civvie off dry food, but now eats all the food set out

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Cindy & Pets

Cindy & Pets

Member Since 2012
Well, this morning Christmas finally completely switched over. I'm not sure what caused it, just right when I set Tips food down after testing her, Christmas went straight for it before Tip even had a chance. I can see this creating major problems, and I think it's already starting. Like, Christmas ate a lot of Tips food and then quite a bit of hers. When she was done with her sweep, I wound up putting both of the food combined in to Tips bowl and made sure Christmas was 100% done and set it down for Tip and pet her to make sure a food aversion won't happen because of it. Even with the petting, Tip didn't eat much more, though she did manage to eat some while Christmas was getting her fill, so I'm positive she got enough for her insulin.

What should I do to stop this behavior before it's out of control without creating a food aversion in Christmas? I want to sort this out ASAP so that I don't run in to more/bigger problems later.
 
I do feed them in separate places in the kitchen, but not in separate rooms, on opposite sides of the kitchen. Should I start feeding them in separate rooms? I can and will start putting Christmas's food down first. Maybe that'll keep her too distracted to bother Tips.
 
You may slow him down by
1) placing a heavy mug upside down in the center of the plate
2) smearing the food out across the plate so it takes more work to clean everything off it.
 
Yeah, I was already thinking of finding a mug that can be used for her to slow her down. It's mostly just keeping her out of Tips food.
 
Separate rooms, or baby gate barricades to separate them while eating, and start by feeding the slower one first.

Four baby gates may be stacked in a standard doorway, slightly overlapping each other, to completely block passage.
 
I'll go with separate rooms. I don't have baby barricades, nor do I really know anyone with them that isn't using them anymore. Will definitely have to make sure I cover the floor where one will be eating because they tend to get food everywhere.
 
MustLoveCats used to feed her bengal on the kitchen counter. Apparently her FD and other civie don't jump up there.

While I was really worried when I took Dallas in (stray cat) that he would eat all the food, Cedric (FD) eats more of it. They get 4 meals a day, but I watch Dallas in case he needs more breakfast or dinner. They eat out of eachother's bowls anyway.
 
I have to separate all three of mine. One eats on the kitchen counter, one in the bedroom, and the third on the bathroom counter. They all run to their spots as soon as the food is ready, so there's no problem getting them to go there once they learn. Once everyone is done, I just open the doors and they come and go as they please.
 
I might try the counter trick. Tip doesn't really bother much to jump up on to the counters. But Christmas loves to attempt to sit on the stove(of which I promptly shoo her off of it). So I can just teach Christmas that the new food location is up there.
 
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