You're Feeding Your Cat All Wrong!
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- Опубліковано 23 бер 2014
- The first thing Jackson would tell you if you asked about your cat's odd behavior? Stop free feeding! Learn how you should be using food as a tool with your cat rather than an all-you-can-eat buffet in this episode.
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Jackson Galaxy your right I am at fault.
And in these trying times he is trying my nerves with the hole knocking over the trash can all the time.
This is why he (Shadow) my kitty is going to learn.
I dont want hem yo get diabetes.
He is getting really fat at this time so I'm going to have to trick hem into exercise as well.
Hey Jackson,
I need some help/advice. My 2 yr. old cat has started overeating, he's never done it even when living in a shelter environment. And when I brought him home he still had a normal eating behavior eating small amounts at a time. Now he will eat all the food that is there in one sit-in and the other cat's food as well. My parents don't see it as a problem that he's getting a belly but hes loosing his cat figure. I'm trying a diet by controlling when and the amount he eats but it's hard getting my parent to do the same. Any advice on getting them to listen and do the same?
i free feed my cats i will start tomorrow with the transition . can you please talk about recomendations of which food is more convenient for male cats to prevent crystals in urine i heard dry food is bad for them i feed them both and they always have access to fresh clean water my females too they all drink lots of water .
Jackson my cat eats the proportions she must eat 2 times in a day and she always meows when i have food and its my turn to eat
1:53 I thought you were going to say embracing bribery 😂
I thought I trained my cat to do things for me and I'd give him treats. I realized he trained me to give him treats.
😂😂😂
Lol
Raptor X Hihihi so true
Yes! I thought I taught my cat how to give the paw. Turns out she found a way to beg me for treats.
@@albinabur8010 absolutely, mine jumps up and stares at me and if I don't get the hint he then picks his paw up. Despite knowing he gets this once a day, he will try it on whenever
Cats dont have owners they have staff
True that
FACT!
They have butlers. You're the butler.
In korea cat owners call themselves "butlers"
Yeah its u
Started feeding my boy 4 times a day and he’s mood has changed sooo much! He’s relaxed, much more sociable and follows rules better . He’s always been super cuddly but now he’s even sweeter 🙌🏻
How far apart are the meals?😊
What are you feeding your cat?
@@karenelledge3162 Sheba Guts in Gravy Perfect Portions Variety Pack wet food.
Grabbed a couple shelter cats to hunt mice in my shop. Now 1 week later I've ended up on this channel. what happened to me?
cats are awesome
You're a cat person now
you contracted toxoplasmosis from the cats and now you're their slave. And I'm only half joking.
Cats are the best
We feed our cats 3 times a day: 1st when we wake up, 2nd in the afternoon, 3rd before bed. But these cats are constantly begging for food whenever we even go near their dishes.
Hi how long do u leave food out each time plz . ?
@@donnawilliams5640 My cats are the same. And leave food out? HA! The more food-aggressive of my cats literally jumps at the food before I can even set it down. And no, he is not underfed or starved. He's adopted and learned this behavior from the streets.
SAME!! I’m a hardass about it, but my family constantly complains to me about them. My dad is a total pushover, and my sister is half online classes atm, so they’ll give em at least a taste to get then to leave em alone
i have the same problem too dunno what to do
@@farahaladin1141 put the food dishes away in a cabinet when they're not being used
I used a timed feeder for small portions throughout the day for her first year. When I stopped using the cover of the feeder and let her free feed her pre-measured portions, she stuck to the timer schedule! 😁
Omg that’s fascinating!!!
I have never had an issue with free feeding. Never did treats freely, but always kept a food bowl and water bowl full at all times and never had behavioral issues or weight issues with my cat.
I have an ants problem that I can't do free feeding. So they eat 2 times a day (morning and night) and if they ask for more I will just gave them some treats
my cats are actullay thin ....
Karina Hernandez, sorry for late reply. Ants shouldn't stop you from leaving food out for you cats all day. Simple solution. Put the bowl within another bowl of water, right? Ants can't get to the food that way.
Same. My cats in shape, he doesn't over eat.
Karina Hernandez - here's a tip: if you got ants hunting around the bowl, I'd suggest you put the bowl on top of a decent dinner plate filled with right amount of water.
I have a cat who would snarf food then throw up. To help her I started to fed her small meals 3 times a day and no more puking. It also helped with her weight.
Omg my cat is the same way
It’s amazing how quickly kittens learn to tell the time.
I'm a dog trainer and learning about cat behavior and care in preparation of getting my first. It's interesting how many unexpected similarities there are from watching your videos and others, this one being the biggest surprise and vital! When we have clients with behavioral issues with their dog they almost invariably are free feeding and it's the first thing we have them change before anything else. Thanks for putting up this content!
It's crazy to free-feed a dog.
We always free-fed our dogs. It's what everyone does. Maybe that's why we couldn't keep one from coming back in after being outside for hours and peeing or pooping on the floor.
Jackson I’m adopting a cat tomorrow my dude! Thank you for everything you have no idea how you changed my life bro! I love you!!!! I’ve watched you for four years gaining all the knowledge I needed before I brought a cat into my home. I’m ready and that’s all thanks to you 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾💚💚💚
you sound like me --how I've approached dating/having a boyfriend/partner/marriage --im 37 and I've been reading books, watching videos and doing all kinds of research on everything I need to know it could potentially go wrong and how to overcome it --Im finally almost ready to have a love life and adopt a man in my life lol
I love how Jackson is the male version of a Crazy Cat Lady, so...a Crazy Cat Gentleman? Lol
@Continuous Self-Improvement yessss!, can’t be live with all the cat videos on UA-cam, that there’s only two trusted cat channels lol
They should do a collab!
@@milkompoukalo pretty sure they did a while ago, I think it was the kitten road trip one. Not 100% sure but can check again
No way. Crazy cat ladies usually have horrific living conditions treating them like an inmate. Jackson is the exact opposite.
Crazy Cat Lord
I free feed my cat and she's pretty chill. First time I got her, I did this 'small meals' control thing and she would just throw up whatever she ate. At least when I just leave the food out for her, she just kinda portions herself instead of snarfing it all down like her life depends on it. She doesn't vomit as much anymore.
