Q: Although each cat has her own bowl, our cats swop between the bowls when feeding. Recently, my vet prescribed special food for my one cat. How can I ensure that she eats the right food, and that the other cats don’t eat her food?
A: The only way you can do this is to feed her separately. If you are leaving food out for your cats all the time, this will have to change as well.
It is a good idea to give your cats specific mealtimes, because it means that when you call them for dinner or breakfast, they know to come to you.
Start off by calling them and then give them a very high-value treat – tinned cat food is often the best as a treat and for gaining their attention for coming when called.
Once they are reliably coming when called, start to give them the treat and then put down their bowls of food. Take away whatever is left after about 15 minutes.
The same for your cat on the special diet. This way you can be sure she is eating her special food and not the other cats’ food, and you can also see how much she is eating.
Once she finished her food, or the 15 minutes are over, pick up all the bowls and let her out of the room she is being fed in.
Wendy Wilson, behaviourist