Meals

I have always been a fan of teaching your dog or cat to eat meals, rather than having food out all the time or feeding them whatever they want throughout the day. This prevents a lot of obesity but also is more convenient in multi-pet households (especially when everyone eats something different). Also, if your pet stops eating, you will know right away. That said, everyone in our house generally eats in meals, they just all do it differently.

Zodiac is the gulper-he eats in no time flat. Do not chew. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

Oreo used to be very demanding about his meals. He had to eat first thing in the morning and was up barking when the alarm clock went off. He would not even go outside before eating. Since he had some problems last summer he is no longer quite like that. We actually went through weeks of trying to get him to eat at all. Now he eats regularly, just not consistently. He will go for days and eat well and then days of not finishing. We just save the leftovers and add his next meal to it-he will eventually catch up. Sometimes he gets a late night meal.

Legend eats like a reasonable animal. She takes modes bites and chews her food.

Jelly has always eaten meals well.

Icy used to eat meals well until her surgery. Now she eats smaller amounts more frequently but is getting back to normal.

I used to free feed the barn cats because I didn't want either one to get short changed. Lefty used to roam a lot and I was afraid Barney would eat all the food if left alone. However they both got significantly overweight and so now they eat a limited amount. After a few days of this Lefty learned to be home every morning so they each get a fair amount and they are looking thinner.

I'm sure this has been most interesting for everyone but hey, I did write it in advance just so there would be something posted while I was gone!