I've found the same thing with my cat, so now I have some food out for her all the time too.
same issue with my cat. He portions it out himself because he eats very little and would vomit as well.
Uhuh, and they'll love us all the same.
Same, there is ALWAYS food in the bowl. And the 5th cat I got (the most recent one) well I started him off like that, and I have almost never heard this cat meow (he chirps t communicate, which is funny because that communication is used AMONG CATS). He will do it on such a rare occasion... (like he really wants to go outside because he saw my senior out door cat outside... now he wants to go too)
But for food? This cat has never meowed at me for food. He is such a skinny cat too. It's like he was trained to never be afraid of running out of food and becoming hungry.
I have another story with another cat. (he was the 3rd i acquired) We found him outside, skinny, dehydrated and beat up. He was declawed. It was probably someones house cat. We took him under our roof, and at first he drank ALOT OF WATER. He eventually started eating, but the issue was; he seemed to eat ALOT. At first we thought "well he lost alot of weight..." But it seems that it was a habit he never got rid of. It's like he was TRAUMATIZED of running out of food or water, so when he got to the food and water, he would drink and eat HUGE PORTIONS. Keep in mind that at this point in time we only had 3 cats in the house and they were used to free feed. I guess he wasn't and he became a little bit fat.
To me when I see an animal being unable to control his eating habit, it feels like an animal who is afraid of running out of food... and need to stock up for the future. I never had that problem with the cats I got since they were kittens. Hell, my orange cat can walk past the bowl, eat 3 bites and move on. (Can food is a different story though).
I just like the idea of a person or a animal NOT being afraid of running out of food. But as a solution to problematic cats; I can see how using food to control behavior is a easy way. But I have no behavior problems with my cats, so I guess this doesn't apply to me :) The "No Free FEED" advice that is.
Hey guys I need MAJOR help here, Im trying to feed my cat 3 times a day but My cat will not stop begging! He meows so load that it affects me with my customers on the phone! Whenever I go into the kitchen wether to get the phone or do dishes or eat he will not stop meowing because he wants food and that is the room he gets fed in. Its fine at first but after 20+ Minutes of doing the dishes its unbearable!! Espeshally when I have to take a call from the phone in the kitchen and write down reservations... I do not know what to do... Im really trying to keep my cat healthy like jackson says by feeding him 3 times a day but his nonstop meowing is making it really hard for me my wife and our business.PLEASE HELP (Feeding him about 2 cans of food a day)
We have free-fed our cat our whole life, (not treats though) he is super chill and portions his own food, usually eating a meal in the morning, afternoon, and evening. To be honest I'm kinda surprised he is like this, and we have never really had issues with it. Since he is somewhat outdoor, we do schedule wet food in the evenings so we can guarantee he will be back in the evening. but he has always listened to us so that's cool.
I still don't recommend this since we tried the specific meal time thing and he did almost kill us probably it was hell. but I think it depends on the cat. Its worked for this cat for the last 16 years though so yeah.
I too free feed my cats (4 indoor, 2 outdoor, 1 in & out). They usually do great with it, just nibbling here & there. My indoor/outdoor cat, though, is totally addicted to Temptations treats. Comes inside only to get them, & cries & cries. Gotta cut down on the amount I've been giving him, they're not healthy.
I’ve had many cats and I have feed them like this for years!! You are so very right. Love your channel!!!
This was one of the first things I did when I adopted my cats, and it was because I knew you said a schedule was better. Shallow dish, also! I remember that, for their sensitive whiskers.
I got normal bowls, but when I learned about whisker fatigue I immediately got a shallow dish, and currently I am working on switching my cat from a mix of kibble and wet food to only wet food (he is fed urinary care kibble but once he is under less stress now that he is out of the shelter the uti thing isnt a problem and if he does get one we will see a vet.) I am also working to stop free-feeding.
how many times do you feed your cats ? any specific hours ?
@@piazee3460 I'll feed them usually three times a day, with the occasional snack, once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once in the early evening. I do have specific times for it, but that's partly for me. The cats do know the sound of my feeding alarm, though!
I also have the whisker bowl as well as a shallow stainless bowl for dry food. She gets one side of the Sheba duo every morning and she tells me when she wants the dry food. I have a quarter Cup scoop to use for her dry stuff. Sometimes she only eats that in the afternoon, sometimes she has to have a late evening portion. She has never been interested in treats. Her water is changed daily. Works so far, she's the perfect weight, but she's a little alarm clock, never lets us sleep in, breakfast is for 5:30am, ya get that Mom!
I truly feel like my cat Baxter does try to please me. If I am really sad she will slowly get up in my lap, put her chest against mine and start purring. It really is healing and the fact that a cat that just showed up at my house one day seems to care so much blows my mind.
What if your cat free-feeds himself? You give him, say half a cup of food and he makes it last up to 6 hours at a time? He's grazing on his own of his own accord without having large amounts of food left out for him.
My cats are the same. The dry food they eat sparingly. The wet food is in the morning and at night. They scarf that up when I give it to them, but it's a small can between the two of them.
Mine also
If a cat doesn't eat everything at once, that it's either crappy food or it is too much food at once. Cats naturally don't eat just 1 meal a day, but multiple. Feed a cat at least 2-3 times a day with small meals. And dry food is bad anyway, can cause kidney failure & is the lowest quality food you can feed.
AvezaArreaga sadly, I can’t switch my cats food because my parents won’t listen to me:( luckily they are healthy and have good weights!
Wolfgirl2help I have the exact same problem? I have an auto feeder that I can program the amount and frequency but they are not eating the food up straight away. Cat man can you make a video about it or tell us what to do is best? Thank you xxx
All of my cats have been grazing cats. They eat a few bites of food whenever they feel the need, and I've never had any problems with behaviour, or litter box issues.
Me either and when you have many cats 9 I have it makes it hard to not free feed dry.
