Food Behavior

ArtNJ

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Here is an interesting one that makes no sense. I'm working from home these days, and my two cats get, and have pretty much always gotten, 4 meals a day. A handful of dry for breakfast, 1/2 can for lunch, 1/2 can for dinner and handful of dry at bedtime in the same bowl with any left over moist food. They often finish the dry to a clean bowel, but rarely do better than 80-90%ish with lunch, and 60% with dinner. It varies some, but the bowl is never clean by nighttime, there is always leftovers. So at night, a handful of dry goes over some leftover fairly unattractive well browned moist food -- and the bowl is licked clean by morning.

What sense does this make lol?

The 5 year old is a lean 11 pounds, and the 2 year old is a borderline too skinny 8 pounds (smaller) cat. The 11 pounder is at a great weight I feel, lean and healthy. As for the 8 pound girl, a vet would probably say she is fine and at a great weight, she hasn't been in too long (I know I know) but we would certainly let her eat more if she wanted. Its really not a lot of calories for two cats. But at the same time, how can I put out more given how much food they are leaving in the dish and only finish overnight?

I figure its a stable and acceptable situation, even if its weird, and I dont really understand it.
 

Cat McCannon

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The process of making kibble turns meat into tasteless meal. After the meal is pressed into hard kibble, it's coated with artificial scent/flavoring to entice cats to eat it. The artificial ingredient is such that some cats become addicted to it, so it's no wonder your cats eat it all.

It's possible the artificial scent/flavoring is leaching into the stale wet food.
 

arr

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Is it possible that eating four times a day they just don’t work up much of an appetite? I really don’t know, it’s just a thought. I know for me as a human, if I snack often it will keep the hunger down but if I don’t have anything for awhile, then I get really hungry. Maybe three meals a day will stimulate more appetite?
 

rubysmama

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Lately I'm finding Ruby eats more overnight than before, so I've actually been giving her less at dinnertime, and more right before I go to bed. Most mornings the dish is licked clean when I get up. So maybe your 2 are becoming more night eaters as well.
 

FeebysOwner

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If you are interested in getting them to eat their 2nd wet food meal of the day rather than leaving it out overnight mixed with the dry food, you might try bone broth or one of the gravy-type toppers and see what they do. I have used both and it seems to help Feeby finish off her wet food long before bedtime.
 

susanm9006

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Given they are adults, I would cut out one of their feedings and divide there food into three meals, with one being in the late evening.
 
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