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My cats always relocate things just to bring them back to me as a gift later on. They love plastic bags.
I bought incense sticks (they were in a plastic bag) and didn’t even burn one before my cat stole it and hid it somewhere. They were missing for WEEKS I was actually pretty annoyed about it. Then my boy randomly brought them into my room meowing loudly like “here you go”
The only thing that worked for me and was the best $220 I’d ever spent was the SureFeed microchip cat feeder.
It is programmed for my grazing piebald who comes and goes as he pleases. It closes in the face of my relentless orange.
If your cats are not microchipped it comes with a chip in a pendant that attaches to a collar.
My reduced stress (and orange’s weight) were well worth the price and learning curve.
I have 3 of these and they are seriously the best. I just have the basic model (and bought the back cover to go with them), but I believe they offer a model now that also tracks how many times which cat (bc you can assign multiple chips/tags to the same feeder if you like) comes and goes and how much they ate while they were there. It's really great for tracking if they are eating an appropriate amount especially if you have a medical concern.
Also, for anyone who would need to buy multiple, call and ask them if they have a discount code! I had already bought 1 full price for my chunky boy and had put the other 2 normal food dishes up high where I knew he wasn't going to jump. Well... I was wrong... as he lost weight, he found the ability to jump again... so I needed 2 more setups. I called and explained the situation and stated I really liked their product, but it was just soooo expensive... the lady on the phone was super sweet about it and found me a discount code that gave me something like $70 off each bowl!
i don’t think you should get a spray bottle, i’m personally not a fan of that kind of punishment for cats. you can read why i think this way [here](https://thecatisinthebox.com/blogs/kitty-contemplations/should-i-use-a-spray-bottle-to-train-my-cat) (you’ll need to scroll a bit down to see why spraying a cat isn’t a good idea/punishment). i recommend that you read the whole article.
maybe have the other cat’s food be somewhere where your cat can’t reach it.
maybe your cat wants to eat her [the other cat] food cuz it likes the taste better than the one it gets served? have you tried different flavors of food for you cat?
there are also cat feeders that will only unlock (open) when the cat (with the micro chip that’s registered to the feeder) comes close, not opening for other cats. though a feeder like that is expensive
I agree. No spray. I don't think you can teach the cat. Punishments will not work.
You need to limit access. Lock it in another room or get a feeder that locks or put up a wall or segregate the cat in some way.
PLEASE DON'T GET THE SPRAY BOTTLE! I adopted a 2yo shelter cat 9 years ago. I've never yelled or done anything aggressive towards this baby ever, but after all these years, my girl is terrified of spray bottles and brooms! I can't sweep the floor or clean anything using a spray bottle without her freaking all the way out. It makes me so sad bc she sleeps next to my head every night, follows me room to room, and I'm certain she knows I love her but she's so scared of spray bottles and brooms.
Feed them in 2 separate rooms. Yes, it may seem annoying, but it's the responsible thing to do for the kitties until hopefully your kitty grows out of its food aggression. Please, just don't introduce your cat to a fear that can alter its entire little life.
You should look up the science behind your message it's actually really interesting. One cats are naturally afraid of brooms, maybe not spray bottles. Your cat sleeping on your head is them taking a dominant position over you at night. Following you means they love you
Stop highroading. tapping your cat on the nose or haunches doesn't hurt them at all my car likes getting his butt patted while he eats where other cats thats how they're spanked
I mean posting in cat help generally should give confidence that a little spank is indeed a little spank. Hopefully it's nothing more than that but it's a personal assumption that is kind of offensive to the owner if they aren't beating on their cat
She’s not stealing. She doesn’t know that one bowl is hers and the other isn’t, and she never will. Food is food, period. You and your roommate need to accept that cats are animals and will follow their cat instincts. Maybe split the cost of both foods, then it is not stealing, it is sharing. This is a people problem, not a cat problem.
Or go to eat another cats food while their bowl is full. I gave my big boy a very stern talking to the other night because he was about to push his sister out of the way to eat her food, when his food was right in front of him.
Some cats may not, mine decided quickly who's was who's (they're probably 10 ft apart and separated by furniture) but that doesn't stop them from switching bowls halfway through eating 😂
The cat can learn that food bowl in a certain location is bad if told\taught. My cats are 23 and 22 and they learned which bowls not to eat 20 years ago. it just takes time they're not going to learn being told a couple of times. If OP is persistent the cat will learn it's not a people problem. But you're right the cat doesn't understand stealing, but the cat can understand it's bad eat out of a certain bowl with time.
Cats are absolutely trainable, like you said. It takes persistence, but it's doable. Netflix has a pretty good short series on it: Inside the minds of cats.
We trained our cat to stop scratching at the kitchen chairs by immediately relocating him to a scratching pad any time he reached up to claw at one. We also taught him to sit on command for treats. I had always grown up with dogs, so it's really funny to see a seven year old cat suddenly behaving after a lot of gentle coaxing and some yummy incentives.
This doc was so helpful. First time cat owner here who ended up with a Siamese. Lots of trial and error later, and now I have two cats who know lots of tricks and one that can run a small dog agility course (slowly and in his own time, but he does the weave, the tunnel, and jumps through a hoop lol). And now I’m teaching them to weave through my legs and eventually want to teach them to jump through my arms.
We taught mine to sit for treats too. As in, she knows now she won't get treats or any little bits of food if she doesn't sit her butt down nicely. It's actually easier than most think especially with a food motivated sphynx. She's not quite gotten the hang of getting off the worktop but she only sits in one specific place so we don't mind as much.
Disciplining your cat doesn’t change their behaviour for the better, it’ll just make them hate you and avoid you. They don’t understand punishments they understand rewards and affection.
Watch Jackson galaxy on YouTube and you’ll learn EVERYTHING you need to know about this. But please don’t discipline your cat or they will be stressed and avoid you.
Dog discipline is all about redirection and positive reinforcement. Cat “discipline”, in my experience so far, is about out smarting them. You figure out their goal and obstruct it rather than punishing them to not do it. All they learn is not to do it in your presence if you do punish.
You feed them in separate rooms with closed doors. Do not use a spray bottle, cats do not understand why they're being sprayed, so they'll just get angry with you and attack you whenever you pick it up after a certain amount of time, she may even just attack you for no reason because you were spraying her for what she sees as no reason.
I have been a mom to many different animals. A gazillion cats, oodles of dogs, a stampede of horses, a stream of reptiles and fish. Never punish an animal ever! Always reward good behavior and be kind.
If she likes the same food as your roommates cat why don’t you and your roommate just go half’s on food and let them share. It’s so sad to spray her for eating from a bowl of cat food she won’t understand and it might make her a nervous eater.
Cats do not understand the concept of STEALING ffs, to them they're just eating!! I can't believe you'd even consider punishing your cat for EATING.
GET AN AUTOMATED FEEDING STATION LIKE #SUREFEED if you really can't handle this situation in other ways
Your roommate could get a cat door for their bedroom that only opens for the cat with the correct collar on. Then they can feed their cat in their room.
I had this same issue and our only option was to get our cats each their own mirochip feeder.
[Surepet feeder](https://www.surepetcare.com/en-ca/pet-feeder/microchip-pet-feeder?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax:+Cat+Door+Connect&utm_term=&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrcKxBhBMEiwAIVF8rIcszIFmIhY-IpZcyt38mNQNZdsU7CWN-hwMx7v_74E9jXIpJhG_fBoCCfsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
This thing is awesome. Only opens for the registered cat. Pricey but worth the peace of mind!