My cat will eat everything in her bowl throw up everywhere then beg for more food I really want to free feed her but she doesn't know when to stop eating
Same
free feeding cats is actually really amazing when you can get away with it. jackson's video sucks ass because it refuses to acknowledge free-feeding as a valid way to care for cats
Jackson Galaxy, I'm so grateful for your unending love and dedication for cats! I'm a first time kitty parent and was skeptical of your feeding advice at first. but because I noticed my baby threw up dry food frequently and her poopies were unhealthy I needed to make immediate changes. I changed my schedule, added routines, stopped free feeding, only have scheduled healthy fresh wet food. My baby loves her meals!!
of course all of those changes took time bit by bit. I was adamant at keeping her healthy, and have her live a happy long life.
the vets always complicated my baby's good health and physique. and the pet stores always tell me I'm spoiling my cat with food which I find strange because healthy food is just as necessary for them as it is for us. thanks to your trusted advice, following a routine has also improved my life significantly which was surprising!
Thank you again Jackson Galaxy ❤ and I hope more people put effort.
Thank you for being such a loving and compassionate guardian and guiding others to be the same, Please send my regards to Jean Hofve.
My cat was free-fed and almost 17lbs when I got him. He now gets 3 small meals a day plus a little treat (which he works for) before bed. He is now a healthy, svelte 11.6lbs. He diet is live, raw, or grain-free foods.
Before I retired, I had to free feed because of my long hours on the road. I was a bus driver, I left a can of food out in the morning along with a high quality dry food. This way no one was hungry if I was to return too late. When I returned home, I fed a second can of food. None of my four cats is fat.
i got some stray cats around that sit and wait for me on the porch every single day, from 7pm to 11pm they will just sit and wait. I know they have no home, so i usually have super cheap wet cat food ( because i know even stray cats hate dry food), and i even know the 3 cats taste, 2 of em love any type of fish based food, while the other really likes the avian flavored, turkey, chicken.
But when i get some proper tuna or sardines, stored in salt water not oil ( and i rinse them for a 1-2min under the tab), and go out on the porch with these treats, you'll see cats become lions. They are absolutely vicious ! if it's a whole sardine they can snatch, they'll just run away into the bushes with their victory lol.
The madness starts with the Tuna pieces, they'll just eat and swallow what they can, while hissing and fighting eachother.
In the meantime i don't have spare money and eat ramen noodles myself....while giving fresh fish to stray cats...oh well...maybe in the afterlife i get rewarded for protecting and helping innocent animals :)
You are a very good person with a kind heart, pity there wasn’t more people doing this to help poor hungry animals, I’m sure u will be rewarded for this 👍
Great story! I’m in a similar situation. I have many of my own cats, 100% indoor, while outside I have several strays/feral that come around nightly. I feed them low cost wet food, which they love! I also spoil my own, with yummy treats, and plenty of cat tv, among lots of love! I do feed the deer in my yard, the birds, squirrels, and other animals I can. In the meantime, I’m trying new beans weekly! Lol!
I love this it’s so kind, I have my own cats but feed the strays too, I was brought up with a mum who adores animals shes now 74 and drives around her town leaving food for the foxes and their Cubs, she knows all their hide outs and also has a line of cats waiting outside her garden for their 3 meals a day lol. Her neighbours complain but she tells them to f... off and like me can’t bare to see a hungry animal
Thank you for this video my cat was starting to get a mini belly lol, now he’s more active because of your tips. I adopted him with my wife not too long ago from the shelter. His names Sawyer he’s so modest ♥️. Again thank you!
But I free feed my two cats and they do not have behavior issues and are extremely social
@Diego87 I free feed my cats for many years and they are not fat. Just put out a set amount of food twice a day and so they cannot over eat. They only eat a few bits at a time. I found cats are more prone to vomiting when forced to have feeding times. Its seems harder for them to digest all that food at once.
My cats always have food available, are both 10 pounds, both really active and know multiple tricks, and have no behavioural issues besides pica in one of the cats
I don't see an issue with it tbh, I do want to transition them to raw food eventually though and that obivously can't be left out all day
There's a balance between free feeding and this method, and it works very well. I feed my cat a 3oz can first thing in the morning and then add another half a can to her bowl when I leave for work. She's not a wolfer so that usually keeps her happy until I get home and can give her another can. Food's not out 24/7 but it's out when she needs it. This way she can eat several smaller meals instead of being forced to pack it all in in a very short time.
Because your sitting on a chair that is closer to the ground and you have easy access to pet them from way down their.. plus your closer to the ground so they can jump on your lap and they have all you attention because your not reading or watching TV, or knitting
What?
@@laurapet lol
My 8 year old cat is free feed with dry food and gets canned food in the evening, same time everyday. Never had problems, she's healthy and has a nice weight for her size.
I like this guy's advice, but this is not my experience with my ten year old female tuxedo. I've been free feeding her since she was 8 weeks. She has never missed the litter box. She is not fat. She does not graze. She is not my boss. We are friends. She goes out of her way to be kind to me. She respects me as much as I respect her. If you don't believe me, just watch my videos.
I agree with you, my 15 year old Torty weighs only 8 lbs, has never been over weight, if I stopped free feeding her, she would think she did something wrong. She is quick to think that anyway. She isn't a grazer but never over eats and the only behavior problems are too much love lol! I also have 2 litter mate brothers, 7 years old, they are odd bevcause one is shorthair like their mother and the other is long hair like their father. My daughter and I believe in making our cats inside only. So I know the parents well. I do have to say that my long hair does try to be the boss. He insists on walking visitors to the door when they leave and if he could, he would open the door for them when they arrive. When the doorbell rings, all 3 of my little ones answer the door. LOL!
***** My cat is very playful. And when she wants to play, I play with her. As a kitten I played with her for around 3 hours or more everyday. Serious playing. We played until she was done. The day I got her I got a long stick with an elastic string on it and that's been her favorite toy since. The stick is ten years old now and she still gets an hour's worth of playtime everyday. She hates to eat without playing first, and she never plays without eating afterwards. It's how she rolls.
She also gets more love than she can stand. I love this cat to pieces, and so I'm constantly picking her up, petting her, grooming her, playing with her, whatever. I smother this cat. So why would she overeat when I'm constantly giving her attention? She's 9 pounds.
I'm not saying your cat is fat because you don't love her enough, but it's a possibility. Cats crave attention, despite the rumors of them being independent.
