Feeding multiple cats, part 2!

[fourcatmom]

If your sick of hearing about the cats and the problems I am having, feel free to skip this thread. If you can help, please read on:

 

Sorry I couldn't find the other thread I started about feeding the cats. I had an awful night and I really need to figure this out. Here are my problems:

 

1. Mama's boy with urinary problems has to eat special diet. He seems to eat very small amounts at a time and wakes me up constantly during the night. This is also the cat that won't pee in the cat box unless we have a certain type of litter, it's clean and I am with him. He is such a needy boy. This morning he scratched me in the eye to wake me up. I have been considering buying a large crate for him to be in at night where he can have a small bowl of food and maybe a litter box. I am trying to get the other cats on a feeding schedule and they are asleep every time he wakes me up to eat but then when I get up, everyone thinks it's feeding time. Doesn't matter if it's 3, 4, 5am or not. I think if I put him in a bathroom he would just whine and it might even make his bathroom issues worse. Also, the other cats need access to the litter boxes. There would be no other room I could contain him in. Does anyone here crate a cat all night?

 

2. Big boy cat that was just sick was fine on Saturday. He finished his pro biotic on Friday. He is going on a Hills Metabolic Diet dry food (soon - per vet) but started hissing at all the other cats last night (not normal), didn't get up for his feeding this morning and threw up might mucus"y" stuff last night. Should I put him back on the pro biotic? That seemed to really help him. And, if he needs the pro biotic to feel healthy then what do I need to change this so that he gets that without it? Does that make sense? I was hoping to start the new food this weekend but I hate to change him when he doesn't feel well. Unless it's the food that is the problem? But, being that he has been on this for 3 years seems unlikely.

 

3. Bro boys (almost 5 - brothers) need to go on some kind of food and be on a schedule. What to feed them that they will eat. I tried the Costco food and they wont touch it. They want the urinary food (been on for 3 years). 1st bro (for lack of a better word) is still having problems with his poop. I think he needs to go back on the pro biotic as well but I think having the wet food in the house is causing it's own problems to. He is also prone to hairballs. Considering feeding Hills Adult indoor dry. Has anyone tried this food?

 

4. Baby boy (Rescue-Toby) was fine when he came home on Monday from the "hospital". Came home on EN prescription food and Costco blended together. Doesn't want to eat it if the Costco food is in the bowl. What is up with the Costco food? He eats small amounts of food and then scrounges for any urinary food that the big cats have left behind. He will eat pieces of the birds food off the floor so I am really not sure why he won't eat the Costco food. Anyways, started throwing up last night also and poops are smelly again, not soft but smelly. So I really think the urinary food is causing his problems.

 

What I want:

 

A schedule that works, 2 or 3 to 4 times a day.

A cat that doesn't wake me up every 3 hours at night

A diet that works for twin boys and baby boy. I am okay buying a kitten food until May if that is what he needs but I am hoping it will be the same and can just transfer him over when he turns one. He obviously has a sensitive stomach.

 

I don't want to buy anything online

I don't want raw food (with birds in the house I really don't want them use to eating chicken hearts and stuff)

 

Looking at this food

 

bro boys (has pre biotics in it?)

 

baby boy

 

big boy

 

 

Or would it be easier to buy wet food since they seem to like it and feed twice a day. They seem to eat more per setting and are more satisfied. Could buy all three above varieties in wet food. Oldest cat doesn't like wet so that is not an issue, except his need to feed multiple times through out the day and night. :confused1:

 

Thanks for reading!

[Pawz4me]

1. Oldest cat with urinary problems has to eat special diet. He seems to eat very small amounts at a time and wakes me up constantly during the night. This is also the cat that won't pee in the cat box unless we have a certain type of litter, it's clean and I am with him. He is such a needy boy. This morning he scratched me in the eye to wake me up. I have been considering buying  a large crate for him to be in at night where he can have a small bowl of food and maybe a litter box. I am trying to get the other cats on a feeding schedule and they are asleep every time he wakes me up to eat but then when I get up, everyone thinks it's feeding time. Doesn't matter if it's 3, 4, 5am or not. I think if I put him in a bathroom he would just whine and it might even make his bathroom issues worse. Also, the other cats need access to the litter boxes. There would be no other room I could contain him in. Does anyone here crate a cat all night?

 

I have crated cats at night in the past.  There's no reason it shouldn't work, but you may get some yowling until he gets used to it.  In addition to food, water and litter box, make it as cozy and welcoming as possible by putting in a comfy bed or old throw to lay on and a couple of favorite toys if he has them.

