Emotional Eaters

I have five cats. That in itself can be a challenge sometimes, as no two cats are alike and all require life to be a certain way to be content.

For instance, of the five, one is very, very picky about her litter. It can only be a certain type of Tidy Cats because, of all things, it's the only -smell- she likes. If we trade it out for a different Tidy Cats or different brand, she shows her displeasure by peeing on the carpet. It took us almost a YEAR to figure this out.

I have another cat that is allergic to Fish. Another that is allergic to certain grains. But I can't feed them separate foods because -they- don't know they're allergic, and will eat each others food anyway.

Then I have two cats that equate food with love, or whatever emotion cats have like that. Three of the cats only eat when they are hungry, and only until they are full. They never eat just to eat. The two short hairs, however, are emotional eaters. They eat when they are happy. They eat when they are upset. They eat because there's food.

As a result, they've both gotten a bit chunky, so now I have to put all five cats on a diet, because there is no feeding them separately. Today was the first day of moderated eating, and the over eaters gladly ate up their portions this morning, while the grazers weren't interested in food until it was put away.  I think this is going to be a looonngggg adjustment period. I gave them all a bit of wet food this afternoon, since the grazers hadn't really eaten this morning and were whining (no begging for food like this guy though. And is that not the cutest thing?).

We're trying to exercise the cats more, too. You'd think with five, they'd find lots of things to keep themselves occupied, but no. Not since Chester was a kitten have they all been very active. (That's how Eowyn lost all her weight the first time she chunked up tho- we got Chester and he wouldn't let her rest.)