I've always fed my cat food that doesn't taste too great either. The more expensive cat foods don't have the addictive additives the cheaper foods tend to contain.
Meow Mix is one cat food that has addictive additives in it. Whiskas too. Avoid avoid!
I feed my cat Taste Of The Wild with a little Punina added in. She gets no snacks. She gets no people food either. She does get fresh catnip.
This is general advice, it doesn't apply to everyone
Jackson l absolutely love the fact that you say that our cats are our children! Thank you and sending you BIG LOVE ❤️
I have M.S. and I adopted my cat Bandit six years ago. He is a perfect pet for me. I love to learn all the things you have taught me. Thank you so much!
I never lived with a cat before and the best advise you gave was that you have to COMPROMISE.
6 years have flown by and it was a great decision.
I have a feeding time of canned food, and always have dry food out, and he's never had behavior issues. If he's not acting up and not gaining weight, is it imperative to change this? I don't want to stress him out by suddenly changing his eating arrangement if it's not harming him
I guess you already answered your question yourself. If you do not have any problems right now, why change a thing? But I guess it is good to have those tips in mind if he should start acting up.
Imp Again!~ As Jackson said though it is hurting them in the long run. They aren't built to eat the carbohydrates in chow.
Don't worry, Jackson doesn't know as much as he thinks he does.
I free fed all my cats & 2 dogs, One not mine. At first my mom's friends dog ate like a pig. I started calling her miss Piggy, because that's the noise she made, but after a week, she got a little calmer, but never over ate.
dry food can cause diabetes in cats
Really? That's strange none of my cats ever had diabetes. That's 15 cats & 1 dog.
I just looked up diabetes on the web 2%. Main cause, fat, fat the water rat. Best way to get your cat fat, restrict their food, then they eat like a pig. I was wondering why I saw so many fat cat videos. All my cats died from cars, coyotes, raccoons, broken legs, eye injuries & unknown. They just disappeared.
By the way, I got diabetes from eating too much. I cured it with eating correctly.
My vet told me cats are "trickle feeders" and eat about every hour 15 times per day. So, either I leave food out or I'm up and down 15 times per day.
Wow he's been doing livestream before livestream was popular. I enjoy you man!! Thx for all the help.
I have enjoyed cats for 62 years and all of them have been free-fed. None of them ever became over-weight, none fought over food, treats, attention and all lived to advanced ages. I will not be changing MISCHIEF'S feeding schedule.
I free feed my cat as I am at work all day. I have a security camera to check on him and he grazes like a leopard with a timetable. I could set my watch by the times he goes to eat and how much he eats. He has his main breakfast at 10.35am every morning! 😃
I work a lot as well. Looking into automatic feeders to solve this
cute!
I totall agree with you Jackson. I noticed my cat's behaviour becoming spoil-brattish and I began removing his bowl after every meal. I also switched things around so that he wasnt fed when he demanded it (going into kitchen and meowing constantly) but had to wait until he was called into the kitchen. It worked like a dream. He picked up the discipline very quickly and began to realise that the kitchen was not a place to hang out in, begging for food and that he will only be fed when he abides by the rules. He would even sometimes come into the kitchen early, take one look at my face and turn around and go back inside the living room and wait to be called. Who says cats cant be trained. If they are badly behaved, it's the owners fault and we are doing thrm no favours by allowing them to rule the house. Thanks for the confirmation that scheduled feeding is best.
I'm so happy you have a UA-cam Channel! I'm planning on getting my first pair of kittens, and I've never had one , but have been around cats my entire life. I have 2 dogs, which I've always had my entire life, but now that I'm getting my own two, watching your videos is helping me learn and educate myself and my boyfriend, how to care for our kittens so they can be well trained, healthy, and they have a happy loving life with our family! Thank you for sharing your amazing skills and talents with us! Without your knowledge we'd be playing guessing games trying to learn how to care for a new animal! Especially for those who learn better through visuals, instead of just reading and listening. Much success!
This is so refreshing to hear. I started off leaving out dried food for my two kittens along with giving them wet food at set times. But something about free feeding them (dry food) didn’t sit right with me. But the websites I came across said it was okay to do that. I stopped leaving leftover wet food in order to teach my kitties to eat there and then or it’s going. This was to stop them grazing continuously. But the dry food was still there. I mean a cat by nature hunts for food for a reason. It’s not available on tap to them. So I started cutting back leaving out dry food unless I was going to be out for a while. Hearing what you said has confirmed what I felt all along. God has blessed you with common sense other so called animal experts lack.
Why do cats like to go to the bathroom with us?
steven cutcher I have always wondered that!!
steven cutcher Good, so it's to just me
+steven cutcher I think they are fascinated with running water, like in nature. So the toilet and the shower bring wonder and amusement to them.
Mine does this too and if I have the toilet roll on the holder, when I come home from work the paper is all through the house or pulled down.
steven cutcher I know how you feel my cat jumps on my lap and when I'm doing my hair she will go in the sink sense I got my cat when she was a baby I forgot to teach her to bathe so now she hates water so when I turn the water on she like AHHH anyways I think they trust u and they might get curious and maybe go in the bathtub or try to go inside the toilet don't worry about it if u have a really curious cat it's normal
Welp, this is the exact opposite of what the instructions from my vet are :(
Same here
Let's not forget, the vet makes money on sick animals, not healthy ones...
@@ZannaTheGreat exactly
just got two kittens and have been binge watching you religiously to make sure i can give my cats their best life. thank you for everything you've done for cats worldwide and I know Caroline is looking down on you fondly as are all the animals whose lives you have changed either physically or through your videos.
Jackson reminds me of Dave Grohl if he never played drums, and just loved cats. Thank you Jackson, my cat loves your advice!
I have always free fed my cats dry food and have never had a problem with it and all my cats are a healthy weight. In fact, I have found the opposite to be true. My brother's cat was on a set feeding schedule, he was massively overweight and had problems because the second he was fed, he would bolt down his food and then act like he was starving until the next feeding time and stress licking bald spots in his fur. My brother had to rehome his cat, so I took the cat in. He was a bit of a pig for the first couple of days, but once he realized that there was always food available in the dish, he stopped. Now he goes up there and eats a few bites of food several times a day, and in the year I have had him, he has lost a massive amount of weight and is now at a good healthy weight.
