We set up the new Pavlov's Cat Scratch Feeder. Thought it was a good compromise between free feeding and no free feeding (which the experts recommend. Even my vets office said free feeding is BAD). The cat just scratches the post on the device then food tumbles out into a bowl on the base. Problems have already surfaced in our house. This AM I found all the cats milling around the feeding station. No one was having a scratch at the feeder, so, no one was eating. I tried pulling CC's paws along the post to release the food. Scooter did a good job with it. The real problem was BOWL BULLYING. CC wouldnt let JP near the food and INKY was too scared to even approach the pole. He wouldnt let me touch him. Then I realized, JP and Spike will not be able to use the feeder since they have been declawed.
Side bar: I do not recommend declawing. I did this to them years ago before I really understood the horror of the operation and when I was a little scared to be scratched (I was raised WITHOUT CATS!!! Oh my! What kind of childhood was that??). Now I know the tricks to getting kitties to scratch where they are supposed to and not on the good furniture. OK, truth is, we dont have good furniture and anyway...we brought cats into our home, of course there's gonna be some damage etc! It's worth it. Cats rock!!!
Spike(husband) decided to try to modify the Cat Scratch Feeder so it will have a foot lever for the clawless cats to activate the feeding. First attempts were not adequate. I will keep y'all updated on that progress. Until then, I had to fill another trough with food so's the kitties dont STARVE!! I hope the Pavlovs Cat Scratch Feeder ends up working out for us all!
Do any of you have experience with this device?
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2 comments:
Interesting. I have one cat with front claws and one without...BOTH of them scratch the scratching post so maybe the clawless dudes can still do it and get food from the dispenser. Naturally, my cat with claws also does plenty of scratching on the floor and stair carpeting as well!
Even declawed cats "scratch" things to mark them with their own scent. The thing about the Cat Scratch Feeder is that in order to dispense kibbles, the post must be pulled down and it seems unlikely that a declawed cat would be able to get a good enough grip on the thing to pull it down at the right angle to get the grub.
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