Multiple cats eat together?

If you have multiple cats, do your cats eat together from the same bowl? Do they have separate bowls? Or do they take turns eating?

 

We have separate bowls of food throughout our house, as well as litter boxes - otherwise they *will* get into it and start fighting. When we give them wet food too, we'll put out two separate plates for them at the same time and keep them a safe distance from each other.

 

It is so hard to get them to eat at once without fighting. My middle cat, Romy, likes to push and shove and doesn't play nice with the other cats. So I have to hold him and let the other two choose bowls before letting Romy down to find his own.

 

Mine eat together no problem without fighting, my little girl who is teeny tiny is always first up to the plate, then my fat cat, who is more hesitant follows her. They tend to eat at certain times that are different, so they have never had an issue. I leave the food out all day and they come and go as they please, they have never gorged themselves, or fought over food.

 

We have two bowls but in the same area. I'd say they generally stay about a foot apart. They seem to take turns though.
The youngest will get her fill then the oldest will come in and eat after.

 

Here's the deal:

Dry food: they either share the bowl of food or they take turns throughout the day.

Wet food: at first, they will share, but then the older one will walk away and let the younger one have his share. When the younger one is done then the older one takes the rest. If there are crumbs left then they take turns throughout the evening. What sucks is that the older one gets hungry within a couple of hours after the wet food.

 

Ours all eat together but have their own bowls, Our Orientals eat higher than the rest, they eat on the floor, The Oris eat on the work surface in their grooming room.

 

I've tried to get my cats to eat separately, but my kitten refuses to eat out of her bowl. She much prefers to go up and share the food with my full-grown cat. She'll duck under her and eat that way. The full-grown cat has hissed at her once, but she refuses to stop, so the adult cat has a habit of walking off until kitten is finished, then coming back to eat.

 

When it comes to dry food, we keep it out for them to eat whenever they want. So most of them eat on their own time when they feel hungry after a good play or nap. However, once a week, we feed them wet food. That's when they all must have their own bowl. All of the cats get excited and sit around the kitchen awaiting their snack. For such anticipation as that, having it in the same bowl for five cats to share will just end up being a wrestling match. Of course, you'll see some sort of attack when one cat finishes their food faster than others and wants to eat from someone else. Haha.

 

Some of my cats can eat together. Some can't. Some won't even eat when others are eating. I still remember one older cat that would stay up on top of the cupboard when the younger ones are eating. Only after all the kids, so to say, have finished would she come down for her food. I always made sure I kept some for her.