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 Always Hungry
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| Author | Topic: Always Hungry |
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Kayliface Member  Posts: 152 |
posted 10-15-2003 01:03 AM
 
My cat ALWAYS seems hungry. I know that some cats learn to 'ration' their food, but my cat seems to eat it ALL in one shot. No self control. And within an hour sometimes, she's crying and circling her food dish. A friend of mine got a kitten about a month before I did, and he puts out the exact amount of food required (by the instructions on the bag) and that is it. Any suggestions? Is this normal for a kitten? She gained 2lbs in one month .. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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tuttifrutti Member Posts: 478 |
posted 10-15-2003 06:49 AM
You should ration it out for her. Decide how much you want to give her in a day, and then divide that up by whatever. That should help, it helped mine who was overweight because she ate so much! IP: Logged |
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fleafly Member Posts: 996 |
posted 10-15-2003 10:28 AM
Some kittens need to eat more food than others. Just like people some haver higher metabolisms. If she eats an insane amount and is still hungry she may have worms. It is unusual for cats to eat more than they are actually hungry for. Sometimes if they have been strays they freak out unless there is food in the bowl. In this situation it is best just to leave food in the bowl, so they know it will always be there when they want it. IP: Logged |
nern Moderator Posts: 1591 |
posted 10-15-2003 03:53 PM
Kaliface: How old is your kitten? I have always free fed my kittens and they did seem to eat alot but they ate less as they grew older. IP: Logged |
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Newton the Cat Member Posts: 102 |
posted 10-16-2003 03:42 PM
Ruling out medical problems, if your cat is eating like this and even after finishing, whines around the food dish, it is just a bad habit. Newton is the SAME way! He got so badly into this habit that I could not even go to the kitchen and open a can of soup or get out a bag of chips without him circling my legs and looking up and doing these little purrs. He always thinks I am getting ready to feed him too. When you have fed her/him and they start circling around the dish or whatever distract the cat by playing with them and trying to take their mind off the food. And by no means free-feed. Then they will be on the prowl for food all the time. Give her an alloted time to finish her food. Maybe like 30 minutes. When that time is up, take the bowl away and then put it back at her next feeing time. IP: Logged |
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wtpooh Member Posts: 81 |
posted 10-16-2003 04:59 PM
Every cat is different and everyone will have an opinion as to the correct method of feeding. Upon visiting several web sites relating to this issue, the quote I come across the most is the following: "Unlike adult cats, kittens can be fed on demand, since they will stop eating once they are full. This method allows your young kitten to eat as much as it needs in order to grow into a healthy adult cat." This is how I have raised all my kittens and it has never been a problem. If weight becomes an issue then you need to re-evaluate but otherwise I believe in leaving dry food out all the time. Has she been tested for worms? I would check for that first. Even if she has been tested and treated, it wouldn't hurt to rule that out.
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Jamiya Member Posts: 1392 |
posted 10-17-2003 07:43 AM
What I have heard is that some cats can free feed and some cannot. In the wild, they are used to getting a small amount of food frequently throughout the day - they will eat something like a dozen mice in a day, but they have to catch each one first! Therefore, leaving food available all day can simulate this eating style. Although they don't have to catch the food, it is there and they can nibble a mouse-sized portion whenever they want. HOWEVER, some cats will not ration themselves. If the cat snarfs up the whole bowl immediately after you put it down, then YOU need to ration the food for the cat. Kittens are a different matter. I don't recall if we free fed ours or not, although actually I am thinking we did not. With our puppy, we feed her three times a day. I let her eat as much as she wants to, but after 20-30 minutes I pick up the bowl. If she eats everything in it before then, I put more in just in case she is still hungry. I have never seen her eat any of the extra, though, and I pick it up after a while and she doesn't get any more until the next feeding. Usually she doesn't even finish what I give her the first time and it gets picked up.
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Kayliface Member Posts: 152 |
posted 10-17-2003 06:40 PM
My kitten is about 4 months old. I feed her about .. 3-4 times a day. Usually a spoonful and a half of wet food. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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nern Moderator Posts: 1591 |
posted 10-17-2003 07:39 PM
quote: This sounds like my toy poodle IP: Logged |
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Kayliface Member Posts: 152 |
posted 10-18-2003 03:15 AM
She picks at it if I refill it. I sorta wait at least 2 hrs before filling it again cuz I know it can't be healthy for her to be consuming that much food. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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fleafly Member Posts: 996 |
posted 10-18-2003 10:50 AM
My cats do exactly what Jamiya said. They eat a couple of bites then go on with what they were doing. Then go back awhile later and eat a couple more bites. Out of 30+ cats I have only had one that wouldn't ration itself. I believe in free feeding every cat unless there is a weight problem. If the package says to feed 1 cup a day that is a recommendation. Active cats need more sedentary cats need less. Some people can eat a whole pizza and others can only eat 1 slice. IP: Logged |
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