2 ms·

so I actually do have an automated feeder. unfortunately, I think he remembers the time before we had the feeder when humans would put food in his bowl. he wait

so I actually do have an automated feeder. unfortunately, I think he remembers the time before we had the feeder when humans would put food in his bowl. he waits patiently in the morning for the most part (maybe he realizes it's futile while I'm sleeping), but he usually starts meowing for food a few hours before the feeder is scheduled to dispense it in the afternoon. BTW, the portions are exactly what the vet recommended; he's not starving. with the kitchen, I do let him in if I'm going to be in there for a while. I think he really just wants to be where the people are. I don't use spray bottles or anything like that. I've read that sometimes the animal forms a negative association with the human rather than the proscribed behavior. I just put him out the first time he jumps on the counter or chews on a plant. anyways, it's not really a big deal. I don't find the meowing terribly annoying. I just want, if possible, to be sure I'm making the distinction between ignoring his requests and acknowledging them but "saying no".

aksss 6y ago
Yeah, I don’t use a spray bottle either. I think there are better ways to modify behavior, such as that pattern interrupt. Cats are also way more empathetic than they’re given credit for, so I do think that they understand when main human is not happy with them. My cat has an uncanny ability to ask for food right before my alarm goes off. I’ve often wondered how it pulls this off even after a DST changeover, and figured it was because she could hear the rest of my neighborhood start to get active so not unreasonable to bug us. Simple fix: I set the first food drop about 15mins before my alarm. By the time I’m up she’s already chilling out post-feed. The cat and I agree that more food=better, particularly in frequency, with the caveat that I’m just trying to keep her from gaining or shedding any significant weight between vet visits, so that’s really the only limit I put on it. A decent pattern for us seems to be four times during my normal waking hours. Like morning, noonish/early afternoon, late afternoon, mid-evening. She’s a little scrounger though, definitely interested in whatever I’m eating, particularly cheese, and will try to convince any stranger that she hasn’t eaten for days and is on the verge of death (OmG). But yeah, healthy weight and stable.
doctorfoo 6y ago
My cats very rarely go on a counter - since they were kittens, if I ever saw them there I would clap loudly and shout, shoo them off with my hands.

aksss 6y ago

Yeah, I don’t use a spray bottle either. I think there are better ways to modify behavior, such as that pattern interrupt. Cats are also way more empathetic than they’re given credit for, so I do think that they understand when main human is not happy with them. My cat has an uncanny ability to ask for food right before my alarm goes off. I’ve often wondered how it pulls this off even after a DST changeover, and figured it was because she could hear the rest of my neighborhood start to get active so not unreasonable to bug us. Simple fix: I set the first food drop about 15mins before my alarm. By the time I’m up she’s already chilling out post-feed. The cat and I agree that more food=better, particularly in frequency, with the caveat that I’m just trying to keep her from gaining or shedding any significant weight between vet visits, so that’s really the only limit I put on it. A decent pattern for us seems to be four times during my normal waking hours. Like morning, noonish/early afternoon, late afternoon, mid-evening. She’s a little scrounger though, definitely interested in whatever I’m eating, particularly cheese, and will try to convince any stranger that she hasn’t eaten for days and is on the verge of death (OmG). But yeah, healthy weight and stable.

doctorfoo 6y ago

My cats very rarely go on a counter - since they were kittens, if I ever saw them there I would clap loudly and shout, shoo them off with my hands.