The Madness Continues.

Feeding Time came at 7:00 a.m. today. Saturday. Lovely. As Maggie is a binge and purger and Stella is a casual eater, mealtime is a challenge. I believe Sam has refused to participate at this point. The cats' food is little squares of food (good quality, I'm assured) with flavored broth in little individual serving packets. One packet each in the morning. Dinner and Nighttime feedings take up another packet per cat. Stella had refused to eat anything but fish flavored food. Maggie eats anything but the granite counter.

I feed Stella half of her portion. Maggie receives 6 or 7 little squares arranged around her bowl, well spaced, with some broth. I figure it'll take her longer to eat and she won't puke. I do this about 3-5 times per feeding. It's not 100% effective, but the vomit rate has lowered since this approach has been instituted. In between I try to get stuff done. Today, it was buzz my hair. Kitties were enjoying their first first feeding and I was merrily buzzing. I shut off the clippers and went into the kitchen. Maggie looked up from Stella's bowl and Stella looked up from the counter where she was sucking Maggie's food out of the packet.

I shooed all away and continued with Round 2. Stella wouldn't eat her food in her bowl. She was definitely pulling something. Maybe it was because Maggie was eating from it. I transferred the food to her dry food bowl. No dice. So, I had a psychic conversation with her.

"Why aren't you eating"?
- I want the Turkey and Giblet flavored food.
"But you only eat the fish flavored."
- I have no idea what your talking about.
"You haven't eaten it in 4 months."
- That doesn't mean I don't like it.
"But you won't eat it."
- JUST. GIVE. IT. TO. ME!

So, I gave Stella Maggie's Turkey and Giblet and Maggie got Stella's Whitefish and Tuna. I used this time to have a psychic conversation with Maggie.

"How do you like this fish flavored food?"
- Food
"Do you like it?"
- Food
"Do you think it will sit well in your tummy?"
- Food
"You know, Maggie. You don't have to worry about food; we will never let you go hungry."
- Food
"Your life is different than it was outside."
- Food?

And it was good.

Now, if only I could stop them from boxing with each other every half hour.