Hello; Farley cat is our 8 year old neutered male. We make sure that he has dry food and water available to him at his eating area. 2 times a day (morning & evening) we also feed him 1/2 small can of "Whiskas" (varied kinds). 2 or 3 times (not days) a week the canned food may not be available so he will be fed a larger portion of dry food or occasionally canned fish if we have it.
THE PROBLEM:
The last while (somewhere between 3 - 6 mo.) he is wanting to be fed 4 or 5 hours after he is fed (canned food), even with the dry food in his dish at the time. Sometimes he is more insistent than other times. I've been wondering if he might have intestinal worms(?).
I'll mention a few things about his enviroment that may help perhaps. His sleeping hours are mostly spent inside, but he is an out-door cat. He has always left his "hunts/kills" at the back door (I actually saw him just last week, for the first time, 'finish off' a mouse - tail & all). He is not a people cat at all; hates to be picked up or held, and except for the times just before eating, he would rather NOT be petted, although a nice scratch is welcome sometimes under his chin or ears. He does like to be 'close' to us though - 5 nights a week or so he likes to sleep on the bed, or hangs around us when one of us is outside puttering around the yard.
Another possible reason for his hunger may be his new companion; our 1 year old n. male "Kobe". They get along great; sleep together, groom each other and Kobe has even given Farley more spunk by playing with him. I'm just thinking that Farley might feel that he may get less food, so he makes sure he doesn't by always wanting to eat all the time(?). Kobe never asks for food except at feeding times and eats more dry food and less canned food than Farley does.
I don't know what else I can say about the situation, but the constant yearnings that Farley has to eat whenever he is awake doesn't seem right. Before the new cat (Kobe), Farley asked for food (canned) at odd times, but never as often as it has been the last few months.
I would greatly appreciate 'any' helpful ideas, but I hope that "take him to the Vet" isn't the 'only' response. Thanks for the great web site and opportunity to share. - Jamey
THE PROBLEM:
The last while (somewhere between 3 - 6 mo.) he is wanting to be fed 4 or 5 hours after he is fed (canned food), even with the dry food in his dish at the time. Sometimes he is more insistent than other times. I've been wondering if he might have intestinal worms(?).
I'll mention a few things about his enviroment that may help perhaps. His sleeping hours are mostly spent inside, but he is an out-door cat. He has always left his "hunts/kills" at the back door (I actually saw him just last week, for the first time, 'finish off' a mouse - tail & all). He is not a people cat at all; hates to be picked up or held, and except for the times just before eating, he would rather NOT be petted, although a nice scratch is welcome sometimes under his chin or ears. He does like to be 'close' to us though - 5 nights a week or so he likes to sleep on the bed, or hangs around us when one of us is outside puttering around the yard.
Another possible reason for his hunger may be his new companion; our 1 year old n. male "Kobe". They get along great; sleep together, groom each other and Kobe has even given Farley more spunk by playing with him. I'm just thinking that Farley might feel that he may get less food, so he makes sure he doesn't by always wanting to eat all the time(?). Kobe never asks for food except at feeding times and eats more dry food and less canned food than Farley does.
I don't know what else I can say about the situation, but the constant yearnings that Farley has to eat whenever he is awake doesn't seem right. Before the new cat (Kobe), Farley asked for food (canned) at odd times, but never as often as it has been the last few months.
I would greatly appreciate 'any' helpful ideas, but I hope that "take him to the Vet" isn't the 'only' response. Thanks for the great web site and opportunity to share. - Jamey