Feline Feeding Frenzy!
In the best of all possible worlds, mealtime should be a relaxing one for our cats. Unfortunately, there are cats that just become overly anxious in the presence of other cats and simply refuse to eat. Some even act out aggressively, which can result in food avoidance by "underling" cats in the household. While most cats feed comfortably in close proximity with one another, there are those occasional ones that due to their rank in the hierarchy of the cat family, become intimidated, and abdicate their place.
This unwillingness to feed may be the result of a "bully" cat who exhibits food aggression whose behavior is designed to run other cats away from the feeding area. The victims of these bullies may exhibit fearful behavior, and while they appear hungry as evidenced by their approach to the feeding area, their timidity results in withdrawal.
This is frustrating for both our "timid" felines and for us as cat caretakers, as these small predators cannot go without eating without serious implications for their health.
My lilac point Oriental Shorthair neuter, Hush Puppy, pictured above, is one of these cats. He will run to his food dish, carefully watching for any signs of less than inviting behavior from Hubble, his brother. If Hubble raises even an eyebrow in protest, he will immediately dash into the bedroom, jumping onto the bed, obviously agitated and frustrated.
So I "thought like a cat," by observing Hush Puppy's behavior, discovering that he felt quite safe in his own space on our bed. When I offered food to him in that location, he immediately began eating, therefore Hush Puppy gets his breakfast "in bed" without any further disruptions.
However, Puppy is one shrewd kitty. He scoped out the room thoroughly for an attractive alternative spot in which to dine in comfort, just in case Hubble changes his mind and wants to claim the bed as well. He has staked out the top shelf of one of our cat trees for which he is the sole user. I think he feels safe as he has a great view of the room and can monitor his brother's behavior for any signs of approaching conflict, quite easily.
Even though Hush Puppy appears to feel much safer and less threatened, he has developed a peculiar habit. He consistently leaves a small amount of food in his dish, which I wonder if he considers an offering for Hubble, our macho cat, as a peace offering or a feline "thank you" for leaving him alone.
Do you have any further suggestions to assist a nervous feeder? If you do, purrhaps other cats with a similar disposition to Hush Puppy's will find their feeding times more peaceful.
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Comments (4)
J.A. Morrison October 10, 2008 10:07 AM
We have a situation that seems to be ongoing here. At meal times Miss Mouse will pick a fight with whatever cat is sitting beside her. The other cats ignore the fight and the outcome is always the same. Miss Mouse gets beaten up and the looser of the fight every time. There are never any injuries in these fights but it is not a nice experience. No amount of intervention seems to change this problem. Everyone settles down to eat content with their food and Miss MOuse will then sit side by side with the other cats. Go figure.
Margie October 10, 2008 10:44 AM
I have quite the clan here (17) and I have found it safer and easier to have more than 1 feeding area, as well as having food down 24/7. By having more than 1 station for food there is always an empty area so no one gets left out. Of course they all realize that any aggression towards another cat will be grounds for "mom" to get involved and the aggressor ends up soaked. I'm pretty sure the abused one is laughing his/her tail off too.
Joanne October 10, 2008 11:58 AM
Magnus and Emma eat side by side and often switch dishes mid meal. Since our dogs eat side by side I figured they would too. I have never seen food aggression of any kind between the two of them and they both seem to be getting all they need. Lucky us considering we are new to the cat world.
skylark October 10, 2008 2:20 PM
The photo of Hush Puppy shows off what an exquisite Oriental he is! What a handsome guy!
I always feed my two cats separately. Grace eats from her own tray in the kitchen, and Nick eats on top of the clothes dryer in the laundry room. That's the way they prefer to eat.
Both cats will leave a tiny bit of their meal for the other. When each one has finished eating, they will switch places and clean up the bits left on each other's plates.
Who knows why they do that? But who knows why cats do anything? Just one more reason why we are so intrigued by them. They're very mysterious indeed.
Skylark
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