Cats are sometimes described as the perfect carnivore because their whole being, from their claws and teeth to their digestive systems, is designed for hunting and eating animal flesh. From a very early age, kittens are taught by their mothers to stalk and catch prey. The need to kill does not remain for most domesticated cats as their owners provide food for them. However it seems that hunting is more than just a way to feed, it is also a highly pleasurable activity for them. Many owners "free-feed" dry food to their cats, which is acceptable for the cat who exercises self-control, but some cats like to snack or eat out of boredom, and for them, free feeding can cause obesity. Here are some fun feeding tips for your cat which will not only prevent boredom and laziness from setting in, but will enrich your cat physically and mentally achieve a happy balance for maximum health.
Scatter feeding
In the wild, cats spend most of their waking hours foraging for food so rather than put a large amount of dry food in one bowl, pick up a handful and scatter the kibble one by one across the floor. Your cat will have lots of fun chasing after and pouncing on the individual pieces of chow.
Treasure hunt
Cats love to explore. Hiding small handfuls of dry food around the house will encourage and mimic natural foraging behaviour, whilst providing an outlet for predatory style behaviour (which may help to reduce the amount of dead "gifts" that end up on your door-step). You can also use wet food for this, using small bowls of the food which you hide in different rooms. Activity toys such as Kitty Kongs can be stuffed with food. Kong toys are conical in shape and made with flexible rubber. The inside can be lined with moist, sticky food to prevent the contents from falling out too easily, and the hollow cone then stuffed with treats or dry food. The cat is encouraged to chew and suck at the toy and work out how to get the food out. This stimulates the cat both physically and mentally. Try covering the food dish with a paper towel that the cat must drag off before eating (works with wet or dry). Putting ping pong balls in the dish with dry food may make eating the food more interesting as the cat now has to work out how to distinguish and separate the food from the balls. Do not use small balls (like marbles) which can be accidentally swallowed and cause the cat to choke. Sticking little bits of dry food between the coils of rope in a sisal scratching post can encourage your cat to scratch at the rope as well as eat the bits of kibble which she eases out, thereby providing an outlet for appropriate scratching and sharpening of claws (as opposed to using your furniture), as well as an outlet for predation.
Food dispensers
Those such as the Rock-N-Roll Cat Feeder consist of a wooden barrel filled with food, with holes drilled around the sides. The barrel is held suspended in mid-air by a pole going through the circumference of the barrel. When the barrel is rotated, kicked or pushed, a small amount of food pours out from the drilled holes, into the feeder dish. The cat learns how to manipulate the barrel to obtain food in a manner that mimics its natural instinct.
Make your own
Find a sturdy plastic container with a lid such as a small plastic bottle or yogurt container which is big enough to hold quite a few kibbles of food, but small enough for your cat to move around. Wash the container, removing all residue of human food that could harm your cat, and dry thoroughly to prevent any mildew growth. Use a sharp knife to cut one or more holes in the container, making each hole slightly larger than a single kibble, and keep in mind that fewer holes make it more difficult for your cat to retrieve the food. Pour the desired amount of kibbles into the container and secure the lid. Shake the foraging toy gently to attract your cat's attention, and demonstrate how the kibbles fall out when the forager rolls across the floor.
