Food obsessed cat stealing food

[Kacox]

Hi, I have had my two cats for about 3 years now. I introduced them as adults, it's had it's ups and downs but it's worked out mostly. They're not exactly in love with each other but they don't hate each other either.

Recently my younger male cat Keith has been pressuring and pushing my older female cat Greta (about 1 yr age dif) away from her food bowl so he can steal it. It started to happen after I got them automatic feeders. Before this he never did that with food and they have always eaten together in the same area, reletively close by so that they have positive association with proximity.

I got the auto feeder because they would be obnoxious at 4am, 6am, etc and so I wanted to make sure they had a snack between main meal times. It worked out fine at first, and they both ran to it when they heard the feeder and would both eat with no issue. Idk what changed but Keith has started to hover over her after finishing his food first and she will back off from her food and he'd eat it all.

I don't know what to do to control this behavior because it's spread out to their main meal bowls as well, and not just the auto feeders. I know separate areas are an option but I do not trust that to work, Keith is pretty relentless and will follow me to where ever I go for food. I also don't have the funds to buy the microchip feeders or anything like that.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, what is his body condition--are you weighing both of them? When is the last time you had him/them in to see a vet?

Can you feed in separate rooms?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

If you have the space, I'd Iet Kieth foIIow you into a room, set his food down, and whiIe he's distracted by that, Ieave and cIose the door. Iet Greta finish eating, then open the door for Kieth to come out. This wiII at least put an end to the probIem for the main meaIs, and ensure that Greta won't go without.

 

[D_H]

Hi K Kacox ,
I'm having a similar issue with my cats and their automatic feeder.

Any update, or have you managed to solve it somehow?

 

[Kacox]

Hi K Kacox ,
I'm having a similar issue with my cats and their automatic feeder.

Any update, or have you managed to solve it somehow?

Unfortunately with the automatic feeder, I have let Keith just have it since they go off while I'm either not home or sleeping. Otherwise I have started to just feed then separately.

 

[Alldara]

It's likely that with human not present with the automatic feeder, that the cat just learned they could steal food. It's a hard habit to break, and basically have to revert to being present for the feeding times and just blocking the bullying cat from going towards the other cat's food.

 

[Kacox]

It's likely that with human not present with the automatic feeder, that the cat just learned they could steal food. It's a hard habit to break, and basically have to revert to being present for the feeding times and just blocking the bullying cat from going towards the other cat's food.

Yeah Keith has absolutely learned that he can steal food when my back is turned. He walks away when I'm watching them and tell him no but otherwise he's on it.

 

[Alldara]

Some other posters have had luck with a microchip reading door on a bin. I'm not that handy but you might be able to find some posts about it if it's something you're interested in.

 

[D_H]

Thanks for the answers!

just blocking the bullying cat from going towards the other cat's food.

Well she's not a bully, she's just... fat lol actually no, not fat, but definitely a glutton.

Yeah Keith has absolutely learned that he can steal food when my back is turned

She's doing it right in front of me, and the worst part is the sad sounds she makes when I take the food away. She sounds so miserable (that's just her tone of voice), and it makes me feel bad, thinking perhaps she's still hungry or something.

Some other posters have had luck with a microchip reading door on a bin. I'm not that handy but you might be able to find some posts about it if it's something you're interested in.

That's something I'd try, but we never managed to get them to wear a collar, so it's off the table

 

[Furballsmom]

That's something I'd try, but we never managed to get them to wear a collar, so it's off the table

I think there are units that are activated by the information microchip under the cats skin.

 

[D_H]

Cool, I'll look for it!