Glutton

[LastingLight]

Is it normal for a year old cat to just eat and eat and eat if there is food available until he permanently looks like a rugby ball with a head and legs? Our 3 old cats just self regulate with food, in fact they're all a bit underweight so we like to have food available for them 24/7. Rescue kitty however never stops eating and if there isn't food out for him he steals whatever he can including loaves of bread.

[isseywithcats]

my half siamese would do this if food was available 24/7. he was born to a feral mom and though he was only a kitten when he was domesticated by the rescuer i dont think hes forgotten being hungry, and the stray cat charlie who i have taken on recently despite now getting two meals a day has bitten through the bread packet, a packet of scones and mooches round the sink when the washing up goes in there straight after dinner,

[patothechiefexec]

No, was he a stray? Sounds like he had a bit of a hard life if he is eating like that.

[cozietoesie]

Your thought of 'underweight' may possibly mean they're nicely sized - people are becoming a little forgetful these days of what lean mean machines a healthy cat (or dog) really should be.

Many cats definitely don't self-regulate and can become butterballs with bad longer term potential effects on their health if not controlled in some way. Have a read of \link{http://www.icatcare.org/advice-centre/cat-health/obesity-cats\this} for some background.

What weight is rescue cat? And how does the household regime work out ? (Types of food and when given, activity/going outside etc etc.)

[NellieSocks]

My rescue cat is 4kg but the same ravenous beast. We just have to control her portions to keep her small - she gets 2 packets of wet food a day, and a cup of dry biscuits.

I appreciate, much easier to do without other cats' food around though.

[cozietoesie]

Much.

\link{http://www.sureflap.co.uk/products/details/28-microchip-pet-feeder\This} is coming onto the market later this year (thanks to Lone for the steer) but it's a thumping price and it might be better to wait and see whether the £££ reduce at all. Sureflap themselves have always been more expensive than, for example, Amazon for cat flaps so the same may hold true for the feeder - eventually.

[LastingLight]

patothechiefexec we rescued him 5 weeks ago from the parking garage in my office building. I tried to find an owner without success, but from his behaviour he was certainly not feral. I'm desperately trying to find a new home for him as our girl cats don't like him. One won't come into the house when rescue kitty is around so we have to confine him a lot, it's not a nice situation for him or for her.

cozietoesie I know at least 2 of the 3 are underweight because the vet says so. (The one has chronic kidney disease). The third one appears to have lost weight since we've had rescue kitty. Rescue kitty weighs 4.1kg and is in the vet's words "very solid". He had diarrhea so the vet suggested Eukenuba Intestinal pellets. We've been feeding him that at the recommended quantity for a 5kg cat and are slowly mixing it with the others' food now. They eat special renal food, also pellets, and we free feed. At the moment we're putting their food away whenever rescue kitty is out.

[cozietoesie]

Ach. Well I know (and have known) what it's like to have a genuinely underweight cat. Darling Twoago had kidney disease and was difficult to feed up and Seniorboy himself is so elderly that he's allowed to eat pretty well as much as he wants as long as it's not actively bad for him.

Difficult one for you. As a previous stray, he could well have a food fixation especially if he doesn't feel really settled and confident. (Feeding up for possible hard times ahead and all that.) No luck on a new home so far?

[LastingLight]

I have a lady who might be willing to take him but she must still talk to her husband about it... I hope this works out as their place sounds like heaven on earth for cats: a smallholding with 2 horses, 2 kids and a youngish cat whose sister was recently run over and needs a new companion.

[cozietoesie]

Fingers crossed for him then.