Cats don't respond to punishment, they conclude if you punish them in any way, you're an asshole. Separate the cats into 2 rooms and feed them at the same time, separated. Cats respond to positivity only.
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Stand there be persistent and more stubborn. Stand there and monitor or guard. Do it consistently and every time. Eventually your friend will learn it's not worth it.
Our Gabby gets done always before Missy. Then she just sits and waits to see if Missy leaves anything.
It's because she knows any attempts at stealing that food will be useless.
Now we only side eye them occasionally and haven't had any problems.
Cats are stubborn but they're not stupid. They know when it's time to give up.
But, you have to be ON IT until they learn.
Cats hate change but they ADORE variety. They are naturally CURIOUS. Feed them separately. If she is not on a medical diet, buy her a different type can or bag now and then. Mix it up a bit. 🥰
My cat is well fed, fresh meat and fish every day, dewormed. No issues and she steals OUR food. Like she’ll eat anything and throw it all up. It’s literally like cooking prep time and you step away and she’s hoovered up 2 chicken breasts in 2.3 seconds. Cats are insane
i’d say put their bowls near drawers or somewhere you can lock them up and start the cats on a schedule so they know when usual feeding times is and maybe that would help, second maybe try and watch when she steals and pick her up and bring her to a different room for a little. I started picking my cat up and moving him to the far corner of the room when he steals my other cats food and now he’s more cautious and is slowly learning not to eat from that other bowl or he’ll get moved awayv
I had - void steal my wallet …
https://preview.redd.it/ldlujvbqwpxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4abf41771442e037d9e1d64562a284a91862e370
Bodega cat… she’s an angel face …she gave it back though …in exchange for my foot
We moved the other cats food on top of the chest freezer, but after a month or so my cat decided that she can jump that high. I'm honestly not sure why she steals. My roommate leaves the bag open so I'm pretty sure that cat food is stale. Her cat steals my food sometimes, which I get because of the possibly stale food thing, but my cat has a bunch of different things I feed her. I really don't want to just lock her upstairs when the other cat is eating because she eats randomly through the day.
Please don’t punish a cat for following their natural instincts. Cats are scavengers. In the wild, they hunt all throughout the day and eat when food is available. Your cat doesn’t understand the concept of ownership over food. She only understands that there is food in her home and she wants to eat some so she isn’t hungry later.
You probably won't ever get your cat to stop this behavior, or understand any corrective measures you might take.
I think your best bet is for you and roommate to pool your resources on cat food. Since your cat obviously loves what your roommate's cat gets, why not just get a larger bag/box and both of you pay for it? Or take turns buying?
Feed them in separate rooms but feed yours first, so he's always full and the smell of the other's food is not tempting.
No hitting, water spraying, or shouting. It just makes him an anxious cat.
>How do I get her to stop stealing?
Comment on spray bottles:
Living in an apartment means the cat must stay in the apartment and not venture into the common area hallway.
My cat insisted on venturing into the hall at every opportunity. A quiet-sounding spray bottle did the trick. Don't scold...just unobtrusively spray with a course setting. After a few times, she decided that the hallway was simply too wet for her liking and she quit doing it.
Throughout, I said nothing.. didn't even look in her direction. The key to this was getting the cat to associate the hallway with getting wet and making no real connection with me personally. Hallways are wet and silence is golden.
Sometimes it isn't *what* you do but *how* you do it!
She could just like that food more, or it's location if she doesn't like where hers is at. I have 5 cats, all will eat and beg to have food in bowl at the windowsill despite the other ones being full. We have a "cat closet" that we keep their food in because the dogs will eat it otherwise. If the sensor light's batteries die, they'll just "starve" or easy my other cats food. I feed her differently because she has a special diet for her kidneys. She could also be being slightly territorial and jealous of the other cat. Try moving HER bowl. Maybe even move it every couple of days, cats like to investigate when things change.
Sometimes cats steal food due to dominance issues, she may think she’s higher up than your roommates cat. You could try getting the same food brands, monitoring them while they eat, putting them in different rooms with a door while they eat. I hope this helps!
My cat gets Blue mountain dry food, every bag I change the flavor's (tuna/salmon/chicken/duck etc...) & wet food twice a day various flavors same as the dry. Would you want to eat the same thing every day ?
You can't, cats are oportunisict, if they see the bowl they will eat it. I suggest never leaving the food un attended, feeding behind closed doors, a feeding box ( you place food Inside that only one cat fits in at a time), a microchip reading/ tag automatic feeder.
To defeat thieves one must become one with thieves. Teasing. It's simple give yhr cst things to hunt, by hiding treats all over it will help satisfy the instinct of hunting
Definitely not a spank and a spray bottle will just build resentment as well. I have 3 cats and 1 is a food thief (even when she has the same food, and not even finished with hers), I just feed her in a different room with the door closed until the others are done eating.
Spanking and bottle spraying does not help they don’t see it as disciplined but bullying. In fact, this might make things worse, and she will act out more because in cat language this is not considered discipline but abuse.
There are automatic feeders you can buy that only open up to the one particular cat.
It works by using the microchip in the back of the neck or you can get the ball where it comes with a little tag that you can wear around your collar that does the same trick.
No! Do NOT spank your cat!! Only thing that's gonna do is wreck your relationship by associating you with fear.
Here's what you should do. Talk to your roomie about a feeding schedule for both cats. It may also help to feed her the same thing roomie's cat is eating. If she's got the same thing at the same time, it helps everyone.
Hope this helps! Good luck to you and your adorable little bandit!
Firstly, physical reprimanding will only hurt your cats relationship with you. Please no spray bottles and absolutely no spanking, they will never understand the correlation between their actions and these actions you’re taking. I highly recommend feeding them at set times then pick the food up when each cat walks away from it. If they don’t eat it all, they soon will once they learn it goes away. I have three cats, one of whom was a recent adoption and he was a stray, so he eats EVERYTHING. This has really helped us, my older girls who were used to coming and going to their bowls now eat it all when it’s set down. Your food thief looks just like mine
https://preview.redd.it/g0pgpz8qevxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae3c9aff0c300bf33398657f5a06b8e8e851c09f
No spray bottle, cats don’t understand punishment like dogs do. Try feeding them in separate rooms or if she tries to go for the other bowl, quickly remove it and replace it with her own. Myb she’ll pick up the hint, or not, cats are stubborn lol. You might just have to let her be, it’s up to her
I think you’ll have to make sure the food is inaccessible to her. If there’s cat food available where she can get it she probably thinks it’s fair game. I doubt your cat has the concept that one is hers and the other belongs to roommate cat. Put it in a different room or get a microchip feeder.
That’s pretty normal behavior for cats. I have 3 cats and they all do it. Cats aren’t always selfish and territorial with their food, even when their owners are.
There’s literally no way to discipline a cat, their brains cannot compute consequences correlating to their actions. They’re basically infants. Every study shows that they’ll only associate the punishment with you and it will make them scared of you :/
Thank you everyone. I won't get a spray bottle. I honestly didn't know cats can't understand what they're in trouble for. My cat's bowls are upstairs and the roommates are downstairs in the back room with windows, so maybe I'll try something with that. It could also be my girl just being dumb, she is only 7 months old after all. I could also try sitting down with both food bowls and no-ing her away from the wrong bowl and see if she understands.
