Sorry, our lines are now closed
How to feed multiple cats in the same household
You’ll know what a struggle feeding time can be if you’re responsible for feeding multiple cats. One cat may be on a special diet. Another may be a slow grazer, or a part-cat/part-hoover and demolish their food in a matter of seconds.
When your cats require different dinners or varying routines, you need to make a little more effort to ensure they all eat the right food, and the right amount. This is very important for their health. It also ensures that they feel comfortable and happy at mealtime! We have some handy tips you might find useful.
Choose the right amount of food
Your cats won’t all need the same amount of food – for example, a grown male cat will need a lot more than a kitten! With cat obesity becoming a growing concern, it’s important to follow the feeding guidelines on the bag/tin/pouch. Weigh out the appropriate amount to ensure your cats stay fit and healthy by eating the correct portion sizes. We have a handy guide on how to devise a healthy diet for your furry friends.
Monitor their mealtime
Although time-consuming, it’s worth watching over your cats a few times while they eat to ensure they only eat from their own bowls. You may notice some cats are likely to steal food. So other less assertive cats could be losing out. If you do spot this, here’s how you can rectify it:
Use different rooms
If you have multiple cats that eat different things, or find it difficult to eat in harmony, you can create individual feeding stations for each of your cats. Meal time should never be stressful or challenging, so consider feeding them in separate rooms if you can. This is an especially good idea if one of your cats is likely to steal from another.
You may have a cat who eats slower than the others, or who likes to nibble and take their time. Feeding them in a separate room will allow them to eat comfortably at their own pace.
Feed them at different areas in the room
If you don’t have multiple rooms available, try to separate the cats by placing the food bowls as far apart as possible within one room. If the bowls are directly next to each other, one greedy cat can quickly stick their head in their neighbour’s bowl without anyone noticing!
You could try feeding a more agile cat on a higher level such as a table or counter, as this will make it difficult for any older, fatter or less agile cats to jump up and steal the food.
Invest in a Microchip Pet Feeder
Microchip pet feeders are a true blessing for those who struggle with feeding their multiple cats. It’s absolutely perfect for cats on weight-loss programmes as it prevents food stealing and overeating by greedy pets.
The feeder reads a pet’s microchip as it approaches and if the correct pet is detected the lid opens before closing again when they move away. It’s also ideal for ensuring pets on prescription diets have access to the correct food.
Try interactive feeders
If one of your cats is a particularly speedy eater, they may be prone to stealing food off the others. Interactive feeders are a great way to get them to slow down and keep them preoccupied with their food for longer.
Some interactive feeders encourage your cats to slow down and work for their food by playfully pawing at it through several side openings. It can be set to varying levels of difficulty by rotating the middle disc and adjusting the opening sizings. For a slightly cheaper option, you can try a more simple cat feeder that has unique compartments for your cats to hunt for their food.
Mealtimes with multiple cats can sometimes be a challenge! Remember to protect your cats with Argos Pet Insurance provided by Pinnacle Insurance plc. Explore our cat insurance policies today.
