Is it weird to feed a cat in a routine.

[Bananas1350]

I was told today by my mil that my cat has me twisted around his little finger because I fed him at his normal breakfast time when he came in through the back door.

I didn’t think it was a weird or an out of the ordinary thing to feed animals in a routine ? He is an older cat so don’t feel the need to make him wait around being hungry for ages ?

I'll bet loads of cats get fed in a routine, me re by accident than design. My cats used to get fed before I left for work, and when I got home. So, generally within the same half hour window.

Hi @Bananas1350 no i don't think it's weird, our cat had routine meals too 👍

Mine know when they’re food goes down and they automatically appear for it. Cupboard love.

*their!

Mine are fed to a routine as well, I assumed this was normal!

Always fed my cats before I went to work and when I got home. Kept to the same times at the weekend. They were in a routine. I think it's really a usual thing.

Cats love routine - not weird at all.

Not weird at all. I know what time it is when my cat starts bothering for food. She knows what time it is. It’s her dinner time

I don’t even understand how you would feed them out of a routine?! Like if I didn’t get up and make breakfast and feed them then, when would I do it?! We are out during the day, and then if I don’t feed them when I get in because it would be routine then the poor buggers would starve! Genuinely confused!

My cat is fed to a routine as is the dog. It's not the exact same moment every day but within a pretty small windo.
She appears at those times e en if she has been out. I think this is normal.

Same, fed at 5pm ish.

She's on a diet as per vet instructions, so means family members don't accidentally feed her when she's doing her 'I'm wasting away here' sad miaow
routine.

Is there a particular reason she takes issue with you feeding them at regular times ?

When I cat-sit, my sittees want to be fed at 6am and 6pm. They know my times, and I know theirs. I also know they have to be far more flexible when their family is at home.

Kitty 3 knows that if she asks I will give her wet food (as well as dry), which she won't eat for family. With me, she thinks her dishes should look like those of Kitty 1 and Kitty 2.

I love that they know my routine is different from family. They don't seem to mind.

You can set a watch to my cat. 8am and 5pm on the dot she is shouting at us for food.

Not unusual at all, ours get fed at 8, 3 and 8 again with dry food available 24/7.

Mine want to get fed at 5am and 4pm.

They actually get fed at 7:30am and 6pm. Which they well know.

They try their 'world's saddest cat' act every day.

Mine all get fed in a routine - but not at set times, if that makes sense.

They get breakfast when we wake up, which could be anytime between 6 and 9am. Lunch is anytime between midday (if we're home) and 2pm, and then the kitten gets an extra meal at bedtime (anytime between 9pm-midnight) and the older boys get a few treats before bed too.

Perhaps she thinks you should just leave a bowlful sitting out available at all times, times have changed and we're now much more interested in our pets diet and well being.

Your MIL is weird. Mine gather in the kitchen 10 minutes before breakfast and dinner. They thrive on routine. They really don’t like chaos.

My cat knows it's dinner time at 8pm, and will remind me if I've forgotten.

My cats line up in the kitchen at 8am and 5pm. If I'm a minute late then they let me know.

Mine appear at 6.30am, 5pm and 10pm

They are uncannily accurate although clock changes screw them up a little 🤣🤣

Has your MIL ever had pets?
Seems a strange thing to comment tbh.

Mine get fed when the ask for it, but they're spoilt brats. My mums better trained ones have 2 meals at set times each day.

@SweetAsIcedChocolate oh that’s just a tiny tiny amount of what is said. The other stuff I can slightly ignore. But my cat is my world and just wanted to make sure that I hadn’t been doing something wrong all these years.