Transition Protocol
Know Your NoBowl What's in the Box? / Transition Protocol / Care and Cleaning / Helpful Hints / FAQ
Transitioning to The NoBowl Feeding System™
Making the change from bowl to NoBowl™… go slow.
Step 1
Measure your daily rations into a measuring cup. Place 2 scoops of the NoBowl Portion Filler™ of your dry food into the bowl and 1 into the NoBowl Trainer™. Place the Trainer next to the bowl. Place a few pieces of dry food on the floor around the NoBowl Trainer. If your cat can empty the NoBowl Trainer, continue to refill it 2-3 more times over the course of the day. Any remaining food can be put in the NoBowl Trainer or the bowl.
If your cat struggles to empty the NoBowl Trainer, you can show him/her by tipping the NoBowl Trainer yourself to release the food onto the floor.
Many cats 'get it' right away. If your cat is slow to understand the interactive cat feeder, try enticing him/her with a tasty treat. Try sprinkling a few Bonito flakes into The NoBowl cat puzzle toy along with the dry food. This adds lots of alluring smell and taste without unnecessary calories. Alternatively, you can add a few of his/her favorite treats or a small sprinkling of a new and exciting dry food to the NoBowl Trainer... but beware of calorie overload!
Be patient. Repeat this process for a few days, or until your cat is comfortable using the Trainer.
STEP 1: Trainer Introduction
Step 2
Measure the daily ration. Place just a few pieces of food in the bowl. Place a portion in the NoBowl Trainer. Split the rest of the food between the 5 Naked NoBowls™. Give your cat some privacy with the cat puzzle toys. Cats are solitary hunters and prefer to dine alone. If your cat is not emptying the Naked NoBowls, you can tip the food out to show him/her how to use the interactive cat feeder.
Refill and replace the Naked NoBowls daily until you are confident that your cat understands how to empty the cat puzzle toys. This may take a few days, or a few weeks. This is OK and to be expected. Don’t get discouraged. Some cats, usually older ones, can be slow to catch on. Be patient. But, make sure that your cat is eating a sufficient amount on a daily basis.
STEP 2: Getting started with the NoBowls
Step 3
Measure out your cat’s daily ration. Repeat the step above, now with the dressed NoBowls until you are confident that your cat understands how to empty them.
STEP 3: Fill and repeat
Step 4
Now the hunt begins! Fill and hide the NoBowls daily. Use at least 5 NoBowls for each cat every day. You can hide all the cat puzzle toys at once, or save some for overnight to prevent ‘Night Nudger’ from disturbing your sleep. Collect, refill, and hide the NoBowls daily for a completely interactive cat feeder.
STEP 4: The hunt begins!
Transition Tips
The transition protocol was developed for the average cat. Well, your cat may be above average and require some tweaks in his/her transition process. Here are some suggestions for the most common, above-average cat problems!
My cat transitioned onto the trainer, but will not progress to the Naked NoBowl™.
Do not worry. A few of the finest felines will prefer the skin on NoBowls™ due to the fantastic tactile, prey-like feel of the skin. Try dressing your NoBowls™ and skipping the Naked NoBowl™ step.
My cat won’t try The NoBowl Trainer™.
Some cats are shy and prefer not to perform in front of you. Try leaving The NoBowl Trainer™ out overnight, with food and treats, and don’t check back until morning. If you are sure that your cat has eaten enough during the day, you might also pick up the food dish over night for some added encouragement.
Will there be food scattered all over my house?
Nope. Not if you follow the instructions and put 1/5 of the daily ration in each of the 5 NoBowls™. For more info, check out this Catvocate blog post on portion control http://nobowlcat.com/posts/portion-control-no-mess
My cat seems very frustrated by The NoBowl Feeding System™.
Go slowly. Make sure that you put some food in your cat’s bowl as they transition and make sure that your cat gets enough to eat every day. We definitely don’t want your cat to get hangry! The NoBowl Feeding System™ will reduce your cat’s stress over time. It is perfectly acceptable for the transition to an interactive cat feeder to take many weeks. It is like learning to ride a bike. It may take a long time to develop the technique of the cat puzzle toys, but that does not mean you can’t be an excellent cyclist (hunter) once you’ve got it.
Still having trouble getting started?
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