overeating cat

[kimmi592]

My cat is on a diet because of he is overweight. He eats 1/8 cup of dry science diet food twice a day as instructed by my vet. He is constantly crying because he is hungry, even after he just eats. One time he got into the food and made a glutton out of himself. He is obsessed with food, but i cant feed him as much as he wants because he will get too fat. What should i do about his distress with food? HE IS ALWAYS CRYING! :(

[nancyjac]

Wow, 1/8 cup, twice a day?  Are you sure that is what the vet recommended?  No wonder he is hungry all the time.  My foster kittens who weigh less than 2 pounds eat about that much.  How much had he been eating before?  Did you suddenly cut him down from unlimited food to 1/8th cup?  I would suggest stepping him down slowly by reducing the amount available by a little bit each week.  He is not going to have any energy for maintaining muscle tone on so little food.

[teddybears4ever2]

I feed my cat who has been both too fat and too thin, Purina one healthy weight and hairball control.  She loves it and sometimes she gets wet food as a treat, but seems to like the dry food better.  She would eat until she exploded if I let her, but I don't.

[Princessdaniella]

I do not agree with Science diet being a bad food brand and veterinarians providing it because it is their brand. I am working in a vet nurse currently and I know that this is provided because of its proven health for animals not only that but all of mine and my friends and families pets have been fed on this brand and have lived to a healthy age even past their expected age.
There is can food also for the science diet brand. Maybe try adding the can food into the dry biscuits slowly.
Not all brands of cat food are good for pets the same as the rolls of meat bought in supermarkets and the treats given to them.
That is why science diet provides can food, biscuits and treats. Science diet contains all the need ingredients for your pet as well as in the right proportions.
A lot of people have a problem with the brand due to the price of it not due to the quality.
If Your cat is use to eating a differant food and eating more he needs to get use to the habits like anyone, if you go from feeding someone a kid for eg; junk food to salads etc the kid is going to act hungry in order to get that food.
I wish You all the best.

[opus88]

please for starters begin slowly to introduce you're kitties to canned food in place of the dry food, its much better for them, especially their urinary tract health.

Please limit the 'treats' these are full of additives and are NOT good.

I do think the obese kitty needs to see a Vet, if he is eating the same amount as the others yet gaining much more weight than something is wrong with his health.

[ecp3886]

I have and obese cat.  I spoil him and my other two cats.  I give them all treats through out the day.  The othes have gained a little weight.  But my obese cat is obese for some reason.   He eats no more or less then the other two.  He is so fat his sides are expanded.   I feed my cats Purina indoor cat food, plus Friskies feline favorites.  I mix the dry kibbles together.   For my fat cat I feed him Eukanuba and for a treat Dry Fancy Feast.  My fat cat really does not eat that much. But he has balooned to 19lbs since he was neutered 6 months ago.   Before neutering he weighed 11lbs.  Do you have any sugestions what I could do.   ??

[opus88]

hi everyone just read on an article somewhere as follows.

Cats will eat until not only their hunger needs are met but also until their NUTRITIONAL requirements are met.
than the brain sends a signal to the 'hunger center' to let them know that they are full.
that is why so many cats on poor nutrition diets are overweight, they keep eating despite a full stomach because they are vitamin/mineral deprived.

perhaps that answers some of our questions.

[spirit3]

one of my cats thinks he's hungry all the time too-just ignore him or play
with him-he'll get over it. remember:this is for his health!! it's easy to want
to make him happy right now and feed him but you want to keep him around
for a long time and it will be worth it, i know they can be persistent, BELIEVE me i know!! (Bob!!! it is NOT SUPPER TIME at 8 am!!!) mine
will start asking as soon as he thinks of it in the am, but once he realises
that i'm not giving in he knocks it off. since your boy is used to overeating
right now it will probably take time in patience but i know it will be worth it!!
too bad they don't make some sort of tasty fat free treats for them! good luck!! and be patient with yourself and your cat!

[turkee23]

i agree dry food is not good!!!.... i still give my cats some but im trying to ween my mom from giving them that any more

my cat is the same way... he will eat a whole can of wet food.... 10 mins later he is CHASING me around the house, wrapping his legs around mine and trying to bite me unless i feed him..or he will find the bag of dry cat food and bite a hole thru the bag and sit there with his head INSIDE the bag and munching away..he has ALWAYS been a big cat... he was 24 lbs at one point.... now he is very skinny, but is also very very old, prolly about 18.... he eats like a horse  all the time and we keep feeding him cause he is so skinny and so old that he deserves to eat whenever he wants cause we know he wont be around for forever.....

[opus88]

welcome to the cat forum!...I hope we can all help with you're question.
I would think kitty isn't feeling full not because of the quantity but because of the quality (?)....the Vets do believe their clinic brands of Cat food are good quality, however there is much written thats not necessarily so.
First of all get him OFF DRY food! feed him cans, research I and others have done shows even the poorest quality cans are better than the highest rated dry foods out there!...maybe this would satisfy him more too?
Please go to the top of this screen where it says 'view community archives' click on that, than click on DIGESTIVE....that will bring you to various topics, click on 'anyone who is feeding dry foods'
that thread will give you lots of information on dry foods.
p.s. the Vets don't necessarily agree with this, but informed pet owners sure do.
hope this helps, please post often