 

 

 

2. Big boy cat that was just sick was fine on Saturday. He finished his pro biotic on Friday. He is going on a Hills Metabolic Diet dry food (soon - per vet) but started hissing at all the other cats last night (not normal), didn't get up for his feeding this morning and threw up might mucus"y" stuff last night. Should I put him back on the pro biotic? That seemed to really help him. And, if he needs the pro biotic to feel healthy then what do I need to change this so that he gets that without it? Does that make sense? I was hoping to start the new food this weekend but I hate to change him when he doesn't feel well. Unless it's the food that is the problem? But, being that he has been on this for 3 years seems unlikely.

 

If you think the probiotic was helping then I'd definitely start giving it again.  Personally, I'd probably go ahead and change his food and hope it would help.  Just because he's eaten his current food for three years doesn't really mean it couldn't be the cause of his problems.  Could be something is off with that particular bag, or it could be the manufacturer changed ingredients.  They do that all the time, often w/o anything on the bag to notify consumers.

 

 

 

3. Twin boys (almost 5 - brothers not twins) need to go on some kind of food and be on a schedule. What to feed them that they will eat. I tried the Costco food and they wont touch it. They want the urinary food (been on for 3 years). 1st twin (for lack of a better word) is still having problems with his poop. I think he needs to go back on the pro biotic as well but I think having the wet food in the house is causing it's own problems to. He is also prone to hairballs. Considering feeding Hills Adult indoor dry. Has anyone tried this food?

 

I've never used any of Hill's non-prescription foods.  But one of my cats has IBD and she does very, very well on Purina One Sensitive System kibble.  So that's a boat we don't rock.  You could give some hairball gel once or twice a week to help with that issue.

 

I'm not sure what kind of poop problem he's having, but over-feeding can often cause soft stools.

 

 

 

4. Rescue - baby boy (Toby) was fine when he came home on Monday from the "hospital". Came home on EN prescription food and Costco blended together. Doesn't want to eat it if the Costco food is in the bowl. What is up with the Costco food? He eats small amounts of food and then scrounges for any urinary food that the big cats have left behind. He will eat pieces of the birds food off the floor so I am really not sure why he won't eat the Costco food. Anyways, started throwing up last night also and poops are smelly again, not soft but smelly. So I really think the urinary food is causing his problems.

 

Could it be the bird food that's causing the problems?

 

 

 

A schedule that works, 2 or 3 to 4 times a day.

 

Cats tend to be grazers when given the chance, preferring to eat multiple small meals a day versus a couple of large ones.  So I'd aim for at least three, and preferably four, feedings a day.

 

 

 

A cat that doesn't wake me up every 3 hours at night

 

Totally understandable.  Try the crate.  For awhile I had to shut my pesky-at-night boy in the extra bedroom at night.  He learned to stop bothering me.

 

 

 

A diet that works for twin boys and baby boy. I am okay buying a kitten food until May if that is what he needs but I am hoping it will be the same and can just transfer him over when he turns one. He obviously has a sensitive stomach.

 

You don't really need kitten food.  As long as a food says "for all life stages" then it's fine.

 

 

 

Or would it be easier to buy wet food since they seem to like it and feed twice a day. They seem to eat more per setting and are more satisfied. Could buy all three above varieties in wet food. Oldest cat doesn't like wet so that is not an issue, except his need to feed multiple times through out the day and night. :confused1:

 

My belief is that overall canned food is better for cats.  It has more protein, fewer carbs and more moisture--all things that are important to cats.  It's usually more easily digested than kibble. If feeding all canned I'd try at least three small meals a day.  Do NOT feed as soon as you get up in the morning, as that will just encourage them to wake you up.  Also, many cat people believe that feeding some canned food right before you go to bed makes it more likely that your cats will sleep through the night.  The theory is that a good meaty meal puts kitties to sleep.

 

You could feed your kibble-only boy a kibble meal at the same time the other cats get their canned food meals.  Just a little bit.  As well as letting him have food in the crate.

 

Good luck!

[fourcatmom]

That was all really helpful, thank you! Maybe a mixture of both but then I think they don't want the dry because they are waiting for the wet. Ugh!

 

Baby boy - he throws up right after eating the dry. Doesn't seem to phase him to eat the bird food that is dropped but then it could be. He even tries to climb into the bottom of her cage trying to get to stuff. And, really the Costco food is bad? Weird!

 

Your right about big boy, I will start transitioning him today. Good points.

