What are the healthiest option/s for changing my cat's feeding schedule . . , moving it back an hour or two. THANKs in Advance!

[kommunity kats]

The days are getting longer & the cats & I are starting our days earlier, so I need to learn the best way of changing their eating schedule so they can eat before going outside to work (they're our garden rodent control team) . . . ?
ALSO, does the fact that they get a supplement of digestive enzymes & probiotics perhaps make it easier to do so, or make any difference to this adjustment . . . ? Thank You!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

If you just want to feed them an hour earlier, that shouldn't present a problem. If they don't seem to be hungry yet, try moving it back in smaller increments, say 15 minutes the first few days, then 30 minutes for a couple days, then 45 minutes, and voila, and hour.

I don't feed my cats at the exact same time every day and they don't seem to have an issue. I feed them whenever I get up and am available. I am retired so don't set an alarm. I DO typically get up around the same time (ish) everyday, but some days I need to empty the dishwasher before I can feed them, since their dishes would be in there, or when the gardeners come making a bunch of noise I will wait until they are finished before feeding the furries. Heck, there are even days when I put their food down and I keep calling them to come eat and they just saunter in when they feel like it.

For their other meals, especially their mid-day meal, it's all over the place. I may not be home for their 2 p.m. (ish) feeding, so I either put their food out early, or late, depending on what happened with their breakfast.