Feeding Time!

I've been working with Beasley for over 2 years - he eats too fast and then regurgitates his entire meal.

When it was just Beasley and me, way back in the beginning, I would heat his wet food (kept in the fridge) to room temperature and he would eat it. Dry food was no problem. He ate well, didn't gorge himself, and didn't vomit, even with hairballs.

However, for over 2 years, he's had a real problem. Ever since Princess came to us. She doesn't eat at the same time, doesn't eat wet food, and was a virtual ghost for the first 3 months - she hid under the bed all the time. This didn't matter to Beasley, though, because he began to gorge himself when food was put down. Poor Princess became the problem, and she was no problem at all.

I treated him with hairball treatment, and sometimes that would work. I began to restrict his access to food. I put down 1/2 teaspoon at a time and allow some time to go by before he got any more. Between the two treatment methods, he seemed to get better. Then the girls came.

Now, with 5 cats, it's pandemonium every time I walk near the kitchen. Fluffy was severely overweight when she came so she needed a special diet to reduce her girth. Bugs is allergic to all wheat products and gets terrible smelly diarrhea if she eats any, so all the dry food is specialized and wheat-free. Queenie will eat anything she can get, especially since she was spayed. Bugs hangs in the kitchen for meat, but won't eat it - she's just underfoot.

Beasley comes in, sees the crowd, and leaves. I have to bring him back in. Lately, I've been using the hairball remedy again. He sees me coming toward him to apply it and he leaves the kitchen. By the time he gets back to the kitchen, Queenie or Fluffy have finished what was in his bowl.

So, I'm trying a special food: Wysong Feline Archetype which is a meal where you add a little water and it becomes a soft food. It guarantees nutrition for a small amount of food. You can use it as a "seasoning" to other foods, as well. I've been impressed with Wysong for a long time now, and this will be my first venture into the archetype food - which is not available around here. I have to get it online, just like you.

I'll let you know how things go. I hate to see the upset Beasley goes through every day. At least it's only food-related! I'm grateful he's not sick, just high-strung.