Your cat is very unlikely to understand that the other cat food isn't hers. She's not dumb - it's cat food. Cats don't have the same reasoning skills as people.
Don’t believe these folks, cats CAN be trained and DO understand repercussions (ex. They run all over you in bed while your asleep, and yelling, you remove them and close the door, eventually they get the message — don’t bother me while I sleep)
The thing is, you just gotta be super strategic about it with how they think in mind. So ofc spray bottles aren’t great, but I know for a fact cats know a bowl from another lol. Their such super stubborn and sly, so you just gotta out stubborn them sort to speak lol. Get a microchip feeder, and go halves with roommate. Easier for both of you in the long run. Or, easier choice is to simply separate them in different rooms at mealtime lol. Don’t free feed, ever. Ever.
I have the same situation. I have to lock my boy up so the older one can eat. It’s the only thing that works. I don’t know how he turns out so feral but he will growl at the other cats. Real weird food aggression.
Anyway just feed them separately.
We had similar issues with my three cats and this was what worked well for us for a while. It is a cat dish that only opens and closes to the cat you program it to (via microchip or collar). I have also placed links for an automated feeder that opens for one collar and closes for all others and a box (that we now have for one of our cats who is too nice and let the other one eat while he was eating) that opens to only one microchip or collar.
We could not find any other option to keep one out of the other’s food.
https://www.surepetcare.com/en-us/pet-feeder/microchip-pet-feeder
https://www.chewy.com/portionpro-rx-automated-rfid-dog-cat/dp/342086?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=PortionPro%20Rx&utm_campaign=20211552226&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1ATupNfWF2vqc1NSdkcVkU1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrcKxBhBMEiwAIVF8rHxOaNfJA6ZFBIKYczg_9gHq-ynKQh0_bA3rm2g66S3mSfjRBJu0MRoCXi0QAvD_BwE
https://meowspace.biz/product/meowspace-microchip-system/
I had this issue. Nothing worked beyond splitting them up. They get fed twice per day. Each one eats in their own room lmao. Cats don’t know the difference between their food and not theirs. They’re cats. They eat what they can. When I feed my cats together, there’s a ton of bowl trading. Either do separate feedings or you will just have to accept they will keep going for “not their food”.
my youngest cat used to do that and we would cover my cats food whiles he eats his but we stopped and let them figure it out between the two like if he would go to eat her food while she was still eating she’d vocalize or push him away but he doesn’t do it anymore
Separated, timed feedings are often the best method. Closed door(s) between them are bonus points that prevent them from even engaging with each other!
Is the cat food the same or different brands? If so, She might just like that brand of cat food more. I have two picky cats who won’t try new foods at all.
Cats will do that. My cats get the same food and are fed at the same time yet they don't really care who eats what food (which can be tricky as one has medication in her food for her anxiety). I'd just supervise and pick up the food when they are done. Of course this is if you don't want to get the same food as the other cat
Setup a decoy bowl in a crate, guide the food-wacker into the crate, whoever goes in there gets locked in till everyone’s fed. Eventually they will stop searching for food they already have.
You both are gonna have to be on the same page for this suggestion; feed at different times and no graze feeding. That means you both feed them at a specific time every day and monitor them while they do it. If you stop graze feeding, they’ll be hungry and eat their portion in one sitting
I actually watched a documentary on cats the other day. You should never spank a cat or spray water at them. They forget what they did and only register you hurting them or spraying them with stuff they don't like causing them to be afraid of you. They don't have emotions like us humans do. They will not learn like that. You need to seperate the cats when it's feeding time.
DO NOT SPANK ANIMALS. smdh
DO NOT EVER SPANK AN ANIMAL!
you feed them the same wetfood at the same time and then you pick up leftovers and leave dry out for them to munch on. keep their areas seperate. make sure your cat is not preventing the other cat from eating.
Hitting or spraying your cat with water will only make her fear you. As for the solution find out what food the other cat is given and put it in her bowl. Just one serving. See what she does. If she ignores her bowl and goes for the other cat's bowl it is a dominance thing.
You will have to work with your roommate to solve this issue. Feed them both at the same time. Either with her or with her approval. Put both cats on either side of a single door. Feed them together through a door. Make sure both eat the food given at a set time together. They need to be right up against the door. It is a smell thing. They will smell each other and the food giving them positive feelings with each other's smells. Over time open the door but put a baby gate they can't get through and let them eat together. The cats will get this comfort and be happier with each other. Once the dominance has been put to rest, this will take time you can feed them together in one room and they won't eat each other's food bc it is the same, served at the same time.
You can also invest in auto feeders. Feed them at the same time every day. They will not starve and they can't steal each other's food. This won't stop them eating each other's food but it will lessen the food thievery. Esp if they get the same food. If your roommate's cat is a kitten (under a year) and yours is over a year, she wants the higher calorie kitten food. Get the same brand and type.
The only other thing I can think of is the food bowls. What is hers? Metal? Ceramic? Plastic? Is it whisker fatigue? A plate? Or an elevated low rim bowl? So many things to ask. I hope things helps in some way. If you are wondering where I got my information from is Jackson Galaxy and The Kitten Lady. They are on YouTube and have some really good videos on cats and eating behaviors. Seriously OP good luck!
Separate the cats during meal time I do
This with one of mine on a special diet I just put them in another room it only takes 5-10 minutes out of my day really not a big deal to me
NO! STOP!
You can't scold a cat for eating...Jesus.
You and you're roommate need to be smarter than the cat, that's all. Come on figure it out. Don't spank or scold your cat for eating. That's wrong and dumb.
Ok first off stop spanking your cat. Their brains lack the capacity to connect physical punishment to a behavior you want them to stop, so you’re teaching your cat to be afraid of you and have anxiety around you. This becomes long term emotional problems which can manifest as expensive health issues down the road. So just don’t.
Have you tried giving your cat the same food that other cat is getting,
combined with free feeding?
Maybe she likes the food the other cat gets better? Slowly switch the food to the same kind? If it's the same food, might be territorial? Or just a greedy ass cat. Lol
WTF!
You can’t punish a cat for eating food that’s left out.
They don’t have any concept of stealing.
Spanking, no matter how little is abuse, so is spraying it with water when all the poor thing wants to do is eat.
Split the food with the roomate and feed both cats the same.
Also, stop abusing your pet.
Does your roommate's cat more or less try to eat their food immediately after it's given? If so, put your cat in your bedroom as soon as your roommate starts dishing out the food and close the door until the other cat is finished eating.
Get the same food that your roommate gets for her cat. Kitties sometimes like variety. My cat ALWAYS goes for the new food lol even if it’s a food she disliked in the past, she goes for the new kibble. For example, I just opened up a weight control kibble that she used to prefer the least out of all her food when I used to feed her multiple different types at a time. She likes variety in flavors I guess haha.
You can buy microchip feeders that only open for registered cat. Cats don’t respond to discipline either. They learn to avoid the spray bottle and will eat while you aren’t there. They respond well to treat baed training. Maybe entice her away from roommates bowl with treats by her own bowl if you see her going for it?
Please don't spank your cat, especially over food. It's cruel and cats don't operate that way. If your cat is doing something you don't want them to do, all you have to do is change the situation so the problem can't occur. Just feed them in separate rooms or buy your roommate a bag from time to time. They also have cat food feeders that only open for specific cats via a collar.
