Cat sitter has overfed cat!!

[LavenderLxx]

We’re just back from a 2 week holiday and have found that the cat sitter has been giving at least 3 times the amount of dry food to our cat than we do!

We give him 2 tins per day (which they have done) plus a small handful of dry food (which I showed them) but when we got back yesterday evening the dry food in his bowl was enormous - at least 3 times what we give him and I don’t know how much he’d already eaten!!

He looks rather fat - he’s certainly enjoyed his all inclusive holiday!!

Were you clear with them about how much to give? Did they have a cup or something to measure out what you would give? If not, get one for next time.
Unless there is a medical condition though, a couple of weeks with a bit of extra won’t do any harm I wouldn’t think.

Every sitter I have ever had overdoes it with the dry food. I also come home to heaped mountains of the stuff! I think it's a tried and tested way to keep the cat happy (and quiet in Marvin's case). Unfortunately Marvin self regulates his food like a 90s supermodel so it mostly just goes to waste 🙁

Next time buy some little baggies and measure out all of his food and leave a sign saying '3 small bags a day'or whatever. Thats what we do.

Yes I think a measuring cup is needed for next time!

Ha ha, the 90s supermodel comment really made me laugh!

If you came home to the bowls heaped with the stuff, it doesn't sound like he's been eating all of the biscuits anyway. I stayed overnight at a BnB and left my cat an extra bowl of biscuits to replace the missed pouches and she barely ate any of it. She is overweight so I usually don't give her a lot of biscuits

I had that one too. The cats had a great time with the sitter ☺️

A portion of dry food is surprisingly small! Most people don't realise unless they are told or read the instructions.

We had this happen once, a teenage neighbour was feeding the cats and despite instructions proceeded to do what they did at home with their cats ie. Fill a large dish with a mound of biscuits and let the cats eat when they felt like it. One of our cats was virtually spherical by the time we got home and was never slim again!

DD20 does this when she’s on feeding duty and it mainly goes to waste.

Yes I think this is exactly what’s happened! Our cat sitters cats are rather large!

Completely irrelevant but I love a big fat cat 🐱

My sister does this too.

Everytime I go there are 2 food bowls with hills of food.

I don't get it, especially in summer. Must be a haven for flies and just get binned?? Plus it stinks.

I bought some small lidded pots from Amazon. I pre measure and I use them too, apart from leaving them for kind neighbours who feed our two cats ( one has special dried food) . Works well and saves me time too!

My cats self-regulate anyway. If there were piles of food left then your cat hasn't eaten everything he was given. If he looks a bit fat I wouldn't worry about it too much. He'll go back to his normal size after a couple of weeks of his usual diet.

My catsitters tend to overdo the treats though because the cats get cheeky, look cute and the sitters can't resist (they tell me). It doesn't cause a problem with weight gain but my lot are usually deeply offended when I don't give them as many treats as the sitters give them. (Ditto the grooming - one of the sitters happily sits and grooms one of my girls for an hour or two at a time while chatting on her phone to her friends. This means when I come back and don't groom the cat for so long she gets a bit huffy!)

My cat doesn't self regulate and this would have been a problem!

Don't worry, within a few weeks of normal portions s/he will slim back down to normal.

Exactly the same with mine! A container that would usually last a couple of weeks comes back from the cattery empty! And there is loads left if she has a cat sitter. But I’d rather know she had plenty than worry about her going without. All of mine have been pretty good at self regulating so didn’t gorge.

My cat sitter always overfilled on the last visit in case we were delayed getting back.

I house and cat sit.
Let me explain.
The MINUTE you go or, if I'm arriving after you've left, the MINUTE I arrive, the cat looks at me like - you're not my person. Who TF do you think you are?
Then - what do you mean you don't ADORE me waking you at 4am? My person ADORES me whatever I do!
You know if you shut the bedroom door I'll rip up the carpet, don't you? And then they'll know, they'll know you're a cruel bitch who won't let me sleep on your bed at night and doesn't smile when I poke you in the face at 2am. They'll KNOW.
You're not my person. Give me extra food because I'm wasting away because you're not my person and I'm sad.
Yes I can sneak up on you when you're on your laptop and I can silently approach on the shelf behind you and when you're completely absorbed in whatever the fuck you're doing I have a choice. I can WAIL directly in your ear to make you jump sky high and fuck up your work, or I can leap straight for the keyboard. My choice. I quite like them both, and keeping you on your toes.
I won't drink out of a bowl. Only out of the shower tray. So have a shower! What's wrong with you!
I only want pouches.
Pouches, are you freaking crazy? I only ever eat tins.
Mackerel. Nothing but.
I loathe and detest mackerel and you are starving me. I will die and then they will KNOW. So give me extra biscuits. Insurance policy. At least I won't die. That's it. Good sitter. Good sitter.
I'll have a little sleep now I seem to have you trained. You're hard work, you know that? 🐈‍⬛

@TemporarilyCantDoMyself 🤣🤣🤣

Ha ha, yes that sounds about right!!

Came on here to find out how you over feed a cat! I think mine has an eating disorder, he's the skinniest cat in the neighborhood. Just back from a holiday and the cat sitter assures me he's been eating but I'm sure she only says that so I don't think she's neglected him.

It won't do him any harm.

Next time, state X tins of wet food per day, and put the dried food in labelled food bags, then there can be no confusion.

Tell them that he needs to watch his weight for his own health.

But don't get worked up over it, assuming the pet sitter has otherwise done a good job, and the cat seems happy.

This is perfection.

Thank you. It's all true, but it's not necessarily all the same cat.
Then there's- no it's my sofa, I live here you're just the minion!

You can't work on that table I want to lie spreadeagled on it. My person bought it for that, right?

Playing involves scratching you, right? It's an integral part of having my tummy rubbed.

Of course I'm allowed out all night. What do you mean she said 'Please keep him in at night?' She'd never say that. She loves me. You, on the other hand, are just a brute.

Really I could go on. I LOVE cats and cat sitting as it happens but my god there are some fussy little tyrants out there. Biscuits? They are precious currency. Don't make us ration them! Sometimes it's all we've got! 😂