Free-feeding the kitten without free-feeding the cats

[HenryisBlaisin]

Does anyone have any tips for allowing a kitten to free-feed and keeping adult cats, who don’t need an all-you-can-eat buffet (or dry food) out of the bowl without having to keep baby shut up 24/7?

The last time I had an adult and a kitten, I cut a kitten-sized hole in a box, put the dish under it and a stack of books on top, and we were good til the little got big enough to stop free-feeding. My fat monster is much more dedicated than that cat was, though, so keeping him from either chewing his way in or knocking the box over will be super hard. Anybody have experience with a kitty creep feeder or have another solution we can try for the next few months?

[Irish_Ei_s]

Skip the free feed concept.
Shut Little into a bedroom with food, water and litterbox as many times a day as is age appropriate.
Measure correct feed amounts, do Not add additional when level gets low.
Only when dish is dry.

[Simkie]

I agree–better to just feed multiple times a day. Kittens usually do fine with a third meal added.

[Rain]

I’ve encountered the same problem when I’ve had kitten-aged fosters. My own cats do not get free fed because I don’t want them fat. I never figured out a creep feeder system, so I end up feeding Littles extra meals, closed in a room.

[HenryisBlaisin]

That I can do. I know up to 6 months free feeding is recommended (baby is 12 weeks), but my big cats do not eat dry (and baby only will until he’s six months to a year) and would gorge on it. Little guy is used to free feeding as a barn cat, there is alway dry food out, but he’ll learn pretty quick to eat when it’s offered, I am sure. Everyone is already separated at mealtimes because someone is an a-hole. First few days won’t be an issue because he’ll be in his own room anyway til he and the big ones can sniff each other out under the door.

My last kitten is almost 11 now and a big lunk (the someone who’s an a-hole might be him…), so it’s been a while since I raised a Little. We’re off to the vet today for a snap test for Leuk/FIV, and iff all goes well, he’s moving in.

[barngirl77]

I use microchip activated feeders so that the cats cannot eat each other’s food. The older cat can eat throughout the day without the younger cat eating all of his food. Each feeder costs about $150 but it’s worth it.

[Simkie]

I don’t feed kittens dry, and I don’t free feed them. Where are these things recommended

The bitty baby kittens I have here to foster were offered wet several times a day and are down to three or four meals now at 9 weeks. They’re doing just beautifully, as are the last round of kittens I raised like this a few years back.

[shiloh]

When Baler was little when I wanted to feed him, he went in the bathroom and he was served and dined in there. When he was done I let him out. He ate up to 6 or 7 times a day (and believe you me he burned all of it off with his antics). He was allowed to eat as much or as little as he wanted. I always knew when he was done because he would stick his little feet under the door. As he got older I cut out the extra meals and he is down to 3 times a day like everyone else.

And where are the pics?

[emipou]

Luckily our kitten is such a voracious eater, I can put his double/triple size meal next to our triple cheeseburger cat Hamburglar who we have been trying to limit food on, and the kitten will still eat his food faster than Hamburglar. I’m just now starting to reduce his food to about the same as Hamburglar (he’s a year now).

They still get a little free feed kibble at night, which is probably where I am going wrong with the Hamz.

When it came to feeding our sick boy, when he was still actively eating I would put his food on the dish on the stairs and feed the rest in the kitchen, then keep the kitten in check until the old guy was done eating (kitten would always clean up the leftovers). When he got more sick, I started locking him in the room before leaving for work. Husband would wake an hour later and open door to get ready. So it gave the old guy enough time to eat what he needed to eat.

[GraceLikeRain]

I’ve fostered more cats than I can count starting as young as 10 days. Ignore the feeding instructions on the back of a bag. The company has a strong motivation for you to over feed and then free feed an adult. Most vets receive minimal nutrition education that is directly funded by science diet or purina so they parrot what they were told.

At 12 weeks I feed around 2 oz of wet food 3x/day (6 AM, 6 PM, 10 PM). All of my kittens have gained weight appropriately and hit target milestones. If someone starts looking lanky I toss in a tablespoon of small piece kibble at each meal. I think free feeding creates grazing behaviors and the expectation to have food 24/7, which can lead to begging and other annoying behavior down the road.

[MustangSavvy]

You should be feeding wet food now along with dry food to get the kitten accustomed all different types of foods. I second a microchip feeder as well. It is a great option.

[FourFaults]

We welcomed an 8 week old Siberian into our home last December. Since we already had two 11+ year old boys each on a special diet, we too had to come up with a way to let our kitten eat what she needed without any access for the boys.
We bought a big Rubbermaid container with a snap lid, cut a small opening in it and put her food in there. We also wrote “Tekha’s Food Hut. No Boys” on it for fun! It worked perfectly until she was old enough to join the other two in daily feedings.