Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Den on July 11, 2008, 20:42:08 PM

Title: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: Den on July 11, 2008, 20:42:08 PM

Memph is a funny one. He doesn't eat all his food in one go, he picks at it but when he does eat he hoovers it up like there's no tomorrow.

Problem is he keeps being sick. His food is coming up pretty much as soon as it goes in. There are no hairballs in sight, no change in food nothing is different. I never know when he's going to be sick and he's perfectly fine in himself.

I can't do small meals as he makes a meal last hours and hours. I don't know what to do for him to stop himself being sick  :'( I'm assuming it's because he's eating too fast and he needs to slow down.

Title: Re: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on July 11, 2008, 21:32:06 PM

Would this be any good for him?  It's designed for dogs but might be worth a look http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=26&pf_id=8272

Riley is a 'wolf-er' too, he doesn't chew anything, just inhales his food - even things like dentabits that are designed to be too big to eat in one get swallowed whole in a split second  :tired:

Title: Re: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: Den on July 11, 2008, 21:35:25 PM

Ooooooooooooo perfect. Thank you, that would work. One of the recommended things with dogs is to put a tennis ball in the bowl, I can see this bowl works in a similar way.

Riley and Memphis really were separated at birth ... he too inhales dentabits  :evillaugh:

Title: Re: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: MrsR on July 11, 2008, 22:03:48 PM

My Sylvester is the same, doesn't chew and down it goes, sometimes if you feed him one bit at a time it seems worse as he takes it off you and a second later is looking at you for the next bit and you didn't even see or hear it leave your fingers!

Title: Re: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: Christina on July 12, 2008, 20:16:31 PM

i had this problem with my 8 yr old cat patch. she would eat so quick then be sick after 80% of the time. when i prepare their food now, i mash up patches food with a folk, so that it is almost like a patte, or like mashed potato (time consuming to say the least!) but now she is never sick, as the food just goes down like a smoothie almost. i dont know if this will work for you but it really helped for my patch.

Title: Re: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: Philip on July 13, 2008, 21:37:39 PM

Royal Canin do a bowl that is taller than usual and you pour the dry food in so it is level with the bowl. THis means the cat is not so bent over when eating and has to take the food slower because the bowl stops them from picking up lots at once and gulping it down.

Title: Re: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: Tinamary on July 13, 2008, 22:26:00 PM

Sorry slightly off topic but Phillip your cats are stunning

Title: Re: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: Bazsmum on July 13, 2008, 22:30:21 PM

My Yagga does this....he wolfs his food down then is sick then waits then moves to the next bowl!  :sneaky: Funnily enough if I stay with him while he eats (the first bit) he eats slower.....Mind you he does like to follow me around!  :Luv:

Title: Re: How do you get a cat to eat slower.
Post by: Philip on July 14, 2008, 07:46:43 AM

Thank you Tinamary.

Glad you like my ragdolls

 ;D