Kitten Or Hoover?

[Pip&boba]

Help. My four month old kitten is obsessed with food. I mean she'll claw, moan, growl and climb/bite EVERYTHING and anyone who has any type of food. We have tried everything to stop her but believe the previous owners let her eat everything. Any suggestions would be helpful as she's starting to learn to climb.

 

[tabbytom]

Hi, a four month old cat is pretty much s kitten still. She needs to eat more and often as she is a growing cat.

Feed her wet food which is protein base as she needs proteins to grow.

At her age, she's really exploring and climbing onto things. So keep all breakables, medications and poisons and cords out of sight.

Get ping pong balls or feather wands and play with her. Cardboard boxes will be a great hideout for her.

 

[Ceracera]

No idea on how to solve the food issue. My Kitty used to be food obsessed- hed try to eat food other people were holding, and would even dig in the garbage. In the end, we were just more careful about where we threw food.

But for the climbing where she's not supposed to: double sided tape works wonders.

 

[Pip&boba]

Yeah. She climbs onto tables or up people's legs to get to the food. Tryed to engage her with her toys and feed her before we eat but nothing seems to be working.

 

[aradasky]

Kittens need to eat many times a day. How about feeding her one of her wet food feedings when you are eating?

 

[Pip&boba]

She just ignores it. They get fed three times a day. Morning lunc and evening before we eat to try and deter her

 

[aradasky]

Well that stinker! HAHAHA. Is she eating canned food? I know it sounds like a pain, but maybe before you put out human food, you play with her for 10 mins and then put her canned food in front of her? Like Jackson says, hunt, eat, groom, sleep.

And if she starts to climb up on you, say in a loud voice, OUCH! That HURTS! That will startle her and eventually she should stop. For me, is not what I say, but tone, volume and demeanor that I use that is the tool.

 

[Pip&boba]

Yup she's a nightmare. And She eats canned and dry and thank you.

 

[susanm9006]

I would tell her no, put her down or push her away, and then put her in her carrier until you were finished eating. If you do it with every meal she will learn that she has to leave you alone while you are eating.

 

[danteshuman]

OK I'm the strict one. I NEVER gave my cats people food besides the occasional lick of butter or cheesecake or tuna in water juice. Why? Because I didn't want my guests and myself fighting with my cats to eat their dinner EVERY single meal for the next 20 years. So I never fed them from the table. If I saw them on the table or the kitchen counter I used a squirt gun.
Maybe you don't need a squirt gun. You can try quiet persistence first. Which is gently placing the kitten/cat on the floor while saying off, then ignoring the cat for 5 minutes. I would strongly suggest that you lock her in a room with her own food while you are eating for a couple of months (to get past the kitten crazies.) That way when she starts climbing all over you for food, you put her gently in her room and let her out when dinner is done. I know it sounds like a pain .... but 15-20 years. Just keep repeating that
Lastly can you also supplement her wet food with some dry kitten food? If I was feeding a kitten only wet food I would expect them to eat 4-6 times a day, depending on their age. Good luck

 

[tabbytom]

Help. My four month old kitten is obsessed with food. I mean she'll claw, moan, growl and climb/bite EVERYTHING and anyone who has any type of food. We have tried everything to stop her but believe the previous owners let her eat everything. Any suggestions would be helpful as she's starting to learn to climb.

Best is not to let her eat human food especially those with garlic and onions. These are toxic to cats.

Your kitten is still young and is trainable. They are inquisitive and like to poke their nose in everything. If your kitten sees you with food, show him what you have, let him have a sniff and tell him it's not for him. Then move the food away and if he keeps coming, do the same and say the same till he gets the message and you can eat in peace after that.

I do that to my boy and he knows he can't eat but at least he can have a sniff. Any food in my hand, he'll check it out and after that he'll walk away. Just be patience

 

[hilgenep]

OK I'm the strict one. I NEVER gave my cats people food besides the occasional lick of butter or cheesecake or tuna in water juice. Why? Because I didn't want my guests and myself fighting with my cats to eat their dinner EVERY single meal for the next 20 years. So I never fed them from the table. If I saw them on the table or the kitchen counter I used a squirt gun.
Maybe you don't need a squirt gun. You can try quiet persistence first. Which is gently placing the kitten/cat on the floor while saying off, then ignoring the cat for 5 minutes. I would strongly suggest that you lock her in a room with her own food while you are eating for a couple of months (to get past the kitten crazies.) That way when she starts climbing all over you for food, you put her gently in her room and let her out when dinner is done. I know it sounds like a pain .... but 15-20 years. Just keep repeating that
Lastly can you also supplement her wet food with some dry kitten food? If I was feeding a kitten only wet food I would expect them to eat 4-6 times a day, depending on their age. Good luck

If putting her back down on the ground doesn't deter her and she's not interested in her own food, I would agree with putting her away while you eat until you get past the kitten crazies. It sounds like she may be too frantic and focused on the food to really respond to any correction or take you up on any alternatives.

I fostered a kitten like this and simply had to make sure she couldn't get to me or my food while I ate. She was adopted by family so I see her often and she is MUCH better as an adult. Doesn't so much as sniff at human food. So it does get better, I promise!