# Cat wont stop eating



## orangecat (Jul 9, 2008)

A good friend of mine just rescued a young cat from the streets. It has a peculiar problem. He doesnt stop eating! He will eat until he bloats. Usually, food is left in a bowl at the kitchen for the cats to eat when they feel they are hungry. This new cat just eats continuously. So he is now separated from his playmates in order to control his eating and that makes him miserable. 
Anybody know anything about this?
Thanks


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## ~Siameseifuplz~ (May 6, 2007)

She could have worms, has she seen a vet? Other than that, some cats just can't control themselves, especially if they are from the street where every meal could be their last for a long time. Why can't she feed all her cats in meals instead of free feeding?


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## orangecat (Jul 9, 2008)

I did suggest checking for worms. In fact, I think theyre going to the vet this weekend. The free feeding thing is because the couple are not at home the whole day working. So they leave just enough food for the constantly hungry one and food for the others separately. Otherwise, the cookie monster finishes his food and then carries on to eat the other cat's food! Theyre worried to find him sick from overeating when they come home.
Oh well, lets hope it's worms. But it's true the poor thing was starving when found.
Thanks!


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

In my experience, starving street cats never get over that "Must eat everything I can when I can" mentality. I have one that does it, and its been a year since I rescued him as a waif off the streets. 

The best way to go is to meal feed the cats. I have to separate all my cats into three rooms and feed them twice daily. Then they are all let out to play together all day. Thats probably the best solution.


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## Smirkitty (Apr 19, 2008)

Kobster said:


> In my experience, starving street cats never get over that "Must eat everything I can when I can" mentality. I have one that does it, and its been a year since I rescued him as a waif off the streets.


My experience has been a little different. One of my guys was an off-the-street rescue and at first we were concerned about his eating habits, as he seemed pretty obsessed about food. We take a 2 pronged approach: dry food is left out to munch on during the day (in 2 bowls for 2 cats), and wet food is provided twice daily. The first two weeks we sat on the floor with our guys while they were eating the wet food, because Major Tom (street rescue) would wolf down his portion and then head over to Randy, push him aside and eat his as well. After a few weeks, he stopped being so obsessive about food and stabilized at right around 10 pounds. 

Don't get me wrong, Major Tom is still in the kitchen every time someone goes in there, but he isn't practically climbing up your leg anymore to get you to feed him. We think the combination of 1) an assigned supper time twice a day or the good stuff and 2) sufficient kibble for nibbling during the day, has convinced Tom that he's not going to starve, so he doesn't need to eat everything in sight.

I think the kitten could use a checkup by the vet, but perhaps also 
* having someone do scheduled feeding times twice a day 
* in addition to the kibble left out, 
* sitting in the kitchen to make sure kitten's food is safe while he eats
* and sitting there to keep kitten from eating the other guys food

Hopefully this will only take awhile. You didn't mention how old the kitten is?


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

I've had a lot of strays, ferals, and semi-ferals show up at my doorstep in various states of physical condition. Two were dangerously starved (Somer and Roxie). The most recent (Siliman) was boney thin but not as severely starved as the other two. Siliman, though, is absolutely food obsessed!

Even though I knew better, I overfed Roxie when she arrived because she was so severely starved that I just couldn't help myself. That was a major mistake. The introduction of too much rich food (dry and canned) too quickly REALLY messed up her digestive tract (can you say "projectile diarrhea"?). It took over a month to normalize her stool again after I screwed it up with my good but misguided intentions. Poor little girl was feeling mighty sickly during the worst of her diarrhea.

With Siliman I've been more careful. I started out feeding him small meals 4-5 times a day and am now down to 3 relatively small meals a day. Even so, his system is still having a difficult time adjusting to the high quality food. His stool is inconsistent, often loose, though his coat quality has vastly improved, and he's picked up a little more than a pound in the last month. He's still a piggy about food, though, constantly trying to steal food from whatever source he can find. He's not quite as frantic about it as he was a month ago, but he's certainly still food-obsessed.

My other 14 cats are fed portioned meals twice a day in the morning and evening. No food is left out for them during the day.

I recommend that your friend put all three cats on a regular feeding schedule. They should have no problem feeding twice daily even with their full-time work schedules. If they can fit in a third feeding right before bedtime for the new cat until he comes up to proper weight, that'd be best. I wouldn't leave him with food all day, though, because he can make himself very ill overeating in response to his starved condition.

Laurie


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## orangecat (Jul 9, 2008)

Wow!
Thanks everyone. These are all really good suggestions! I'm meeting up with my friend with the hungry kitten tomorrow and we'll discuss what we'll try. It's true how hungry street kittens never really get over their traumatic early experiences with hunger. I have one that took 2 years to sort of get over it.


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## Loen210 (Jul 19, 2008)

Hi,
I agree with others about portioning amounts. But before I write about that...

Definitely have him checked out at the vet's. A stray cat that we took him (who my beloved Chippy found him outdoors and became a special friend to him, taking him in like a brother). Well, when we finally adopted him, he had a heavy appetite, and if we had ever dared to 9which we didn't) to give him never emptying bowls, I think he would have exploded. 

But unfortuantely, after several tests, it was found that he had hyperthyroidism. This made his appetite become uncontrollable. And then when he was put on special meds for his thyroids, the appetite was still crazy. We had to feed him in his own room (from our other kitties), and feed them up high where he wasn't able to jump to. 

We have for many years fed them three times a day/same as we humans in the family. ;o) And give small portions each time. 

Best of luck to you and your friend (and mostly of course, to the kitty!). 

) Hana


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## orangecat (Jul 9, 2008)

I didnt think about hyperthyroidism! I really should have that poor kitten checked for that. Thanks so much for the info!


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## Loen210 (Jul 19, 2008)

Hi there,
I went to the vet clinic where I enjoy going to talk and pet the cats (I'm good friends with some who are there). They had a cat for adoption that someone had surrendered as they did not want to pay for the diabeties price. Poor cat. It is 11 years old, and orange. 

But it is one of the biggest cats I have ever seen personally. Not just overweight but huge body mass/bones. 

And he eats like crazy, but he has diabeties, so that likely has affect to it.


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