Basically, all cats are individuals. If free feeding is causing problems, switch to a set schedule, but if your cats are doing fine having dry food always available, and are not obese because of it, then I feel like there really is no reason to change something that is working for your cats.
I 100% agree
My 5 months old kitten (at the time) had a lot of behavioural issues for the first 40 days or so after adopting him. After I stopped freefeeding him he became much more well-behaved and much easier to train
I didn't realise my healthy cat was so fussy until Covid stopped his regular supply of wet meals. I had been 'Free Feeding (FF)' him both wet and dry food with no issues for his nearly 3 years. Over the last 3 months I have been holding on with mostly dry food having tried dozens of alternative wets with no luck at all, ending yesterday with me in a flood of tears, apologies and regret that I can't feed him what I 'know' he likes best. He knew something was going on this morning after following your advice and ceasing FF. I can see the 'wtf' look in his eyes and that hasn't made my guilt trip any better but for both our sakes, I really hope this works. Thanks for your help "Jackson Galaxy", Dean.
Me considering going live that date:... Oh this is six years old. 🤔
😂😂😂
Our two cats are fed 3 times a day - breakfast at about 6am, dinner at about 5pm, supper is at 10pm. They also get treats midway between dinner and supper. The male is 17yo (and still very active, but slowing), the female is about 6yo. They have dry and wet food because the male prefers wet and the female prefers dry, but they each eat both. The male wails for food from about 5am every morning. The female lets him do all the work. They have 4 litter boxes all in social spaces to choose from and they also have access to several nice safe gardens away from traffic. They still pi$$ on the curtains. Well, one of them does, and if I ever find out which one it is...
She eats more when I stand near the bowl or use my hand to feed her.
I been free feeding my cats for years and I've never have any behavior issues with them they are always in a healthy weight and very loving and does what I've expect them to do
I opened my front door & there was an skinny orange tabby I had never seen before. I took him in, got him his shots, cat condo, toys, water fountain & cat food .. neutering is next. Vet thinks he’s 9 months old & he’s overall a good cat but lately he’s turned into a bottomless pit. I don’t him to get overweight so this video really helps. Thank you for sharing!
Feeding you cat in the morning is why they wake you up. They have a clock in their head. I don't feed my cat until around 2pm and she never wakes me up anymore. If you feed them when you get up in the morning they will always make sure your getting up in the morning lol
You're totally right. My cat meows in my face at about 7 am every morning. And I dutifully drag myself away from blissful slumber to feed her, then go back to bed.and try to finish my dream. It's a vicious cycle.
Congrats on the weight loss Jackson..you look amazing!!!!
I free feed, and in exchange, he does not wake me up at 4am lol. BUT At night he gets his wet food AFTER we play. So I guess he is working for that lol
Am i doing it right? : i feed my cat in the morning and evening, breakfast and dinner, i fill her bowl up. She doesn't eat all her breakfast but saves it for later.
Yes
jack crooky k thanks
Judy Paranish But she is really fat! :P
+APlaysGames
If you want your cat to lose weight, I recommend changing food and playing with him/her more often. I don't recommend feeding them wet food all the time. :)
Cat Cake72 ok thanks :)
I recently came across your channel,
My wife and I are getting an American Shorthair this weekend, I'll be checking out more of your vids for help. Thanks!
I have free fed my cat her entire life. dry food is freely available because she never overeats. She regulates the 'small portions' thing herself. I do give her the wet food every morning before I go to work but I have never had problems with her. If she litters outside of her box it is because I haven't cleaned it. I didn't have to 'litter box train' her either. It went right all by itself. She is a sweet affectionate cat and I love her dearly. A good feline pall. I am very lucky
I never had an issue free feeding female cats. Now I have a boy and he is different. He did know how to use the litter box on his own at 1 month old though! Hes a smart fella!!
@@yasminevine I have a 5yo boy who seems fine with free feeding. I’d have to switch to meals to find out if he’s happier or unhappier
Okay, watching this again, 7 years after my initial watch because my old comment got a reply - my childhood cat was free fed and lived to be 19 and never had issues. My current cat is about to be 11 years old and is free fed and has no issues.
Free feeding cats, so long as they aren't gorging themselves to being overweight or causing health issues, is great. My cats have NEVER had to worry about food unless I let their dish get empty. And, when it does, my cat eats for a minute, then goes on with his day because he doesn't need to worry about food later. To say that cats have to "earn" their food is stupid. Just like people, an animal that can control its urges to eat and seek out the fridge or cat food dish is an animal that never has to worry about hunger.
"Cat's don't give a rip about pleasing us." My cat is free fed and loves cuddles and pets. He loves when I enter a room. This is a weird video. If my only way to earn a cat's affection is to feed it, then that's fucked. I know my cat loves me BECAUSE he is free fed and doesn't use me as just a food source. This video is bad.
Dog:
_"This human feeds me. He must be God."_
Cat:
_"This human feeds me. I must be God."_
Thank you Jackson only morning and night from now on
How do you accomplish this if you work 8-9 hours a day? Do you give your cat food before you go to work, and then another when you got home?
Revilleza Lucky Like he said, it's optimal to feed them every 5-6 hours, but you can stretch that, yes.
Revilleza Lucky I have a food dispenser with a timer that I use if I have a really, really long day coming up. It has two hatches with lids that pop up when their timers are up, and they have small cold packs to keep food from spoiling. It's hardly ideal, but it gives the cats a semblance of routine if I'm having another marathon Day from Hell.
Elina H. can you provide a link where to buy it online?
I got mine from Zooplus, it's called the Trixie TX2. The Trixie TX4 is similar, but it's a bit more advanced in terms of technology (and price!) and has a single round bowl.
What I do is play with them in the morning, and then give them food. I set up the Trixie feeder to pop open after about 6 hours, if I'm going to be gone that long. Then in the evening I give them a really thorough play session before bedtime, and then feed them one last time, so they're full and happy and will hopefully sleep through the night. :)
+Revilleza Lucky Due to me current medical situation, I can not bend over to feed my cats at specific times. However, what I did for my three cats, is get a pet food dispenser that allows me to set the times and amount for up to three meals a day. My cats get a third of the food they need at set times, and they are at the feeder when it is ready to dispense.
