She Always Wants More!

[JGombs99]

I have a new (to me) cat. I've had her home for two weeks (yesterday). The only info I have on her is that she's a year and a half old, and that she was an owner surrender in Tennessee (I'm in NY state). I know it's normal for cats to always want to eat, and they don't have a shut off. But, with my Patches, it seems crazy!

She's 8 lbs and has a small frame. The vet says she's fine at her weight, but he doesn't want her to gain anymore weight. He also says my feeding regimen is appropriate (half a 5.5 oz can of Dave's wet food in the morning, and 1/4 cup of Whole Earth Farms dry at night). But, she ALWAYS wants MORE! She's constantly meowing at me, and even more so if we're in the kitchen. She goes absolutely crazy as I'm putting her food down. She is constantly trying to get into my food, my cup, etc. Any suggestions? Is this normal? Is it just playful? Is there something to it? Do I ignore it, or do I need to pay attention?

 

[lily.loves.pusheen]

my cat is the same way!!

 

[lily.loves.pusheen]

i try to feed my cat salmon food cause she does not like that as much..try a food ur cat does not like. Hope i could help <3

 

[Kieka]

Daves food calories vary so looking just at chicken for a baseline, a 5.5oz can has 141 calories. Half a can is 70 calories then. Whole Earth Farms is 352 calories in a cup (for grain free dry cat). So 1/4 cup is 88 calories. That gives her 158 calories a day. At 8 pounds she should be eating between 160 and 240 calories a day (20 calories a day for an inactive cat and 30 for a highly active is a general average).

By my calculations, she is getting the low end. If she is an active cat that isn't enough. Obviously metabolism is going to be a factor and the 20-30 is an average not a hard and fast rule. She could have a higher metabolism. I know my boy acts like I am starving him on less than 350 calories and he is a 13 pound lanky cat so he needs at least 27 calories per pound.

It could also be she came from a background where food was an issue so she has learned to beg so she doesn't run out. My rescue rabbit hid his food for the first few months because we think he was trying to trick us into feeding him more. He still rations out his food so his vegetables last all day and will bury the stuff he really likes in his hay pile so we don't see he still has it. But it took 4 months of him getting regular feedings before he stopped constantly hiding everything.

Personally, I'd increase her food a little. Probably up the wet food to a full can if you can afford to with a slight decrease in dry or up the dry. Weigh her weekly and check her body condition to see how it goes. If her body condition starts looking too chunky then cut back down. She's still young enough that my knee jerk reaction is it is too little food. But check her body condition against this chart to be sure.

fat-cat-scale.png

• Kieka
• Feb 1, 2017
• 3

And this is a good view of my 350 calories a day boy (he is the skinny one standing up, my girl sitting is 8 pounds and does about 160-200 a day. She looks rounder but that is just her rib cage shape. I know his exact because he was on cage rest at one point) to show that body condition is more important then trying to measure how much food just by calories and manufacture suggestions.

 

[maggiedemi]

Hi. My cats eat slightly more than that. I would either up the dry food by 1/8 cup or give the rest of the can of Dave's.

 

[JGombs99]

Thanks for the advice! As mentioned, different flavors of Dave's wet vary in certain nutrients and calories. While I understand and appreciate the advice to increase the amounts I'm feeding, I'm wondering if this will work across the board. I ask this because I haven't found a flavor she doesn't like. Will feeding double the wet food and the same amount of dry balance out, or would this only be productive if I was feeding a consistent flavor/nutritional make up? Also, I'm wondering if switching to feeding all Dave's (wet and dry) would help? I can't decide if Dave's dry or Whole Earth is a better quality.

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm with M maggiedemi and Kieka regarding increasing both the wet and the dry - I know your vet said that he doesn't want her to gain weight but that could be a little bit of a kneejerk reaction to the "epidemic" of overweight cats that's going on...
When you really look at the GORGEOUS fellow in the photos (THAT is easy to do ) you can see that he has a waist, but otherwise his body condition is super - you don't get the sense that you'd be able to feel bones when you touch him or pick him up.
For your girl to be struggling so hard to get more food, in my opinion, is an indication that she is possibly playing catchup regarding nutrients from poor feeding prior to you. You could maybe give her some storebought raw for a little while as an addition to her other food - maybe some Primal nuggets.

