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.
Situation 1: a hungry cat does not eat up natural food; previously drying was always available
“My cat, until she was 2 years old, ate only dry food; it was always available. Now we have switched her to natural food twice a day and cannot feed her: she constantly asks for food throughout the day. Why does a cat always want to eat?
Over the course of 2 years, the cat got used to a diet where food was available all the time. Now she is limited to two meals, which is unusual for her and can even cause stress. Naturally, it is inappropriate to keep natural food available at all times; such nutrition requires 2-3 meals a day. However, the cat needs time to readjust. This takes from 1 to 3 months. At this time, if possible, you can divide the daily portion into 3 meals instead of two, and then, when the cat gets used to this regimen, remove the daily meal, again dividing it between breakfast and dinner. If it is not possible to feed three times a day, you will just have to wait until the body readjusts.
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The role of water in the diet
The cat asks the cat: options for how to calm it down at home
The cat must have constant access to clean water. This is especially important if your pet eats dry food. If the animal's fur is shiny and silky, and it urinates at least twice a day, then there is enough water.
Clean water is essential when feeding kibble.
Situation 2: the cat does not get enough of two meals a day, previously he ate food twice a day
“My cat wants to eat all the time. The feeling that he simply does not get enough of natural food. When I was at the stern, I ate twice a day and didn’t ask for extra. Now he follows me around all day and looks at me with pitiful eyes. He eats 5% of his weight, that is, according to science. Does he really need more? What if he gets fat then? The cat asks for food - does it mean he’s missing something?
Most likely, this condition will pass some time after switching to a natural diet. Many cats are delighted with raw meat, because it is the right food, so at first they try to eat more. In addition, the body also needs to be rebuilt. There is a study that shows that by eating approximately the same food for 2-4 weeks, the cat gets used to it - and its body learns to regulate activity in accordance with the amount of energy supplied by the food. At the same time, the body gets used to a certain amount of food and learns to get enough of it. That is, a kind of adjustment of the body to the proposed type of nutrition occurs. The situation usually returns to normal within 1-3 months.
But it’s still worth analyzing the cat’s activity and condition. If you see a lack of body weight (ribs and spine stick out) or the cat is overly active, then perhaps he is missing 5%. Then the amount of food can be increased slightly or made more caloric. Lean pork, chicken heads, and poultry thighs with skin help with this.
If the cat is in normal condition, he is well-fed, and his activity is so-so, in addition, the animal is castrated, which is why it may also feel an excessive appetite, it does not need additional food. Then you can resort to tricks to better saturate your cat with food of the same calorie content. For example, if you serve meat in small or medium-sized pieces, try cutting them larger. When a cat has to try hard to eat the “prey”, work hard with its jaw, it takes longer - then the animal realizes faster that it is full. Similar mechanisms operate in humans. Secondly, active jaw activity is an important element of eating due to a number of neurophysiological reactions, which results in increased levels of happiness and decreased stress.
No. 3 The cat eats quickly, but then asks for more
This behavior can be detected in a cat that has been starving for a long time. Greed for food and eating it without even chewing are signs that may suggest the sad past of a pet who has known a hungry life on the street.
Here the hunger has an exclusively psychological reason - the cat is afraid that the food will run out and the next one will not be given. If so, you need to eat for future use.
Situation 3: the cat does not eat enough after changing food
“After the operation to remove the testicles, we switched the cat to castrate food, because this is considered correct. However, now he asks for food all the time. As soon as we return the old food, everything returns to normal, but we understand that we cannot feed it, because... castrati are prone to obesity. Why does the cat constantly ask for food? What to do?"
In fact, not all castrates gain weight after having their testicles removed. Many people do not even experience increased appetite, although this is rare. Feeding them regular food, not for castrati, is quite possible and, rather, even necessary. We discussed this situation in detail in another publication.
How often to feed kittens
How a cat behaves before giving birth: yelling and other changes in behavior
Small pets are fed more often. A newborn kitten, which for various reasons has been left without its mother's milk, is given food every two hours without stopping at night. Babies up to two months of age are fed every 6 hours. At the age of 4-5 months, kittens are transferred to a three-time diet. After six months they can be fed two or three times a day.
Kittens require special attention
Situation 4: the cat began to eat too much after castration
“After we castrated our Marquis, he had a crazy appetite. He only thinks about food. He asks all the time. I have already improved significantly. We are afraid of obesity. Why does my cat always want to eat? Can I feed him even more or not? The cat is on a natural diet.”
