Two Cats: Better to feed together or separately?
Is it "more natural" (or behaviorally preferable) for two domestic cats to eat together… or to feed them separately?
I have two cats, and one of them is what I would call an… aggressive eater. He's always been that way. I took him in as a young stray born of a feral parents, but I managed to domesticate him to be one of the sweetest cats you will ever know.
But feeding times brings out his posturing, and meals are consumed with a constant growling under his breath and guarded glances towards his happily-feeding companion like someone is going to take away his last meal for awhile. Of course that never happens; there is plenty for all.
My thinking was that teaching them to eat together would be a useful part of his social domestication… but a year later without success, I'm wondering if the potential sense of well-being is worth the stress of something he may never overcome. It has never escalated into anything physical — the other cat basically ignores him — and they get along famously in every other way.
Is there a better way to help assure him that the posturing is completely unnecessary? Is it even considered "better adjusted" if they can eat together? Or am I going against some basic instinct where they would be better off feeding separately?
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Single stand with two bowls forces them into close proximity. Move one of the bowls away and the issue will decrease. Move it out of line of sight and the problem will vanish, but that isn't always convenient.
If you want to train acceptance of the single stand (I wouldn't, personally), start by backing off to what the cats consider a polite distance and move in gradually over the course of several months, paying attention to what the cat is telling you is and isn't acceptable.
Don't force it; some cats, especially ex-ferals, never get over feeling that if they don't defend their food someone else will take it
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