I feed my cat twice a day. I give him a small amount in the morning before I go to work. And then when I come home his bowl is empty and he gets a small amount for dinner. I don't free feed. And he seems to not even care about left out food, get that nasty stale crap out of my bowl. lol
your vids heled me so much I'm so happy I watched before declawing rather cutting her finger tips of eww gross thanks for your info I'm a new kitten mom
Thank you for not mutilating your kitties fingers im sure he/she appreciates it!!!
Ive been free feeding my cat dry food since he was 6 mounths (he is 8 now), and he never had any problems. And sometimes when I give home canned food, he eats too much, barfs it out, and then begs for more. He never really had any behavioral/potty problems, either. (except for that one time he was using the litter box and I LITTERALY scared the shit out of him, and he ran away dropping poo everywere)
I simply am against Free Feeding, but of course to each of their own. Once my cat ate what she can, I take the food away and feed her later at night.
why are you against it? did you have a bad experience?
I have a 3 month old kitten. She's my baby and I've been watching all your vidéos to try to make her as happy as possible, and I must say I am a huge fan of your work. However, when I told my vet about meal time insted of freefeeding, she said that you shouldn't do that when cats are under 1 year old because they are still growing rapidly and that my girl was quit on the skinny side. It wasn't too bad and now she is fine, but I can't be the only one making this mistake.
That's why I am wrighting to you, because I am worried some people might malnurish their kittens trying to instal meal time. I do think you advice about meal time is good only it doesn't apply to kittens who need to eat as much as possible, like baby humans. So I am asking you to rectify the information and also give us a few solutions on how to feed our adult cats 4 times per day while we are at work (automatic feeders?) because some people trying to follow this advice might do it wrong and some cat's health might be at risk.
Also on the topic of kitten nutrition, my vet told me that she has meny kittens who won't put on weight because they won't eat dry foods, which are too hard and the pièces are too big. This could also help meny kittens if you could mention this.
Rescued kittens that are still on milk don't have access to it all the time though, they are fed it at small intervals throughout the day and they aren't starving.
*many
4 meals a day is standard for kittens until 4months then scale slowly down to 3 then 2.. I've never had a skinny kitten on that regime.
I've never had meal times for my cats. They've always had food available. They're about 10 years old. Fixed. Indoor. Never been overweight. They don't overeat. I give them wet food once a day at the same time but they always have dry food available. They have never been sick. Once, one fell out/jumped out? of a window a guest left open and broke one of his lil toes. Once he got the runs. Other one once got scratched in the eye. Other than that they have never been sick in ten years. No behavioural issues. They have never scratched me or anyone else. They don't pee around. never heard them hiss. They're pretty much in love with each other and are very clingy with me too. This is a purrhouse 24/7.
Just to throw my two cents in:
I know that a lot of people find it adorable when their cats are begging for their food at mealtime, but I really hate it! So I took myself out of the food equation by getting an automatic feeder that gives my cat food at a preset time. That way my cat gets fed on a regular schedule and I only need to worry about making sure the feeder doesn't run out of food. The feeder only serves one 'meal' a day because I've literally never had any problems while doing that - my cat doesn't eat it all the second it appears, she snacks on it throughout the day whenever she wants to. And yes, it's kibble - I've literally never had any problems with that either. My cat isn't obese because, and this seems to be a concept that people who decry kibble seem to ignore, it's possible to feed a cat kibble without overfeeding them. My cat gets a measured amount that I know is the right amount to keep her at a healthy weight - no more, no less. If your cat is fat, then you're overfeeding them, regardless of what kind of food. And it's a premium kibble, and I've always gone premium, so it's no surprise to me that no cat I've ever had has had any health problems that could be traced back to their food - you get what you pay for. Also, not allowing my cat to see me as the almighty provider of food doesn't seem to have harmed our bond at all - in fact, if anything it seems more sincere to me when she wants my attention because I know that she actually does want my attention and not just food. Especially because I don't give her other treats either - it's been my experience that she's all too happy to accept extra super-deluxe two-handed pets as a reward when she's done something that ought to be rewarded, and not everything needs to be about food.
Hey Jackson, if I started scheduling Misha’s servings, what should I do with the food left in the bowl before bedtime?
As soon as your cat stops eating it, cover it with cling film and refrigerate it.
I've had cats my whole life, and always have done free feeding, and thats makes sense about how they are naturally in the wild, never heard someond explain it like that, they arent grazers and they work for their food. I just got a kitten yesterday and started free feeding last night, but now I literally just put the food up. Its thd pefect time to try this. Thank you!
I have a 🐈 and I know your right. !!!! I had to search this from you when I got my cat!! Love your videos
With my kitty, I feed her twice a day with wet food, but I leave dry food out all the time. She rarely eats it. She only eats it if I'm preoccupied with something (like homework) and end up feeding her later than usual. We also give her treats maybe once a day or once every couple of days. She gets really jealous of our doggle when she gets treats, so that's why. We also have a mini fountain going a lot of the time with fresh water than she loves to drink out of (because cats naturally like moving water). :) We have absolutely no behavior problems outside of her being a little clingy sometimes. She gets lonely easily, but that's okay. I'm fine with cuddling her. (I just wish I could let her in my room when I'm sleeping, because she gets most anxious when she can't be next to me at night. I can't, though, because I have allergies...)
Stop giving so much dry food, it can lead to renal failure.
muskndusk but she said the cat rarely eats it, assuming that is a correct statement, the cat most likely is not ingesting that much dry food
muskndusk
I know that commercial cat food can lead to renal failure but the better cat foods are made from much better ingredients. I have one with urinary tract issues so I just feed them all a no grain food. It is a bit pricey, but way less than vet bills now that they are older. I would NEVER feed an animal that garbage they sell in grocery stores. I often tease the cats. they eat better than I do. lol
Amy Parnell
Mine have been introduced to better food but hate it. Nothing worked. We got one that they liked for a while, but suddenly turned against it. I have a feeling the company changed the food formula, since all three cats revolted at the same time. There is one commercial food they like, one kind of good kibble with meat first that they eat. I think they are going to start getting more pure meat since two like it and it is good for them.
