What to do about my stubborn cats?

[aristocatz]

So, I know they are creatures of habit and pickyness is in their genes, but here's my dilemma anyways.

I have 2 cats-one is eight and one is two. They have a love-hate relationship I've had my two year old since she was a kitten and they have gotten along ok with sharing the same water bowl & food bowl (both are those self feeder bowls). Lately, my 2 year old is being a brat and pushing my 8 year old out of the way everytime she sees her eating. My 2 year old has a bit of a "mine! mine! mine! personality as it is. So a few weeks ago I brought out a second water bowl (just a plastic empty cool whip container) and a second food bowl (a ceramic bowl that they both used to enjoy a few years ago. They are taking to the second water bowl just fine but sticking their stubborn little noses up in the air at the second food bowl.

What do I do here? I keep bringing them over to the second food bowl & praising them if they sniff it, but they walk away. I also tried letting the self feeder bowl run out of food so they would have no choice but to go to the new bowl but they are rummaging around scouring for leftover morsals from the self-feeder. I don't get it-it's the same exact food!!!

Any advice on what to do? Should I just break down and buy a second self feeder?

Thanks!

 

[dakcp2001]

When they get hungry enough, they will use the second bowl. I think I would prob get a second self feeder, just to make it easier on you. The cats won't starve themselves, they will be ok. Smart little buggars! They can be stubborn cant they, lol.

 

[sbell111]

Agreed. I would let the cats work this out no their own.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

It is their problem, not yours. At some point Senior Cat will just bop Junior Car on the side of the head and say something to the effect of "you are junior around here, what do you think you are doing? I'm in charge and listen to me".

 

[aristocatz]

It is their problem, not yours. At some point Senior Cat will just bop Junior Car on the side of the head and say something to the effect of "you are junior around here, what do you think you are doing? I'm in charge and listen to me".

One would think but my younger one was a beta kitty for maybe the first day we brought her home. She figured out right away that my older one was a wimp and has been Big Kitty in Charge ever since then!

Thank you for your advice everyone. I think I am going to pick the girls up a second self-feeder but in the mean time I'm not going to refill the feeder for a few days and they are going to have to eventually go for the 2nd bowl.