People food for cats?

wittykitty · 12-27-2006

People with dogs seem to feed scraps from their own tables quite a bit. Dogs beg, right? So are they begging because the know they get fed? My husband is a bad guy when it comes to feeding the animals. He has it so that now even our cats beg when we eat. It's driving me crazy. He feeds them and then in the "same breath" says he can't understand why they are such beggars. I wonder if people food is bad for cats at all? Does anyone know anything specifically that we should watch for? As for my husband, I don't think there is any cure for that disease of "I just don't understand why..."

wendywenpet · 12-27-2006

Hi wittykitty,

My cat Egor will not touch people food!! I could leave food out on the counter and she doesn't go near it. I have had other cats that enjoyed people food treats. I would imagine that anything that is bad of us would certainly be bad for our pets. And of course moderation, moderation.

Tell hubby to stop feeding the kitties when you are eating. Not a good habit and I agree with you, very annoying. But hard to resist when you see their little faces looking up at you wanting a treat. Equally, he is not doing the cats any good either. People treats should be given sparingly (I believe). If I can suggest somthing... while you are eating put the cats in a separate room so hubby and kitties won't be tempted to give/ask for treats.

Good luck with that!!!

Hope you get more answers and a good topic to discuss!

wittykitty · 12-29-2006

Thanks for being supportive Wendy. It's just really hard to change a man, especially in this case where he and the cats were here in his house before I was here. You know, you can't marry a man to change him!! I've decided men can't be changed, period. I think that goes for cats too. They just decide how it's going to be. In the end, if he's going to feed them and they are going to beg, I'm just a very tiny voice in a big house.

wendywenpet · 12-29-2006

I hear you!! But we love our men just the same. Don't ever expect to change them and like wise in return!! I guess you know how to deal with this situation.. but take heed on your pets' eating habit. And you do have a voice.... hear you roar!!!

outdoorcat · 12-30-2006

In our house we don't have the problem of cats at the dinner table. As you can tell by my name we are a family that puts its cats out quite a bit. However, the problem we have is feeding schedule. No one ever knows who fed the cats what and when. We feed a combination of wet and dry food (canned and bag), and they don't eat any table scraps. The problem is that I will feed the cats when I come down to make coffee. Then I dash off to work and hubby will feed the cats when he eats breakfast. The kids put something in the cat dish before they dash for the bus. I am sure we do it because the cats ask by meowing and rubbing around our legs, etc., but they certainly don't have to worry about starving!! They say a cat won't eat more than it needs, but I worry about the cats getting obese. So far they all look to be running it all off, though.

wittykitty · 12-31-2006

This going too far. I poured myself a bowl of cereal this morning. I poured on the milk and I turned around to put it back in the fridge. When I turned back, there was one of the cats drinking the milk out of my bowl. This is a direct result of hubby feeding the cats at and ON the table. Everytime I see a cat on the table, I move it off and firmly tell it no, but because I am outnumbered by cats and hubby, I feel totally helpless.

crookshanks · 01-04-2007

This sort of thing happens with me too. Last week, my mom was visiting me when my cat licked some milk from her cereal bowl. My mom left the next day and refuses to visit us ever since. Feeding anything from our kitchen is a big NO NO for us.

outdoorcat · 01-04-2007

Crook...I understand. My mom hates cats. She REALLY hates cats. She doesn't like to eat in our house. When she comes to visit us she is always making cringing and shivering motions around them. She will not sleep in our house. She gets a motel room when she comes to visit us. Of course the advantage to this is that the kids go to Gramma's motel room for a couple nights. It's a great adventure for them and a pleasure for gramma. For us, it's a little break (hehe). I guess we should thank the cats.

ChristineP · 01-14-2007

We sometimes give cats something from our plates. They don't beg though. We give them a little and no matter how much they stare, they don't get anymore. Our dog begs alot, but that doesn't mean we have to give him something everytime we have dinner. We may give him a little something depending on what we have, but again, it is only a little.

siam mom · 01-14-2007

I feel your pain!

My husband had a Doberman who never ate dog food, and lived to 15 years old, which is old for a Dobbie. He actually fed her anything he ate, meat, veggies, salads etc. Now he thinks the cats should also eat people food, including at the table. Of course, at the same time, he complains that he can't eat without them bothering him! It is an ongoing battle, but he has agreed not to feed the kittens "people" food! yeah, a partial victory!
It is really important to make our guys understand it is to everyone's benefit to set limits and stick to them!!
Good luck!