Multi-cat household feeding solution

Has anyone thought of something like this: http://www.robwatson.com/Foodboxes.html

While timed feeders work well, unless you isolate the cat it's nearly impossible to keep other cats from eating out of it. The box & electronic door idea allows you to isolate food to 1 specific cat.

The directions on the site are very thorough and include how to acclimate the cat(s) to the box.

 

I was kinda wondering how well something like this would work out of cardboard when a few people mentioned not having the carpentry skills to make one like I have for Linus (my diabetic):



The cardboard way seems complicated with the lip and clasp, but might be within more peoples skill sets. Not that I have elite building skills, mine is functional and not really pretty. I used 2 old windows screwed to four 2x2 cross pieces to make a frame. One end is metal mesh for ventilation, the other is relatively flimsy panel board with a hole jigsawed out for the petmate magnetic door flap thingie which is supported with a couple of 1x2s. A third window is screwed on top with two hinges so it can open and it's own weight keeps it shut. The windows make it nice and open, but probably cats can adapt to eating in a closed box as well. My box doesn't have a base on it, so any spilled food just ends up on the floor, spilled canned food might get ick on cardboard.

Linus gets fresh canned food put in his box 4x per day that he can eat whenever he wants. Our other 4 cats are now back to free feeding on a high counter than Linus can't get up to. Back when Linus was really fat, he couldn't jump up to this counter so we used this to portion control him while allowing the rest to free feed. Now we can leave the house and know that Linus still has food available. Linus still can't make it up to the counter the others are fed on, he's much more agile since losing weight but has never been a very confident jumper.

He adapted pretty easily. We showed him how to use the door and would manually put him in the box at feeding time. It only took 2 or 3 feedings before he was exiting the box without help. Once he learned how to use the door, we'd put him in front of the box at feeding time and he pretty quickly started entering it on his own as well. He would actually start running to the box and waiting patiently in it when he knew we'd be putting fresh food in.

A downside is the magnet attached to his collar. The metal watering dish we used to use had to be replaced as well as his magnet kept clunking against it. We sometimes know when he's been bad and has made it up on the kitchen counter as he is walking around with a spoon attached to the magnet. Comical, but we are now sure never to leave any knives kicking about just in case (a good idea anyway I suppose).

It would also be theoretically possible for on of the other goombahs to follow Linus into the box. On the plus side, the magnetic door is set up so that you don't need the collar to exit the box, just to enter it so they wouldn't be trapped unless they couldn't figure out the door. Hasn't happened yet in 2 or 3(?) years of box feeding Linus with 4 other cats in the house though.

 

Brian, that looks nice enough you could sell those. I like the open bottom design 'cause you're right about the spilled food. Thank you so much for sharing. I knew some FDMB'r had to be smart enough to have done this.

The spoon hanging on the collar is hilarious!

 

I like the wood/mesh one better and don't think the cardboard would wear well, so you'd have to keep making new ones. Also my cats have never been one for collars, except the calming ones. Also the magnet thing means you can't use metal so you would have to use glass dishes, yes?

For the doors, two of mine are too big for doors, so that's out for me! two of mine refused to use LB that had the swinging clear plastic doors, so neither would be good for me.

Where do you get the collars, and doors, and for how much are they?

 

Brian - this looks good and sounds like it's quite effective. My Grayson has demonstrated twice for me that he still CAN jump to the table, so I'm wondering if that's been an issue, or if Linus isn't interested in dry cuz he's got access to the canned food?

You answered my question about how to keep the others OUT of the feeding box, but I wonder - did Linus used to wear a collar? If not, has he adapted well to wearing it? None of my guys have been so inclined, and when I've tried on the indoor/outdoor cat, I found his collar in the crawl space of the house next door (where he inspected the work the HVAC guys had done - and left the access door open) and where he ultimately became trapped! Collar was NOT on him when he came out, but fortunately was just inside the door. :smile:

 

Gayle, that's another good point about the cardboard, it would probably need periodic rebuilding. Other determined cats could possibly tear their way in if determined or if they were rotten enough. My other cats learned to ignore what's inside Linus' box pretty quickly, though they will sometimes sniff around it whenever we try a new food out. And they aren't afraid to use it as a scratching post if they think they won't get caught doing it.

My door is a petmate, $50 on Amazon.com. Mine was from the clearance section of petsmart though for ~$40. There are also small dog versions for the plus sized cat, but Linus was probably still over 20lbs when he started using this door (it was admittedly a tight fit).

And yes, metal dishes are fairly hilarious when combined with the magnet, but also a bit mean so we swapped them for ceramics. Unfortunately they are just simple magnets, so you can't build two for two separate cats as any magnet will open any door. I'd love those feeding stalls with individual transponders like the fancy dairy cattle setups have.

He's earned the nickname "Magneto"

We're pretty positive Linus can't make it up. It's over a 3.5 foot jump and there's never any nearby chairs or obstacles to help him up. He's never been a confident jumper. When he was an otherwise hyperactive kitten, it took him over a week of probing to make the jump clear up to the kitchen counter. The years of obesity did some damage to his confidence also. I know he'd prefer the dry food. It's definitely something we'll keep an eye on as we are working hard on exercising him more, and we'd be pleased as punch if he could demonstrate an ability to make it that high. At that point, we have high cupboards that the rest can make to and it will probably take Linus a few more years to reach

I realize more and more just how lucky we are that Linus is our sick cat. He puts up with pretty much anything we do to him. Over 9 years without a collar (ours are strictly indoor cats) and he put up no fuss at all when we one day put the collar on him. He just takes whatever happens to him as a new fact of life. I'd say he's the embodiment of Zen, but I think he might just be lazy.

 

Brian, I saw your box when you firsts posted pictures & I never commented on it.

It looks really good. You might have a new job on the side.

You need a catchy name for your box. Think of a price point & get your box marketed.

Just a idea,
Jenn & Baxter

 

I modified this kitchen cart for Boo. Same idea as the others, except that I didn't have to use a special collar. Boo taught herself how to open kitty doors by pulling the door out (rather than pushing in)...the other kitties didn't know how to do it so her food was safe.

http://youtu.be/ajkIEVD59Y4

 

:lol:

 

Great video! I love the way she slowly and gingerly goes in the door. Smart kitty!

 

Thanks Jenn. That's an interesting idea. I'd have to brush up on my finishing skills before I'd ever consider trying to sell anything. Most of my constructions are pretty rough looking, but functional.

 

Here are a couple of ideas...
Get some illegal support, start shopping some companies. Sell your box idea to them. Then you aren't the one who makes them. Make a sample that you could take with you.
Or just start making some & selling them on your own.

I am seeing the box done in a Mahgoney (sp) finish, cherry or oak finish. I thought of a name for your box.

I have a marketing degree with a little bit of to much time on my hands. :lol: It's a shame I can't think of a way to cure FD. Guess I should went to school to be in animal medicine instead.

Jenn & Baxter

 

BRIAN!!!!!! ROTFL!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

AND WHAT A GREAT FEEDING IDEA!