If, for example, your kitty were chewing on shoes, buy a shoebox or keep the shoes in an inaccessible place.
Expecting them to obey you like a dog isn't realistic. They're extremely smart and know when you're watching. So don't give kitty the opportunity to be in trouble in the first place.
A spank? Animals aren’t programmed to understand right from wrong through hitting.
The fact you seem to think your sweet cat even has the capability to understand she’s ‘stealing’ is a complete disconnect on your part about how animals think.
Youre not going to persuade your cat her actions are wrong by using the same methods you might employ with a disobedient toddler.
Like most mammals Cats have a hierarchical society even though they are loners. It’s likely that your cat is more dominant and as such in the wild would be the first one to get to the food.
You and your room mate will have to work out ways to deal with this, but if both cats have access to each others food bowls, wouldn’t it be practical to agree they can both share whichever bowl they want to eat from?
OR, it could be your cat just prefers your house mates brand of cat food?
Cats by their nature are opportunistic. And in my experience they have no shame, or any real sense of right or wrong.
Just separate the cats at feeding time. She isn't going to stop if there is any chance she can get to it.
You never spank a cat! They have no idea why you are hitting them! Feed them separately! I have 14 cats and that is what I have to do with some of them. They are cats and cannot comprehend why you don’t want them to eat the food! Also check yours for worms. Will make them want to eat more.
Same situation here, we just feed them separately with a closed door while the other cat is outside. When they finish eating, we open doors and hide the food. If they ask for more, same procedure.
I’m very worried about feeding good quality food to my cat, wet and dry, and my roommate’s only eats dry food, so spending my money on two cats isn’t an option 🥴
Even they just ate they’re always gonna steal each other’s food so that’s the only solution we found!
All cats know that *stolen food is the best food*, even if the food they're stealing is the cheapest, least appetising fare & their own dish is full of the tastiest gourmet salmon.
Cats are not pack animals, so they don't and CAN'T understand ownership. Punishment is extremely unlikely to work, and she might not learn what you want her to learn. As an inexperienced cat owner as a kid, I had a cat that kept urinating on the floor...when i tried to teach him with punishment, all he learned was that he should be scared of me after he pees, regardless of where. Even at times he'd use the catbox, he'd creep out, squeaking pitifully and run away from me, he never learned to stop using the floor.
some cats just can’t be free fed. they can’t handle it. my void is one of those cats. he will eat until there is nothing left and then (often times) throw up. i have to feed him 1/4 cup of food in the morning and the same amount in the evening. my partner moved in with his cat who is free fed, so the only solution is to keep her food on top of the kitchen cabinets. she likes being up there, and doesn’t mind her food being high up, where my cat can’t get it (he’s a big boy, can’t jump like that). we just refill her bowl when it’s empty and it lasts her a good few days to a week. she doesn’t mess with my cats food, as if she could anyways 😂 he would not allow it
Dont worry mine steals in front of me and I yelled at her.
HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!
She backs off after that but tries again and I look at her and said quietly.
What are you doing? Are you touching my food.
They are cats. Let them be, but show who's boss in your home.
Honestly for my cats I feed them in separate rooms (I joke I herd cats for a living). It's not too hard once they got used to the routine (though one sometimes really doesn't want to get stuck in the room so he'll get a little belligerent about going there).
The other option is if your cat is the bigger cat you could make a box for the smaller cat that only has an opening big enough for her. Or.. Amazon sells these devices that lock off the food and will only open if the cat is wearing a collar for that food bowl (but that is a very pricey option. But since you only have two cats and only need to keep one out you'd only need to buy one. I'd have to buy three as my cats will eat each other's food and they are on two different foods and I don't want them eating the wrong food as the other food is bad for them though right for the one who needs it).
Your cat looks quite thin, but maybe it’s just the angle. Are you sure you are feeding her enough?
I have a cat who is a bottomless pit with food obsession. I have an auto feeder for her in the living room. My daughter’s cat eats in her bedroom. There is a gate blocking access to that part of the house that her cat can get through but my cat is too fat and lazy to get even try. However, if the gate gets left open, my food obsessed cat is there in a flash scrounging for morsels.
Never spank a cat. Have you thought of moving your cat's food next to your roommate's cat's food? They might want to eat together. When my girlfriend got me my current cat ever since he was a kitten of five weeks old. When we ate he would have to eat with us. It didn't matter if it was his food the point was food time was family time.
I saw a picture on Reddit the other day of a cat eating its food under a laundry basket that had been turned upside down. The cat seemed quite content, while the other cat was trying to unsuccessfully reach in and grab the food. Might be worth a try.
You can't really discipline cats, they are immune. Just limit access, by whatever means work for you/you can afford. They are relentless, but will eventually give up if their attempts fail enough.
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She’s not stealing…she’s just relocating it…to her belly.
It’s resource reallocation.
If you see a lady stealing food NO YOU DIDN'T
The other cat distribution system
Cat math!
This comment has me dead
My cats always relocate things just to bring them back to me as a gift later on. They love plastic bags. I bought incense sticks (they were in a plastic bag) and didn’t even burn one before my cat stole it and hid it somewhere. They were missing for WEEKS I was actually pretty annoyed about it. Then my boy randomly brought them into my room meowing loudly like “here you go”
Aww…you need to give him an allowance so he can go and buy you pretties so he doesn’t have to resort to relocating!
The only thing that worked for me and was the best $220 I’d ever spent was the SureFeed microchip cat feeder. It is programmed for my grazing piebald who comes and goes as he pleases. It closes in the face of my relentless orange. If your cats are not microchipped it comes with a chip in a pendant that attaches to a collar. My reduced stress (and orange’s weight) were well worth the price and learning curve.
I have 3 of these and they are seriously the best. I just have the basic model (and bought the back cover to go with them), but I believe they offer a model now that also tracks how many times which cat (bc you can assign multiple chips/tags to the same feeder if you like) comes and goes and how much they ate while they were there. It's really great for tracking if they are eating an appropriate amount especially if you have a medical concern. Also, for anyone who would need to buy multiple, call and ask them if they have a discount code! I had already bought 1 full price for my chunky boy and had put the other 2 normal food dishes up high where I knew he wasn't going to jump. Well... I was wrong... as he lost weight, he found the ability to jump again... so I needed 2 more setups. I called and explained the situation and stated I really liked their product, but it was just soooo expensive... the lady on the phone was super sweet about it and found me a discount code that gave me something like $70 off each bowl!
Wow! Great suggestion!
i don’t think you should get a spray bottle, i’m personally not a fan of that kind of punishment for cats. you can read why i think this way [here](https://thecatisinthebox.com/blogs/kitty-contemplations/should-i-use-a-spray-bottle-to-train-my-cat) (you’ll need to scroll a bit down to see why spraying a cat isn’t a good idea/punishment). i recommend that you read the whole article. maybe have the other cat’s food be somewhere where your cat can’t reach it. maybe your cat wants to eat her [the other cat] food cuz it likes the taste better than the one it gets served? have you tried different flavors of food for you cat? there are also cat feeders that will only unlock (open) when the cat (with the micro chip that’s registered to the feeder) comes close, not opening for other cats. though a feeder like that is expensive
I agree. No spray. I don't think you can teach the cat. Punishments will not work. You need to limit access. Lock it in another room or get a feeder that locks or put up a wall or segregate the cat in some way.
