Bluebelle started eating primarily prescription cat food about three months ago. She has never been a picky eater – she truly has a healthy appetite. Too healthy at times, hence, the prescription diet. As candid as she always is about her culinary desires, her eagerness to eat even when she should be full is not entirely her fault. I played a role. I did not engage in as much active play as I should have with my Bluebelle. I have to remember that the more time she spends actively engaged, the less time she spends thinking about the next feeding.

Bluebelle is my constant companion throughout the day. She keeps my arm warm while I type. She has also taught me how to do most things using one hand as she has a preference for being held for extended periods. Then, at night, I get to practice being a statue as she and Laila do not condone movement once everyone has settled-in. Bluebelle enjoys her namesake cat tunnels immensely and her preferred method of using them is to go inside and scratch them. A lot. This is one of Bluebelle’s favorite activities and although she does not need company to scratch the cat tunnels she has more enrichment when I play with her. She also thinks about food less when I keep her extra-busy. It’s so easy and so much fun to roll a ball down the length of a cat tunnel and watch her chase it. Sometimes I send two or three at a time and it’s anybody’s guess from which opening either a toy or Bluebelle will emerge.

Yes, Bluebelle still spends much more than an average amount of time trying to convince me to feed her between meals. But now she definitely gets more cat exercise chasing toys through her cat tunnels, and the requests for more food are just a bit less. Cat tunnels to the rescue even when it comes to regulating meals for cats!