Very hungry cat! Help!

ratty123 · 16/10/13 - 05:22

So me and my partner adopted a cat from a rescue centre about 6 months ago. He was very timid and hid in his cat bed for the first few days we had him, only coming out to eat.

He's completely out of his shell now though and firmly rules the roost! However he is constantly hungry. I mean CONSTANTLY. He has the stomach of an ox too.

He's a big boy at just over 5kg but he has a large frame so doesn't look fat. We asked the vet about this and he said 'he's fine but he doesn't want to get any bigger'. He checked for worms and said the hunger was probably an attention thing.

We've been quite strict about his food, only feeding him at meal times and not rewarding him for begging but he seems to be getting hungrier by the day. He gulps his food down in seconds and begs for more - we did try an experiment where we just kept feeding him - he finished the tin (all 400g) and some biscuits too by which point we chickened out! He wasn't sick so I assume he has a huge stomach!

It's now getting a bit unmanageable, if we let him out while it's still light he'll catch a bird and eat the entire lot on top of his dinner. He's started eating plastic or paper from our waste paper bins in the lounge. It really doesn't seem normal, but I'm at a loss at how to help him as his weight is slowly creeping up. Does anyone have any advice or tips? At least we don't have the usual fussy eating problems I suppose

skp20040 · 16/10/13 - 05:28

Has this eating desire since he came out of his shell or has it started since the change in weather ? some outdoor cats do start to eat more as the weather turns cold , I know one of mine eats far less in the hot weathher and will turn into a food monster when the cold weather comes.

Also you say rescue, where did he originate from was he a street cat or not fed well or regularly at his previous home, he could still have a worry within him that he has to eat when he can get it as he is worried when he will eat next (the faCt you feed him regularLy may not have sunk in yet) , it may just take time , you could try Feliway to see if that helps calm him a bit .

Wolfsheadish · 16/10/13 - 06:07

I had a similar issue when I adoped a cat from a shelter. She'd been living on the streets and was very thin. She ate like a pig at first and put on a lot of weight until I was worried she was far too fat! However, once she realised food was always going to be available to her she started to eat less (I have dry food down all the time and twice a day she gets a bit of tinned food) and she's been at a healthy weight now for the past few years.

It might be that your cat's responding to your "rationing" (in his eyes) by eating more in case he doesn't get another chance!

[Deleted User] · 16/10/13 - 12:06

Maybe try a trickle feeder? My boy was a pig because he knew the food was disappearing, but when I got a trickle feeder he could pick when he wanted and after a few days of pigging out he calmed down and now eats normally.

Often in shelters the food is put down and picked up a few mins later, so he's probably used to having to rush eat it and worries about where the next food is coming from.

Heartache · 16/10/13 - 12:26

We have Tom a stray, who lives in the garden shed. When he first appeared, it seemed you could never fill him up. He would eat very fast.
Now he is very chilled and is meh about some food, now he knows he will always be fed.
I would try the felliway plug in, to ease your cats anxiety.

[Deleted User] · 16/10/13 - 15:02

I'd get him on a dry diet and use a gravity feeder and let him fill his boots but keep an eye on his weight once a month or so.

molliepops · 16/10/13 - 15:17

I agree with everything said but also have him checked for worms one of ours when we took her on was so full of worms/Parasites she just couldn't get enough food.

ratty123 · 16/10/13 - 15:59

Thanks for all the advice everyone. He came from the shelter on a dry food restricted diet to try and get his weight down. As soon as he relaxed at home the eating started, so after a few days. We switched to a mixture of wet and dry to try and fill him up a bit. His old owner was elderly and he hadn't had any injections and hadn't been neutered (he's 3). I suspect he was spoilt rotten with food scraps!

The trickle feeder sounds like a good idea. With cats I've looked after in the past I've always left dry food out all day but with this boy he can easily polish off 3 or 4 bowls of dry (or more!) in one. Do you have any suggestions of good sturdy ones? I might try a Felliway plug in too.

[Deleted User] · 16/10/13 - 16:35

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=322&pf_id=60682

If he over does it with free grazing, you can programme portion sizes and frequency of feeds with that one.

[Deleted User] · 16/10/13 - 16:48

Awwww, your kitty is a dieter on the rebound

[Deleted User] · 16/10/13 - 16:54

I'd steer clear of wet food if you can, it doesn't fill them up anymore and won't help with his greediness!

[Deleted User] · 17/10/13 - 01:13

Has he had a thyroid check? An overactive thyroid will make him want to eat constantly

[Deleted User] · 24/10/13 - 04:14

moomsie wrote: »

Has he had a thyroid check? An overactive thyroid will make him want to eat constantly

I was going to suggest this. I just had my cat to the vet and constantly eating was one of his symptoms that suggested thyroid. Unfortunately though it was the other symptoms that pointed to a tumour. This was confirmed and sadly he had to be out to sleep.
I am not suggesting the op's cat has a tumour but thyroid is a possibility.

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