Should I feed the cats?

[pete6032]

My roommate owns two cats and I haven't seen her for a couple of days. Its possible she's been home at opposite time of me, but not likely. She feeds the cats twice per day (AM/PM). The cats are now freaking out when I'm home acting like they haven't been fed, meowing/whining. I think they have missed their last two feedings. Should I feed them? Roommate is definitely around, probably just busy or at her boyfriend's place.

I get along fine with my roommate but she doesn't really care for the cats very well and thus they are prone to behave badly, so I try not to associate with them.

 

[Smoblikat]

Nope, dont feed them. They will get attached to you and expect it from you. Why not just call your roommate and ask if they fed the cats?

 

[IronWing]

Feed them.

 

[mnewsham]

i'd feed them enough that they wouldnt die I guess.

 

[pete6032]

Nope, dont feed them. They will get attached to you and expect it from you. Why not just call your roommate and ask if they fed the cats?

This happens a few times per month. I probably do need to talk to her. The problem is usually that I'm out to work before she even wakes up and she gets home after I've gone to bed, so I might go to bed expecting her to come home and feed the cats and then I wake up the next morning and she hasn't been home at all, and then I leave for work expecting her to come home in the morning and I get home from work and doesn't look like she's been back and the cats are freaking out like they're going to die of starvation.

 

[mmntech]

Feed on the cats?

Why not just phone your roommate and ask her?

 

[Perknose]

Feed them. Just do the simple, right thing. It will cost very little of your time and effort, and can make you feel just a little bit better about yourself by being just a little bit better version of yourself.

Being kind to your fellow living beings is a good thing in and of itself. It is what helps make the world go 'round. And, if there is something beyond oblivion for us when our meat sacks give out, then racking up what I call "cosmic brownie points" is the smart play.

 

[Eug]

Just feed the damn cats and leave a note saying you did.

 

[RandomWords]

I say feed them only because you said:

she doesn't really care for the cats very well and thus they are prone to behave badly

I mean - if you want them behaving badly... then don't... not your cats.

 

[Kushina]

Call her and find out.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Feed them,.. not sure how and why this is an issue.

If you are worried about being taken advantage of, well, then you make that clear with your roommate,.. you ARE living with her after all.

 

[Phoenix86]

So if you don't mind potential animal abuse charges for not moving food from a bag to a bowl, sure do nothing.

Hint: if she truly abandoned them, you're responsible for their care until you get rid of them.

 

[biostud]

Feed her horse.

 

[RandomWords]

So if you don't mind potential animal abuse charges for not moving food from a bag to a bowl, sure do nothing. Hint: if she truly abandoned them, you're responsible for their care until you get rid of them. __________________

A day without food isn't abuse - she feeds them too much at twice a day - but yes... if she has abandoned them - I agree the OP is responsible for them - then I advise to take them to the pound... which I suppose would be considered cruel to do by many...

 

[Sonikku]

Feed them. Just do the simple, right thing. It will cost very little of your time and effort, and can make you feel just a little bit better about yourself by being just a little bit better version of yourself.

Being kind to your fellow living beings is a good thing in and of itself. It is what helps make the world go 'round. And, if there is something beyond oblivion for us when our meat sacks give out, then racking up what I call "cosmic brownie points" is the smart play.

But by feeding them and keeping them alive, they will breed and make more cats that also need to be fed. And then they will make more cats and so on. Feed the couple cats out of kindness now and you may only be inadvertently spreading the suffering around.

 

[brandonb]

Ugh... They are living creatures which probably have their food bag sitting right next to the bowl. Can you not take the 5 seconds it takes to open the bag and scoop out a little food? I understand its not your responsibility per say. But have some compassion for another living thing and do the right thing.

And as a side note, when cats are hungry, they are annoying little creatures. I always know when my cats bowls are empty because they constantly rub against my leg, jump into bed with me and hover around my head while I'm trying to sleep, etc... You will cause more suffering for yourself if you don't feed them than it would be to take the 5 seconds to feed them.

 

[dank69]

No need to call your roommate when you can just ask ATOT.

 

[Kushina]

Lock the cats in another room, put out food, unlock and disappear ?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Any taco trucks or Korean delis nearby?

 

[z1ggy]

Yes you should feed them. The worst that happens is they get fat because your roommate is feeding them as well (when she's home and your not). Or, you don't feed them and she isn't coming home to feed them, and they die.

In all reality though, they could probably last a week or two with out food. The important thing is you are getting them water, especially if any of them are male cats. Male cats who go dehydrated can develop kidney/urinary tract issues which can end up killing them.

So actually, worry about giving the cats water, then worry about food.

Also... Call your roommate and ask her wtf she is doing. If it's not normal to not see her for days at a time, perhaps she was kidnapped and is now buried somewhere in the forest....??

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Nope, dont feed them. They will get attached to you and expect it from you. Why not just call your roommate and ask if they fed the cats?

My housemate had two cats and I had one. She didn't like feeding them or cleaning their poop.

Now I have three cats.

Seriously, though, it takes a couple weeks for them to transplant their negotiable affections like that. If they're hungry, give them some food.

 

[MrPickins]

A day without food isn't abuse - she feeds them too much at twice a day - but yes... if she has abandoned them - I agree the OP is responsible for them - then I advise to take them to the pound... which I suppose would be considered cruel to do by many...

Most cats self regulate their eating. We've always left food out for our cats 24/7 and have never had one be overweight.

 

[Phoenix86]

A day without food isn't abuse - she feeds them too much at twice a day - but yes... if she has abandoned them - I agree the OP is responsible for them - then I advise to take them to the pound... which I suppose would be considered cruel to do by many...

I don't know what would be considered abuse, 24 hours of no food, 36? 48? I don't really care. By not feeding them when he believes they haven't been fed he's making a conscious decision to starve them. I wouldn't want to explain to anyone why I felt X hours w/o food was OK. I'm assuming there's food in the house, so I really don't see what the problem is.

Of course he needs to figure out wtf is going on with the roommate.

 

[Linflas]

But by feeding them and keeping them alive, they will breed and make more cats that also need to be fed. And then they will make more cats and so on. Feed the couple cats out of kindness now and you may only be inadvertently spreading the suffering around.

Only if the owner is totally irresponsible and has not had them spayed/neutered.

 

[Anubis]

Most cats self regulate their eating. We've always left food out for our cats 24/7 and have never had one be overweight.

this, cats in general are not like dogs who will gorge themselves