You are right to be afraid of obesity, because if the cat passes on, such a fate is inevitable. On the contrary, a neutered male or female cat has a lower calorie requirement than a non-neutered one. Accordingly, there are no objective reasons for increasing the amount of food. Moreover, castrates, even without taking into account the overeating factor, are more prone to a loose body due to hormonal changes.
Nevertheless, the problem must be solved. The increased appetite of castrates is dictated by hormonal changes: now the cat’s body is guided in the feeling of satiety by whether the stomach is full or not. Therefore, the first possible solution is to add more vegetables to the meat than before, but still within the acceptable limits - 10-15% of the diet. Vegetables are practically not absorbed by the cat’s body, passing through the gastrointestinal tract in transit. However, vegetables immediately after eating give you a feeling of fullness, being a kind of ballast and taking up a lot of space. That is, during one meal, the cat consumes a larger volume of food, but the food does not become more caloric. This, by the way, is the basis of the operating principle of many foods for castrates; however, as a rule, they do not contain vegetables, but a lot of grains, which is cheaper but harmful. Therefore, it is better to prepare a natural menu.
In addition, you can use the trick described above, when the pieces of meat are served in large form, so that they take longer to bite off and take longer to digest. And finally, you can divide the daily portion of food into 3 meals without increasing its volume.
In general, I would like to once again draw your attention to the fact that constant begging is not a reason to open the refrigerator. Obesity is life-threatening, and it will definitely come to an animal that moves little, sleeps a lot and eats in excess.
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Normal feeding frequency and portion sizes
The pet's diet includes store-bought dry or wet food, as well as natural food. The serving size depends on the age of the pets and their activity.
For kittens
Kittens need to eat frequently for normal growth and development. However, the volume of the portion received should be small so that the baby has time to digest the food received.
An excess of food or, conversely, a lack of it leads to disturbances in the formation of the body. Digestive disorders, obesity or nutritional deficiencies may occur. The frequency of feeding a kitten depends on its age. At the beginning of complementary feeding - 5 times, gradually the owner should reduce the frequency of feedings to 2-3 times by 6 months.
The volume of the daily portion of dry food depends on the age of the baby. So, at the age of 1-2 months, it will be enough for a pet to eat from 30 to 50 g of store-bought food per day. From 2 to 4 months, the kitten is given 40-65 g, from 4 to 6 months - 55-70 g. From six months of age, the norm of dry food reaches 60-80 g.
Wet food is also introduced gradually, starting complementary feeding with 120 g per day. Gradually, the volume of canned food or natural food is increased to 250 g by 6 months.
For adults and active animals
Food helps adults stay active and energetic. A properly selected diet should contain the right amount of animal protein, vitamins and microelements.
An adult cat is fed no more than 2-3 times a day. The amount of food depends on the weight of the pet. Dry food is given at the rate of 12-15 g per 1 kg of cat weight. So, a mustache with a body weight of 3 kg should receive about 45 g of “drying”.
Wet food and canned food are given in a volume of 60-70 g per 1 kg of weight, or 5% of the total weight of the animal. The serving size for a 3 kg cat will be 180-210 g.
Natural food for active adult fluffies should consist of meat, cereals, vegetables and dairy products. The main part of the diet is meat and offal. The animal needs to eat up to 30 g of protein products per 1 kg of weight per day. The daily intake of cereals is about 15 g, vegetables – 10 g, fermented milk products – 20 g.
For older people
The nutrition of older cats should support the normal functioning of all organs and systems and not cause digestive disorders. The menu should contain easily digestible food appropriate to the age of the individual.
In terms of the frequency and volume of portions, the diet of an elderly mustache does not differ from that consumed in an active age. If the cat is obese, the daily portion can be reduced by 10-15%.
Situation 5: a pregnant cat constantly asks for food
“Ever since my cat got pregnant, she has been eating a lot. I understand that pregnant women eat more. But how much more? How to calculate the norm?
The situation when a nursing cat constantly asks for food or a pregnant cat is always hungry is quite normal. During this period, all her juices are sucked by the kittens (either in the womb or when they drink their mother's milk). Therefore, pregnant and lactating cats are not limited in food - they themselves regulate the amount they eat.
Why does my cat always ask for food even though he's not hungry?
