I Think I Broke My Perfect Feeding Cat :(

[madzoya]

As I mentioned here last week I brought an automatic feeder for Bruce, in order to try to sleep in the mornings, without him waking us to give him his wet food.

Well, the first day went ok, and he ate from the new feeder without a problem.

Then Saturday he didn't touch is early evening meal. He smell it, and came to us, as asking for us to give him his food. I was afraid the food was too long in the automatic feeder and was not ok, so I opened a new can and he ate it.

Ok, so we decided it was best just to use the feeder for his early morning meal, that was the meal we were having problems with.

But yesterday he also refused his early evening meal on his regular food bowl... OK, I wasn't falling for that one, I'm not going to start the feeding game at 11 months Bruce! My Mom danced that dance with our late Zoya for years and I won't do that. He's eating his dry food ok, so he's not starving.

I clean his bowl at night, and put a new meal (mind you, same packed than the previous one, I divide it in 3 meals) and he ate it all in a gulp.

The rest of the packet went into the automatic feeder for this morning. He woke up, went there and didn't touch it. He also didn't come to wake us up for more food.

I think I broke my perfectly eating cat by changing his bowls. I hope he will get used to the new routine and starts eating all his meals again, but as my previous experience with picky cats was awful, I'm afraid he will start the "I don't want this now" game...

Anyone experienced something similar when introducing an automatic feeder, or a new different bowl?

 

[elliesvictim]

Wet food Doubles bacteria ever half an hour. If you're leaving wet food out for hour it can make your cat sick and they can smell bad food.
If you're leaving dry food out instead of wet food, cats are smart and most prefer wet over dry foods.
Also cats wake people up for company too. So sometimes, whilst frustrating, it's also flattering that they miss your company.

 

[madzoya]

One of the times he refused to eat the food was straight out of a packet I just opened. So I don't think it's a problem of it going bad.

But if it is, he will have to do without his morning wet food, then... It's not feasable for us to wake up at 5 every day to feed him. If the automatic feeder doesn't work, he will have to go without.

If it is for company, then we're doomed...

 

[maggiedemi]

How long was the wet food in the feeder? Does it keep it cold? If it went bad, he might not trust it when you opened the new can. Would he be happy with a little dry food snack, then wet food when you wake up?

 

[madzoya]

He has dry food available all the time. If we give him wet food in the morning, he will restart to wake us up earlier for it.

The feeder has a socket you put a ice pack to keep food fresh. Suposedely it would keep for 24 hours (four separate meals)

You gave me food for though with the trusting issue, but he ate from it after the time I think the food was not too good. So I don't know if it's that, or he's just confused.

I will try a few more days his morning feed in the automatic feeder. If he won't pick it up, we'll skip that meal and divide the packet by the two other meals. Mind you he grazes on his dry food all day. But I really want him to eat some wet too.

 

[madzoya]

Bruce gave us our first perfect night in a long time. He slept until 6am and got up when he heard the automatic feeder turning.

He also ate his morning wet food from the automatic machine. Keeping my fingers crossed he will continue to do it.

He then came back to bed to some well deserved cuddles and playtime.