To answer your questions, I believe that feeding a variety of brands is worthwhile, you're avoiding too much exposure to bad ingredients, plus if she does get picky, and/or they change the makeup of the food like they do so frequently, you have a better backup plan.
Due to the fact that every cat is different, if it were me I'd go with your thought of doubling the wet food quantity, maybe add some raw (doesn't have to be forever, and even maybe every other or third day after a while, she'll still get the benefits) and see how she does.
Thank you for being such a caring cat person - she's lucky to have you!

 

[cifelliac]

As other's mentioned that isn't enough, I would recommend you feed her 1/2 cup of dry at night instead of 1/4.

At the shelter I volunteered at we recommended for foster and shelter cats to eat 1/4 can wet (5.5oz) and 1/4 cup dry AM and PM, and that was enough for healthy cats to keep a good weight. (As recommended by our vets.) If you have a small 3oz can then you would feed 1/2 the can.

 

[maggiedemi]

I wouldn't go over 1/3 cup with the dry food. My cats start having pee problems at 1/2 cup of dry food. I'd increase the wet food if you can. My cats have never gotten fat on wet food.

 

[Furballsmom]

Wow, maybe it's because I have a big cat - 14 pounds of hale hearty and healthy feline. But even cifelliac 's amounts seem small to me.
Anyway, JGombs99 , given these guidelines which aren't really as far apart as it might seem, you'll be able to find what works for your furbaby.
You could even boil up some unseasoned chicken or turkey and give her a little bit of that. If you wanted to, also check the nutritional ratio of kitten food - some members give their cats kitten food once a week or so, something like that.

 

[JGombs99]

Thanks, all! I just want to do right by this little girl. After recently losing my first cat ever after 13 years together (he was about 15), I want to be sure to do everything right. This is the first time I'm feeding both wet and dry at the same time, so it's a bit of a learning process. This cat is also smaller than my last boy was (he was a 12 lb long hair, she's an 8 lb short hair).

A few things I forgot to mention (that probably do lend themselves to increasing her food). She does seem to be quite active. She races around the house like crazy, always follows me all around, and occasionally gets the crazy cat spook (takes off for what seems like absolutely no reason). She also always completely cleans her bowl (except for occasionally leaving a few kibbles). Denver, my last cat had been a stray at one point, and he never completely emptied his bowl.

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

Daves food calories vary so looking just at chicken for a baseline, a 5.5oz can has 141 calories. Half a can is 70 calories then. Whole Earth Farms is 352 calories in a cup (for grain free dry cat). So 1/4 cup is 88 calories. That gives her 158 calories a day. At 8 pounds she should be eating between 160 and 240 calories a day (20 calories a day for an inactive cat and 30 for a highly active is a general average).

By my calculations, she is getting the low end. If she is an active cat that isn't enough. Obviously metabolism is going to be a factor and the 20-30 is an average not a hard and fast rule. She could have a higher metabolism. I know my boy acts like I am starving him on less than 350 calories and he is a 13 pound lanky cat so he needs at least 27 calories per pound.

It could also be she came from a background where food was an issue so she has learned to beg so she doesn't run out. My rescue rabbit hid his food for the first few months because we think he was trying to trick us into feeding him more. He still rations out his food so his vegetables last all day and will bury the stuff he really likes in his hay pile so we don't see he still has it. But it took 4 months of him getting regular feedings before he stopped constantly hiding everything.

