This week’s question is from Catster reader Barbara. Barbara writes:
Hello, Sarah! I have three adult cats and just adopted an eight-week-old kitten. My cats used to have their dry food sitting out all day, and now that we added a kitten they are eating each other’s food. The kitten is eating the adult food and the adults are eating the kitten food. What are your suggestions?
Being a foster mom, I totally sympathize with this question. Feeding time is a frenzy with multiple cats, and it’s easy to just fill a giant bowl and let them have at it! For a good portion of the year, I have kittens who need to be fed their awesome wet meats and cats who need to be fed their nonfat, biodynamic, cage-free, naturally-fallen-from-the-vine kibbles.
Also, if the bowl ever goes empty, my adult cat Rory will binge and purge (repeatedly) when I refill it. There is plenty to be said about what feeding habits are best, and I think you should tailor your cats dietary needs with your budget. I am an artist and all about the low-cost solution!
Aside from the suggestions in the song, you might also try elevating adult food to a table or counter that the kittens cannot reach. Perhaps feed the kittens in the bathtub. I like to do that if they are very small and haven’t learned to keep their paws out of the wet meats. Instead of cleaning the floor, I just take a shower!
This Week’s Lyrics:
Segregate the Kitties
By Sarah Donner
If you have a kitten who wants to eat food
You’ve got a grown cat who wants it too
Try feeding them inside separate rooms
Put kitten kibble inside a crate
Open the door, only halfway
Just big enough so kitten can fit
You might need to jury-rig it
Separate the dishes, you could elevate the food
For your overweight kitty, that’s what I would do
It’s hard to be consistent and to separate
But to keep your kitties healthy
You’ve got to segregate
It’s hard to say no to the ones that we love
Especially the ones who are covered in fuzz
But fen-phen and Slimfast are not options
Wet food or dry food, talk to your vet
(That’s another song, so I won’t get into it)
Controlled portions are your best bet
Separate the dishes, you could elevate the food
For your overweight kitty, that’s what I would do
It’s hard to be consistent and to separate
But to keep your kitties healthy
You’ve got to segregate
Sources: I went commando on this one.
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