Mealtime Epiphany - Update

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Since the age of 6 months, Lucy has been the sort to go through fits and starts with her eating habits. I do believe she is hungry most mealtimes, but she just doesn't always eat. We recently switched to Fromms dry and canned and as always she had the initial interest and robust eating in the beginning. But, also, as always, she lost interest after a week or so. Well, this morning Lucy was obviously hungry. She'd not eaten the night before and was waiting patiently for her breakfast. I mixed her food, laid it down, and Lucy sniffed it and turned away. She laid in the middle of the kitchen with her eyes following my every move, as if to say, 'Mom, I'm hungry... FEED ME!' I don't know what made me think of this, but I picked up her food dish and moved it to the other end of the kitchen. Kerr-plunk! Lucy went to it immediately and started eating! And continued till the bowl was clean. Tonight, same thing. I mixed her food and put it in her usual spot, and she just turned away. Then I picked it up and moved it to the end of the island and she ate heartily until it was gone. Coincidence? I don't think so.

 

UPDATE: Next morning... Well, this morning, all bets were off! Lucy refused to eat until I moved her dish BACK to her old spot, then she finished the bowl! I don't know what's going on with her. In her mind it must be some kind of game.

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

LOL...what is it with these Doodles. Don't you wish they could talk and tell you what's going on in those little heads of theirs!!!!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

YES! Yes I do!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Well, now that you mention it, the glass oven door was to the right of the dishes and a french glass door was just in front. She sometimes would see her reflection and bark at it. Not often though. I'm thinking its more of pattern of association, with negative habits linked to the old food bowl spot. I can just see the wheels in her head: I'm hungry, but I don't eat when the dish is in this spot... never have... not without a LOT of coaxing, but there are no habits associated with this other spot... time to eat!

 

I think I'll keep her water dish where it is, as Lucy has no problem drinking water, but I will move her food bowl each meal. I'm afraid to have her get use to any one spot!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think those reflections might have had something to do with it. But who knows what goes on in their heads!

[Kim]

LOL!!!!  Sounds like my Allie.  She will not eat out of her metal bowl.  She will also not eat on tile, or our hardwood.  We have to put her food on a plate, and she eats on our area rug!!!!!  She is a huge snob.

[BG and Gavin]

Gavin won't drink his water beside his food bowl.  Instead he eats his food and then goes to the other end of the house and drinks his water from the bowl I keep in the bathroom.  They are both metal bowls.  Weird habits!

[Melissa & Porter]

One of my mom's cats has to be cuddled and rocked in my mom's arms before she will eat.

[Mara, Sadie & Zoe]

This topic is so funny. I wonder what they are thinking....but they are thinking. Sadie eats from the bowl with the side of her body against the wall, I suppose then no one can sneak up on her. The water is a totally different deal, she prefers to drink from the bathtub faucet and will only drink from a bowl if necessary. Spoiled I think.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

My cat, Lisette, was like Sadie in that she would only drink from the bathroom faucet, until she got so old she could no longer jump up there (or down, if we put her up there). We remedied that with getting her a drink fountain. I think she actually liked the chlorine taste in the water, though, as we couldn't use the filters. Had to change the water daily, which was fine. Sadly, she died last year at the age of 23. She was the best cat.

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Debb, 23 years...wow. What a long wonderful life. I lost 2 cats at 17 and 18 years old and I thought that was old. Wouldn't it be wonderful if our Doodles could live that long!!

One of the 2 cats we have now will only drink from the dog water bowl.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Lisette was one of the oldest cats my vet had ever seen. Yes, it would be wonderful if our doodles lived that long! If you're interested, here's a photo album of Lisette through the years...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/photo/albums/memorial-to-lisette

[Mara, Sadie & Zoe]

she is very pretty. I went & got the dog it fountian, she'll drink from it but still would preferas my son calls it, the personal attention.