My Cats Are Revolting!

Posted on by Joyful2bee

Part 1

My life has never been the same since I adopted “my two cats.” I think they plotted to come into my life and make me their servant! They each have their own personalities. But Sister was the one I totally underestimated. (Sister was euthanized December 30, 2018.) Sister was always the timid, sweet, gentle cat. Just look at this sweet face.

Sweet Sister
Sweet Sister

Norie was always the boss cat, with a dominant, mischievous personality.

Black cat at rest
Norie, the kitty loaf.

The Revolt Begins!!

In the past Norie always woke me up by pressing her paw three times on my exposed arm; repeating again until I covered up my arm or told her in a very sleepy voice that I need to sleep some more. She actually allowed me to sleep another hour or close to it.

One morning at 5:30 I was awakened by the lighter weight of Sister’s body as she jumped up on my bed and landed beside my head. I turned, at first thinking it was Norie but stared into the dark at Sister. She immediately gave me a sharp, rough,”Mrrrrrow” (which sounded a great deal like, “NOW!”)  Sister never did that before.

Signs of Changes

The routine used to be that after Norie awakened me, Sister ran to the kitchen, where I fed them, and waited. Norie then led me to the bathroom and waited for me at the door. Then she calmly guided me to the kitchen, (lest I forget where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to do).

Norie was always the one with food on the brain. But something happened and now Sister was the one focused on food. (I began to wonder if Sister was starting to have diabetes.)

I like to sit in my recliner in the bedroom where my TV and computer are. Sometimes I looked up and saw Sister standing in the doorway across the room from me, staring intently at me. So I asked her if she wanted food. Before I get up, she headed for the kitchen where the food would be prepared.

If I didn’t follow her within a reasonable amount of time, she came back and stood by my recliner and stared at me until I followed her! Between the two cats I knew that I was dominated by one feline queen, not two! Norie just sat and let Sister take the lead.

My Cats Are On Strike!

Until a few months after this started I let them eat dry food as they felt the need. In the morning and evening they each got some wet food. Norie evidently didn’t know how much food was enough and her weight went up to more than 16 pounds!

The veterinarian ordered that they only get 1/4 cup of dry food at late evening but a can and a half of wet food each during the day.

For a while they ate the wet food well. Then they decided unanimously that they didn’t like the meaty bites; later the country-style meat fell by the wayside; next the shredded meats were passed over.

Finally even the ground up meat pates were the only acceptable wet food and only during the morning and afternoon. Then not even that was acceptable after 6 PM! It is my belief that they were striking for dry food!!

I Am a Loving Kitty Mother. M

I want my cats to eat healthy foods and in healthy amounts. But I was throwing food out because it had been out too long, or it didn’t suit their tastes, or it was not the meat du’ jour! So Sister doing her “Mrrow!” order demanding dry food while there was wet food in her bowl started getting on my nerves.

Sister often stood on the bed beside my recliner and looked at me, not lovingly, but intently and giving the command “look.” If I was watching TV and involved in something she repeated her commands loudly, because I was obviously not understanding the importance of her starvation inspired hunger!

I Give in!

Sister began her summons at 8 PM instead of the desired 9 PM (I set 9 PM because they start getting calmer and bedding down for sleep after that. I tried to hold them off.)

I caved in the first two nights thinking maybe Sister was really hungry because she didn’t eat much of the wet food after 6 PM. Then I decided to prolong her wait on the third night to train her to wait till 9 PM.

Third Night’s The Charm??

I was watching TV in my recliner in the bedroom. Sister started at 8:10 PM this time with her “Mrrrow!” and fierce staring eyes! (See pictures) Then over the next 45 minutes she mrrrowed at me continuously! I tried reminding her that it was too early for the dry food. Or that there is wet food in the kitchen she can eat if she is hungry. Or simply, “Not now.”

Finally I started setting a timer and told them “When you hear the BEEP BEEP, then you get the dry food. I repeated these words in different ways, “Beep beep first, then food.” “First Beep beep, then food!” After numerous times I think they almost understood.

I just can’t win! Yet!

When I finally decided it was close enough to 9 PM, I sometimes made the timer go off a few minutes earlier so as not to damage any conditioning that had taken place. (Actually I couldn’t take the pressure much longer!)

I followed them into the kitchen where Norie joined in the pacing back and forth and the little sounds of joy begin; after a long day with no food (in their minds) they are finally getting real food! I calmly explained that this is all the dry food they are getting tonight!

Sister moves in closer for the guilt trip.

Sister giving me the “LOOK.”

