We welcomed a lovely kitten a little over a month ago now. He's 5 months old and still learning the ropes. He's an absolute sweetheart and honestly perfect (or nearly – we love his quirks though 😁).
We're having a bit of an issue: whenever we have lunch or dinner, he transforms instantly and tries to nick some food by jumping on the table, trying every trick in the book.
To try and fix this, we give him some wet food while we're eating, but our plates are clearly way more interesting to him.
We consistently take him off the table with a firm 'no' and we've never given him anything from our plates, right from the start.
We have an open-plan layout with no doors between rooms, so we can't just shut him in a bedroom while we eat.
Just for context, he has dry food available all the time (which he loves – he's already tried to empty the whole bag!) and of course some wet food every day. Since he's a former stray and came from a rescue, he hasn't quite grasped the concept of 'mealtimes' and everyone having their own food yet. I honestly think he believes our food is actually his.
Does anyone have any tips to help this little greedy guts understand?
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First of all, thanks for your replies (both hilarious and very informative) 😁
We’ve found a tactic that seems to be working for the moment. We have a fishing rod toy that he absolutely loves, and we give it a wave. He manages to get completely distracted from our meal, even if we don’t keep playing with him.
To give you an update on all the tips (thanks again):
- Getting him to jump down on his own meant leaving our food at his mercy lol, it was impossible (he doesn't know the 'off' command yet; in the month and a half we've had him he’s improved in lots of areas but not with that word lol). However, the toy makes him jump down, so we're trying to link the word to the action when he jumps down to play.
- Following on from that, we're worried that praising him or giving him a treat when he jumps down might have the opposite effect and lead to him begging. Instead, we’re going to train him away from mealtimes so he knows he’s generally not allowed on the table.
- Wet food 15 minutes before: no change there, even though it was a good idea... He finishes his wet food and then—bam—straight to the table if we’re eating.
- In the end, we didn't have to use the water spray (which is probably for the best).
And I can confirm, some cats are proper little gluttons. He’d definitely eat 10 helpings of wet food a day if he could lol 😁😁 That said, we’ve checked his portions with our vet, so I’d rather give him the correct amount.
As for his dry food, he has that available to graze on; he’s less bothered by it and just has small snacks day and night. We’ve bought a new brand that he much prefers over the old one (he actually picks through it and leaves the old kibble behind, though luckily it hasn't had any impact on his tummy). He prefers eating it out of a treat ball rather than his bowl.
@Centpedigree, talking of food thieves, I turned my back for a few minutes this morning and found my ferret, Ash, lapping up my milky coffee! As if he needs the caffeine, given how hyper he is already...
Make sure you hide your coffee stash!
As mentioned above, you should try filling him up before your own meals. I always feed my greedy guts just before we sit down, or even at the same time, so I don't have to see those pleading looks. I give him decent-sized portions too, as some cats are just perpetually hungry. You definitely get gluttons in the feline world! 😁
Speaking of food thieves, I only turned my back for a few minutes this morning and caught my ferret Ash lapping up my milky coffee! As if he needs any more caffeine, with how hyper he already is...
Good luck! 😁
You’re probably going to say I’m a proper softie, but I share everything with my cats except for the stuff that isn’t good for them, like spaghetti bolognese and ox tongue...
So, sometimes I have to use a bit of a distraction. But be careful – if your food makes a distinctive noise, like plastic or foil packaging, cheese, a roast chicken in a bag, a pizza box... then make a bit of noise with your meal first, then give them their own dinner (wet food) in another room. After that, head back to eat your own meal very quietly and quickly. And if your cat finishes before you do, just play it cool and act innocent... 🤭
Have you tried giving him his wet food about fifteen minutes before you sit down to eat yourselves?
That way, he won’t be as tempted or distracted by smells other than his own food. Once he’s finished and has a full tummy, he’ll hopefully settle down for a post-dinner snooze and leave you to eat in peace without begging.
By feeding him at the exact same time as yourselves, you’re putting the smell of your own food right under his nose just when he’s at his hungriest. Without wanting to anthropomorphise him too much, it’s bound to be tempting... especially if he’s managed to get a little taste of it once or twice before.
Are you sure he really gets on well with his wet food—as in, he’s digesting it properly? It’s worth considering, because this behaviour is basically what you’d expect from a hungry cat who isn't feeling satisfied by what he’s being given.
About 5 or 6 years ago, I fostered a one-year-old cat.
I found a little trick: I filled a spray bottle with water and, as soon as the cat jumped onto the kitchen table, I’d give him a quick squirt. He absolutely hated it and would jump down straight away. After a while, just seeing the spray bottle sitting on the corner of the table was enough to stop him from even trying to get up there.
It’s definitely worth a go with your kitty.
I’ve got a similar situation with my current adult cat (Gamin), who is absolutely terrified of a plush toy mouse.
It’s a tricky situation if he isn’t interested in his wet food at those times.
When you see him getting ready to jump onto the table, give him a firm "no". If he doesn’t jump, praise him and give him a treat.
When you put him back on the floor, say "no" and point to his bowl so he understands that’s the only place he’ll get fed. Ideally, he should have a dedicated spot for his bowls and you shouldn't move them.
You're doing the right thing by not giving him any food from your plate.
Your pet is still young and is likely testing his boundaries, a bit like a teenage phase. Keep being firm as you have been, but above all, make sure to reward him when he isn't begging (either with a treat or with some vocal praise).
It’s going to take time and consistency. Every family member needs to stick to the rules, otherwise he just won’t understand.
