7 reasons why a cat began to eat a lot

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Experienced furry pet breeders know how much their pet will eat in one meal. You should not give your furry pet too much food or gradually increase the usual portion. Of course, this does not apply to a small kitten, which is constantly growing and developing. This also does not apply to pregnant and lactating individuals, who need adequate nutrition for the healthy growth of future kittens.

But if it happens that a mature individual constantly wants more after eating, this phenomenon is not considered the norm. Why does my cat constantly ask for food? You will find the answer to this question in our article.

Reasons why a cat doesn't eat well

In fact, you shouldn't always panic when your cat doesn't eat anything for a couple of days. Especially in cases where the animal does not look exhausted, does not have a fever, and there are no signs of an upset stomach or other malfunction of the body. The most common reasons why a cat doesn’t eat anything:

Abrupt transition to new or unusual food.

This situation can also happen when a cat that is accustomed to industrial food is switched to natural food. It is unlikely that a cat that has eaten dry food will happily eat, for example, vegetables with meat or cottage cheese. But if it’s just a matter of changing the usual diet, then there is no need to worry, the cat is simply not yet accustomed to the innovations in its menu. The animal itself does not look sick; it does not have diarrhea, vomiting, or excessive discharge from the eyes or nose.

Stressful situations.

Cats are sensitive animals; just like people, they can be sad, worried, or afraid of something. In a stressful situation, it may be quite normal to refuse food for a couple of days, feel depressed, and apathy. In this case, it would be a good idea for the owner to first try to find out what is the cause of the animal’s suffering, eliminating it if possible. If the situation cannot be corrected (the death of someone dear to the animal, the appearance of a new pet in the house, etc.), then it will take time and participation in the cat’s life on the part of the owner. You may need to consult a veterinarian, as well as purchase sedatives for purring.

Weather.

When the temperature outside the window exceeds 30 (or even 40) degrees, even the most voracious animal can look for a patch of shade on the street or lie exhausted on the floor, forgetting about food. In such cases, you should not force feed the cat and lament why it refuses to eat. On the hottest days, it is better not to overload the animal’s body, however, clean drinking water at such times is more important than ever.

The owner does not monitor the cleanliness of the animal’s bowls.

Cats are one of the cleanest animals, so the owner should wash all cat dishes after each feeding or at least once a day. Dirty plates, bowls with dried food debris, ants crowding around, and the smell of sour food can make a cat refuse to eat. In addition, neglect of cleanliness can lead to various diseases.

Hormonal surge.

When the animal's body undergoes restructuring during puberty, during estrus and pregnancy in cats, the owner may observe a refusal of food in the pet. During the period of cat spree, animals may not eat for up to a week, especially females. The owner should not worry, since the cat’s appetite will return to normal as soon as the animal calms down, and the problem of hormonal changes will be solved by itself. It may not be superfluous to purchase vitamins depending on your doctor’s recommendations.

Helminthiasis or the presence of external parasites in a cat.

The owner should remember that the presence of worms, as well as external bloodsuckers (most often fleas) can cause many problems for the animal. All parasites multiply at enormous speed, and then with their offspring they feed on the blood of the animal and poison its body with the products of their vital activity. The cat's owner should take preventive measures to ensure that the four-legged friend's body is free of worms and fleas, and also monitor the cleanliness of the room. If the owner suspects that the cat has worms, then the following symptoms will become alarming: diarrhea, cough, vomiting. Fleas can cause the following unpleasant conditions for a cat: poor sleep, thinning fur, itching from bites.

There are many pieces of fur accumulated in the cat's stomach.

In cases where an animal actively licks itself, a large amount of hair accumulates in its stomach. This problem is especially acute when the owner does not comb out the pet’s fur. Vet pharmacies sell special products that prevent the formation of hairballs, which can be purchased by the cat owner. In addition to refusal to eat, this problem is also characterized by stool disorders and vomiting.

