# eating less but still healthy?



## velvet6 (Dec 17, 2008)

Hey everyone.

I think I have a problem. Or not. So I was wondering if any of you have had a similar experience.

Up until a few months ago, Velvet LOVED food. Loved in the sense that he would practically run me over in his eagerness to eat whenever it was mealtime. He would finish an entire 6 oz can in one day with absolutely no problem and would eagerly sniff around for more, at which point I'd give him a couple of spoonfuls of dry. After he turned 1 year and a few months though, that changed. He stopped displaying the same eagerness and instead of finishing his 3 oz portions (one in the morning, one in the evening) mostly all at once, he would graze throughout the day. And now it's at the point that he only eats about a half a can or 3/4 of one (if I'm really lucky) in one day.

But the thing is, he still appears healthy. Coat still shiny and soft, eyes bright and clear and as full of energy as ever. No changes as far as the litter box goes. He plays with enthusiasm, ambushes my ankles (a favorite pastime), grooms, gazes out at the world from his window perch, and has recently learned how to open doors. 

He hasn't even lost weight. I thought he had because he looked slightly more slender, but he's the same 9.8 lbs that he was months ago...I think the slenderness may be due to the fact that he's increased in length. 

He's even maintained his annoying habit of swallowing anything he sees on the floor and puking it out a few times a month. Drat.

What do you all think? I suspect he may be bored with the food because he has been eating the same flavor for some time (I had to put hubby in charge of feeding for a while and he's not as vigilant with rotation as I am). Gonna run to the store today and stock up on some different flavors. Let's see if that works.

In the meantime, any insight you may have into the matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

velvet6 said:


> Up until a few months ago, Velvet LOVED food. Loved in the sense that he would practically run me over in his eagerness to eat whenever it was mealtime. He would finish an entire 6 oz can in one day with absolutely no problem and would eagerly sniff around for more, at which point I'd give him a couple of spoonfuls of dry. After he turned 1 year and a few months though, that changed. He stopped displaying the same eagerness and instead of finishing his 3 oz portions (one in the morning, one in the evening) mostly all at once, he would graze throughout the day. And now it's at the point that he only eats about a half a can or 3/4 of one (if I'm really lucky) in one day.


Well, first, he probably does need a good bit less now. My kitten Jonah (almost 5 mos) has been eating 2-4 times as much as the adult cats since he was 3 mos old. I feed raw, and he gets fed as much as he wants 3X a day. If he kept eating this much once he hits adulthood (12-18 mos) he'd end up fat as a pig! LOL! 

Sounds like you are leaving food available? (you said he grazes throughout the day). Is that canned or dry? If you're feeding dry, we'll try to get you to stop that.  But either way, the key is not to leave it available. He's over a year old now and should be fed 2X a day and be expected to eat up what he wants/needs w/in 15 min. A 10-12# cat will eat around 6 oz a day. Give him 3oz in the a.m. and give him 15 min. Whatever he doesn't eat is GONE. Feed him again in the p.m. -- 3oz. He'll soon learn to eat up his serving when it's offered b/c if he doesn’t, it will be gone! Keep an eye on his weight, of course. 

Hope that helps!


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## velvet6 (Dec 17, 2008)

Nope. Definitely not dry. I learned my lesson after hanging around on this board. 

I do leave the wet out...because of his grazing, I've put an ice pack under the bowl so the food won't spoil. 

Ok then...15 minutes and then remove bowl. Let's see if that works.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

It will. It will take a few days. Problem is that he's just never really hungry w/ the food left available. 

And do keep an eye on his weight. Different cats have different metabolisms. My Calvin eats an ABSURDLY small amount. He lost weight on commercial food b/c he had IBD--once we went raw, he gained it all back in like 3 mos and then packed on another pound before I went "OOPS!" He is fed separately from Lincoln b/c Linc eats more slowly and Calvin was stealing his food. Linc is a bigger cat and needs a good bit more food, and just couldn't eat it fast enough to keep it from Calvin! Calvin eats his portion in like 30 seconds (even a mouse -- 30 seconds!!!) and then mopes outside the storeroom door where Linc is. 

My point being that if he's eating a little less than makes sense to you, BUT he's maintaining his weight, then that's how much he needs.

If your kitty keeps on being picky, then you need to look into possible reasons why (IBD, etc.). But first make sure he's actually hungry b/f his meals.


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## WhiteKitties (Dec 22, 2008)

If he's a little less active I'd think he's just eating less because he doesn't need it now that he's not a growing kitten anymore. Elizabeth's totally right about the feeding times - my girls were used to dry food being around all the time at their shelter, but once they came to me and I stopped that they began polishing off their food at each feeding. I DID learn the hard way that I can't just feed them twice a day, because if I do they get overexcited, inhale the food in about 20 seconds, and end up throwing up. No big deal, though, I just give them a small snack mid-morning and before bedtime, and all is well. And after a few weeks you'll learn exactly how much food Velvet will eat at one meal, and then you won't have to worry about throwing out good food!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

The twins used to literally run over each other when I opened their bedroom door in the morning in their rush to the kitchen. Now, they don't even go to the kitchen first thing. Just not that into food in the same way. Nothing to worry about, especially if he's maintaining his weight. 

If they hear the dry food, on the other hand, it's every cat for herself! 8O


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## velvet6 (Dec 17, 2008)

Thanks for the reassurances everyone.

I really wasn't too worried because he's been tearing around like normal. It's just that he LOVED food once upon a time...now he's kinda indifferent to it. Which is beyond me. Food and indifference? It simply makes no sense in my head.


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