Why does my cat always need me to be nearby during mealtime?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Wilkie, much like my cat, is spoiled. I would say that the reason he does this is likely because he loves your company and eating is a great way to make sure that you stay around. If your preferred eating times and where you eat coincide with his, you may not need to do anything about this, as you can just enjoy your time together. There are several ways to get your cat to eat independently. Not all cats will respond to these but I have had a good majority of cats respond well. 1. Continue joining your Wilkie for part of his meal but not all of it. Put his food down and stand over him as you usually do, but walk away before he is finished. If he complains or stops eating, rejoin him and repeat. 2. Slowly pull back and extend the times you are away from him. Leave him alone to ignore his food for about 5 minutes, then 10 and then 15, etc. He probably won't like this but it will not hurt him to temporarily have an irregular eating schedule. Most cats will eventually eat their food when they are hungry. 3. Work on bonding with Wilkie during non-mealtimes. Plan regular play sessions and brushing sessions. Cuddle with him while you read or watch TV. If you are hanging out in a different room, peak your head in periodically and say hello to him and pet him. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Some pets get in the habit of eating a certain way. They become conditioned in a sense to doing things a certain way and feel safer with their owners there for them. Cats in particular like to have flat dinner trays to avoid any rubbing of their whiskers when they eat. They are still very much un-domesticated in a lot of ways and so they want to make sure they can see around them while eating as a defense mechanism. This may be why your kitty likes to eat from your flat hand that is raised off the floor, because he/she feels safer in that position. You can try a flat dinner tray that is slightly raised off the floor and see if this encourages your kitty to eat on his/her own.

Cats can develop many odd eating rituals and I suspect this is one of them. If only Bandit could talk! You may try switching the area you prep the food and see if this makes a difference. I hope this helps.

Hello. Having had many, many cats, I can tell you this is probably a sign of affection, or she is trying to tell you to hurry up with dinner. Either way, I would discourage this a bit by just turning your back on her when reaching for her dish. She may not mean to, but she could inadvertently scratch or snag you with a claw. But this is definitely not an aggressive thing she is doing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

She loves you. Cats are, contrary to common opinion, not solitary animals. Cats love their owners, some more , some less and some get so attached that they do not want to be separated from their "mommy". I have one like that too. She always has to be around me and when I am not in sight or away she meows and looks for me (with a sock in her mouth....)

Great name! It is true at this age he could be having a growth spurt, but cats also learn very quickly to keep asking for food when they are rewarded! I would make sure his body condition is good (not too fat or too thin), and that he is on a good quality food with enough protein. If that is the case, I would get him on a meal schedule so that he (and you!) are not as tempted to ask for (or give) food when it is not meal time. If he is still staring at you, try playing with him or giving him new cat toys instead of feeding him. I think it is good you are asking this question instead of feeding him more as many of our cats are overweight!! I hope this is helpful!

It sounds like Tommy may have some anxiety surrounding being fed. I'd highly recommend talking to a trainer or behaviorist in person that can observe the behavior so that they can make a tailored plan to help Tommy feel more comfortable when eating on his own. This may include you gradually stepping farther and farther away as he eats, or adding in some calming pheromones or other techniques to help him relax in the room he eats in. As for the picky eating, adding in a small treat or piece of veggie to his meals should be just fine if he won't eat otherwise. http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/ This site may help you find a veterinary behaviorist in your area if you are interested in talking to one.