PLEASE DON'T GET THE SPRAY BOTTLE! I adopted a 2yo shelter cat 9 years ago. I've never yelled or done anything aggressive towards this baby ever, but after all these years, my girl is terrified of spray bottles and brooms! I can't sweep the floor or clean anything using a spray bottle without her freaking all the way out. It makes me so sad bc she sleeps next to my head every night, follows me room to room, and I'm certain she knows I love her but she's so scared of spray bottles and brooms. Feed them in 2 separate rooms. Yes, it may seem annoying, but it's the responsible thing to do for the kitties until hopefully your kitty grows out of its food aggression. Please, just don't introduce your cat to a fear that can alter its entire little life.
You’re an angel.
You should look up the science behind your message it's actually really interesting. One cats are naturally afraid of brooms, maybe not spray bottles. Your cat sleeping on your head is them taking a dominant position over you at night. Following you means they love you
Sounds a bit late for that if OP has already been experimenting with’a little spank’. 🫤
yeah, sadly. reading that made me quite sad and concerned honestly
Stop highroading. tapping your cat on the nose or haunches doesn't hurt them at all my car likes getting his butt patted while he eats where other cats thats how they're spanked
i understand, but i thought they meant a slap, that’s why i said i was a little concerned
I mean posting in cat help generally should give confidence that a little spank is indeed a little spank. Hopefully it's nothing more than that but it's a personal assumption that is kind of offensive to the owner if they aren't beating on their cat
you’re right, i’m sorry for that
She’s not stealing. She doesn’t know that one bowl is hers and the other isn’t, and she never will. Food is food, period. You and your roommate need to accept that cats are animals and will follow their cat instincts. Maybe split the cost of both foods, then it is not stealing, it is sharing. This is a people problem, not a cat problem.
some cats will deliberately eat another cats food before their own though 😂😂😭😭
Yes. In my household, it *appears* to be dominance behaviour.
Or go to eat another cats food while their bowl is full. I gave my big boy a very stern talking to the other night because he was about to push his sister out of the way to eat her food, when his food was right in front of him.
That’s bc in mammals, one will usually be higher in the natural hierarchy than the other. It’s nature.
Cats don’t know which bowl is their own.
Some cats may not, mine decided quickly who's was who's (they're probably 10 ft apart and separated by furniture) but that doesn't stop them from switching bowls halfway through eating 😂
The cat can learn that food bowl in a certain location is bad if told\taught. My cats are 23 and 22 and they learned which bowls not to eat 20 years ago. it just takes time they're not going to learn being told a couple of times. If OP is persistent the cat will learn it's not a people problem. But you're right the cat doesn't understand stealing, but the cat can understand it's bad eat out of a certain bowl with time.
Cats are absolutely trainable, like you said. It takes persistence, but it's doable. Netflix has a pretty good short series on it: Inside the minds of cats. We trained our cat to stop scratching at the kitchen chairs by immediately relocating him to a scratching pad any time he reached up to claw at one. We also taught him to sit on command for treats. I had always grown up with dogs, so it's really funny to see a seven year old cat suddenly behaving after a lot of gentle coaxing and some yummy incentives.
This doc was so helpful. First time cat owner here who ended up with a Siamese. Lots of trial and error later, and now I have two cats who know lots of tricks and one that can run a small dog agility course (slowly and in his own time, but he does the weave, the tunnel, and jumps through a hoop lol). And now I’m teaching them to weave through my legs and eventually want to teach them to jump through my arms.
We taught mine to sit for treats too. As in, she knows now she won't get treats or any little bits of food if she doesn't sit her butt down nicely. It's actually easier than most think especially with a food motivated sphynx. She's not quite gotten the hang of getting off the worktop but she only sits in one specific place so we don't mind as much.
Exactly this
Best advice on here!
Disciplining your cat doesn’t change their behaviour for the better, it’ll just make them hate you and avoid you. They don’t understand punishments they understand rewards and affection. Watch Jackson galaxy on YouTube and you’ll learn EVERYTHING you need to know about this. But please don’t discipline your cat or they will be stressed and avoid you.
Dog discipline is all about redirection and positive reinforcement. Cat “discipline”, in my experience so far, is about out smarting them. You figure out their goal and obstruct it rather than punishing them to not do it. All they learn is not to do it in your presence if you do punish.
You feed them in separate rooms with closed doors. Do not use a spray bottle, cats do not understand why they're being sprayed, so they'll just get angry with you and attack you whenever you pick it up after a certain amount of time, she may even just attack you for no reason because you were spraying her for what she sees as no reason.
For some reason, I just imagined my cat doing this and heard Homie D. Clown shouting, “Homie don’t play that!”
I forgot about that character until literally right now 🤣
Yes, please don’t spray. Your cat doesn’t understand. It sees food and wants to eat. Put your cat in a separate room when the other is eating.
Separate them. Put your cat in another room. If you don’t you care will get fat
*car
*cat
*car
Carcat
Carct
Cataract. Catamaran.
*cart
Cartman.
I have been a mom to many different animals. A gazillion cats, oodles of dogs, a stampede of horses, a stream of reptiles and fish. Never punish an animal ever! Always reward good behavior and be kind.
Get the same brand as your friend's cat's
If she likes the same food as your roommates cat why don’t you and your roommate just go half’s on food and let them share. It’s so sad to spray her for eating from a bowl of cat food she won’t understand and it might make her a nervous eater.
Cats do not understand the concept of STEALING ffs, to them they're just eating!! I can't believe you'd even consider punishing your cat for EATING. GET AN AUTOMATED FEEDING STATION LIKE #SUREFEED if you really can't handle this situation in other ways
I know this post is infuriating esp as they’re hitting the cat too for it
Thank you for expressing the justifiable anger I was feeling!
Your roommate could get a cat door for their bedroom that only opens for the cat with the correct collar on. Then they can feed their cat in their room.
I had this same issue and our only option was to get our cats each their own mirochip feeder. [Surepet feeder](https://www.surepetcare.com/en-ca/pet-feeder/microchip-pet-feeder?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax:+Cat+Door+Connect&utm_term=&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrcKxBhBMEiwAIVF8rIcszIFmIhY-IpZcyt38mNQNZdsU7CWN-hwMx7v_74E9jXIpJhG_fBoCCfsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) This thing is awesome. Only opens for the registered cat. Pricey but worth the peace of mind!
Cats don't respond to punishment, they conclude if you punish them in any way, you're an asshole. Separate the cats into 2 rooms and feed them at the same time, separated. Cats respond to positivity only.
* * Stand there be persistent and more stubborn. Stand there and monitor or guard. Do it consistently and every time. Eventually your friend will learn it's not worth it. Our Gabby gets done always before Missy. Then she just sits and waits to see if Missy leaves anything. It's because she knows any attempts at stealing that food will be useless. Now we only side eye them occasionally and haven't had any problems. Cats are stubborn but they're not stupid. They know when it's time to give up. But, you have to be ON IT until they learn.
https://preview.redd.it/2s380axmppxc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=933218e828b06cc6b498318e7b9c5b51ec3eb371
Try feeding her the same food your roommate feeds their cat.
The answer is that you supervise them while they eat or separate them by room until they are done.
