Activity Feeding - how I feed my cat in a species-appropriate way

Species-appropriate feeding

If you observe cats in their natural environment, you will notice that their daily activities consist of sleeping, eating, playing and hunting.
However, most cats kept as pets no longer have to make much effort to get their daily food. When they get hungry, the next meal is usually already waiting in the bowl. Unfortunately, this form of food source is not species-appropriate. Under natural conditions, cats would spend a large part of the day foraging for food. The small prey animals must first be tracked down and patiently stalked. With a bit of bad luck, the hunt has to start all over again because not every leap at the prey is a direct hit. Nevertheless, hunting is what cats do best and what they also like to spend their time doing.
The quality of life of cats living with humans is therefore directly influenced, positively or negatively, by the way they are fed. The opportunity to "capture" food, spread meals throughout the day and eat them alone is therefore enormously important for the well-being of cats and prevents not only behavioral disorders, but also overweight and underweight.

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Consequences of inappropriate feeding

‍Stress-relatedconsequences: The stress caused by inactivity and boredom, periods of hunger and being unable to avoid other cats can lead to undesirable behavior such as pica (chewing fabric), aggression towards people or other cats around the food bowl or problems such as urination disorders and uncleanliness.

Consequences of being overweight: Being overweight exacerbates physical inactivity by making jumping, climbing and playing more difficult, which in turn can lead to the development of diabetes or musculoskeletal disorders.

A species-appropriate diet can therefore have a positive effect on your cat's physical and mental health. Next, we'll tell you how you can do this.

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What is activity feeding?

The cat should capture the food itself as similarly as possible to its natural environment. The solution is called "activity feeding". The idea behind this term is that the food bowl is no longer always full and your velvet paw has to spend a lot of time, effort and skill to get to its food.
There are countless ways to keep your cat occupied while eating. But not everything will be fun for your cat straight away. So be sure to try out different options at the beginning.

Advantages of activity feeding

• Better utilization prevents behavioural disorders
• Promoting intelligence and stamina
• Acting out hunting and play instincts
• Reduction or avoidance of excess weight

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The different levels of activity feeding

If your cat is not yet familiar with the procedure, introduce your cat to the new idea. Not every cat has the same stamina and talent to get to the food. Start by feeding one food ration a day using some form of activity feeding. If this works well, you can increase the frequency and difficulty of the activity feeding.
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In the simplest food puzzles, the cat can both see and smell the food. However, it first has to use its paws to fumble the food out of various crevices, hollows or tunnels.
Various household packaging is suitable, such as egg cartons, ice cube or muffin tins or similar.
Make sure that the opening is large enough for your cat's paws to fit in, as it usually solves the tasks with them. If your cat simply knocks over the containers or molds and eats the food from the floor with relish, try to fix them to the floor or a surface. The aim should be to keep your cat busy and to get to the food with skill and understanding. It can take a while and challenge your cat.
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The second stage is food puzzles, where your cat only knows and can smell that food is hidden here, but can no longer see its food. In order for your cat to get to the food, small containers have to be opened or elements moved. If this is still a little too difficult for your cat at the beginning, you can also help and show them how to solve the puzzle.

It becomes a level more difficult when the element of movement is included. One variation is that your cat has to set a food ball or a roller in motion to get to the food. Another variation is to no longer place the food in front of your cat. Hide dry food individually or in a food ball in the home. Searching and activity are combined and offer a further challenge for your cat.
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As soon as the cat has understood how to get to the food during the food games, boredom can set in. It is therefore advisable to alternate the games and challenges and increase the level of difficulty if necessary.

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Which food is best to use for Activity Feeding

Dry food is understandably much better suited to this type of feeding. It has a longer shelf life, is more hygienic, smells less and leaves hardly any traces when the cat digs around in the food with its paws.
Nevertheless, wet food can also be used as a working food. The principle of "increasing time and effort" remains the same. For example, the wet food can be spread on silicone mats with small indentations to slow down food intake.

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Feeding cats in a multi-cat household

Whether eating from a bowl or activity feeding: as mentioned at the beginning, cats eat their prey alone in their natural environment. You should therefore make sure that your cats do not have to eat next to each other. The food bowls should at least be positioned so that the cats are facing in opposite directions, or one cat is fed from a higher position. It is even better to distribute different food puzzles at a distance around the home, preferably also in elevated places, which are often preferred by insecure cats.