Smart Cat

[ninevirtues]

So, I went away for a weekend continuing education class in Folsom.

Before leaving, I hit the PetSmart looking for an automated feeder. ($90-- ouch!!!)

No feeder.

So, Saturday morning before making the trek, I sat down with the cat.

Pour breakfast into her bowl. "Now, I'm leaving and I'll be back tomorrow night. THIS is your breakfast." Make dis-is-serious eye contact.
Pour another scoop into the bowl. "THIS is your dinner for today." More eye contact.
Pour another scoop into the bowl. "THIS is tomorrow's breakfast." Eye contact with the eyebrow UP do-ya-get-it look.
Pour a last scoop into the bowl. "THIS is because nobody budgets right the first time. Do not eat this all at once, okay?"

Leave the house. Attend course. Drive 3.5 hours back.

Walk in the house Sunday night and... the cat still has food in her bowl. Yay! Smart cat. Whew!

Comments

[sugarplumkitty.livejournal.com]

Two days with dry food isn't a bad thing. Cats are pretty smart. If you ever need someone to drop by and feed/pet her, just let me know.

[finickynarcane.livejournal.com]

Cats are not dogs. A dog would eat it all, at once. Well adjusted cats only eat what they require.

[xrian.livejournal.com]

Good for her. I've had cats who had to have their food rationed and cats that didn't -- not surprised that she's one of the latter.

I did get a pretty good auto-feeder at PetSmart for $60 on sale -- possibly the same one you looked at, brand name is Le Bistro. It's reliable enough that I leave it on all the time, which means the cat gets fed *before* I get up in the morning. I can also continue to do my 2 days a week in the South Bay without worrying about cat sitters -- I wouldn't trust it for a week, but for two days it's fine.

[lifeofglamour.livejournal.com]

Wow, good kitty!

[catagon3.livejournal.com]

Fydo has always been good about just eating what he needs, so I leave kibble out for him all the time. Of course, there's always a trained human here, so he doesn't get too worried if we're gone for a couple of days!