How to Slow down Fast –Eating Cats?

Some cats develop a fast-eating habit because they were strays at the beginning and had to find food in inhospitable places. Some of them went through a starving phase. Even though they find secure and loving homes later, they retain a habit of overeating. A pattern of behavior they develop to survive is still present in their lives while there is no need for its further existence. Moreover, bad habits are hard to break, and these cats need more patience and help from their owners. They need time and practice to adopt a new habit and begin eating slower. To encourage a cat to eat slower, feline experts recommend several strategies. One of them is to use a wide flat tray and serve kibble in little portions throughout the tray. Another option is to distribute the cat’s food into several fewer meals during a day. Experts recommend seven to eight smaller meals. It can improve digestion in cats and prevent them from vomiting. The article “4 Ways to Slow down Your Cat’s Eating” gives us additional ideas on how to slow down the fast-eating cat.

Tip #1: Put a Ball in Their Bowl

Put a golf ball, ping-pong ball, or some other type of ball into your cat’s food bowl. The cat will have to eat around the ball, which will force them to slow down.

Tip #2: Use a Muffin Tin

Separate your cat’s portion into the cups of a muffin or cupcake tin. Your cat will have to move from cup to cup and take their time to get the food out of each individual space.

Tip #3: Stuff a Puzzle Toy

Stuff a puzzle toy like the Kong Wobbler with your cat’s portion (keep in mind that this only works with dry food). Your cat will have to knock, spin, or drop the toy in order for it to dispense pieces of food.

Tip #4: Make a Scavenger Hunt

Another way to slow down your cat’s eating? Tap into their natural desires to hunt and explore. Hide food in different places around the house and then send your cat off to track it down.

However, vomiting in cats can appear as a result of fast eating or overeating. But, if a cat vomits on a regular basis and does not gain weight in spite of binge eating, experts advise us to take the cat immediately to the vet. Vomiting is not normal for cats, particularly not frequent vomiting. If it is a case, the vet will examine the cat to determine if there is some underlying medical issue beneath it. On the other hand, the vet can also suggest some other method to prevent binge eating that we did not try. For example, soaking dry feed in water for a few minutes can faster feed a cat and avoid vomiting that often comes after eating devouringly.