My cat YELLS!

GoneButNotForgotten · ‎03-29-2020

Per her vet, we're trying to get more weight on her and what we're doing has succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.

We used the Pavlov method--we literally ring a bell when we want her to eat. In order to get her to want to eat, we make sure to let her get hungry (no, we're not starving her). When she goes to eat, we ring the bell OR when we want her to eat, we ring the bell. It's astounding how well it's worked, although it took about a week or two.

Here's the problem: we no longer leave kibble out for her to nibble on (and spoil her appetite) all night so by morning she's HUNGRY!!! How do I know this? because she's been jumping up on my bed and HOWLING right in my ear at 5:00 am to be fed.

I think we're going to go back to leaving out a little kibble for her to snack on so she won't be starving by morning. It's ok to let her get hungry but not to the point where she's starving.

She turns 19 this month and she's still going strong; what an amazing little lady!

Katcat1 · ‎07-21-2011

@GoneButNotForgotten Good for her yelling that she is hungry. Leave some food out for her. She is 19 and going strong. Bless her little heart. You are lucky she is eating because as cats get up in age or any animal, they can stop eating.

kindness is strength

Marp · ‎03-09-2010

Our sister poster, @GoneButNotForgotten, has a very intelligent cat. Kitty has learned to apply Pavlovian strategy to get her humans to feed her breakfast on demand lol.

Why do cats seem to favor the 5 am hour for breakfast? My cat is a controlled epileptic but I do have to leave some food available to her 24/7 in the event she has a seizure. However, when it comes to her predetermined breakfast time having kibble available just doesn't count.

The eyes through which you see others may be the same as how they see you.

KingstonsMom · ‎03-09-2010

@Marp wrote:
Our sister poster, @GoneButNotForgotten, has a very intelligent cat. Kitty has learned to apply Pavlovian strategy to get her humans to feed her breakfast on demand lol.

Why do cats seem to favor the 5 am hour for breakfast? My cat is a controlled epileptic but I do have to leave some food available to her 24/7 in the event she has a seizure. However, when it comes to her predetermined breakfast time having kibble available just doesn't count.

@Marp

That's right, smart kitty!

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

GoneButNotForgotten · ‎03-29-2020

we've decided to start leaving kibble out for her overnight again. If she's so hungry she has to wake me up and demand to get fed, she's getting too hungry and needs to have something available to her all night.

And you're right--I have one smart little kitty cat!