Situation 7: the cat asks for food, but when you give it, it doesn’t eat

“The cat doesn’t eat, but asks if it hasn’t been given yet. That is, he goes around asking, but as soon as you put food on the plate, he sniffs it, spins around and leaves. But still, he eats twice a day on schedule.”

If the cat is hungry, but does not eat when you offer it, this means that either it does not want to eat, or it was given the wrong thing. The second situation is again a consequence of the fact that the cat doesn’t really want to eat: it is overfed and is eating too much food. And requests for food are nothing more than a sporting interest, a kind of hunting. If a cat is really hungry, she will eat the food that is offered to her (of course, if this food suits her). If the animal receives feeding 2 times a day, you should not give additional food between meals.

What should an owner do if a cat doesn’t eat well?

If the cat feels cheerful and cheerful, has normal bowel movements, and the hunger strike lasts no more than 2 days, then the owner can be calm. It would be a good idea to try to gradually introduce some new foods into the diet, depending on what your cat’s diet is. If the animal eats natural food, then it makes sense to offer it some new but healthy products. If your animal's menu included industrial food, you can purchase a new type - for cats that are picky eaters. But any food should be introduced gradually and the animal should not be forcefully fed.

A good appetite is always considered an indicator of health, so many owners begin to sound the alarm when their beloved pet eats poorly or refuses to eat at all. But refusal to eat is not always a sign of illness or behavioral disorders; sometimes it is a normal condition. You need to learn to understand why the cat does not eat in order to provide the correct help to the cat in time if necessary.

The cat constantly asks for food: causes and their elimination

While some cats suffer from decreased appetite, others have the opposite problem. An eternally hungry cat is a common occurrence. Owners observe how their pets require more than the permitted dose of dry food per day or natural food of more than 5-7% of body weight, that is, more than the average daily norm. Why is this happening? Is it necessary to supplement feeding if a hungry cat constantly asks for food? The answer depends on each specific situation. Here are some examples of reader questions on this topic.

How long can a cat go without eating? What are the dangers of starvation?

These are approximate dates, taking into account that the animal drinks enough these days. Longer fasting or fasting while refusing to drink is dangerous for the life of a pet.

A kitten under 6 months of age can die within 24 hours of fasting, so if the kitten does not eat, it must be force-fed.

In addition to the risk of death, refusing to eat can cause the following health problems:

severe weight loss;
exacerbation of any chronic diseases;
avitaminosis.

How to gradually accustom a cat to dry food?

The entire training process will consist of several stages. First, you should soak the dry food in milk or broth. Of course, clean water will do. But in the first case, the food will be saturated and taste even better.

Secondly, constantly mixing such food with ordinary and familiar ones. And, as mentioned above, its gradual increase. Over time, you can conduct the following experiment. Place dry food next to regular food, without mixing, and watch the cat’s reaction. If your beloved pet eats both, then the job is done, if not, you should continue in the same way. If, despite all attempts on your part, the kitten does not want to eat dry food, you should use other methods.

The main reasons why a cat refuses to eat

Stress.
Changing your diet.
Thermoregulation.
Sexual instinct.
Pregnancy.
Parasites.
Oral diseases.
Poisoning.
Foreign body and fur in the stomach and intestines.
Viral infection.
Diseases of the liver, kidneys and urolithiasis.
Postpartum period.
Consequences of anesthesia.

Stress

Cats are exposed to stress no less, and perhaps even more than people. Moving to a new place of residence, a new bowl, rearranging the room, renovations, a business trip for the owner, or mood swings of the owner - all these are stressful situations for the animal.

Even the arrival of guests or a quarrel between family members can affect the cat’s well-being.

During stress, the cat is not active, she has an apathetic mood, she does not want to play with the owner, she eats poorly or refuses to eat at all. In such a situation, there is no need to force the animal to eat; refusing food for a couple of days is the norm.

Increased attention to the cat from family members, affectionate treatment, and new toys help in stressful situations. In severe cases, consultation with a veterinarian is necessary, who can prescribe sedatives to the animal.