The desire to snack in individuals of any age is caused by both physiological and psychological reasons. They cannot be ignored, because in advanced cases they lead to the development of chronic nervous conditions.
Competition for food with other pets
Living in the same house with other pets makes you want to be first at the food bowl. Even a mustache that has eaten a hearty meal will not want to give the food left on the plate to its relative. The greedy person will try to be the first to be at the feeder and quickly eat not only her own, but also someone else’s portion.
Eating stress
False hunger is a sign of psychogenic polyphagia, which occurs against the background of eating disorders. An excessive increase in appetite develops due to severe emotional shock. Stress is provoked by various reasons: long separation from the owner, a trip to the veterinarian, change of place of residence.
Lack of attention
Fluffy pets really need care and affection from their adored owner. If the owner ignores the pet’s desire to take him on his lap and caress him, then sooner or later the animal will begin to suffer from lack of attention. Your furry friend will be worried and bored.
To attract the attention of a person, the cat will begin to constantly ask for food. This is not only an opportunity for him to attract the owner, but also a way to cope with stress.
Fear of hunger in street animals
Homeless mustaches survive in very difficult conditions, so they are always in search of food. Even when they find themselves in a family of loving owners, former street animals do not immediately get rid of old habits.
Cats are afraid of hunger, so they too often go to the bowl of food and wait for more - so that they can eat for the future. Individual comrades can stock up by hiding food in different parts of the house.
Situation 6: old cat constantly asks for food
“I have an old cat who is always hungry - what should I do? This didn't happen before. We follow the lead and give more food, but the cat still lost weight.”
The answer to the question of why a cat is always hungry may be advanced age. Firstly, some older cats suffer from senile dementia (although in relation to cats it is more correct to say “cognitive dysfunction”), which is why their eating behavior may be impaired: their appetite can become either reduced or increased.
Secondly, if a cat wants to eat all the time, perhaps she actually wants affection and attention, and she associates food with these pleasant things. As you know, old cats need attention more than young ones.
Also, the reason for increased appetite in old people may be that with age, digestion begins to work sluggishly - and beneficial substances coming from food are absorbed less well. In addition, older cats may have reduced immunity, which results in the active development of worms. Often diabetes, which cats sometimes acquire along with excess body weight, causes increased appetite.
If you see that the cat is hungry all the time, but despite the fact that he is given food, he is losing weight, this is a signal - you need to see a veterinarian. Perhaps the fact is that the worms eat most of the nutrients. Perhaps the body itself does not absorb nutrients properly. Also, thinness with increased appetite occurs due to cancer and other diseases. In any case, you need to make a diagnosis and find out the cause of the increased appetite.
How to keep your pet's weight within normal limits
A veterinarian will help you find out the nutritional norm. In addition, approximate daily allowances for mustaches of different ages and different body weights are indicated on food packages.
Should I limit the amount of food I eat?
Restrictions on the amount of food will only help those pets who suffer from excess weight or food allergies. A special diet is provided for such cats. By adhering to a certain regime, the glutton will restore normal body weight and will be able to lead an active lifestyle. In other cases, restrictions on the volume and frequency of feeding are not correct.
How to tell if your cat is malnourished or obese
An attentive and caring owner always sees when something happens to his pet. Problems with underweight or excess body weight are very visible. Obesity is characterized by low activity, the appearance of fatty deposits and folds. Thinness is noticeable through too sunken sides and a protruding spine.
The owner’s main task is to find out the cause of the pet’s painful condition. It is impossible to do this on your own. Only a veterinarian can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
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.
Other possible causes of constant hunger in cats
- Cold season. Increased calorie consumption to heat the body. The cat requires double portions.
- Advanced age of the individual. Older cats are characterized by reduced resistance (stability) of the body. Also, older individuals freeze more often and more often.
- The body's reaction to certain medications. The list of drugs that most often cause hunger includes anticonvulsants and hormonal drugs.
- The cat suffered stress and discomfort persisted for a long time. During stressful situations, the animal almost does not eat, and after eliminating the dangers, it begins to actively replenish lost energy reserves.
Situation 8: we got a second pet - and the first one began to attack food
“We have a cat who has always had a normal appetite, sometimes even a bad one. But as soon as we got a kitten, after about a week the cat began to eat like crazy. Sweeps everything they give. A month has already passed and she has recovered a little. What with her?"