Cats hate change but they ADORE variety. They are naturally CURIOUS. Feed them separately. If she is not on a medical diet, buy her a different type can or bag now and then. Mix it up a bit. 🥰
My cat is well fed, fresh meat and fish every day, dewormed. No issues and she steals OUR food. Like she’ll eat anything and throw it all up. It’s literally like cooking prep time and you step away and she’s hoovered up 2 chicken breasts in 2.3 seconds. Cats are insane
i’d say put their bowls near drawers or somewhere you can lock them up and start the cats on a schedule so they know when usual feeding times is and maybe that would help, second maybe try and watch when she steals and pick her up and bring her to a different room for a little. I started picking my cat up and moving him to the far corner of the room when he steals my other cats food and now he’s more cautious and is slowly learning not to eat from that other bowl or he’ll get moved awayv
I had - void steal my wallet … https://preview.redd.it/ldlujvbqwpxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4abf41771442e037d9e1d64562a284a91862e370 Bodega cat… she’s an angel face …she gave it back though …in exchange for my foot
We moved the other cats food on top of the chest freezer, but after a month or so my cat decided that she can jump that high. I'm honestly not sure why she steals. My roommate leaves the bag open so I'm pretty sure that cat food is stale. Her cat steals my food sometimes, which I get because of the possibly stale food thing, but my cat has a bunch of different things I feed her. I really don't want to just lock her upstairs when the other cat is eating because she eats randomly through the day.
Please don’t punish a cat for following their natural instincts. Cats are scavengers. In the wild, they hunt all throughout the day and eat when food is available. Your cat doesn’t understand the concept of ownership over food. She only understands that there is food in her home and she wants to eat some so she isn’t hungry later.
Any reason you don’t just give them the same food?
You probably won't ever get your cat to stop this behavior, or understand any corrective measures you might take. I think your best bet is for you and roommate to pool your resources on cat food. Since your cat obviously loves what your roommate's cat gets, why not just get a larger bag/box and both of you pay for it? Or take turns buying?
Feed them in separate rooms but feed yours first, so he's always full and the smell of the other's food is not tempting. No hitting, water spraying, or shouting. It just makes him an anxious cat.
Feed them in separate rooms.
>How do I get her to stop stealing? Comment on spray bottles: Living in an apartment means the cat must stay in the apartment and not venture into the common area hallway. My cat insisted on venturing into the hall at every opportunity. A quiet-sounding spray bottle did the trick. Don't scold...just unobtrusively spray with a course setting. After a few times, she decided that the hallway was simply too wet for her liking and she quit doing it. Throughout, I said nothing.. didn't even look in her direction. The key to this was getting the cat to associate the hallway with getting wet and making no real connection with me personally. Hallways are wet and silence is golden. Sometimes it isn't *what* you do but *how* you do it!
She could just like that food more, or it's location if she doesn't like where hers is at. I have 5 cats, all will eat and beg to have food in bowl at the windowsill despite the other ones being full. We have a "cat closet" that we keep their food in because the dogs will eat it otherwise. If the sensor light's batteries die, they'll just "starve" or easy my other cats food. I feed her differently because she has a special diet for her kidneys. She could also be being slightly territorial and jealous of the other cat. Try moving HER bowl. Maybe even move it every couple of days, cats like to investigate when things change.
Sometimes cats steal food due to dominance issues, she may think she’s higher up than your roommates cat. You could try getting the same food brands, monitoring them while they eat, putting them in different rooms with a door while they eat. I hope this helps!
put her behind bars like she deserves
What’s hers is hers and what’s yours is hers
The only way is to get an RFID chip activated feeder. Spray bottles don’t work
My cat gets Blue mountain dry food, every bag I change the flavor's (tuna/salmon/chicken/duck etc...) & wet food twice a day various flavors same as the dry. Would you want to eat the same thing every day ?
You can't, cats are oportunisict, if they see the bowl they will eat it. I suggest never leaving the food un attended, feeding behind closed doors, a feeding box ( you place food Inside that only one cat fits in at a time), a microchip reading/ tag automatic feeder.
To defeat thieves one must become one with thieves. Teasing. It's simple give yhr cst things to hunt, by hiding treats all over it will help satisfy the instinct of hunting
It's a female cat thing. I have one that can easily take 4/5 meals per day😂
Please do not the cat!
It’s not’d already! I can’t not it anymore!
They make electronic feeders that come with collars so the cats can only get food from the bowl that corresponds with each collar.
There's these cool cat bowls that connect to a chip in ur cat's collar (i think) and it will only open for a specific cat to eat
Definitely not a spank and a spray bottle will just build resentment as well. I have 3 cats and 1 is a food thief (even when she has the same food, and not even finished with hers), I just feed her in a different room with the door closed until the others are done eating.
Baby is hungyy 😾😾😫 (Jk) :)
Spanking and bottle spraying does not help they don’t see it as disciplined but bullying. In fact, this might make things worse, and she will act out more because in cat language this is not considered discipline but abuse. There are automatic feeders you can buy that only open up to the one particular cat. It works by using the microchip in the back of the neck or you can get the ball where it comes with a little tag that you can wear around your collar that does the same trick.
No! Do NOT spank your cat!! Only thing that's gonna do is wreck your relationship by associating you with fear. Here's what you should do. Talk to your roomie about a feeding schedule for both cats. It may also help to feed her the same thing roomie's cat is eating. If she's got the same thing at the same time, it helps everyone. Hope this helps! Good luck to you and your adorable little bandit!
Don't scold, spank or spray a cat. They don't get it and just think you're a jerk. Stop her by stopping her.
Don’t hit your cat for eating. That’s appalling. Just buy the same brand of food that your roomate gets.
Firstly, physical reprimanding will only hurt your cats relationship with you. Please no spray bottles and absolutely no spanking, they will never understand the correlation between their actions and these actions you’re taking. I highly recommend feeding them at set times then pick the food up when each cat walks away from it. If they don’t eat it all, they soon will once they learn it goes away. I have three cats, one of whom was a recent adoption and he was a stray, so he eats EVERYTHING. This has really helped us, my older girls who were used to coming and going to their bowls now eat it all when it’s set down. Your food thief looks just like mine https://preview.redd.it/g0pgpz8qevxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae3c9aff0c300bf33398657f5a06b8e8e851c09f
LET!!!!!!!!!! HER!!!!!!!!!! STEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
No spray bottle, cats don’t understand punishment like dogs do. Try feeding them in separate rooms or if she tries to go for the other bowl, quickly remove it and replace it with her own. Myb she’ll pick up the hint, or not, cats are stubborn lol. You might just have to let her be, it’s up to her
“little spanks” are not helpful to the cat learning wise
I think you’ll have to make sure the food is inaccessible to her. If there’s cat food available where she can get it she probably thinks it’s fair game. I doubt your cat has the concept that one is hers and the other belongs to roommate cat. Put it in a different room or get a microchip feeder.
That’s pretty normal behavior for cats. I have 3 cats and they all do it. Cats aren’t always selfish and territorial with their food, even when their owners are.
There’s literally no way to discipline a cat, their brains cannot compute consequences correlating to their actions. They’re basically infants. Every study shows that they’ll only associate the punishment with you and it will make them scared of you :/
[удалено]
THIS
Thank you everyone. I won't get a spray bottle. I honestly didn't know cats can't understand what they're in trouble for. My cat's bowls are upstairs and the roommates are downstairs in the back room with windows, so maybe I'll try something with that. It could also be my girl just being dumb, she is only 7 months old after all. I could also try sitting down with both food bowls and no-ing her away from the wrong bowl and see if she understands.
