Hi there, Moms!
I'm hoping there is a vet tech or vet out there who can answer this one...I have a wonderful 6-month-old kitten -- who is an absolute pig. He's a tabby and is going to be a very big cat regardless -- he was also a feral, and was nearly starving when we took him in -- he and his littermates would fight over food. He is now wonderfully socialized, and just a sweetie pie. BUT -- he is a complete chow hound.
I had been giving him one small can (Fancy Feast) of wet food at night, and letting him have free access to dry kitten chow. But he is scarfing the dry food at an alarming rate. I have since stopped giving him 'free access' and instead give him a scoop in the morning.
Now, he is 'stealing' food -- he was up on the hamster cage last night, eating the hamster's food out of the open trough attached to the side!! And, he's jumping up on counters and tables and begging or stealing.
He does NOT have worms, and he is very, very healthy and active. He isn't fat -- yet -- but he is decidedly beefy.
Ideas? How much food does a growing kitten need on a daily basis?
Thanks!
Hi J.,
Your kitten sounds like a barrel of fun! Keep doing what your doing except don’t leave food on your table or counters, move the hamster food dish and don’t buy any birds!
Blessings……
Hi J., When I read your message, I had to laugh. We have several cats. A year ago, we had to put down one of our older ones, but she was the only one that cuddled, so I had to get another kitty. I got her from a foster home. She was 8 weeks old and was basically left for dead when these people took her in till she was ready. After bringing her home, we would feed her 1/4 can of wet food in the morning ( I have 4 cats, so I equally share the can) and dry food available when needed. She would never stop eating. She would go over and push the other cats out of the way and eat all of their food as well. At one point, she was pretty fat. I am not sure if you have other cats, but we have to babysit her while she eats. We have to tell her no, and she sits there until they are all finished. While she still eats alot, she has calmed down quite a bit from her earlier eating habits, except when it comes to wet food. I am not a vet, but as long as your kitty isn't eating so much that she is throwing up all the time, I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe it is just going to be a big cat and needs to eat. I have a feral cat too that I got when she was a kitten. She will scarf stuff up but only when she is by herself.
I am not sure if this would make a difference, but I am sure they sell food out there that is more filling and better for the kitty. Good Luck
Hahahaha! The hamster's food! He is just going to be a pig. My Jimmy Ray gets frantic over food and tries to steal it off the counter, too -- but he's learning that he can't steal it off my plate.
As an RVT (the RN of the vet world)I have a couple of things to add. His overeating could be the a learned behavior from his earlier lifestyle. I do have a couple of suggestions. Obesity is a problem with cats and dogs (70% are obese). they can have the same issue as we do with weigh, heart problems and cats particularly can be diabetics. Although this is rare in cats this young, cats can develop hyperthyroidism. Usually around 5-8 years of age they have uncontrollable hunger and then begin to lose weigh because their metabolism is working at such a high level. So if you vet recommends blood work they may want to make sure this is not the cause.
Other concerns, make sure you have had a FRESH stool sample checked for worms (samples can be refridgerated until taken in but you really want one within a couple of hours). Most of the worms we worry about can be detected this way. It is actually rare that you see a worm in their stools until they are really infested. The vet checks for eggs which can only be done with a microscope. That said, one type of worm commonly called the tapeworm is very difficult to find in the stool. The eggs are not easily found. The signs for tapeworms are small white "things" about the size of a seasame seed around the fur on their anus. Owners will notice what they think are small dried seasame seeds in the animals bedding. These are tried tapeworm segments. Harmless to us because they have to be in a flea and ingested to infect a host. So if you are not regularly treating them with a flea control product (Revolution, Advantage, or Frontline) they can get worms at any time, particularly tapeworms. The flea control product in the grocery stores are different chemically and DO NOT work well.
As for the diet choice. It is important that kittens are getting a kitten diet during the first year of their life. If the cat is prone to weight gain around 6mth and often at the time of neutering we will recommend switching to an adult diet. The quality of the diet makes a difference. Ye4s, vets make money selling diets but the diets take of space in the vet office and managing the inventory is expensive so we actually sell them for a reason. With the exception of Iams and Purina One, I usually tell owners that most of the food in the grocery store is like eating at McDonalds everyday. It may taste good once and awile but it is not necessary healthy for you. The canned food like fancy feast is very high in fat and very palatable. So it tastes good. Like us cats like the taste of high fat. If your cat is neutered ask the vet about a weigh control diet or at least a better quality food. By a diet at Petco or at least a better brand. The weigh control diets have a high fiber content so he gets the nutrition he needs and the sensation of being full.
Hope this is to much info. I also agree you may have to keep other food sources out of reach. Get a couple of spray bottles and fill them with water. Spray him when he jumps up where he shouldn't for food.
oops. As for amount of food. A good qality diet usually has wet and dry alternatives and will tell you the amount to feed my weight. Look at the back of a bag of the dry food for feeding recommendation at any of the diets like Science diet in Petco.
Hope this helps.
