My cat has a very bad habit, even if the food bowl is full, when she wants to eat, she calls me to the bowl, either wants to eat from my hand or wants me to wait by it. She doesn't eat food when I'm not home, but when I come, she takes it out on me, and she has a big appetite, and I try to cut down on food, but I can't do that either. Lately, she wakes me up 4-5 times a night, even attacks me (not in a hurtful way), and forcibly gets me out of bed and calls me to the bowl, I'm so desperate, so I wanted to ask you guys. What should I do? I don't know if she'd like it if I bought an automatic pet feeder, or if it would work. Thank you!
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My Cat and the Food Problem
- Thread starter Daisy2021
- Start Date
Somehow she got into this habit and routine, and routines are HARD to break in cats. Have you tried leaving dry food out, especially at night? Maybe a bowl right next to your bedroom? Leave dry food out from now on. They have good, grainfree dry now, even weight reduction dry if she needs it. An automatic feeder might work, she'll hear the noise of the food coming and will make that her routine. For now do not hand fee her anymore and cut back standing by her a few minutes every other day. gradually work the time down you are standing by her. She has YOU trained and she must learn to eat on her own. I have not had s cat starve yet by choice, but I know how hard it is to see them not eat.......
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
First of all, thank you very much for your answer. It's my fault, I spoiled her too much. I’ve tried leave dry food and her bowl close to my room. I gave my cat Virbac dry food. Thank you for your recommendations, I will try them all.
Unfortunately it doesn’t take long for cats to get in a Free habit…I know from experience of my own tribe (11 indoor cats). i have one cat that is kinda weird and to get her to eat I have to follow her around with food dish…she keeps to herself a lot and only stays in one of two rooms… When she’s in one room, I put the dish down, but then she turns around and runs out into the other room so then I bring the food in that room. I know it’s a bad habit. They need to be fed in the same location, the same room every day. But there are times that I just can’t deal with it and I will leave the food dish in a room and if she eats it, she eats it, if she doesn’t, she doesn’t.
Good luck breaking the habit…
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
There seems to be a few issues here....the refusal to eat unless you stand there or hand feed, and the waking you up in the night. I've experienced both. The one that has issues eating unless I'm there or need "help" eating was abused severely. He needs to know the food is "safe" and that I'll protect him whilst he eats. Usually this means "getting him started" with some hand feeding then standing by the bowl as he eats, then pretending to scoop or pile the food up like it's "new" somehow when I walk away and he stops eating and demands "help" again.
As for waking you up in the night: I had this issue especially when I had to wake up at 5AM for work for several years, only to then work from home and not have to wake up until 8AM. I leave food in their microchip feeder (Sure Feed) bowls until 11PM. Whatever isn't eaten goes in the fridge. This food is expensive. Hungry after 11? Sorry, bud. Rules are rules. If they wake you up, cats get put outside the bedroom for the night. They. might scratch/howl/protest but those cheap wax earplugs are great. They will stop eventually. They will learn once they are "out", there is no getting in until YOU come out in the morning. Now, I can let them in at night because they won't even try to pull that act until the sun starts coming up. That's their natural rhythm so I can't fault them. Still. Get up, pee, shoo cats out of room, earplugs, sleep another hour.
The rules are the rules are the rules. The one who has the hardest time following them will be YOU. I know....I want my 3 boys always happy but they also get to sleep all day while I have to work to pay for their litter, so I need sleep.
Once, I used to get up at 5am, feed, then go back to bed. I was a slave. No, no, nooooo.. Now they know. I will come out. They will be fed. But if they wake me up before it's time, they will have to sit outside the door until I get up.
Mix in freeze dried pure bites treats or Orijen treats crushed up.
Check out the pinned topic
Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!
One of my cats,maggie, eats 5 small meals in the morning,like a cat in th wild. If something is bothering her I feed her in a different area
Automatic feeder has worked for my cat peaches. I assume dry food she will become addicted to then keep begging for more
Check out the pinned topic
Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!
One of my cats,maggie, eats 5 small meals in the morning,like a cat in th wild. If something is bothering her I feed her in a different area
Automatic feeder has worked for my cat peaches. I assume dry food she will become addicted to then keep begging for more
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
Thank you very much for your detailed explanation. You are right, she sees me as her slave. I have not been able to get out of bed for two days, no matter how much violence I have been subjected to, and I see that his attitude is changing day by day. I hope it continues like this and ends
My old roommate adopted a feral I rescued after we got her fixed up and vaccinated. This became her life too. It was cute at first belladonna would eat some then go cuddle. Then it became no i need mom to eat. Pet me while i eat. Now that we're no longer roommates belladonna newest habit is to scream at her to make her go with her to the bathroom too. I guess its just to poop. Shes been treated for crystals and on special food before this habit started and checked after it started its not vet related. I told her she needs to break these habits before her whole life is ran by 1 sweet chunky girl.