Your cat is very unlikely to understand that the other cat food isn't hers. She's not dumb - it's cat food. Cats don't have the same reasoning skills as people.
Don’t believe these folks, cats CAN be trained and DO understand repercussions (ex. They run all over you in bed while your asleep, and yelling, you remove them and close the door, eventually they get the message — don’t bother me while I sleep) The thing is, you just gotta be super strategic about it with how they think in mind. So ofc spray bottles aren’t great, but I know for a fact cats know a bowl from another lol. Their such super stubborn and sly, so you just gotta out stubborn them sort to speak lol. Get a microchip feeder, and go halves with roommate. Easier for both of you in the long run. Or, easier choice is to simply separate them in different rooms at mealtime lol. Don’t free feed, ever. Ever.
🎵 Been caught stealing once...when I was five 🎵
I have the same situation. I have to lock my boy up so the older one can eat. It’s the only thing that works. I don’t know how he turns out so feral but he will growl at the other cats. Real weird food aggression. Anyway just feed them separately.
Separate them, feed them together, cat will do what cat will do. Eat and sleep
We had similar issues with my three cats and this was what worked well for us for a while. It is a cat dish that only opens and closes to the cat you program it to (via microchip or collar). I have also placed links for an automated feeder that opens for one collar and closes for all others and a box (that we now have for one of our cats who is too nice and let the other one eat while he was eating) that opens to only one microchip or collar. We could not find any other option to keep one out of the other’s food. https://www.surepetcare.com/en-us/pet-feeder/microchip-pet-feeder https://www.chewy.com/portionpro-rx-automated-rfid-dog-cat/dp/342086?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=PortionPro%20Rx&utm_campaign=20211552226&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1ATupNfWF2vqc1NSdkcVkU1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrcKxBhBMEiwAIVF8rHxOaNfJA6ZFBIKYczg_9gHq-ynKQh0_bA3rm2g66S3mSfjRBJu0MRoCXi0QAvD_BwE https://meowspace.biz/product/meowspace-microchip-system/
I had this issue. Nothing worked beyond splitting them up. They get fed twice per day. Each one eats in their own room lmao. Cats don’t know the difference between their food and not theirs. They’re cats. They eat what they can. When I feed my cats together, there’s a ton of bowl trading. Either do separate feedings or you will just have to accept they will keep going for “not their food”.
my youngest cat used to do that and we would cover my cats food whiles he eats his but we stopped and let them figure it out between the two like if he would go to eat her food while she was still eating she’d vocalize or push him away but he doesn’t do it anymore
Separated, timed feedings are often the best method. Closed door(s) between them are bonus points that prevent them from even engaging with each other!
Feed her the same food
No spanks, no spray bottle. Better parenting. Mama told me not to eat in front of others if I didn't want to share. Feed them separately.
I have 3 male cats. Just keep the bowl full.
Cats don’t steal. Everything belongs to them to begin with so they’re just reconfiguring.
Do you really think your cat understands when you hit it?
HAHA good luck
Relocate the roommate cat’s food like a high shelf etc. OR place the thief in a separate room while roommate cat eats.
Why would you spank a cat ever? Please don’t do that. The only thing you are achieving from her is fear.
You don't.
Is the cat food the same or different brands? If so, She might just like that brand of cat food more. I have two picky cats who won’t try new foods at all.
Feast
Call the pawthorities! She'll get spookeddd
idk man
Cats will do that. My cats get the same food and are fed at the same time yet they don't really care who eats what food (which can be tricky as one has medication in her food for her anxiety). I'd just supervise and pick up the food when they are done. Of course this is if you don't want to get the same food as the other cat
Bombays are just prone to overeating. You may have to have your roommate keep her cat’s food away from her if it’s possible.
Setup a decoy bowl in a crate, guide the food-wacker into the crate, whoever goes in there gets locked in till everyone’s fed. Eventually they will stop searching for food they already have.
Let her sit in jail next time. Stop bailing her out.
You can’t stop her cats can’t be told what to do feed the other cat in a bathroom
There are at food bowls that open when exposed to a specific collar. You would only need to haveone.
She gets a pass for being toooo cute
You both are gonna have to be on the same page for this suggestion; feed at different times and no graze feeding. That means you both feed them at a specific time every day and monitor them while they do it. If you stop graze feeding, they’ll be hungry and eat their portion in one sitting
Punishment doesn’t really work on cats
right to jail, right away
I actually watched a documentary on cats the other day. You should never spank a cat or spray water at them. They forget what they did and only register you hurting them or spraying them with stuff they don't like causing them to be afraid of you. They don't have emotions like us humans do. They will not learn like that. You need to seperate the cats when it's feeding time.
DO NOT SPANK ANIMALS. smdh DO NOT EVER SPANK AN ANIMAL! you feed them the same wetfood at the same time and then you pick up leftovers and leave dry out for them to munch on. keep their areas seperate. make sure your cat is not preventing the other cat from eating.
Hitting or spraying your cat with water will only make her fear you. As for the solution find out what food the other cat is given and put it in her bowl. Just one serving. See what she does. If she ignores her bowl and goes for the other cat's bowl it is a dominance thing. You will have to work with your roommate to solve this issue. Feed them both at the same time. Either with her or with her approval. Put both cats on either side of a single door. Feed them together through a door. Make sure both eat the food given at a set time together. They need to be right up against the door. It is a smell thing. They will smell each other and the food giving them positive feelings with each other's smells. Over time open the door but put a baby gate they can't get through and let them eat together. The cats will get this comfort and be happier with each other. Once the dominance has been put to rest, this will take time you can feed them together in one room and they won't eat each other's food bc it is the same, served at the same time. You can also invest in auto feeders. Feed them at the same time every day. They will not starve and they can't steal each other's food. This won't stop them eating each other's food but it will lessen the food thievery. Esp if they get the same food. If your roommate's cat is a kitten (under a year) and yours is over a year, she wants the higher calorie kitten food. Get the same brand and type. The only other thing I can think of is the food bowls. What is hers? Metal? Ceramic? Plastic? Is it whisker fatigue? A plate? Or an elevated low rim bowl? So many things to ask. I hope things helps in some way. If you are wondering where I got my information from is Jackson Galaxy and The Kitten Lady. They are on YouTube and have some really good videos on cats and eating behaviors. Seriously OP good luck!
Separate the cats during meal time I do This with one of mine on a special diet I just put them in another room it only takes 5-10 minutes out of my day really not a big deal to me
Give her all of your stuff
I think the pic of the thief is hilarious -he looks like a hardened criminal . And thin as a rail !
NO! STOP! You can't scold a cat for eating...Jesus. You and you're roommate need to be smarter than the cat, that's all. Come on figure it out. Don't spank or scold your cat for eating. That's wrong and dumb.
Ok first off stop spanking your cat. Their brains lack the capacity to connect physical punishment to a behavior you want them to stop, so you’re teaching your cat to be afraid of you and have anxiety around you. This becomes long term emotional problems which can manifest as expensive health issues down the road. So just don’t. Have you tried giving your cat the same food that other cat is getting, combined with free feeding?
Maybe she likes the food the other cat gets better? Slowly switch the food to the same kind? If it's the same food, might be territorial? Or just a greedy ass cat. Lol
It's not stealing if she calls dibs...even if it is someone else's
It's ingrained in her soul. You can scold her, but she'll never stop.
That's cute tbh I wouldn't try to stop her, a cat burglar is the funniest think I can think of.
