How to Slow Down a Cat Who Eats Too Fast

Co-authored by Russell Hartstein, CDBC, CPDT

Last Updated: January 6, 2024 Approved

Many cats get excited at feeding time and can end up overeating or eating too fast. Your cat may vomit after eating too fast, develop digestion issues, or become overweight due to eating too fast and overeating. Cat owners can ensure their cat eats slowly and properly by using special feeding containers and using alternative feeding techniques.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Special Feeding Containers

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To ensure your cat takes her time when she eats, pour her dry food on a flat surface, like a plate or a baking pan. This will force her to eat only a few pieces of dry food at a time and take smaller bites of her food.
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Try a puzzle feeder. You can make or buy a puzzle feeder for your cat, which has the added bonus of providing mental stimulation. Your cat will need to work to get her food from the puzzle. This will prevent her from binge eating as the food will be dispensed in small amounts. You can purchase a puzzle feeder or make one by gluing cardboard tubes together in a grid and putting a few kibbles in each tube.^{[1]
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- One such feeder is a plastic ball with holes. You can put dry food inside the ball, and your cat can then play and try to eat the food as it falls through the holes. This will prevent her from binge eating and encourage her to use her hunting skills to get her meals.^{[2]
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This will make your cat eat more slowly because she cannot simply scarf down her food. Instead, she has to practice lapping up her food slowly and swallowing before she can take another bite.^{[3]
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Put a golf ball in the middle of your cat’s food bowl. An obstruction, like a golf ball or a ping pong ball, can force your cat to slow down when she eats as she will need to pause while eating to move the obstruction or eat around the obstruction.
- Make sure you use an object that your cat cannot swallow, like a golf ball or a ping pong ball.
Many pet stores sell food bowls made for cats and dogs that have one big lump in the middle or several small lumps. These food bowls will help your cat get used to eating more slowly and to take smaller bites of food.
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Buy an automatic feeder. An automatic feeder is set up so that as an owner you have control over how much your cat eats with the simple press of a button. Many feeders can be set on digital timers so you know exactly how much food your cat is getting at one time. There are also measurements on the feeder to help you determine how much food your cat will receive and to prevent over or under feeding your cat.
- You can set the feeder so your cat receives smaller portions of food throughout the day, which will help you cat slow down when she eats and prevent her from eating too fast.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Alternative Feeding Techniques

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1
Feed your cat smaller portions of food more often. If your cat eats too fast and vomits up her food or starts to show signs of digestive issues like bloating, you may want to adjust her feeding schedule. Instead of three big meals a day, try feeding your cat smaller portions five to six times a day for one to two weeks.
- After one to two weeks, check to see if the new feeding schedule forces her to slow down when she eats. Smaller portions throughout the day will also help her digest her food properly and maintain an appetite for her next meal.
- You can also put food in smaller dishes throughout your home so your cat has to move around to eat more food. This will make her treat feeding time more like a “hunt”, where she is mentally and physically stimulated, and force her to pace herself as she eats.^{[4]
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Provide more than one feeding station in a multi cat household. If you have more than one cat at home, you may have an issue where one cat bullies another cat and eats the other cat’s food, or one cat hogs all the food when it comes time to eat. Avoid these issues by setting up more than one feeding station in your home, ideally in separate rooms or different areas of your home. This will force your cats to spread out when they eat and provide enough space for each cat to get enough food.^{[5]
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- Using multiple feeding stations along with smaller portions throughout the day for all the cats can help your cats slow down when they eat.
If you try several of these steps and your cat still eats too fast but does not appear to be putting on any weight or cannot satisfy her appetite, your cat may have a medical issue that needs to be addressed. Take your cat to your vet for a checkup to ensure her overeating or fast eating are not a sign of a medical issue.^{[6]
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Question

Why do cats throw up when they eat too fast?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

A greedy eater tends to swallow a lot of air into the stomach. Then when the stomach contracts as part of normal digestion, the air pocket tends to propel the food back out again.

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Question

Why is my cat so hungry all the time?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Some cats are plain greedy, but you should always get the cat checked by a vet in case of a health problem. The most common condition that makes older cats greedy is hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid glands.

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Question

Why does my cat throw up after eating wet food?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

If the cat is only sick after wet food, it may be they either eat it too quickly or have an intolerance to an ingredient in the food. But please get the cat checked by a vet to rule out a health condition.

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