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Appetite increase?

8 replies

Allergictoironing · 07/07/2016 08:12

Had my ex-ferals about 6 weeks now. I've fed them the same amount every day, though they didn't always eat everything - sometimes there's be a bit of wet dinner left in the mornings or breakfast in the evenings, or I haven't needed to top the kibbles bowl up with their full daily allowance as they've got plenty in there.

But the last few days they have been eating more. The dinner (larger meal) bowls are cleaned out every morning, the breakfast bowl (they prefer to share) is usually empty in the evening, and they are cleaning up all the kibbles (usually over night).

I was wondering whether I should be looking for anything that may suggest a health problem, whether it's just summer so more daylight hours, or whether it's just down to them settling in much better so playing and exercising more. They definitely seem happier and more confident, they are playing with their toys when I'm not about, Girlcat get a laser pointer session every day and they now have the run of much of the house.

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cozietoesie · 07/07/2016 09:18

I'm assuming they've been wormed and all?

Maybe their activity levels have gone up a lot and they're adjusting to decent food to meet their needs?

How old are they now?

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cozietoesie · 07/07/2016 09:19

PS - are they drinking/using their trays fine?

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Toddlerteaplease · 07/07/2016 09:58

My two have started eating more. I think it might be a sign of anxiety?

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Allergictoironing · 07/07/2016 18:33

They were wormed and everything just before I picked them up, about 6 weeks ago. Litter usage & drinking are normal (her poos STINK, but have done from day 1).

They used to have just the large living room, but now have the run of the house all day (with a couple of rooms out of bounds). I see him an awful lot more than at first, and as I said she's into having a quick session of killing the laser dot - sits near me and does The Stare if I haven't indulged her by a certain time in the evening. They do seem to be playing together a lot more since I expanded their territory - mad galloping up & down the stairs the other day, and of course she has much more space she needs to patrol regularly.

I am pretty sure it is just the increase in exercise and that they are definitely much more at home now so more relaxed, I just want to make sure I'm feeding them the right sort of amounts of food as I don't want them hungry, but don't want them too fat either of course. Currently they get 1.5 pouches of Felix Good as it Looks wet food (their favourite, and what they were used to) and around 80 grams of Royal Canin Indoor Cat kibbles a day. Plus too many quite a few treats as bribery encouragement to be sociable - those seem to be working as I get finger sniffs from both now, and Girlcat has let me stroke her briefly a number of times including feet & base of the tail!

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Allergictoironing · 07/07/2016 18:34

That food is between the 2 of them. They don't completely lick the bowls clean, especially the breakfast, but they do seem to be cleaning up near enough all the kibbles now & I wasn't having to put the full ration in every day before to keep their bowl topped up.

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RubbishMantra · 07/07/2016 19:46

So they're about 12 weeks? Their appetites are voracious at that age.

I would keep the biscuits topped up all the time, and give them a 400g tin of food between them. They eat as much as an adult Labrador at that age.

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RubbishMantra · 07/07/2016 19:54

...oh, and see if you can get them on a better wet food, like Butchers Classic Cat. Cheaper than pouches, and an all round better food. Felix is like McDonalds (which is OK if you just need to get calories into a cat).

Applaws is a really good dry food (kibbles) and it contains no cereals/grains, and is 80% meat so you'll have the added advantage of less smelly poos.

With the increased appetite, ensure there's plenty of fresh drinking water.

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Allergictoironing · 07/07/2016 20:52

Actually Mantra they are around 2 years old! Born in a feral colony on a holiday caravan park, rescued about a year ago then nobody wanted them until I came along & fell in love a couple of months ago. So never been into a house until a few weeks ago, never been in constant contact with a human - the people at the rescue were great, but obviously had very limited time for each cat.

They are on those foods because that's what they were having at the rescue - I've tried a few different makes of wet food but that's the one they seem to like. The Royal Canin is a complete food and they are on the Indoor cats formula with the occasional bit of the anti-hairball or the skin & coat for variety (plus I don't want too many sicked-up hairballs to deal with!). His poos are fine, no smell at all. Hers are sometimes Ok but now & again she does a really smelly one, which seems to coincide with when she's had a good session eating the indoor grass I have growing for them; I also think I need to try to work out whether it's one particular flavour of the wet food that affects her, it's quite random at the mo which they get.

They have fresh water checked & replaced at least 3 times a day, and though they drink well have never come close to not having plenty of course.