow.

The problem comes in catching him when he is not asleep. Today he got me up at 7am. I went to bed at 2am, so I was only semi-conscious. I got up, fed him, changed the water, went back to bed, and got up at 11am. He ran to the bowl, took a sniff of the leftovers, issued his rejection slip, and launched his begging campaign while I'm trying to get my coffee going and fix my breakfast. So I stop, clean his bowl, put in new food, change the water, and go back to what I was doing. By the time I have my coffee and breakfast sandwich, Buddy is lodged back in his igloo sleeping. This is pretty much his routine all day, everyday.

There is some deviation after 7pm, when he manages to stay on his feet long enough for a lovefest with my hairbrush (one of his obsessions), a massage, a bout with Da Bird, and a quick but terrified recon of the foyer...before streaking back to the igloo. According to the internet, a cat his age should have two to three play sessions a day. Mostly he is just getting that one in the evening. I'm thinking that if I forget to make him play before eating (which I usually do), I should let him sleep off the meal for a few hours (so he don't barf), then haul him out of the igloo to fight off an aerial attack from his nemesis.

 

[susanm9006]

I wouldn’t be concerned if he doesn’t get three sessions. Some cats do just fine on one because they wear out their energy playing by themselves. If you are a night owl, maybe you can interest him in a session before you go to bed. Bring him out, dangle the toy and if he doesn’t go for it at least you tried.

 

[Novus888]

That's a good question. I'd like to know that answer too. My angel kitty, Krista, was very food motivated and wanted to eat first and then play. The only time this was an issue (that I can remember) was a sitter (who won't be hired again for other reasons) who played her too hard right after feeding, and predictably, she popped. But I don't remember that ever being an issue with her and me or the other sitter I just adore. Krista would sometimes also poop right after a meal and then go on a poop zoom tear across the apartment.

I suppose it probably comes down to how much he eats and how hard he plays.

In the evening when the dastardly bird attacks, he plays pretty hard for a 8 to 9 year old, but doesn't last long. Maybe ten minutes. As for eating, he usually only eats like a quarter can of Fussy Cat (2.8 oz) at a meal, so not much for a big guy. Puking is a concern as it freaks me out, and does happen if I get him too excited after eating, or feed him too much. Once he had a big appitite, polished off his usual quarter can, and demanded more, so I gave him another quarter which seemed to satisfy him, but then he came back ten minutes later wanting more, so I gave him another quarter. An hour later he barfed twice. He is supposed to be eating two cans a day, so I didn't realize til then that I could overfeed him. Now I keep him to a maximum half can per four hour period, and had no more puking. Still not sure just how long I have to wait after he eats before play.

 

[Telstar]

My cat is used to ask me to play, and generally eats or goes out (sheltered balcony) after the session. It really depends on the cat, but they should play *before* eating not after - one catches a prey and then eats it.