Feeding cats ad lib

[Bemyclementine]

Do you cats have constant access to dry food? Dc1 always has had. I also have dc2 now, they have separate feeding areas as they don't particularly get on. But, I also have visiting cat. Visiting cat didn't used to be able to get in, due to a peculiar cat flap that dc1 coukd open despite being locked from the outside . So visiting cat used to cone in if we let him, or the door was open. Came in for fuss and to sleep, was never fed.

However, dc2 cannot open it so we now have it unlocked so both cats can get in and out. And so can visiting cat.

I don't want to lock him out, he's old and can't get into his own home (no flap) and ultimately he carried on coming to sleep when he had no access to food.

Now he can get in whenever he likes, he also eats my cars food

Is it ok to just feed my cats twice a day and put the food away between times?

I have one cat who could have ad lib cat food and manage how much he eats.

And the other cat would eat continually until she was the size of a whale.

So neither has ad lib cat food as a result. Sensible cat gets monitored amounts in a microchip feeder. Wannabe fat cat gets tiny portions given in a slow feeder to stop her inhaling it.

If your issue is an univited visitor, they are coming for the free snacks. So you can either clear away all the food or only feed in microchip feeders. I got an elderly demented cat trained to use one but younger cat got it in one try.

Hes not coming for the snacks. He's been coming for YEARS with no access to food. It just so happens that with the addition if the new cat snd flap, he can now cone and go as he pleases abd gets the snacks as a perk..

I'll look at the feeders

@Bemyclementine I think it's lovely that you are looking after the pensioner cat, giving him a safe place to be when he can't get in his home x

@Pudmyboy ah thank you. He's lovely, and his owners know he's here if they want him.