Do you have more than one cat? Does one cat try to steal the other’s food? Do you see or hear protests as one cat helps themselves to their sibling’s dinner? It’s an age-old problem.
Stealing food is something all owners with multiple pets have to contend with, but how can you overcome a natural instinct and stop your cats from eating each other’s food? Closer Pets has the answers.
How to keep cats from eating each other’s food—Our best advice
Even though we regard cats as fully domesticated, their urge to feed is as strong as it has ever been. Even though one cat may have no conscious desire to steal their companion’s food, instinct can take over. They could spend all day together, curled up, sharing warmth, and playing together. But, as soon as there’s food around, all that companionship goes out the window.
To help you maintain fairness at mealtimes, we’re going to share four ways to keep cats from eating each other’s food. Each works slightly differently but can bring a little order and calmness to dinnertime. These methods are:
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Monitoring mealtimes
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Feeding in separate rooms
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Using microchip cat feeders
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Using automatic pet feeders
Monitoring mealtimes
The easiest way to stop cats from eating each other’s food is to feed at set times and monitor them.
Put down cat food at the same time and place every day and watch them eat. Your furry friends will soon learn when their mealtime is and will very likely be sitting behind you, watching your every move. As they eat, you can ensure they don’t steal each other’s food and intervene should one cat decide they are extra hungry.
The downside of this method is that it’s no good for cats who prefer to graze instead of eat set meals, and you have to be around all the time. This method offers little flexibility to your schedule, and can be very impractical to many pet owners.
Feeding in separate rooms
Feeding your cats in separate rooms is an option, but not the best one. It is a way to try to ensure one cat doesn’t steal another’s food, but you still need to be there to control everything.
If one cat eats faster than the others, there’s nothing stopping them from going into another room and helping themselves to their siblings’ food. Unless you close the door on each cat, there’s still an opportunity for a little raiding. Plus, if you feed separately, you’ll also need to provide water and perhaps a litter tray in each room. That’s less than ideal!
Using microchip cat feeders
You’ve heard of microchip cat flaps, right? Flaps that only allow cats with the correct microchip into your house? But did you know you can get microchip cat feeders too?
Microchip cat feeders use the same principles as the microchip cat flap. It’s an award-winning concept that helps control portion sizes, delivers fresh food, and helps stop cats from eating each other’s food.
Microchip feeders for multiple cats could be the answer to encouraging sharing and stopping one hungry cat from stealing food from others. The feeder will only open for the correct microchip. Give each of your cats their own chip and their own microchip feeder, and you could stop stealing for good. Cats will soon figure out they can’t steal each other’s food and will stick to their own feeder.
Conveniently for you, microchip feeders for cats also eliminate the need to be present at mealtimes, allowing your cats to eat in harmony, whether you’re there or not.
Using automatic pet feeders
Automatic pet feeders are another option, but they are less “secure” than microchip cat feeders.
Automatic cat feeders excel at delivering food on a set schedule to help maintain your cats’ routine. Load the feeder with food, set the timer, and show your cat where their food will be. It’s a very simple concept that keeps the whole family happy.
These innovative cat products work on a timer and will release food on a schedule you set. They provide portion control and access to regular mealtimes, but won’t protect one cat’s food from a hungrier companion. They can help stop cats from stealing each other’s food, as there’s a finite time to eat, but they aren’t as secure as a microchip cat feeder.
Stopping cats from eating each other’s food
When thinking of ways to stop cats from eating each other’s food, these four methods are worth considering. Being present and managing mealtimes is the simplest but the most time-consuming. It’s also not ideal for working families.
Therefore, the best option overall is the MiBowl Automatic Microchip Pet Feeder from Closer Pets. If you use multiple microchip feeders for multiple cats, you can alleviate the food-stealing issue without causing a fuss or a family feud.
You get to continue with your day without having to play meal monitor, and your furry friends get their own food without having to be on their guard or worry about a sibling stealing their dinner.
Helpful cat feeders and products at Closer Pets
To make feeding your cats much more convenient and enjoyable for you and your cats alike, our selection of automatic cat feeders is worth checking out. They can make mealtimes so much easier by allowing you to control who gets which portions of food, as well as helping you to regulate feeding times and portions.
We also offer a wide range of cat flaps, providing plenty of options for both granting and restricting access when needed. On top of that, our cat water fountains are also perfect for delivering your feline friends with fresh, naturally oxygenated water.
If you’d like to find out more about how our products can benefit you and your cats, contact us today, and we’ll be more than happy to help you out.