Dinner Drolleries

A friend of mine said, 'I just have one cat and I know what it's like here at dinnertime, I can't imagine what it's like at your house with seven cats,'  So this post is for you, Jean!

Actually feeding time at my house is a pretty tame affair, albeit a lengthy one.  I feed a total of 11 sometimes 12 cats, four or five strays along with my own seven.  Since feeding the outside cats usually takes less time than feeding my own, they usually get fed first, to the total disgruntlement of my crew.  The dry food and water gets taken outside first and then I take out one or two platefuls of canned food (equaling one can) depending on how many 'guests' I have.  The cats I call Romeo and Van Gogh are my regulars, and Tabby, Spot, and sometimes Tang join them.  They all get along and easily share the two dishes which are actually Pyrex pie plates so there is plenty of room for eating.

Romeo, Van Gogh and Tang sharing a bite

Then I come inside to feed my guys.  Actually girls, since I only have one male cat, Pugsley.  The seven cats also share one can of food which I add water to in order to stretch it out so that each cat gets a spoonful. You might think that's not enough, but they rarely eat it all initially.   (They also have dry food down all the time so they can eat that whenever they want.)  Along with adding the water, I grind up some Lysine and add that to the mix.  Then I put the dishes out - I have such little counter space, several bowls end up on the stove - in order to dish it all up. 

The kitties are not allowed on the counter so there is no 'early eating' or distractions that way.  Believe it or not, Tippi is the only one who occasionally disobeys the rules, but never during feeding time.  The cats don't usually start gathering around until they hear me putting out the bowls.  Pugsley is usually the only one urging me to hurry, and sometimes Yoda adds her voice.  The most patient one is Violet and she just sits waiting patiently, knowing that she will get fed eventually.  Sprite, Pugsley, and Tawnya like to eat in the corner by the stove...

Dolly and Yoda like eating by the kitchen table, Yoda's favorite spot is near or under the chair....

Violet is usually by the cabinet (these pictures were taken at two different photo sessions and one was on a very cloudy day and had to use the flash which is why the above photo is so 'bright')...

and Tippi sometimes goes as far as the living room.  Although Tippi also is known to enjoy 'breakfast in bed'.

She knows that wherever she is, I'll find her.  While they are eating, I'm in the second bedroom cleaning the litter boxes.  This is our routine for both morning and evening (actually late afternoon) meals.  When I finish with the litter boxes, they are pretty much finished as well, and I come back into the kitchen and move all the dishes along the wall so I'm not tripping over them.

I go outside and get the dishes for the outside cats, and then I can have MY breakfast!  Or dinner.  At some point the food all gets scraped into one dish and I wash the other six, along with the dishes for the outside cats.  Then they are all clean and ready to start the procedure all over again.

So you see feeding the kitties is really very civilized!