 

Oh, and good idea about waiting after I get up. Sometimes I lay in bed even afraid to use the restroom since they will all wake up and think it's time to eat! :confused1:

 

The purina sensative stomach actually looks pretty good. It  might work for all three of those cats and I wouldn't have to buy kitten food extra. They could all eat together. They sell it at my WM and it's not expensive. I wish they sold trial bags!

[fourcatmom]

Thank you. I have never seen those cage products. I love the box idea but big boy might not fit! I will keep reading about the wet food option. I did purchase the purina sensative system that was mentioned and the diet food. The diet food is hills brand I think.

[DianeW88]

Oh, wow, I have no idea, but I'm exhausted just reading your post.  LOL  I have 8 cats (combo indoor/outdoor), and I just leave out dry food all day and they eat when they want.  They get wet food twice a day, and they all share from one can.  That's it.  I don't know if I'd have the stamina to deal with all the issues you're having.  Good luck!

[fourcatmom]

 

For the feeding issues with Mama's Boy, you could consider something like MeowSpace or the less expensive, DIY version here: http://www.robwatson.com/Foodboxes.html. Otherwise, I think crating at night could be a good way to go. Is there a reason the crate would be better than putting him in the bathroom with his litter box, food and a bed? If you have to go with a crate, something like this could be quite comfy for him.

 

I'm not at all a fan of Hill's foods, so I'm not a good one to ask on that. If I can be frank, I think their ingredients are awful and inappropriate for cats and would only use it for special circumstances. (Ironically, I'm currently in one of those special circumstances--when I foster, I have to follow instructions if a cat is given a special food by prescription.) I only feed wet for my own cats at this point. I used to feed dry, but everything I've read has convinced me that many health problems in cats are due to a dry food diet--kidney/urinary problems especially, and also obesity. So, if I were you, I would be feeding all wet if I were at all able to and my cats all had a wet food they tolerated well. I understand you may have special issues that may make that more difficult. I think I posted this in one of your earlier cat threads, but if not, have you already read the nutrition stuff on http://www.catinfo.org/? I have found that very helpful.[/quo

 

 

Is there a good wet food you would recommend that is not raw food that I can buy in the store?

[fourcatmom]

 

For the feeding issues with Mama's Boy, you could consider something like MeowSpace or the less expensive, DIY version here: http://www.robwatson.com/Foodboxes.html. Otherwise, I think crating at night could be a good way to go. Is there a reason the crate would be better than putting him in the bathroom with his litter box, food and a bed? If you have to go with a crate, something like this could be quite comfy for him.

 

I'm not at all a fan of Hill's foods, so I'm not a good one to ask on that. If I can be frank, I think their ingredients are awful and inappropriate for cats and would only use it for special circumstances. (Ironically, I'm currently in one of those special circumstances--when I foster, I have to follow instructions if a cat is given a special food by prescription.) I only feed wet for my own cats at this point. I used to feed dry, but everything I've read has convinced me that many health problems in cats are due to a dry food diet--kidney/urinary problems especially, and also obesity. So, if I were you, I would be feeding all wet if I were at all able to and my cats all had a wet food they tolerated well. I understand you may have special issues that may make that more difficult. I think I posted this in one of your earlier cat threads, but if not, have you already read the nutrition stuff on http://www.catinfo.org/? I have found that very helpful.[/quo

 

 

Is there a good wet food you would recommend that is not raw food that I can buy in the store?

[Pawz4me]

You have lots of options, given that "they" say that pretty much any brand of canned food is better for cats than even the best dry food.  If budget and availability are issues, I've heard Fancy Feast Classics and the grain free Friskies are decent for budget foods.  Also, the Authority brand from, I think it's PetCo.

 

Authority is Petsmart's brand.

 

I've never known a cat to not do well on Fancy Feast or Friskies.

 

I agree with Kand that in general cheap canned food is better for cats than the best kibble.

 

[fourcatmom]

Authority is Petsmart's brand.

 

I've never known a cat to not do well on Fancy Feast or Friskies.

 

I agree with Kand that in general cheap canned food is better for cats than the best kibble.

 

 

I thought Fancy Feast or Friskies was like giving them Taco Bell everyday and not good for them either.

 

We had a really good night last night. Nobody threw up and that's a huge plus in my book! Still can't get Bro Boy 1 to try anything new and still don't think he feels well but the Big Boy is eating his diet food and Baby boy seems to like the Purina One sensitive. Still want the best long term option so I am still researching the best diet that I can provide.

 

Thanks everyone for the input. I got a little more sleep last night.