Has anyone tried the nobowl feeding system?

[TheSecondOfHerName]

We're in the process of adopting a cat from the NAWT, who sell this in their shop. The member of staff who matched us with the cat uses this with her cat at home.

You divide the day's portion of dried food into five 'mice' and then place/hide them where your cat will hopefully find them.

Pros: Mimics hunting behaviour, prevents cats from rushing their eating, keeps them occupied.

Cons: Expensive, more of a faff for the human, what if the cat is too lazy/dippy to find the food?

Has anyone actually tried using this?

I think Harry would starve!

Mine won't even eat Dreamies out of the mouse thing that came free with them a while back. They sit there looking pathetically at it then wander off.

My boy would starve too. And probably die of thirst without his wet food as he's not smart about drinking either.

My girl would enjoy hunting for the first two then go back to biting the curtains (ahem) and glare at me accusingly when I got back for not giving her enough. Even if led to the mice, the 'old' leftover food would then be rejected if not refreshed because she thinks she is a princess.

We do have a feeding ball for the girl which she enjoys, though she forgets to eat the food when she's having fun and just makes a big mess.

No use to me as the dog would undoubtedly sniff the 'mice' out first and barge the cats out of the way! If I had a single cat I'd be willing to try it, but perhaps as a supplement to the main meal rather than for all the day's food.

Sparklingcat would not understand that.

Plus she'll only eat Felix as Good as it Looks in Fish flavours.

Great idea in theory though.

Only one cat? Could work with a young cat. Tufty would defintely do this but she prefers Big Girl's food which she isn't allowed. Merp might do it but she prefers hunting flies.

Big Girl is too old for all of this, and even when younger wouldn't have bothered.

At the shelter she has been having 30g dry food in the morning and at lunchtime then wet food in the evening.

I'd be willing to try one or two of these mice to put some of the dry food in. They are £9 per mouse though. 😲

I just scattered a good mound of food along the chest freezer and windowsill. If they want more stimulation they can go out and get it (some spend the entire night on my bed purring, some spend the entire night trying to catch rats!!).

Not sure they would bother with this. Nice idea though.

My toe would also starve. They had the dreemies mouse and had absolutely no idea what to do with it either. (Glad it's not just my toe who didn't get it!)

I remember seeing this on Facebook once and commented that my cats would never get it, apparently all cats can do it. I suspect mine might be the exception!!

*two, not toe!

My toe would also starve.

Sorry Toddler, I’m laughing at your hungry feet!

Surely you didn’t expect your precious girls to get their own Dreamies out of a mouse?!

The girl cat would go off and catch more vermin instead and the boy cat would cry ridiculous as he didn't understand.

My cat expected me to sit next to him patting that stupid dreamies mouse so they would fall out and he could eat them. He threw a strop when I pretended too eat one! Alfie would not Look for his food mouse. He would sit on his throne/ cushion and expect me to do all the hard work whilst he sat and sniggered.

My two would starve to death before they even attempted that.
The dreamies mouse gets a half hearted bat on occasion, but they've never managed to get anything out of it, they get ds2 to do it for them instead.

I think it is one of those nice idea in theory but crap in reality things
all mine can’t do delayed gratification so its a good job they have me trained well

I tried one of those treat ball things with Griefcat. I demonstrated it, made encouraging noises, demonstrated it again. Still didn't get it. Cat either thick as mince or blind as a bat.

Dry food is very bad for cats.