- Joined
- Jul 16, 2008
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Boo Cat is about 11 years old, only pet in the house, and is a former feral rescued as a kitten. Until recently, he never begged for human food because he never got any human food. I don't know if it's coincidence, but my mom introduced him to nibbles when he was with her for a week, and since then he has become human-food-aggressive to the extreme, even in my house.
He eats Fussie Cat Chicken in Gravy, with an occasional rotation of a cat-food tuna or salmon meal. He'll eat well for a few days, then it gets sporadic, then he starts sticking in his face in our plates and bowls. Then we argue, he starves himself for as long as he can take it, and eventually he eats. I place a fresh meal for him twice a day. He also has a fresh-water fountain.
I have tried pureeing the chicken shreds in case the problem is tooth pain, but I have also come home to find gnawed bagels and pretzels abandoned on the floor, so I don't think it's a dental issue.
He is convinced that all and any human food is superior and demands the first right to it. Since I am bigger and smarter, I win about 98% of the battles by pushing him away, but when he is able to get at it, he also abandons the food almost immediately because - obviously - spinach (for example) is neither species-appropriate nor particularly tasty to him.
The very aggressive begging is wearing me down. It's crazy, the amunt of drama he can create over less than a cupful of food a day. Why is he doing this and how do I stop it?
Thanks so much to everyone for being here to help!
He eats Fussie Cat Chicken in Gravy, with an occasional rotation of a cat-food tuna or salmon meal. He'll eat well for a few days, then it gets sporadic, then he starts sticking in his face in our plates and bowls. Then we argue, he starves himself for as long as he can take it, and eventually he eats. I place a fresh meal for him twice a day. He also has a fresh-water fountain.
I have tried pureeing the chicken shreds in case the problem is tooth pain, but I have also come home to find gnawed bagels and pretzels abandoned on the floor, so I don't think it's a dental issue.
He is convinced that all and any human food is superior and demands the first right to it. Since I am bigger and smarter, I win about 98% of the battles by pushing him away, but when he is able to get at it, he also abandons the food almost immediately because - obviously - spinach (for example) is neither species-appropriate nor particularly tasty to him.
The very aggressive begging is wearing me down. It's crazy, the amunt of drama he can create over less than a cupful of food a day. Why is he doing this and how do I stop it?
Thanks so much to everyone for being here to help!