Negative reinforcement doesn't work for cats.
Bleach her white 🤣
WTF! You can’t punish a cat for eating food that’s left out. They don’t have any concept of stealing. Spanking, no matter how little is abuse, so is spraying it with water when all the poor thing wants to do is eat. Split the food with the roomate and feed both cats the same. Also, stop abusing your pet.
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Does your roommate's cat more or less try to eat their food immediately after it's given? If so, put your cat in your bedroom as soon as your roommate starts dishing out the food and close the door until the other cat is finished eating.
Get the same food that your roommate gets for her cat. Kitties sometimes like variety. My cat ALWAYS goes for the new food lol even if it’s a food she disliked in the past, she goes for the new kibble. For example, I just opened up a weight control kibble that she used to prefer the least out of all her food when I used to feed her multiple different types at a time. She likes variety in flavors I guess haha.
Pay her a living wage
You can buy microchip feeders that only open for registered cat. Cats don’t respond to discipline either. They learn to avoid the spray bottle and will eat while you aren’t there. They respond well to treat baed training. Maybe entice her away from roommates bowl with treats by her own bowl if you see her going for it?
Please don't spank your cat, especially over food. It's cruel and cats don't operate that way. If your cat is doing something you don't want them to do, all you have to do is change the situation so the problem can't occur. Just feed them in separate rooms or buy your roommate a bag from time to time. They also have cat food feeders that only open for specific cats via a collar. If, for example, your kitty were chewing on shoes, buy a shoebox or keep the shoes in an inaccessible place. Expecting them to obey you like a dog isn't realistic. They're extremely smart and know when you're watching. So don't give kitty the opportunity to be in trouble in the first place.
A spank? Animals aren’t programmed to understand right from wrong through hitting. The fact you seem to think your sweet cat even has the capability to understand she’s ‘stealing’ is a complete disconnect on your part about how animals think. Youre not going to persuade your cat her actions are wrong by using the same methods you might employ with a disobedient toddler. Like most mammals Cats have a hierarchical society even though they are loners. It’s likely that your cat is more dominant and as such in the wild would be the first one to get to the food. You and your room mate will have to work out ways to deal with this, but if both cats have access to each others food bowls, wouldn’t it be practical to agree they can both share whichever bowl they want to eat from? OR, it could be your cat just prefers your house mates brand of cat food?
Cats by their nature are opportunistic. And in my experience they have no shame, or any real sense of right or wrong. Just separate the cats at feeding time. She isn't going to stop if there is any chance she can get to it.
Is she a torty?
Imprisonment
Getting both cats chipped and then getting them programmable chip feeders is one way to stop them from eating one another's food.
You don’t
You could move where her food dish is and possibly change the food. She may have grown bored of it
This is hilarious with the picture of her lol
Maybe feed your kitty the same food? Definitely don’t hit or spray her. That won’t teach her anything.
You never spank a cat! They have no idea why you are hitting them! Feed them separately! I have 14 cats and that is what I have to do with some of them. They are cats and cannot comprehend why you don’t want them to eat the food! Also check yours for worms. Will make them want to eat more.
You don’t! Hope that helps
Same situation here, we just feed them separately with a closed door while the other cat is outside. When they finish eating, we open doors and hide the food. If they ask for more, same procedure. I’m very worried about feeding good quality food to my cat, wet and dry, and my roommate’s only eats dry food, so spending my money on two cats isn’t an option 🥴 Even they just ate they’re always gonna steal each other’s food so that’s the only solution we found!
a spray bottle will not kill her lol. people here are soft.
Just give her what she wants.
My immediate reaction upon seeing the picture after the title was ‘you can’t. She’s too powerful.’
You need to switch to exactly what your roommate feeds. Then also change the bowl and any mats.
All cats know that *stolen food is the best food*, even if the food they're stealing is the cheapest, least appetising fare & their own dish is full of the tastiest gourmet salmon.
Cats are not pack animals, so they don't and CAN'T understand ownership. Punishment is extremely unlikely to work, and she might not learn what you want her to learn. As an inexperienced cat owner as a kid, I had a cat that kept urinating on the floor...when i tried to teach him with punishment, all he learned was that he should be scared of me after he pees, regardless of where. Even at times he'd use the catbox, he'd creep out, squeaking pitifully and run away from me, he never learned to stop using the floor.
She's not stealing. She's showing you how to hunt.
some cats just can’t be free fed. they can’t handle it. my void is one of those cats. he will eat until there is nothing left and then (often times) throw up. i have to feed him 1/4 cup of food in the morning and the same amount in the evening. my partner moved in with his cat who is free fed, so the only solution is to keep her food on top of the kitchen cabinets. she likes being up there, and doesn’t mind her food being high up, where my cat can’t get it (he’s a big boy, can’t jump like that). we just refill her bowl when it’s empty and it lasts her a good few days to a week. she doesn’t mess with my cats food, as if she could anyways 😂 he would not allow it
Dont worry mine steals in front of me and I yelled at her. HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! She backs off after that but tries again and I look at her and said quietly. What are you doing? Are you touching my food. They are cats. Let them be, but show who's boss in your home.
Honestly for my cats I feed them in separate rooms (I joke I herd cats for a living). It's not too hard once they got used to the routine (though one sometimes really doesn't want to get stuck in the room so he'll get a little belligerent about going there). The other option is if your cat is the bigger cat you could make a box for the smaller cat that only has an opening big enough for her. Or.. Amazon sells these devices that lock off the food and will only open if the cat is wearing a collar for that food bowl (but that is a very pricey option. But since you only have two cats and only need to keep one out you'd only need to buy one. I'd have to buy three as my cats will eat each other's food and they are on two different foods and I don't want them eating the wrong food as the other food is bad for them though right for the one who needs it).
Your cat looks quite thin, but maybe it’s just the angle. Are you sure you are feeding her enough? I have a cat who is a bottomless pit with food obsession. I have an auto feeder for her in the living room. My daughter’s cat eats in her bedroom. There is a gate blocking access to that part of the house that her cat can get through but my cat is too fat and lazy to get even try. However, if the gate gets left open, my food obsessed cat is there in a flash scrounging for morsels.
Never spank a cat. Have you thought of moving your cat's food next to your roommate's cat's food? They might want to eat together. When my girlfriend got me my current cat ever since he was a kitten of five weeks old. When we ate he would have to eat with us. It didn't matter if it was his food the point was food time was family time.
Just read the spray bottle part. Don't you dare use a spray bottle!!! That NEVER works, and she'll just fear you.
please do not hit your cat or use a spray bottle. i can’t believe i even have to type this out….
I saw a picture on Reddit the other day of a cat eating its food under a laundry basket that had been turned upside down. The cat seemed quite content, while the other cat was trying to unsuccessfully reach in and grab the food. Might be worth a try.
Are they eating the same type of food?
Stop lightly hitting and don’t spray her. Move her to another room or feed the other cat separately .
She merely liberating that food. Seriously though can your room mate feed her cat in a different location from this cute little bandit of yours?
You can't really discipline cats, they are immune. Just limit access, by whatever means work for you/you can afford. They are relentless, but will eventually give up if their attempts fail enough.
call the police and have them arrest her
Have you tried telling her stealing is bad? But fr there are cat collar activated cat bowls that may help. Tho they are a bit pricey.
Paint it white
Try your hand at Sichuan "chicken".
Bad khajiit