Can I train my cat to eat on a schedule? How does it compare to dogs?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I love the name Tigre. It really boils down to owner's preference and convenience like you state but I always like twice daily feedings. It gives you an opportunity to quickly assess their appetite and any changes that may occur with it which could indicate something is wrong. Smaller meals divided into 2 feedings are more easily digestible rather than one large meal, in my opinion. Free feeding can lead to obesity problems so strict attention must be made as to the amount that the pet has access to each day. Obesity is a very common problem in pets just as in people. I hope this helps and you are able to make an informed decision regarding Tigre.

Divide the daily allotment into two equal portions. Put their food down in the morning in separate rooms so they can't eat each other's food. Leave the food down for 30 minutes, giving them a chance to eat. After that time, pick the food up. Feed them again in the evening, again giving them 30 minutes to eat. They will learn to eat at those allotted times. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend meal feeding as this prevents obesity which is a huge health problem in cats. I would feed him twice daily. If he finds this terrible then split his total volume in to 3 meals. Good luck!

Its very difficult to train a cat to eat on a schedule different than what her body tells her. There may be some raw based diets in the form of a kibble or a dehydrated formula. They may keep better than the form you are offering Lulu. In the wild cats eat 9-16 times a day so thats what her body naturally wants to do. I would recommend to look into other food options. Please post again if you have any further questions!

Hello. That actually does not sound too unusual. You can certainly offer her the canned twice daily ( my house kitty gets a spoonful morning & evening ), & then he is free to pick at the dry all day. MOST cats are good at self regulating & will not eat too much to become obese, but this is something to watch for as Aspen grows older. It is very much an individual thing, but for now Aspen can be free to eat when he wants to. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Some cats are carbohydrate junkies and just prefer dry over canned food. It is fine for them to eat just dry. But if you want to convert them to canned food then you have to do so gradually. There are benefits to canned food, like more moisture content. If you leave dry food down all the time it is best to do scheduled feedings. So start feeding the dry food to 3-4 meals per day and only leave it down for 20 mins. Make sure you make it known to your cats it is mealtime so they know to eat. Once they have all accepted the new mealtime and eat well then start offering canned food instead of dry. Some may gobble it up right away, others may turn their nose up. Try warming it up. Don't leave it out for more than 20 mins because the flavor changes as it drys out and never serve it cold from the fridge. You can sprinkle a little dry on top of the wet or mix it in, if that works then gradually decrease the amount of dry you use over time. Just be aware cats can not go more than 24 hours with out eating or they can develop serious health issues with their liver. I hope this helps!

Hello. Just for convenience, most folks just leave a bowl of food out for cats to graze on throughout the day. But if Maximus is overweight, or trending toward being overweight, you will need to control the amount of food he consumes in a day or place him on a metabolic weight control diet. As I see it, cats seem to get hungry, 10 minutes after I turn off the light for bed, so having some available will help me sleep all night. If Maximus is more considerate, & you do not mind feeding when he asks for food, you can certainly do this. Ideally, I would calculate the proper amount he needs daily based on what your bag of food recommends & divide this into 3 feedings, morning, noon or early evening, & the remaining amount for snacking overnight. Remember, if you are feeding for an ideal weight, or for Maximus to lose a little weight you will feed for that weight. In other words, follow the food amount recommendations for a 10 or 12-pound cat if he needs to lose a couple of pounds. Just divide the total daily amount into 3 separate meals. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.