Why doesn't my cat eat when my tomcat eats?
We recently adopted two small cats, both almost 1 year old, both neutered, a tomcat and a cat, are siblings.
We've now bought an automatic feeder so they can get something to eat even when we're at work all day. I've seen on our cameras in the apartment that the tomcat is the first to go to the automatic feeder when something comes out, and then he barely leaves anything for the cat.
Why is that?
I'm worried that my cat won't have anything to eat.
Do I need to buy a second automatic feeder? Or can I leave a bowl of dry food out throughout the day to ensure there's always something available?
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The food hierarchy is different for everyone, with you eating rank first
My cat even steps aside and lets the lower ranks eat first (I never run out of food and have three places where there is food, even when it's wet, if it's empty, meowing is enough and it will be refilled)
Since yours eats empty, you need a second feeding option, either next to it or somewhere else. Some cats prefer to eat close together, others do the opposite.
This doesn't happen with cats.
I can only see from my own and friends that it often looks like a hierarchy, and many either spread out or eat because "my food." My boss cat lets everyone else eat first, and the others like to eat in company. Whether it's purely food jealousy or rank, I don't know. My gang lives with dogs, so a hierarchy is often evident.
I also earned my expert title pretty quickly. However, I thought that required at least 50 HAs (helpful answers) in a topic area. You "only" have 39 HAs, if I see it correctly.
Perhaps "only" 25 HAs are necessary in the cat subject area.
Anyway, I'm happy for you. 🙂
Thanks, I was surprised myself since I haven't been here long and don't know as much as you do. Especially with a dog and cat household, a lot of things are a bit different than with one or two cats.
XD
By the way: Congratulations on your expert title! 🙂
Okay then ours have really taken too much distance from the dogs, so that the competition for resources looks like a hierarchy 😂
Dogs are pack animals, and therefore they have a hierarchy, like humans or lions. Cats are not inherently pack animals.
Hello you,
By microchipping both cats and purchasing a SureFeed microchip-controlled feeder for each, you can solve the problem forever. Then only each cat can access the feeder.
No more food stealing and no more food envy!
Each cat can eat its portion(s) at its own pace, whenever it wants, without the other cat eating anything.
Image and sales link: here
A small side note: Cats don't have a traditional hierarchy ( Alpha male & hierarchy among cats – does that exist? ), and therefore they don't compete. Instead, they compete for resources , which include:
So you could wisely ensure that the two have to compete for these resources as little as possible.
My two tomcats have gotten used to the fact that their food is really their food and although they look at what the other one gets, they don't compete for it and they don't steal it from the other tomcat.
All the best to your cats.
best regards 🙋♀️ +😺 +😺
The tomcat is the higher-ranking of the two, and therefore eats first. The cat knows and respects this.
Please no dry food. It's very unhealthy for cats and damages their teeth and kidneys!
Better get a second machine.
Dry food is actually very good, says the vet I know. You should feed both dry and wet food.
Unfortunately, many veterinarians recommend this, but it is still not healthy.
A cat with broken teeth and kidney failure suffers greatly and does not live long.
Okay, my cat is also an outdoor cat and I would check this out and talk to the others
I've had cats for over 50 years. I currently have four.
Many years ago, I had a cat with kidney failure, and it was caused by dry food. That was always available to cats back then.
Then a nutrition expert enlightened me, and when you think about it, it makes sense. Because cats don't drink as much as they should because of their dry food. So they're constantly dehydrated, and that damages their kidneys.
I don't even want to start with my teeth.
Since then, my cats have only been given dry food occasionally as a treat. Otherwise, they get high-quality wet food. Because my cats are and have always been outdoor cats, they also eat mice.
What do you give your cat or what would you give it if you had one?
Then you're all doing it wrong.
And it doesn't just belong to me…
What do you feed your cat?
Sorry, it's not. But it's your cat. Do as you see fit.
Nevertheless, feeding both is good in moderation
Animals have a kind of rank. And the "alpha animal" gets to eat first.
It is not uncommon for subordinates to wait or wait for permission.
One of my dogs, who sadly passed away from old age, was like that too. I had to formally allow him to eat something. Otherwise, he wouldn't eat.
I was away for three days for work. My wife was almost desperate because our dog hadn't eaten ANYTHING.
When I was home and "allowed" him to, he ate.
And I can't tell you where this extreme behavior came from. But without my permission, he simply wouldn't eat anything.
I basically had to give him the challenge every day.
That may be true for some animals, but not for cats.
But cats have this too, to some extent.
My two cats at that time also had a clear hierarchy.
The female was the boss and when she ate the tomcat sat quietly next to her until she was finished.
He didn't make any effort. Let them eat.
As I said, the cat was the boss. The tomcat was subordinate. Absolutely, 100%. This was clearly evident in the way the two behaved.
I know this from my two, brother and sister. He'll even let her eat his treats if she wants him to. She doesn't even have to fight for them; He immediately disappears as soon as she sticks her nose in his food bowl. Luckily, that rarely happens; they usually just eat next to each other. It's quite clear that she's in charge.
Absolutely everything and everyone has a hierarchy.
that's nature.
That may have been the case with your cats.
Cats do not have a classic hierarchy like wolves, dogs, lions, etc.
That's the hierarchy. The tomcat obviously has more say than the other two, and the cat has to "submit."