This is a common situation: the feeling of competition encourages the animal to eat more greedily. Often cats begin to eat a lot when under stress or when a new family member, not necessarily even an animal, arrives. In this case, increased appetite can last for several months until the stress passes, or remain forever, because... competition will not go away. The only thing that can be done here is to feed the pets separately, or to provide the old-timer with a higher, secluded place, for example, on a windowsill, and protect him from the newcomer’s attempts to take away the food.
Why did the cat start eating a lot?
An increase in appetite occurs for the following reasons:
- Unbalanced diet that uses flavor enhancers. The cat eats a lot and produces a lot of feces.
- Season: cats walking outside gain fat during the cold season, so their appetite increases.
- Castration: the cat loses motivation for physical activity, he begins to eat a lot out of boredom.
- Pregnancy and lactation. In a cat carrying a litter, the calorie requirement increases by 30%, in a nursing cat - by 3 times. Therefore, food should be in the feeder at all times.
- High worminess. Parasites constantly require food.
- Metabolic diseases.
Situation 9: the cat just started eating a lot
“What if the cat simply began to eat more dry food than normal? Previously, she was even malnourished, but now the indicated norm on the bag of food for her weight is not enough. Closer to 18 pm the bowl is already empty.”
It also happens that an animal, for no apparent reason, begins to eat more than normal. The condition may be harmless and go away on its own over time. But such behavior can also indicate the presence of a number of diseases of the internal organs. For example, cats with diabetes ask for a lot of food. You especially need to be wary if the cat is losing weight. Pay attention to your pet's food: if it is high-carbohydrate (carbohydrates more than 10%), then your cat is at risk. But the diagnosis must be made by a veterinarian. The sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of a favorable outcome.
No. 1 Kitty asks for a treat
If you often pamper your purr with treats, then he may well begin to “beg” even if he has just eaten. Cats know very well where everything is, so if your pet looks expressively at the shelf where his favorite treat is located, it means that he is not so much hungry as he wants to “treat himself” to something tasty.
conclusions
Constantly searching for food is normal for cats. If a cat asks to eat or steals, then in most cases this is not because he really needs food for physiological reasons. Asking for food between meals is not a reason to panic and think that the cat is malnourished. On the contrary, if the cat does not ask to eat, this usually means that he has overeaten. But you should be wary if the cat, in addition to increased appetite, has underweight and visible health problems, for example, dull hair and falling out, watery eyes, or something else unusual happens. In this case, you should definitely see a veterinarian.
In general, many cats love to eat, so they constantly beg for food, even if there is no physiological need. This is a kind of hunting: wild brothers hunt mice, and domestic ones, out of sporting interest, can beg food from the owner or steal. Therefore, you need to treat begging calmly, without giving your pet a treat every time he asks.
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In what cases should you contact a veterinarian?
There are situations when the owner should not hesitate to visit the veterinary clinic. Sometimes a cat constantly asks for food because it is suffering from serious illnesses, and hunger is just one of the symptoms. Other warning signs include:
- vomit;
- temperature increase;
- digestive disorders;
- weight loss;
- apathetic state;
- dulling of fur;
- discharge from the eyes or nose.
A sick pet often seeks solitude and tries to dodge the caresses of its owner. Sometimes a suffering mustachioer cannot stand being in bright rooms, trying to crawl under a table or bed. Such signs, along with a feeling of excessive hunger, are symptoms of health problems.
Why does a cat eat a lot but not get enough?
If the owner provides a sufficient amount of food, but the cat is constantly hungry, you need to find out why this is happening. There may be several pathological and physiological explanations for this.
Among cats, there is such a thing as polygapia - a constant feeling of hunger. It can appear against a background of high nervous tension in animals. In stressful situations, their appetite increases, that is, they, like people, can eat stress and gain excess weight.
Important! If your cat is constantly asking for food, it is most advisable to seek help from a veterinarian to get professional advice.
Sometimes it happens that a cat constantly and persistently asks for food, but remains thin. Additional symptoms such as vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and depression may appear. In this case, you need to examine your pet for the presence of parasites in the body, which absorb nutrients, and the animal begins to lose weight. Roundworms of various types are often found in cats. Worm infestation is a serious disease that needs to be treated promptly.