It can take time for them to adjust to new food and especially to the better food. I usually have to mix it with their "old" food. 3/4 old food 1/4 new for 2 or 3 days, then half and half, on up to all new food. Mine don't like anything with the fish in it, which is fine with me.
My fiance and I watched this video and we are going to try adjusting the feeding. I normally put dry food out for my two cats and we supplement that with a small can of wet food in the morning and in the evening. My older cat started pooping outside the box a while ago and we haven't been able to figure out what is going on. we will now take the dry food and offer it three times a day, but not leave it out, and continue to supplement with the wet food. I will update later. Thank you. You are awesome Jackson.
I free feed and my cat is skinny and she is a good hunter ._.
Same, my cat is a rescued Bengal, and we free feed him. He was very underweight when we got him (3lbs @ 6yo) & had been used for breeding/had been abused. :( Over the next few months to a year, he ate his way up to about 9lbs (healthy weight, looks fit & fabulous). Here we are 4 years later, and Jasper's held weight at 9lbs. He eats 5-6 times a day, of his own accord, and largely adopts our schedule, sleeping at night. If he's not hungry, he doesn't eat. @JACKSONGALAXY: I don't think free feeding is ALWAYS the wrong thing - of course some cats will eat to their heart's content and get chubby, so with that cat it wouldn't be appropriate. QUESTION CONT IN REPLY...
Same, my cat is a rescued Bengal, and we free feed him. He was very underweight when we got him (3lbs @ 6yo) & had been used for breeding/had been abused. :( Over the next few months to a year, he ate his way up to about 9lbs (healthy weight, looks fit & fabulous). Here we are 4 years later, and Jasper's held weight at 9lbs. He eats 5-6 times a day, of his own accord, and largely adopts our schedule, sleeping at night. If he's not hungry, he doesn't eat. @JACKSONGALAXY: I don't think free feeding is ALWAYS the wrong thing - of course some cats will eat to their heart's content and get chubby, so with that cat it wouldn't be appropriate. QUESTION CONT IN REPLY...
[CONT FROM ABOVE COMMENT...]
In my & Jasper the Bengal's case, as described, would you still take away the free-feeder and feed him a few times a day, given his ability to control his weight / show restraint?
As I mentioned he was abused; 1st month we adopted him he wouldn't come out from his blanketed spot under the bed except by cover of darkness. Now he's a purr-factory who doesn't flinch at hands reached out for pets. JUST before we got him, at age 6, he was neutered. He uses his litter no problem for months on end... But every once and awhile looks for a nice bundled up blanket on the couch to go on (& similar). We've tossed 3 couches in 4 years. Problem goes away for a year at a time. When he starts peeing on stuff (phase he just re-entered) he still uses the litter for pee & poop, just some other bad peeling, which made me think it was territorial. BUT! If you leave a soft blanket / pillow on the couch, he'll pee on it these days like it's preferable to the box. Why????
+JacksonGalaxy
[CONT FROM ABOVE...]
It's always the couch, or a blanket on the couch. And always the same couch (or, a series of new couches we've bought/inherited from parents over the last 5 years); the adjoining smaller couch is left alone. Our bed, never. Clothes, nope. The problem comes and goes. Most recently we were good and back to full time litter box for about a full year... and now the rogue peeing has started again. Nothing has changed in his life or could be upsetting him that I can think of. So far the couch is ok because of tinfoil lining the top of it (that's where he wants to go, standing on the very top); but he has gone on bundled up blankets/pillows on the couch himself. What in the world to do??
Also, how to do the "litter in plain sight" thing if kitty shares a condo with 2 dogs? Cat poop is like filet mignon to them. LOL! Any suggestions?? (Living situation - Condo: 800sq ft, open concept. Dogs & cat love each other. He was declawed b4 we got him).
Hey....you say the problem comes up about once a year if i did understand it right.
My question is, is there a pattern with the seasons or the weather?
It could be that he has a mild form of arthritis because of the declawing that only acts up if its to cold or during realy rapid wheather changes ( e. g. frequent rainstorms with dropping teperature during hot summer months) .
The paws could be sensetiv at this times and that could be a reason why he prefers the soft blankets or the couch.
If you have a very coarse litter try changin it to a realy fine and see if that helps.
And going to the vet when he has one of his rogue peeing episodes and takeing x-rays would be a way to see if it realy is arthritis.
I could be wrong of course and it could be something else but if you do see a pattern and he does get better with changing season/weather and/or with a finer litter i woud go to the vet just to have my proof.
Arthritis is realy comon in declawed cats and can worsen with age so even if you don't go to the vet google it for more information and watch for other signs. Hope it helps a litle bit :)
You never actually gave a reason why we shouldn't free feed our cats. Our cats have always been free fed and don't have any behavioral issues. Nor are they fat, both are very healthy.
We free feed our cats and they choose to eat small amounts of food throughout the day and have no behavioral or heath problems. I think weather or not you should free feed varies depending on the cat. So it would be best to just see what works best for your cat and go from there.
I started feeding my cats a little bit through out the day, fill a 10oz cup, divide some among four, later a bit more, and later a bit more, then around my dinner time, scoop out another 10 oz and give a bit bit more through out evening
I free fed my cat too, I have no problems. The only problem is that he is marking.
My cat came to a moment were he was marking my daughter room (I have an oldest cat that she runs the house)so it was time to neuter him. After that no more marking problems with him. But if he is neuter and keep doing it, is time to take him to the vet. cuz he may have an uti.
Did you watch his video regarding litter box placement? Maybe it might help your issue :)
Marmalade or its a behavior issue
'I have no problems' *immediately mention problem* lol
We do put down fresh food at specific times only a pouch at a time but we dont pick it back up if they dont eat it all at once, it is usually gone by the following morning. We dont appear to have any behavioural issues with the 3x 18yr old kittens.. really gentle friendly mittens, even the special needs one that is virtually blind. They love cuddles. We dont give treats certainly.not daily. partly because one of them is allergic to fish, they sometimes get fresh cooked meat scraps (maybe once a week).
