Hungry Cats

Some cats just love to eat. They have food on their brains. Every time they see their human companions, these cats get to meowing, begging and looking at their food bowls. You know what they want. Food. And, they want lots of it.

Are these cats really hungry? Some of them are. They might have worms, which will cause them to always be hungry. Or, maybe they have thyroid conditions that can also cause them to feel always hungry. Once they get treatment for their conditions, these cats are fine. Make sure your cat doesn’t have a medical condition that is causing him/her to feel hungry and eat all the time. Get your hungry cats checked out by a Vet just to make sure there are no medical conditions that could cause them to really be hungry.

Some cats have food anxiety issues. These issues are left over from when these cats were kittens and had experiences where they were not secure with their food. Some cats may have had their food stolen by other cats or had to fight for their portion of food. Other cats may have simply not had enough to eat. They may have been homeless and have had to go hungry or lived in a home where food was not regularly given. All of these situations can result in cats being insecure about where their next meals are coming from and leave these cats prone to over-eating or always begging for food.

Cats that don’t get enough protein in their diets tend to have to and want to eat a lot more food than they are given. They are simply trying to satisfy their protein needs. Cats are meant to eat an all-meat. A lot of commercial cat food contains mostly grains. When cats eat a mostly grain diet, they don’t get enough protein. Many dry cat food brands and especially cat treats contain a lot of carbohydrates. Switching your cats to a grain-free type of cat food can help them get what they need in their diets. Usually, after the switch, these overly hungry cats start to eat less.

Our cats are often rewarded when they meow annoyingly loud and beg for food. We tend to all take pity on the poor hungry kitty and give him/her a threat or extra meal just to keep the peace. You can learn to reward your cats in other ways such as paying attention to them, playing with them and petting them. Sometimes our feline friends are just trying to get our attention. So, give them some attention and love.

The portion sizes of how much to feed your cat should depend on the cat. Feeding guidelines are just suggestions. Cats that laze around all day with little to no activity obviously need less calories than cats that are active and run around chasing their toys and climbing on furniture. Cats with no body definition are probably obese. You should be able to feel a cat’s backbone and ribs. When looking down at your cat, you should be able to see a waist on your cat. Many cats have loose skin on their bellies that hangs down. These slabs of dangling skin are not fat. Cats’ figures can give you an idea of if you are feeding too much or too little. Use this information as a guide for how much to feed your cat.

If your cat is eating like a piggy, you need to first make sure that there are no health issues. You can also help your hungry cats change the way they view food. Feed small portions often rather than a big bowl of food at one time. Cats will get used to a regular feeding schedule and such a schedule can help alleviate food anxiety. Secondly, a proper diet can help cats obtain sufficient calories and nutrients. Finally, pay attention to your cat’s body shape to assess whether or not your cat is getting enough to eat.