Pet Feeding Schedule

HurricaneHeather · 07-12-2009, 11:49 AM

Tips? Suggestions?

We have been trying to get our cats used to eating twice a day instead of munching here and there all day long. We are planning on switching them to a raw diet soon, but we have to get them to eat twice a day on their kibble first before we can try and get them on raw.

It's been hard because they are so used to having the '24 hour kibble buffet' and so they don't eat but just a little bit when we put it out.

We have been only leaving it out for a short while in the morning and then in the evening. And the cats are miserable. I started feeling so guilty yesterday when I was cooking dinner because they both looked so pitiful standing over by where their food usually is.

Is this something that will just take time? I realize that they have been used to eating anytime they want their whole lives, so not only are they mentally not sure what to do, but I'm sure that their bodies are little confused too.

We are going to stick with this because we have to if we are switching to raw, but man they are breaking my heart right now

Cutty72 · 07-12-2009, 11:53 AM

Figure out how much food they should get in a day, split that in half.

Give the first half in the AM, and second half in the PM.
Just leave it there till they finish it.
Would they eat that fast enough, or would there still be some "morning" food left by the night feeding?

Sorry I can't be more help, my dog has always been on a twice a day schedule, if you gave her the "buffet" style, she'd eat the 40lb bag of food in one sitting!!

azoomm · 07-12-2009, 11:55 AM

I vote to just go cold turkey... literally.

HurricaneHeather · 07-12-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azoomm

I vote to just go cold turkey... literally.

That just doesn't work for cats. Dogs will eat what you give them. The cats will look at it, look at you and say....uh that isn't what I ordered.

All the info I can find about a raw cat diet say that you have to ease them into it. They just won't eat raw food if they have been eating nothing but kibble their whole lives.

azoomm · 07-12-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HurricaneHeather

That just doesn't work for cats. Dogs will eat what you give them. The cats will look at it, look at you and say....uh that isn't what I ordered.

All the info I can find about a raw cat diet say that you have to ease them into it. They just won't eat raw food if they have been eating nothing but kibble their whole lives.

Hmmmmmppphhh. And, they call DOGS bitches

Kaneman · 07-12-2009, 12:44 PM

Cats are dirty evil little creatures so I'm not sure if the same techniques will work on them that work on a dog but...

When I switched to raw diet for my dogs they were a little confused at first. I sat their food down and when they didn't show interest in it I picked it back up, then set it back down again at night. They pick up on it pretty fast once they get hungry.
________
WHOLESALE VAPORIZERS

OneSickPsycho · 07-13-2009, 04:44 PM

My cat got super fat on the buffet style diet... So I fed him about 3/4 cup of food once daily per my vet's instructions. Then he started waking me up at all hours in the morning to be fed so about 5 months ago I moved to a night feeding schedule. All is well but in the morning when I go downstairs he still thinks I'm going to feed him. That said if he was in the wild he may only eat once a day if he was lucky. Most likely he would eat once every couple days or so... Don't feel bad or personify your animal... Remember they are cats...

HurricaneHeather · 07-12-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cutty72

Figure out how much food they should get in a day, split that in half.

Give the first half in the AM, and second half in the PM.
Just leave it there till they finish it.
Would they eat that fast enough, or would there still be some "morning" food left by the night feeding?

Sorry I can't be more help, my dog has always been on a twice a day schedule, if you gave her the "buffet" style, she'd eat the 40lb bag of food in one sitting!!

There would be some left in the evening if we just left it there all day. They just nibble here and there all day. We are trying to curb that and make them eat in a 30 minute window in the morning and then again in the evening.

marko138 · 07-13-2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cutty72

Figure out how much food they should get in a day, split that in half.

Give the first half in the AM, and second half in the PM.
Just leave it there till they finish it.
Would they eat that fast enough, or would there still be some "morning" food left by the night feeding?

Sorry I can't be more help, my dog has always been on a twice a day schedule, if you gave her the "buffet" style, she'd eat the 40lb bag of food in one sitting!!

Mine too. As soon as his bowl hits the floor...food...gone.

Rider · 07-13-2009, 04:33 PM

My cats graze all day but my dog is fed twice a day. Seems to work out well. Sometimes the dog will let the food sit in the bowl for a little while before he touches it. I give him 20 minutes, if it's not all gone I pick up the bowl.

07-12-2009, 11:49 AM	#1
HurricaneHeather AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Sydney Moto: '98 Honda Fireblade Posts: 3,696	Pet Feeding Schedule Tips? Suggestions? We have been trying to get our cats used to eating twice a day instead of munching here and there all day long. We are planning on switching them to a raw diet soon, but we have to get them to eat twice a day on their kibble first before we can try and get them on raw. It's been hard because they are so used to having the '24 hour kibble buffet' and so they don't eat but just a little bit when we put it out. We have been only leaving it out for a short while in the morning and then in the evening. And the cats are miserable. I started feeling so guilty yesterday when I was cooking dinner because they both looked so pitiful standing over by where their food usually is. Is this something that will just take time? I realize that they have been used to eating anytime they want their whole lives, so not only are they mentally not sure what to do, but I'm sure that their bodies are little confused too. We are going to stick with this because we have to if we are switching to raw, but man they are breaking my heart right now

07-12-2009, 11:55 AM	#3
azoomm moderator chick Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hill Country TX Moto: Pasta Rockets Posts: 8,917	I vote to just go cold turkey... literally. __________________ We have enough youth. How about a fountain of "smart"? Come Play at the Track!! http://www.elitetrackdays.com

07-12-2009, 12:44 PM	#6
Kaneman AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Odessa, TX Moto: 2000 Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird Posts: 4,931	Cats are dirty evil little creatures so I'm not sure if the same techniques will work on them that work on a dog but... When I switched to raw diet for my dogs they were a little confused at first. I sat their food down and when they didn't show interest in it I picked it back up, then set it back down again at night. They pick up on it pretty fast once they get hungry. ________ WHOLESALE VAPORIZERS Last edited by Kaneman; 05-09-2011 at 08:28 PM..

07-13-2009, 04:44 PM	#7
OneSickPsycho Ride Like an Asshole Join Date: Feb 2008 Moto: nothing... Posts: 11,254	My cat got super fat on the buffet style diet... So I fed him about 3/4 cup of food once daily per my vet's instructions. Then he started waking me up at all hours in the morning to be fed so about 5 months ago I moved to a night feeding schedule. All is well but in the morning when I go downstairs he still thinks I'm going to feed him. That said if he was in the wild he may only eat once a day if he was lucky. Most likely he would eat once every couple days or so... Don't feel bad or personify your animal... Remember they are cats...

07-13-2009, 04:33 PM	#10
Rider Moto GP Star Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12,156	My cats graze all day but my dog is fed twice a day. Seems to work out well. Sometimes the dog will let the food sit in the bowl for a little while before he touches it. I give him 20 minutes, if it's not all gone I pick up the bowl.