Personally, I'd increase her food a little. Probably up the wet food to a full can if you can afford to with a slight decrease in dry or up the dry. Weigh her weekly and check her body condition to see how it goes. If her body condition starts looking too chunky then cut back down. She's still young enough that my knee jerk reaction is it is too little food. But check her body condition against this chart to be sure.

fat-cat-scale.png

• Kieka
• Feb 1, 2017
• 3

And this is a good view of my 350 calories a day boy (he is the skinny one standing up, my girl sitting is 8 pounds and does about 160-200 a day. She looks rounder but that is just her rib cage shape. I know his exact because he was on cage rest at one point) to show that body condition is more important then trying to measure how much food just by calories and manufacture suggestions.

View attachment 221497View attachment 221499

That was such wonderful information thank you from me too! I had no idea rabbits will store food either! Also, your kitties are so beautiful, and your gal has the most comical expressions I have ever seen!! I don’t think I’ve seen a picture of her yet that hasn’t made me smile, she could star in her own sitcom!

 

[Furballsmom]

I think you're doing awesome, and like I say the two of you are lucky that you've found each other!

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

My four month old 4 pound Beastie is a food eating machine! She’s eating anywhere from 2-3 5.5ounce cans of Earthborn chicken a day, plus an eighth of a cup or so of Canidae dry. She’s perfectly healthy, no worms just active- but I think she IS a tapeworm lol! She’s skinny too, but that can change over a couple of days depending on her activity and eating levels. I’m actually going to try to some Dave’s for too, I’m glad to hear your fluff likes it! It sounds like a good food at a good price, which are your favorite flavors?

 

[JGombs99]

Thank you! So, most popular suggestion seems to be, full can of wet, and stick to 1/4 cup dry, yes?

Also, I have to also say those really are some beatiful snow shoes!

 

[Kieka]

Thanks, all! I just want to do right by this little girl. After recently losing my first cat ever after 13 years together (he was about 15), I want to be sure to do everything right. This is the first time I'm feeding both wet and dry at the same time, so it's a bit of a learning process. This cat is also smaller than my last boy was (he was a 12 lb long hair, she's an 8 lb short hair).

A few things I forgot to mention (that probably do lend themselves to increasing her food). She does seem to be quite active. She races around the house like crazy, always follows me all around, and occasionally gets the crazy cat spook (takes off for what seems like absolutely no reason). She also always completely cleans her bowl (except for occasionally leaving a few kibbles). Denver, my last cat had been a stray at one point, and he never completely emptied his bowl.

Oh yeah, I'd do an extra quarter can of wet at least then. If she's active she could probably do the full can of wet without problems. Just weigh her and check body condition until you find the right level for her body.

And for Furballsmom if you pick up Link all you feel is solid muscle, definitely no bones. He is crazy level of muscle. Enough that every vet has commented on it in his exams.

FlawlessImperfection thank you, she is slightly cross eyed with them pointing outward. Ever so slightly but it does give her a quirky look sometimes. She's a character though. She's the princess and everyone knows it. Both of them are fairly photogenic, Link just tends to come across more refined then the goof ball he is.

 

[Furballsmom]

Link just tends to come across more refined then the goof ball he is.

Link-think - "gotta make me 'n my person look good "

most popular suggestion seems to be, full can of wet, and stick to 1/4 cup dry, yes?

Yes, and like I say, you can add in some kitten food, some boiled chicken, some Primal raw every now and then, so it doesn't break the bank.
And don't forget to experience the inestimable JOY and luck of having a cat that isn't finicky!!

 

[Neo_23]

I have a 8lb girl too. I would feed her half the can in the morning and leave out 1/8 cup dry food for the day. Then, feed her another half can in the evening and leave out 1/8 cup for overnight.

 

[Kieka]

Thank you! So, most popular suggestion seems to be, full can of wet, and stick to 1/4 cup dry, yes?

Also, I have to also say those really are some beatiful snow shoes!

Thank you!

We cross posted but yes. Up the wet, leave dry the same, weight and monitor her body condition.

 

[JGombs99]

Thanks again! I'm shocked that my vet could have mislead me on this one. I really like my vet, and just can't believe they could have missed something here. But, I've gotten so many great responses on here that all seem to lead to the same thing.