I have always free-fed my cats. Basically they were on a self feeding dry food feeder, but that had more to do with my work schedule more than anything. I was out of my home for 10 hours a day. They wouldn't have eaten if they relied on my hands to actually feed 'em. I honestly don't know anyone that can feed a pet every 5-6 hours. However, if I knew I was doing more harm to my cats by having food out all the time I would stop.
You have also wetfood timer free feeders with 2-3-4-5-6 portions
Scheduled feeding doesnt work for everyone. I live alone and im out of the house for 10 hours.
squalltheonly I have a feeder on a timer. 7am, 12 noon and 6 pm. It has 5 compartments.
My childhood cat was free fed and lived to 21 years old, I guess it depends on the cat maybe! She was very snuggly and liked to play, so she didn't get fat. Yet I have another rescue I adopted when I moved out last year and she was thin when I got her, but is chubby now. She plays and runs around in my backyard lots but it's not helping, I will have to try giving her timed meals, but I also have a 4 month feral kitten I rescued, and she's still too skinny, so I like leaving food out! Anyone have suggestions on how to keep both happy? I don't want the kitten to think she has to eat the food fast or that I'm taking away her food, because she grazes as she has trouble eating food. She throws it up in the air and tries to catch it and misses a lot, it's heartbreaking to watch. My chubby cat eats normally, head down. When I feed them together all the food the kitten throws up and misses ends up eaten by the dog or my chubby girl.
It sounds like your kitten is struggling with gulping, which can be very dangerous (because once she throws it up, she isn't absorbing the nutrients she needs). You should get or make a slow feeder/anti-gulp bowl for her, so she doesn't eat so quickly and make herself sick. It's also good mental stimulation/play (since she seems to want hunt/play with her food, too)! Your overweight cat might also benefit from a slow-feeder. Eating slower can prevent overeating that leads to weight gain. :)
+AmethystSoldier I have seen these slow feed bowls at the pet stores, just thought they were for dogs only! I will have to grab a couple next time I'm there :) thank you for the reply! I hope they will still eat from them as my fat cat is picky about what bowls she will eat from lol
Lucky Lex I think there are different ones you can make or find, for cats. I remember seeing them used for an obese cat in an episode of My Cat From Hell. Your vet might have good recommendations of where to get one near you. Otherwise, a small/puppy bowl might do the trick. The issue for cats is that they tend to not want their whiskers to touch the insides of the dish/get dirty.
Check the carbs on the labels, which is the biggest contributor towards obesity. Dry foods have massive amounts of carbs. Too much per feeding of dry also contributes. It's recommended to feed 1/2 wet with 1/2 dry. And of course pure, clean, fresh water. Congratulations on your 21 year old. I'm adopting a kitten soon, good luck with your animal rescue, and feral kitty.
my cat is very fat and he likes to eat my other cats food. Since we go to work how can I make sure both cats eat and my fat cat losses wait?
+Beth Settje 2 automatic feeders and place one cat in a different section of the room?
There are automatic feeders now that recognize microchips, so they will only feed a certain cat in the household. Might wanna try one of these!
I recently had to stop free feeding after almost 6yrs. The struggle of getting both my cats adjusted to the new ways of life is so hard. I'm hoping it gets better. We're on week 3 of the transition.
U fixed my problem, thanks 🤘🏾
Great tip! Thanks Jackson!
My first cat was free fed and it worked great. New cat would eat and eat and eat. We quickly switched her to a timed automatic feeder (I work odd hours that change daily) and she still hasn't forgotten her free fed days (like 3 of em)
I set my cats on a schedule. I would feed them at 8AM and at dinner time, around 6PM. Now, whether there's still food in the dishes or not, my boy comes and wakes me up in the morning and bugs me in the evening to be fed. The dishes can still be mostly full, but he knows that he gets fed twice a day, and he gets cranky if I don't. He knows the difference between me picking up and shaking the bowl, and actually dumping it back into the food container and re-doling it out.
I've only been doing it for 2 years. He's 4 years old now, and I'm so glad I started my cats on a schedule. They're still technically free-feeding, but they're still on a schedule of sorts. It works.
Thabks for the advice! About to get a kitten and want to make sure we do the best we can
We have free feeding for my two cats. They'll eat whenever they feel hungry and we don't have any issues with their weight. We do give them wet food in the morning in separate bowls from their kibble so maybe that's the reason.
Omg that intro had me like 😂 😂 😂
I was free feeding & my Dewey is now almost 19lbs at a little over 1yr old. We time feed now & have much more play time
You’re the first person who has ever referenced that song…too funny. Cats want meeeeeeat!
Love you Jackson!! I give my kitten timed feeding since we adopted her from the SPCA. However she’s always hungry. We also have two small dogs and she’s always getting into their food. I don’t know what’s going on.
I have a 7 month sphynx, first time owner. I was told by several people that I need to have kibble 24/7 and wet food in the morning and at night. Reason for that is that they have a much higher metabolism which is use to keep them warm.
Took my cat for general health exam and was told he’s a bit overweight..I’ve tried puzzle games for his food and he’s not interested. So I feed him mostly wet food with dry food in between. I play with him with the purpose of exercising him- laser and wand toy for twenty to thirty minutes before bed
our cats freefeed. They are chill as they should. Only problem is that one of them has a bad case of ocd that was caused by a new cat in the area. She doesnt like big changes at all and starts overgrooming her fur off if something big changes.
My wee kitty chico is nearly 4 months old and soon will be out and about, I’ve always got a small bowl of dry food, not treats. He gets wet food in morning with a small amount of milk, then water left and always full beside dry food. I then give him some cold meat and treats in middle of day and again a small amount of milk, then he gets another sachet if wet food at teatime and more milk. He always has dry food, he’s growing fast and needs the extras
I've adopted two kitties from a friend and was having trouble with feeding time. She said she would feed them twice a day, i.e. one full portion int he morning and one full portion in the evening. I was hesitant to change this scheme, as I almost felt these were not my cats and it was my duty to treat them exactly like she did. But they did so much better with 3 meals instead. I highly recommend you trying that if your cat wakes you up in the early hours of the morning.