How can I manage Timo who is pestering me very forcefully and repeatedly for food

[Echolane]

I have two cats, a brother and a sister now 5 years old. I’ve had them since they were kittens and I’m still feeding them on a four times a day schedule. Timo is extremely assertive about bugging me for food ahead of his feeding schedule. Both cats are just slightly overweight and since I don’t want them overweight I particularly don’t want to overfeed. If I’m sleeping he will walk all over me or he will quite literally pounce hard on me. He weighs at least 17 pounds so he is a very large cat and he can hurt me if he lands on my breast. If I am reading my iPad or a book he will walk between me and my book. Even if I put them an inch away from my face he will just bully his way between. He won’t give up! His sister doesn’t ever seem to bug me. Maybe she understands he has taken on the job?

I am finding this behavior increasingly annoying. I would love some advice or ideas on what to do to manage Timo and his bossiness. Otherwise, I have no complaints about my two cats. They are well behaved and otherwise very easy to live with.

¡

 

[xlynnbbyx]

I have a 5 year old cat named Scooter he does the same thing sometimes. If Scooter is having a day where he acts starving he will pester me til I give in. My 1 year old cat Casper he won’t bug me but if he is hungry he knocks things down til I put food in their bowls. Some kitties are just big eaters really I’m surprised neither of my boys are overweight. But what you can do is stick to a set schedule for feeding. Many cats like routine so if you stick to the same time for feeding he shouldn’t pester you much. You can also make sure you give small portions if you don’t want to over feed them. Between meals for my boys to keep them happy I will give both a treat then I get them to play.

There are several more things you can do as well. You can get a puzzle feeder for cats. You put their kibble in there and the cats use their skills to figure out how to get the reward. It keeps most cats occupied for awhile. You can also get an automated food feeder. You can sit the time on when you want them to be fed. Some I believe you can even set up how much food it gives.

But really cats are just naturally bossy they know how to get us to give in. They know if they act cute and cuddly we will give them what they want. Just the many joys of owning a kitty.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Is this behavior new(er)? If so, could it correlate to a food change? Does he do it before each meal, or only certain ones? What kind of food do your cats eat? Dry only, wet only, or a mixture of the two? What is their feeding schedule and if you feed both types of food to them, when do they get each? Dry food is usually full of more carbs which don't tend to last as long before a cat again feels hungrier.

 

[Echolane]

Is this behavior new(er)? If so, could it correlate to a food change? Does he do it before each meal, or only certain ones? What kind of food do your cats eat? Dry only, wet only, or a mixture of the two? What is their feeding schedule and if you feed both types of food to them, when do they get each? Dry food is usually full of more carbs which don't tend to last as long before a cat again feels hungrier.

Good questions.
I don’t think the behavior is new, but it is increasingly bossy. I don’t really know which, if any feeding interval results in the most pestering. I’ll have to pay closer attention to that.
I feed when I wake up in the morning, usually between 6:30 and 7:30. Then again at 1pm, 6pm and midnight. The 1pm feeding is wet food, the other feedings are dry. I buy wet food from Chewy and alternate between Ziwi venison and Ziwi Lamb, Friskies Fishalicious, and Costco Pate Variety pack. My cats have never turned down a meal. Ziwi is less frequent an offering because it is ridiculously expensive.

 

[FeebysOwner]

See if you can find a pattern - there almost always is. Then, you can come up with ways to address the pattern. Let us know what you find out in your research!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I can't add anything...yet. But if we can find a pattern, that could change! Meanwhile, you're now on my "watched" list!

 

[xlynnbbyx]

Good questions.
I don’t think the behavior is new, but it is increasingly bossy. I don’t really know which, if any feeding interval results in the most pestering. I’ll have to pay closer attention to that.
I feed when I wake up in the morning, usually between 6:30 and 7:30. Then again at 1pm, 6pm and midnight. The 1pm feeding is wet food, the other feedings are dry. I buy wet food from Chewy and alternate between Ziwi venison and Ziwi Lamb, Friskies Fishalicious, and Costco Pate Variety pack. My cats have never turned down a meal. Ziwi is less frequent an offering because it is ridiculously expensive.

so you give him 4 feedings with one being wet and 3 being dry. I would even it out a bit 2 wet food feedings 2 dry food feedings. It’s what I do with my 2 boys. They get 4 feedings 2 wet 2 dry and in between they get one treat. I only put the amount I know they will eat cause my boys are grazers. But wet food seems to satisfy them more. But that is just my boys all cats are different. Ziwi I never heard of but my boys are Purina Pro Plan for wet & Purina One+ for dry. I also make kitty gravy or get those broths frisky makes to add to their dry.

 

[Alldara]

so you give him 4 feedings with one being wet and 3 being dry. I would even it out a bit 2 wet food feedings 2 dry food feedings. It’s what I do with my 2 boys. They get 4 feedings 2 wet 2 dry and in between they get one treat. I only put the amount I know they will eat cause my boys are grazers. But wet food seems to satisfy them more. But that is just my boys all cats are different. Ziwi I never heard of but my boys are Purina Pro Plan for wet & Purina One+ for dry. I also make kitty gravy or get those broths frisky makes to add to their dry.

Ziwi is an air dried food. I believe it's from New Zealand but it's available in Canada

I ended up grinding it up as food dust because Nobel didn't like the texture.

 

[Alldara]

Can you give Timo the food in a puzzle or treat ball? I found my cats bugged more when food was "easy".

 

[Hellenww]

1st is he getting enough food for his size and activity level? Is his pushiness also for attention?

Years ago I had 2 cats that were slightly overweight. I had dry out at all times and they got wet once a day.I added a second wet meal and they both dropped down into healthy weights in 6 mts without my needing to limit the dry. It took another few yrs but both got down to the middle of the healthy range.

You could try feeding his dry in puzzles. You could hide them around the house each day or set a unique alarm sound on your phone for when to put them down. There are a lot of store bought puzzles with different ability levels. I'd start with some DIY first to see if it works. A search with get you many DIY sites. I like this one:

Homemade Puzzles - Food Puzzles for Cats

To test for attention seeking schedule a few play sessions each day not related to food.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

There are also...um..."Lick mats" that you can use for wet food. I believe Chewy and Amazon both carry them.