But be careful: the cause of stress may be the onset of an illness.

Changing your diet

New food is stressful in itself. Cats are very picky eaters and are sensitive to any change in diet. A sudden transition from one type of food to another, or a change in the brand of dry or wet food, can lead to the animal going on a hunger strike.

The animal does not understand that the new food is of better quality and cannot appreciate the efforts of the owner. The cat is accustomed to a certain food, so it declares a “boycott” on any unfamiliar food.

Monitor the condition of the animal; if the cat looks healthy and drinks enough water, then you should not worry too much about such a “hunger strike”.

What is this phenomenon?

If a cat constantly asks for food, then this change in eating behavior is called polyphagia. This is a pathological condition caused by:

gluttony and stretching of the stomach walls;
lack of nutrients during the active growth of a young animal;
the body's reaction to medications;
stress or prolonged feeling of discomfort;
cold season;
decreased metabolism in old age.

- I want to eat.

Polyphagia can develop at any age. If your cat has been eating a lot lately, although this was unusual for him before, the reason should be identified as soon as possible.

Attention! Stressful situations and prolonged lack of appetite subsequently provoke polyphagia in cats. After a hunger strike, they try to make up for the lack of nutrients without feeling full.

Nutrition, prevention and care recommendations

To ensure your kitten always feels good, you should use high quality food. When purchasing a kitten, it is advisable to find out the feeding diet from the former owners and follow it in the future. If you change the feeding regimen, it is recommended to do this gradually: each new type of food is introduced in small portions, monitoring the reaction of the kitten’s body.

You should not hope that the disease will go away on its own. Treatment requires a responsible approach.

Feeding kittens with diarrhea

What to feed a kitten with diarrhea? From the first minute after diarrhea is noticed in a kitten, you need to stop feeding it for 12 hours. This does not apply to water. If the baby is too weak and cannot lap water from a bowl on his own, you should give him water from a pipette or bottle and this should be done regularly. After all, dehydration is the worst enemy of a sick animal. You should know that the transfer of a kitten to normal food after a “hungry day” is done gradually. At the same time, they provide non-fat, low-calorie and gentle food. In the first days after illness, you can give chicken broth, kefir, boiled egg, rice porridge with the addition of ground beef or chicken.

Very important! If your treatment does not have the desired effect, but the kitten’s condition worsens, you should seek help from a veterinary clinic as soon as possible. If the kitten has perked up and started asking for food, then you can give it a small amount of boiled rice, you can also give the baby kefir to drink

It’s worth limiting ourselves to this for now. The next day, you can add chicken to your recovering kitten’s diet. So, gradually, the baby will return to normal nutrition without harm to the affected stomach. By the way, products such as milk should be excluded from the patient’s menu. The same applies to fatty, fried and smoked foods.

If the kitten perks up and starts asking for food, then you can give it a small amount of boiled rice, or you can also give the baby kefir to drink. It’s worth limiting ourselves to this for now. The next day, you can add chicken to your recovering kitten’s diet. So, gradually, the baby will return to normal nutrition without harm to the affected stomach. By the way, products such as milk should be excluded from the patient’s menu. The same applies to fatty, fried and smoked foods.

If parasites are detected in your pet, he will be prescribed a specific course of treatment. You will need to follow a medication regimen and a special diet. This treatment is repeated after some time, in accordance with the instructions. If the body is dehydrated, the kitten will be prescribed IV drips: subcutaneously or intravenously. To do this, you will have to take the kitten to a veterinary clinic or you can call a specialist to your home. If diarrhea is caused by an infectious agent, antibiotics are prescribed for treatment.

Care Tips

Viral diseases are one thing. But on the way to a fairly long cat life, many dangers await your pet. Most diseases in cats occur quickly. In addition, cats are secretive creatures and not every owner can immediately determine that something is wrong with their pet.

