Social media users have gone wild for a cat who has bypassed the need for his owner to feed him, having learned how to operate an automatic food dispenser instead.
A posted to TikTok by @robin_k44 on September 1 showed the hilarious moment her cat “figured out how to turn his automatic feeder on.” As the plug was only halfway into the outlet, the cat didn’t hesitate to nudge it back in and enjoy the extra food that came pouring out.
With the owner watching on in despair as her intelligent cat worked out the best way to get more food, she wrote alongside the viral clip that she “can’t make it up.” Since it was posted on TikTok, the video has been viewed more than 6.8 million times and received over 601,600 likes.
It’s often said that pets are just like their owners, and that certainly applies to cats. They often enjoy relaxing in the sun, watching the world go by from a window, and they love having a routine for their meals each day.
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While every owner’s routine will be somewhat unique to their pet, having a consistent feeding schedule is hugely important for your cat. A routine for mealtimes will provide the cat with a sense of security and predictability, and they can base their other activities around this all-important schedule.
Having a specific routine for eating won’t just tame any hunger though, it can also help the cat to cope with any household changes. If there’s a house move, a new baby, or they’re being looked after by someone new for a few days, the cat’s food schedule will act as a safety net to keep them content.
It’s recommended that cats eat at least two meals a day around 12 hours apart. They can take several hours to digest their food, so after eight to 10 hours they will have an empty stomach again and start to feel hungry again. Owners might choose to feed them a breakfast meal in the morning, and again before bed.
However, VCA Animal Hospitals previously wrote that smaller meals more frequently throughout the day can be a good option too. It’s down to the individual, but cats shouldn’t go more than 12 hours between meals as their stomachs can become hyper-acidic, leading to nausea.
The independent cat’s hilarious antics have amused thousands of social media users, and the viral post has already been inundated with over 3,300 comments .
TikTok user @hey_im_jude wrote: “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”
While @3pmusic commented: “What university did cat attend?!”
Another comment, from @tarquinc read: “Oh dang, he’s an IT professional.”
Newsweek reached out to @robin_k44 via TikTok for comment. We could not verify the details of the video.
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