Putting food out for cats

[Anonymous]

I have 2 cats and I work from home. They eat their wholesome wet food meals twice a day in the mornings and late afternoons. In between they ask for snacks and I give them dry food on an adhoc basis. It is getting exhausting for me to feed them every now and then as they ask for things alternately. In the past we had tried keeping dry food out for them so they can eat whatever quantities they wanted to. But they started overeating and puking which is why we have this adhoc method.
Do you keep food constantly available for your cats so they have a choice and how did you train them to eat only so much that they don't puke?
Is it healthy for them to have food always available that puts them into a risk of overheating and obesity?
Sometimes their asking for food is possibly a way they want to entertain themselves. We have toys, catnip toys, cat trees etc that can entertain them. They are 13 year old. I also give them attention, cuddle with them from time to time, take them in my lap whenever they want outside of my office hours.
Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I have dry food out at all times for my cats. No wet food, and once in a while they get treats.

[Anonymous]

^ adding that it might be the food that causes puking, or shedding fur this time of year. Maybe slowly transition to a different dry food.

[Anonymous]

If you think that are actually hungry and not just bored, you can get a timed feeder that will give them small quantities at intervals throughout the day. Or, if you think they are bored, you can stop giving them any between meal snacks and they will learn that nagging is ineffective.