Cats never eat food all at once!

[Sunshine49]

Hi everyone!

I feed my two new rescue cats twice a day - once in the morning and once at night. For breakfast they have one pouch each of James Wellbeloved wet food with a very small handful of Thrive dry food, then the same again at night. They're both quite small cats and their weight seems to be holding steady.

Whenever mealtime comes around they get quite excited, sitting in the kitchen, watching me prepare the food and meowing etc. However, once I've put the food down they'll eat about a third then mooch off, before picking at it throughout the day until just before dinner, by which time they'll have usually polished off the lot.

I've tried them on various different foods (Royal Canin and Purina as well as James Wellbeloved) but they seem to act the same whatever the food is. In fact, the only thing they did polish off in one sitting was a lamb chop

Despite not scoffing down all their food straightaway, they'll hassle me quite a bit when I have my lunch - the ginger male cat just jumped on the kitchen table a few times when I was eating a sandwich for example - and they'll follow me into the kitchen and watch while I'm making my food.

We do feed them about 15 Dreamies each a day too as treats - I'm a little worried that this has put them off normal cat food and they're just after the Dreamies!

Is there anything wrong here or is it just normal cat behaviour?

Thanks!

The ginger one looks very handsome!!

They're only about 2 calories each but contain cereals. Mine also like webbox sticks and dried meat snacks (cosma snackies)

Thanks April! Yes, he's a handsome boy who is also very naughty and boisterous! The girl is extremely shy but so gentle and sweet-natured. They're polar opposites basically! They were at the rescue centre for about five months because they're so timid, but they've come on so well in the last 2.5 months. I couldn't believe it when the girl sat on the sofa with us for the first time the other day!

Sounds normal. My DF thinks cats like to eat a portion roughly the same size as a mouse

They’re both beautiful.

I have 3, and feed them 3 times a day. But I share 2 tubs (mousse) between 3 of them at a time. They eat about half, but go back to it throughout the day.
I’ve noticed over time, if the bowl is very full it seems to put them off, so I have to put less in and make sure it’s in the centre of the bowl, otherwise they won’t eat it.

Mine is one of those who eats it all in one go.
Except when I've been away, in which case he'll follow me around, but returns to eat as soon as I'm back in the kitchen.

I can't leave any food out and he's quite fat.

Thanks IntoTheFlood! Yes, they are gorgeous. They have me well and truly wrapped around their little paws already!

Ooh, what lovely cats!

Their eating habits sound normal. Some cats will wolf their food in one go, others prefer to pick at it. If you have a picker and acquire a new wolfer, your picker sometimes becomes a wolfer!

Thanks Valenta! Good to know I don't have anything to worry about. I will try to cut down on the Dreamies though.

Mine do it fir Sweeties like children. I’d look Into thrive treats or something more wholesome. I can’t stop with mine as it’s the only way to get them in. Sainsbury’s catnip version is the sweet of choice these days.

Mine only get half a pouch twice a day and very rarely lick their plates clean. They get Puritzon dry which is 80% meat as well, they tend to eat late on a night. I’d love to control it more but because I’m doing 12 hour shifts I like the fact that they can graze all day.

ps think we have long lost sisters here!

Sounds exactly like every cat I've ever had. Including the pestering.

My last cat used to completely ignore his own breakfast only to jump on the table and pretend to be starving unless I gave him some of mine. Which, naturally, he wouldn't eat if actually offer. I'm reasonably certain he just did it for the attention. Nothing wrong with his food at all - it was always eaten by the time I got home from work.

I miss that little monster.

Aww, you have a beautiful tortie too! She's gorgeous! How old is she? My girl is still very shy at the moment, but I think she could be more mischievous underneath than she's currently letting on (other tortoiseshell owners keep mentioning the phrase "naughty tortie", hehe!) She already loves chasing her toy mice around the room, which is very sweet!

PS: congrats on getting cats!

Thanks TerFous - really glad to hear this is normal! As an inexperienced cat owner I probably sound a bit clueless about it all. Thanks for the congrats - we've had our pair 2.5 months and already can't imagine life without them!

One study found that 80% of owners interpret attention seeking behaviour as food seeking behaviour. This combined with the fact that cats do not self regulate food in any way is the reason that at least 40% of pet cats are obese.