So once Sister didn’t start the commanding presence until 8:15. But her “Mrrrrows!”  were loud enough to where I finally turned the TV volume up every time she started in on me. Then they became weaker and finally almost non-existent. I held her off till a few minutes before 9.

When I told Sister she could have some dry food, out of nowhere, Norie rushed ahead and the joyous dance before the magic door of their sustenance began.

Considering Daylight Savings time changes undid everything, I had to start over again!! I didn’t want them begging for food again at 8 PM!

41 thoughts on “My Cats Are Revolting!”

        1. See. Cat lovers are good people!! Sorry you lost the woodlot and house. I have one with asthma and uses an inhaler and the other one has had impactions and had to go to the animal ED for help. I’d be broke if I had two more. Lol

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    1. Well, Norie has lost a pound in two months. I am trying Fancy Feast and putting some of the dry food on top of the wet food. They do seem to like the new food much better. Thank you , my friend for the good advice though. Hugs!!

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      1. I learned from experience to just give them the kind of food they like to keep them happy and not hungry :-(, but in the weight control or low activity version, as needed. Senior food worked well too, as it’s lower in fat and calories. Some cats just don’t like the (gross) texture of wet cat food. (((Hugs))) and kitty snugs.

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        1. I like the idea of the weight control or low activity food. Great idea! Let me see if they continue to like the Fancy Feast food. Sister has a physical coming up. If she is losing weight, I will definitely do that!! Thank you, mother wintermoon!

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  6. Sounds exactly like my cats. I have one that needs to diet and three who don’t. I’ve had to put the food for the non-dieters up high were the other cat can’t jump. Then we go though all the textures and brand names. I stick with chicken because one cat has allergies and we don’t know to what. Each version has a life span. As soon as I buy a case the life span ends but it will come back again so I keep it around. My cats prefer FF to many of the others but it’s more expensive. Whatever. Just so they eat! They also get dry. The non dieters have free access on a high counter but I’ve seen the other one scale up there just not often as it’s a chore for her to jump. Gotta love cats.

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    1. Wow! Your cats do have some eating issues. Neither of my can jump on the counter. One is too chubby, the other just stopped jumping on the counter. They are both over 9 years old. I suspect they both may have some arthritis. Thank you for sharing about your cats. It’s good to know I am not alone with two finicky cats.

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  8. Our little dog a Schnauzer has been going on strike about her breakfast food. My husband makes up a hamburger and greens mix and adds some dried kibble. Well about two weeks ago she just turned up her nose at that. Then he tried some commercial small dog food and she ate some of that with a level of almost cat like disdain. She has now settled into eating her original meat and greens and ….wait for it….. wet cat food!!

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  9. Try a smaller dish or plate for the dry food, it will give the appearance that there is far more in it than it is. If you leave out some dry for them to pick at during the night make sure that the kibble is sitting dead center of the dish/bowl, cats can’t see well up close so they won’t perceive the dish/bowl as being empty.

    For the wet, feed a little at a time this way it won’t be wasted. Once they finish it they can have more. Just make sure that they drink plenty of water. My cats act like they are starving (far from) and dive in like they haven’t eaten for days. I noticed that they eat only about 1/2 of a 5 oz can. The rest sat out and either I threw it away or they ate it hours later and got sick.

    My boys will only eat pate. They love Beyond Grain-free. It’s a bit more expensive and only comes in 3 oz cans. But, I find that I can regulate their feeding schedule better since they refuse to eat cat food that has been in the refrigerator.

    Good luck, hope this helps.

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    1. Great advice! Thanks! I forgot about cat’s vision for near things not being good! That does explain a lot! I have already been leaving less food out for Norie because she wants the dry food on top of the wet food. So to keep her from gaining weight and help her lose it, I am feeding her s,allergies amounts with the dry food scattered on top. I also put a little hot water to break the chill if the wet food has been in the refrigerator. I will definitely try putting the wet food in the middle of the metal bowls. I’ve been using the small metal bowls, but not focusing the food in the center. Thank you so much!

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  10. Pingback: My Cats Are Revolting! – Nelsapy

      1. Nelspy, I was upset that you did not list the name of my blog post but rather posted the name of it and “by Nelspy.” Later I saw the link to the original in blue at the bottom of the post. I don’t know where you live, so things may be different there. But I have posted blogposts with only a link. No one looked at it. People don’t always understand that the link will have someone else’s name besides yours. Most people, I have found, don’t bother to look up a link for another post. Please in the future at least write “Shared by Nelspy” written by joyful2beeblogs.com. I would appreciate that very much. I spend hours writing each post and would appreciate your letting people know who wrote the post.

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  12. Pingback: My Cats Are Revolting! – أخبار عاجله

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