I can only tell you how I handle this situation. In my house, it's all in
the timing. At night Isis likes to crunch on a bowl of dry food. I always
leave her some for her midnight snack. If I leave her a discreet amount she
wakes up hungry for breakfast. Then I give her half a can of fresh out of
the can fish flavor double yum. This is the KO punch that keeps her calm and
happy all day. Breakfast is the lynchpin upon which the success or failure
of the whole day rests. Day old canned food does not give the same result.
Dry food in the morning does not give the same result. Since I won't throw
away half a can of wet food she gets day old wet food every other day. For
this I must suffer. I suffer when I am on the phone with my headset talking
to clients. I am stalked, attacked, and annoyed. It is like an army of
guerilla warriors grabbing at my feet and annoying me.

Half of my life is heaven. Half is hell. I do this to save 60 cents worth of
cat food.

Do whatever your cat tells you to do. It may not be enough so learn how to
say "I'm sorry" in cat language.

I don't need to tell you this. You are a victim, too. You know the score.

Mike in Illinois

LOL,
My Luca has 3, always in order, about 1-2 minutes apart.

First comes "mew, mew"
Means "I'd kinda like something to eat"

Next comes "Meow!"
Means "Hey! I said I'm hungry!"

Last comes "GNAM!!!"
Means "FEED ME DAMMIT! Or I just might go chit in front of the litterbox
again!"

I am owned.

It's in cats and dogs nature to sleep with or very near their leader.

My feeding routine for Big Mama is basically in line with my own.
When I have breakfast, she has her breakfast of hard tacks.
When I have lunch, she has a few more hard tacks.
When I have dinner, while I'm preparing mine, she gets a can
of Fancy Feast. She knows what time her wet food is available.
She gets a can 6 days a week, with 1 day for fasting.
She has never cried for food other in expectation while I'm preparing
it for her,
but never before that. She knows it's coming when I start preparing my
own.
Of course she has her usual snacks of hard tacks when ever she wants
them.
Her bowl sometimes runs low, but is never empty, and she gets fresh
water
twice a day, once in the morning and once at night at dinner time.