Obesity is the result of overeating
It happens that animals have a disturbance in the absorption of nutrients. In this case, weight gain is also noted. Such a disorder may be congenital, or may be the result of some pathology in the body. In this case, immediate contact with a veterinarian is necessary.
A cat that constantly begs for food may have endocrine diseases. The most common of these is diabetes mellitus. Its main features:
- increased appetite. The cat eats a lot and greedily and quickly gets fat;
- strong thirst. The pet begins to drink a lot and often;
- frequent urination;
- Sometimes the animal may smell of acetone.
Note! Hypothyroidism also occurs in cats, when the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. It is these hormones that regulate the metabolic rate in the body of animals. A veterinarian will also help here, making a diagnosis and prescribing treatment.
A hormonal disorder called acromegaly occurs in animals. It is associated with a very large amount of growth hormones that are produced in the cat's body. The disease is manifested by increased appetite, intense thirst, and widening of the muzzle in animals. A large number of hormones disrupts the process of insulin production. As a result, the cat develops diabetes mellitus. In this case, it is very important to contact a veterinarian in a timely manner.
It is quite normal for a cat to constantly want to eat while expecting or feeding offspring. Under no circumstances should it be overfed. Excess weight can cause complications during childbirth. The diet of a nursing cat should be high in calories, but moderation is also important here.
A mother cat needs to feed her offspring, so her diet must be under control
It happens that the animal is forced to starve for some time. This may be the period before surgery or a time when the owner is absent and does not have the opportunity to feed the pet. When very hungry, the cat will meow and ask for food even after being fed.
Important! It should be remembered that a very hungry pet should not be given large portions of food. The animal may begin to vomit or begin to diarrhea. It is necessary to feed often and little by little, and not to succumb to provocations in the form of meowing and screaming.
A decrease in ambient temperature can cause an increased appetite in the animal. It is known that during the cold season, the body spends more calories to maintain heat, and accordingly, appetite increases to replenish energy reserves.
Old, long-lived cats often get cold. To keep warm, they need a lot of calories, i.e. food.
Sometimes animals have to be given enzyme, anticonvulsant or hormonal drugs. A side effect of these medications is increased hunger.
If a cat is neutered, over time he may become very greedy for food. The same thing often happens to a cat after sterilization. Owners often wonder why a sterilized cat eats so much. Animals become sedentary, prefer to sleep a lot, spend fewer calories, but constantly ask for food. In this case, the pet must consume about 70% of the food that it ate before, otherwise obesity is inevitable, which will lead to bad consequences.
These are the main reasons why a cat eats a lot and does not get enough.
Veterinarian assistance is often required
In what cases is it necessary to consult a doctor:
- the cat feels sick and vomits;
- the pet's body temperature has increased;
- the animal meows pitifully, it is noticeable that something hurts;
- diarrhea or constipation appeared;
- an increase in appetite is accompanied by weight loss;
- there is intense thirst and frequent urination;
- presence of traces of blood in feces or urine;
- the cat became lethargic and inactive;
- the animal is hiding and wants to be alone;
- the animal's fur has become dull and matted;
- discharge from your pet's nose or eyes;
- unusually active behavior.
Why is it dangerous to overfeed kittens?
As soon as the baby is taken from the mother, as a rule, this happens no earlier than 2.5-3 months, the responsibility for feeding it falls entirely on its owners. Proper nutrition and a balanced diet are the most important factors in the full development of a pet. At the same time, you need to understand that overfeeding is just as dangerous for a growing body as underfeeding.
INTERESTING TO KNOW: Why you shouldn’t give kittens cow’s milk
The kitten's stomach is still very small and is not able to process large volumes of food, so it needs to be fed in small portions, but often. However, many owners believe that the more you feed your baby, the better for his growing body. This is a dangerous misconception!
A kitten that systematically overeats develops a large belly, which not only prevents it from moving, but can also paralyze the functioning of the digestive tract. A large and hard belly may also indicate that the baby has stool stagnation (constipation) due to overfeeding, which occurs due to a decrease in physical activity. Such kittens are very lethargic, move with difficulty and sleep a lot.
To normalize the digestion process, it is necessary to urgently adjust the diet: limit the number and volume of feedings, switch to high-quality special food for kittens, introduce a sufficient amount of microelements and vitamins into the diet - if preference is given to natural food, good food already contains nutrients in the quantity required for a growing organism.
And, of course, it is very important to provide the baby with sufficient physical activity.
