How To Keep Your Cat From Eating the Other’s Food

If your Cat Eats the Other Cat’s Food Everybody Loses

When a cat eats the other cat’s food not only eats more than a healthy and recommended intake but also leaves the other cat with no food, causing malnutrition in the cat that does not get to eat. If you have a kitten this problem is even worse as kittens need to eat enough food to get all the nutrition to grow up.

Why Does this Happen?

For cats, to share territory is something exceptional and means losing control over their resources and that is critical in a cat’s life. For example, when two cats live together they usually share the feeding station or the same area where they eat. If one of the cats does not want to socialize with the other, it will be forced to wait till the other is done eating. As a result, both cats will have to eat faster than normal or one of them will eat more than the usual intake.

Sometimes one cat won’t even get close to the feeding station because it does not feel comfortable and might end up being hungry or the opposite, might start eating excessively to keep the other cat from eating “its” food. This last situation is what this article refers to.

Is There Any Solution to Solve This Problem?

There are good solutions we want to share with you so you can manage this situation properly:

1. Create a Private Cat Feeding Station

Create a feeding station that only the starving cat can access, keeping the food away from the cat obsessed with eating. You can repurpose furniture like a cabinet, side table, or nightstand, or even build a wooden house. Alternatively, a large plastic container with a lid can work too (the image below shows a litter box station, but the concept is the same).

Once you’ve chosen the material for your feeding station, install a selective-entry electromagnetic cat door to ensure only the allowed cat can access the station. If you prefer your cat not to wear a collar tag, opt for a microchip cat door. After installing the automatic cat door, place the feeding bowl or automatic feeder inside the station, making sure the other cat can’t reach the food with its paws. Building a feeding station with a selective cat door is a great solution for separating cats on different diets.

2. Enclosed Playpen Feeding

Enclosed playpens offer a great solution to create a safe space for your cat to eat without interruptions. A soft-sided pet playpen with a zippered door works best, as it allows easy access while keeping the food thief out. To help your cat feel comfortable, introduce the playpen before mealtime by placing treats inside, so they start associating it with positive experiences. During feeding, zip the entrance closed and let your cat eat in peace. If the food thief tries to knock it over, placing a weighted board at the bottom can help keep the playpen stable. Adding a cozy blanket inside will make the space even more inviting. Once your cat finishes eating, simply open the playpen to avoid them feeling trapped. The playpen in the image below features a furry comfy material for your cat’s comfort. Check it on Amazon on this link.

3. Crate/Carrier Feeding

Feeding your cat inside a crate or pet carrier is another effective solution. Choose a carrier spacious enough for your cat to move comfortably, and place a soft blanket inside to make it feel safe. To help them adjust, leave the carrier open at other times and occasionally toss in treats. At mealtime, place the food bowl inside and gently close the door while they eat. A stable, non-slip dish prevents spills, and feeding in the crate consistently at the same time each day will help your cat settle into the routine. Once they finish, open the carrier so they can leave freely.

4. Feed Cats in Different Rooms

You can separate your cats in different rooms by installing an automatic pet door in a wall, panel, or glass, depending on where you will place the food of the bullied cat. An option is feeding your slow eater in the garage or laundry room. Any room you designate to feed your cat will need exclusive access for the cat that gets its food stolen.

Separating the cats in different rooms has the same concept of a private feeding station, but instead of a box or a cabinet, the hungry cat will enjoy a whole room to eat to its heart’s content. You can setup an automatic feeder in the selected room so you don’t need to open the door to refill the bowl every day, risking the chubby cat to sneak in. There are several brands and types of pet doors. Check a list of full reviews for automatic cat doors to choose the most suitable for the type of installation you need.

5. Getting a Selective RFID Automatic Cat Feeder

A selective RFID (Radio Frequency Identification technology) automatic cat feeder lets only an allowed cat to eat while blocking others. The allowed cat wears a RFID collar tag or a microchip that sends a signal to the feeder for it to open, providing access to the food. There are RFID feeders that work with a free feeding system, others can be programmed or a combination of both. If your cat is not a glutton you can use a free-feeding RFID unit so your feline will have access to food at all times.

