Jiggery pokery
Whereas Labradors will do anything for food, wherever it is presented to them, cats can be unpredictable. Jellicoe and Herschel are fed in separate rooms, because Herschel eats more quickly than Jellicoe, and then wants to eat his brother’s fare. In addition, each of them shows a preference for the other’s food, to the extent of walking away from their own bowls, and pretending indifference. Left to their own devices – that is, shut into their rooms - they will return to their dishes and finish their meals.
There has been a change in the last couple of days, with neither of them showing much interest in their own food. I have changed over the bowls and the cats, and that seems to have worked. It appears that they are fooled into thinking they are getting each other’s dishes, simply because they are each eating in the other’s ‘room.’
It is a little worrying, because Jellicoe is usually ravenous, but he has been a little spoilt recently with freshly cooked chicken, so he’s always looking around in the expectation of that particular treat.
We shall
keep an eye on him. I’m sure he does it to keep us on our toes!
A smart pet mom keeps a step ahead
ReplyDelete. . . or tries, anyway . . .
DeleteThere's nothing like trying to supervise the cats' mealtimes to make you want to pull out your hair. I might as well pull up a chair and join Cricket and Henry at their dishes. And the problem is Cricket who believes all dishes have his name on them and Henry can just survive on air.
ReplyDeletePoor Henry, cheeky Cricket. I smiled at the thought of you sitting at table with the cats!
DeleteHa ha, perhaps they always wanted the change and have fooled you into bringing it about, cats are such clever animals!
ReplyDeletePerverse, I think!
DeleteThat reminds me of the time when we had three cats at home, when I was about 17. Two big strong lads and a young lady less than half their size - but nobody ate until Mimi had had her choice! She ruled the group, but it was obvious that wise old Moritz just let her believe it while Oscar, big and as beautiful as he was daft, was in awe of her superior intelligence.
ReplyDeleteCat hierarchies are fascinating, aren't they? Of our three brothers, Isambard was the dominant cat, though we didn't realise it at the time. After he died, Jellicoe took over and Herschel, big and strong as he is, defers to him, most of the time.
DeleteI have to watch when I feed Blackie too as he wolfs his food down & then will eat the other two cats food if I am not keeping an eye. Madam Pip likes to "graze", look around, think about life in general .. & then maybe have another mouthful or two ... by then Blackie has wolfed it for her!!! So I have to keep on my toes at feeding time.
ReplyDeleteThat is interesting how changing over the bowls has made a difference Janice.
Dainty Miss Pip is a lady and a genteel eater. Blackie needs as much sustenance as he can steal, if he can manage it.
DeleteI sounds like so much fun to have a pet in the house. We've dog sat animals but never owned one. It must be so much fun.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun, but it's also a tie, like having children who never quite grow up. It suits us, though.
DeleteI think feeding them in separate rooms is a great idea. I only ever had one pet at a time so it was never a problem.
ReplyDeleteIt does mean we know how much each one has had. The dogs don't attempt to take each other's food - far too polite.
DeleteClever thinking outside the box on your part. No wonder those Egyptian cats got worshipped.
ReplyDeleteHow could you not worship such beautiful creatures?
DeleteTo the cats you and Barry are just slaves.
ReplyDeleteAboslutely right!
Delete*Absolutely*
DeleteI rather like "aboslutely" to be honest :)
DeleteI do, too!
DeleteLilly often yowls for her food, sniffs it and walks away, she needs to know it's there for when she is ready to eat it. We are cat slaves.
ReplyDeleteIt's infuriating when they do that!
DeleteA cat trying to keep its staff on their toes? Who would thought.
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought, indeed!
DeleteCats are no fools, they know how to wrap their humans round their little paws. I think Jellicoe may have developed a taste for the finer things in life.
ReplyDeleteCunning little creatures . . .
DeleteThat was a clever trick. Hope it continues to work
ReplyDeleteI hope so, too, but I don't hold out much hope.
DeleteTricky cats and tricky situation. Looks like you're trying to outsmart them and I wish you best of luck. I've never had to feed two cats at the same time. Feeding one cat used to be a trick in itself but she's gone now. And precious just wants her regular stuff on time!
ReplyDeleteFussy cats are a problem. I'm glad to hear that Precious is sensible and thankful for her provisions.
DeleteWhen I saw the heading “jiggery pokery” I thought you were going to explain the origins of another expression!
ReplyDeleteI may have to . . .
DeleteI remember trying to get cats to eat their own different foods. Each was sure the other's food was better.
ReplyDeleteExactly so.
DeleteThey’re odd creatures with peculiar preferences. Our girl would only eat pate-style. It took us quite awhile to discover that.
ReplyDeleteThey won't be persuaded that the same food in a different format is just as good.
DeleteMy daughter has this same issue with her pets. Lucy has to be fed in a different room, first of all to keep the others from devouring her food and then the other two are always looking for food in the kitchen and avoiding their bowls.
ReplyDeleteThey're never satisfied!
DeleteWe were just having the exact same cat chat. Consuelo and Rosita eat right next to each other but as soon as Rosita leaves Consuelo goes right for her food, like it's different or better, and it's not!
ReplyDeleteOy, the cats!
The grass is always greener . . .
DeleteCalli and Quill eat side by side. When I put the dishes down, Quill always looks over at Calli's dish as if she's getting something different. Kids!
ReplyDelete😂🤣
ReplyDeleteGo labradors :)
ReplyDeleteAlways!
DeleteWe've always fed our cats (when we had two) side by side and it never really presented a problem. Depends on the personality of the cat, I suppose. I hope Jellicoe is fine, I agree they do indeed have a way of keeping us on our toes...and under their paws.
ReplyDeleteWe've never had to separate cats before these two.
DeleteIt's so cat-like to want someone else's food rather than your own! LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt is. They're very childlike sometimes . . . and not in the best ways!
DeleteIt's good to have some tricks up your sleeve when dealing with cats.
ReplyDeleteEssential, I'd say.
DeleteI've never had a cat ... but I recall young humans often looked at their siblings plate just to make sure the meals were the same!
ReplyDeleteHope the cats do okay ... they keep you on your toes.
All the best Jan
Ensuring that everyone had a fair share could be exhausting.
DeleteAh, I miss our two little black cats. Do you really think that nothing clashes in nature, by the way? Not sure I agree...
ReplyDeleteThe only one I would really say clashes with anything is the Callicarpa, with its very strong, vibrant purple.
DeleteFunny.
ReplyDelete😷
DeleteIt's a cat's world for sure. I have 2 cats...one weighs 20 lbs. and has some "issues" that require medications a.m. and p.m., one of which has to be sprinkled on top of his morning wet food. The other cat is half the first cat's size but has the appetite of a tapeworm. They have separate bowls and I set them in different parts of their "room." They both start eating from the same bowl (the one without the medication) and then the larger one "re-locates" to the other dish (with the medication). That's on a "typical" day. However, some days, the little one decides she will go and eat from the other cat's bowl so I need to monitor it and switch bowls if that happens. Probably useless since she will go and clean up leftovers shortly. It certainly makes traveling a challenge when it comes to finding a cat sitter.
ReplyDeleteYour big boy is hefty, bless him. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when the two of them are eating. Cat sitters have to be carefully selected - and trained!
DeleteSweet Jellicoe! Methinks he is looking for that chicken :)
ReplyDeleteHe is constantly looking round for chicken . . .
DeleteGood idea feeding them in separate rooms
ReplyDeleteIt's crucial!
ReplyDelete