How to Slow Down a Cat's Eating

If we eat to fast we can develop a stomach ache. If a cat eats too fast, he can also develop a stomach ache and may vomit or gag. Additionally, over time, digestive problems may occur, as well as weight gain. To prevent these problems for occuring, learn how to slow down your cat's eating.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cat
• Patience
• Smaller food bowls

1. Give your cat smaller portions of food to decrease his appetitite.

2. Use a smaller food dish; decreasing the amount of food your cat is fed.

3. Elevate your cat's food bowl after certain hours.

4. Feed your pets in separate locations. Sometimes cats will turn feeding time into a competition, thus causing them to eat too much too fast.

5. Consult your vet for help and advice if all else fails.

Tips & Warnings

• Always leave water down for your cat if you elevate their food bowl.

[Gottaloveit]

on 2/9/2009 LOVE the idea about used the dog toy to feed the cat. GREAT comment!

[egmurrell]

on 7/29/2008 I have two cats, one who is quite slender and eats normally, and one who is a real food hog. The food hog will steal food from the other cat given the chance, and he used to eat his food too quickly and then throw it up.

To solve this problem, I first began feeding the cats in separate rooms. I feed my cats dry food twice a day and give them 20 minutes to eat each meal. Any food that does not get eaten gets put away until the next meal.

To solve the throwing-up problem, I purchased a Molecuball toy from the pet store (they're in the dog toy section). It's a hollow plastic toy with a hole in one end. I put the "food hog's" cat food in the ball, and then let him roll it around on the floor. The toy will only dispense a few pieces of food at a time, so even if the cat doesn't chew much he still can't gulp his food all at once.

You may wonder if you get a cat to use a dog's to