5.1 Free-Feeding RFID Feeders

The RFID free-feeding feeders stop unwanted food stealing so they controlled who eats and who doesn’t from that specific feeder. However, they don’t prevent the allowed cat from overeating since they provide access to food at all times, as long as the allowed cat wears the collar tag or microchip.

Wireless Whiskers

This feeder dispenses only dry food and it works with a gravity system. It requires the cat to wear a RFID collar tag to access the protected food. The unit has two small transparent doors that block the food and open when making contact with the cat collar, recognizing and greeting each cat by name. This automatic cat feeder is able to distinguish what a cat is eating and also it gets auto-programmed automatically, measuring the right and healthy intake for each cat. This means this automatic feeder calculates how much each cat is eating in a period of 1-3 days and if one of them is eating too much or too little, it gives that cat the right amount of food. So even though this is a RFID free-feeding system, it still manages to control the feeding intake if it’s too much.

SureFeed Microchip

The authorized cat wearing a collar tag or an implanted microchip opens the feeder’s lid that keeps shut at all times protecting the food from the chubby eater. To trigger the mechanism the cat needs to put its head underneath the arch for the sensor to read the microchip and open the lid. Once opened, the arch gives a wide range of RFID sensitivity so if the cat turns its head from the feeder the lid won’t close.
The SureFeed comes with two polypropilene bowls, one for a single portion, and the other for a split portion of dry and wet food. If the cat who steals the food is fast enough, he could stick its head through the gap on the back of the feeder. If this is the case, you can purchase a transparent protective rear cover that is sold as an optional accessory.

5.2 Programmable RFID Feeders

Selective programmable RFID feeders allow you to set a feeding schedule with multiple mealtimes so your cat will have a controlled feeding activity. This is ideal for cats that are overweight or with dietary restrictions.

PortionPRO RX

You can program the PortionPRO RX to feed your feline dry food, up to 6 meals per day. This RFID powered device allows you to feed your cat RX diet or other special dietary needs. It’s ideal to protect the food if your feline is being food bullied. The PortionPRO RX gives you the option to set it on Open Mode in which case the food is open so the allowed cat doesn’t need to use a collar tag. Instead, the pet you want to block needs to wear the RFID collar tag. As soon as the blocked cat gets is within a 3-feet distance from the feeder, the motorized door shuts. This is a good concept because some cats simply won’t wear a collar, while others, will. It’s also a good solution to stop dogs that eat the cat’s food.

Petlibro One RFID Smart Feeder

The Petlibro One RFID Smart Feeder simplifies mealtime with up to 10 scheduled meals daily and a 13-cup capacity. Designed for dry food, it uses an RFID collar tag to ensure only the allowed cat gets access. It connects via Wi-Fi to a user-friendly app (iOS 13.0+/Android 7.0+), supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks—something many feeders lack. The lightweight (4.2g) tag makes it comfortable for a cat to wear it, and it features a snap-release collar and a QR code for extra security.

And for those kitty owners out there, the stainless steel bowl with a holder helps prevent chin acne, and the included desiccant bag keeps food fresh longer. Curious to learn more? Head over to the official Petlibro website or find it on Amazon to see all the details!

5.3 Custom Programmable RFID Feeders

These feeders provides flexibility because you can program a feeding schedule or free-feeding your cat. The only selective RFID feeder that offers this option currently is the Petnology Smart RFID.

Petnology Smart RFID

This innovative feeder is one of the latest on the market. The Petnology supports dry, wet, or mixed food, allowing you to combine both in the feeding tray if needed. Its open-concept design offers flexibility, while the unique RFID feature lets you choose between free-feeding or a scheduled plan. You can set up to four feeding modes: 3 meals per day, 4 meals per day, custom mode, or free mode. With a 4.2-star rating on Amazon, it’s a great choice for simplifying mealtime for selective feeding. Learn more about it here!

6. Re-Educating Your Cat’s Eating Behavior

There are also great interactive feeding toys to make cats play and work for their food. This re-educates their eating behavior because they have to manage how to access the food from the toy, slowing them down when eating.

Your cats will be healthier and happier by applying any of these solutions. No more cats overeating or starving!