Therefore, when the kitten’s diarrhea goes away, it’s time to protect its future. Veterinary clinics offer many different vaccines to choose from, some of them even have complex effects. Timely vaccinations are a unique contribution to the health of your pet and great confidence in its safety. Keep in mind that before vaccination, the mustache must first be treated for worms. It would also be a good idea to remove other possible parasites: fleas, ticks. Proper care and prevention is an important aspect for a kitten to live a full life without diarrhea and other troubles. You shouldn't wait for trouble, it's better to prevent it.

When is there nothing to worry about?

All of the listed symptoms of cat gluttony are removable and should not cause concern to owners unless severe exhaustion/obesity, vomiting after eating, or deterioration in the condition of the coat and teeth are observed. Polyphagia can be overcome by properly organizing the feeding of the purring cat.

During the period of active growth and development, which lasts about 2 years, kittens have a great need for nutritious, balanced food. They spend a lot of energy and try to replenish it by eating more than normal. If the kitten eats a lot, grows quickly and remains energetic and playful, then there is nothing to worry about.

Babies need a lot of energy

Peculiarities of eating behavior also depend on the breed, so owners should be aware of their cat’s daily calorie requirement, as well as how this parameter changes depending on the pet’s age.

Female felines may experience an increased appetite after the end of estrus, when they try hard to make up for the lack of calories by eating. During heat, a cat completely loses its appetite due to nervousness, but subsequently they simply eat up, absorbing food in unlimited quantities.

Attention! Older cats show more interest in food than young cats. An active, non-obese pet with a slightly increased appetite should not cause concern.

Pathological causes

There are also pathological reasons why a cat eats a lot and does not get enough, signaling serious changes in the body. This:

impaired absorption of beneficial components due to congenital characteristics of the body or the presence of serious diseases - inflammation and intestinal cancer, exocrine insufficiency, pancreatic tumors;
diabetes mellitus, which often affects pets;
pregnancy and breastfeeding;
helminthic infestation.

If the cat's constant hunger is not associated with pregnancy and worms, it requires specialized veterinary care. The presence of serious diseases affects the appearance of the animal - the cat eats a lot, but loses weight, becomes capricious, loses interest in active games, and its fur and teeth become unattractive.

It may be worth contacting a veterinarian

As a rule, most diseases respond well to treatment and require a balanced diet using special foods. You can detect the presence of the disease yourself, simply by observing your pet: the fact that the cat is always hungry, drinks a lot and often goes to the toilet indicates diabetes.

Problems with the gastrointestinal tract are indicated by vomiting and diarrhea. Of course, only a doctor can prescribe treatment!

What to do?

If the cat asks to eat more than the norm, then you can:

change the food to a more expensive and nutritious one. Cheap economy class mixtures do not contain the vitamins, minerals, and biologically active substances necessary for normal growth and development of the animal. Their deficiency in the cat’s body provokes overeating;
do not feed in excess of the norm, focusing on the instructions for consuming food, the age and physiological characteristics of the cat;
organize fractional feeding at the same time - 2-3 times a day;
eliminate unscheduled snacks that are skillfully begged for by cunning manipulative cats.

A pregnant cat must be fed with specially formulated food that contains the full range of essential nutritional components or the diet must be further enriched with vitamins and minerals. As a preventive measure and to get rid of parasites, regularly administer anthelmintic drugs.

Diabetes mellitus and intestinal diseases require diagnosis and drug treatment. You should also contact a veterinarian if, despite all efforts, the cat constantly asks for food, and its appearance leaves much to be desired.

Should I restrict my pet's food?

What to do if your furry pet has an increased appetite? If the cat tries to get an additional portion of food, you need to go to the veterinarian for consultation. Based on some tests, a specialist must exclude possible diseases.

Please note that the cat must be fed exclusively with premium food.

The fact is that cheap food does not contain enough nutrients. It is for this reason that most often pets are hungry. If the animal does not have problems with excess weight, you can not limit its food intake , provided that the furry pet does not have diseases. If you still have problems with excess weight, you should plan your meal schedule and reduce the portion size. If your pet is energetic and active enough, there is no reason to worry.