Demanding more and more food?

[allroundthesun]

I wasn't sure if I should post this in Cat Nutrition or here, but I chose here because I really think it's a behavioural thing. If that's incorrect, apologies to the mods and of course please move.

I posted this as a reply in the "how many times a day" thread on CN, but would really like a wider range of responses so decided to make a thread instead of hijacking that one.

The problem I'm having is that my cats keep "pressuring"

me for more and more meals each day. We're up to four now, and they're pushing hard for five or more. By which I mean, if it's been two or three hours since a meal, they literally mob me (climb all over me, swat me, meow non-stop, follow me around circling my legs, etc. and it's definitely for food, not affection or play) until I feed them. It's getting ridiculous and I feel like no matter how many times I feed them, they're not satisfied.

None of them have any parasites (all were checked about six weeks ago when they had their annual exams) and they're eating a good quality food (Blue Buffalo, but I've tried Wellness with the same result). Meeko is 16 and has a hyperthyroid so I feed him four or five times a day, which is fine, but I don't feel like the others, who are all in good health and getting the recommended daily amount of food and then some need to be eating four or five times a day (but maybe I'm wrong).

Any suggestions on how to handle this? Should I take a hard line with everyone but Meeko and insist on 3 x daily, which is what I consider reasonable, or should I just feed them as often as they ask, or...?

Thanks very much if anyone has any advice or ideas!

 

[mystik spiral]

It might be hard in the beginning as they've learned that if they pester you enough they get fed

but I would suggest feeding them 3x a day and that's it. They'll get used to it. And I would say that 3x a day is absolutely reasonable. Holland gets wet food twice and day and measured free-feed kibble to eat throughout the day - sometimes she finishes the kibble by 9am and sometimes she still has some left when she gets her wet food at night.

When I adopted Holland I still believed that cats could be free-fed and wouldn't overeat. On her first vet visit her doctor told me "they have to learn that when the food is gone, it's gone."

 

[melorix]

I was about to post almost the exact same issue! My McGee keeps bothering me to be fed, and even though I've barely had him a week and a half, I can already tell what his "FEED ME NOW" command sounds like. He did pick up a mild upper respiratory infection while I was gone for a couple days, so my roommate took him to the vet and he was down .04 ounces (13 pounds down to 12.6). Because of this, I did decide to increase the amount I feed by double just today, and he has eaten everything in his bowl and demanded more.

I don't know if he's just being bossy or if he needs more to fight off his infection. Currently, he gets half a cup of the dry adult Blue Buffalo formula (he will not touch ANY canned food I've attempted to give him) twice a day. He's a very good drinker -- so good that I've considered buying an automatic water dish because he empties his bowl fairly quickly.

Sorry if this should get its own thread, but I thought it might be silly to post two threads about the same topic, even if it pertained to different cats.

 

[lsl]

Even thought it's a good food, it might not be the right food. I tried Wellness, Blue Eagle, Halo, and finally found that Holistic is what the kitties get the right blend on. The other thing is that I started adding just a bit of wet food to the mix. FINALLY, after I adjusted all that, my Siamese stopped begging all hours of every day.

I have two cats, one a Siamese, one a Maincoon and they both have vastly different dietary needs. My MC needs more wetfood. She was drastically losing weight. Whereas my Siamese needs less wetfood and more dry food. They both can eat the Holistic okay, but they need different brands of wet food.

So I would try experimenting a bit with different types. Watch the fat content. I found out really fast that if you were feeding the cats a "multiple cats" blend of food, it actually reduces the fat by %. I was slowly starving my kitties to death!!!!!!!!

 

[coalsmommy]

I have this same problem with my kitten, Coal. He is about 13 weeks. He did this for about a week or so not too long ago... and he's doing it again this week. I just figure he's going through a growth spurt.

I have read on this site that cats will continue to convince you that it is feeding time... especially if you have always eventually given in. Just stand your ground and don't give up. Once you've worked out a feeding schedule and amount... stick to it.

I hope this helps.