rescue with voracious appetite

[Polyethyl]

I have never before had a cat that ate so voraciously. Please reassure me that limiting the cat's food to an appropriate ration will work ok, and the cat won't leave us in favour of a less disciplined neighbour.

Her previous owners dumped her at a sanctuary when she was a few months old and pregnant. The charity sent her to foster care until she had her kittens. Once they were adopted and she was spayed they adopted her to me. She was underweight and the charities staff said she was refusing to eat.
She ate voraciously from the moment we got her home. She's very quickly got to a healthy weight, but she's not slowing down and if she carries on at this rate she'll soon be fat.

All my previous cats were pampered padigrees, got as kittens, who regulated their appetites.

This rescue puss sits forlornly by her bowl.
Any advice?
She get Pro Plan dry food and wiskers in gravy wet food at the moment.

[Wordsaremything]

First eliminate the obvious. Has she been wormed?^^

Second, how long have you had her? All my rescues ate hugely once they had settled and felt safe. I pampered them through this phase to be honest, but then gradually cut back. Of the four, one is lean and lithe, one muscly, one slightly round and one, it has to be said portly.

[Wordsaremything]

Sorry for the italics!

[Wolfiefan]

What age is she and what are you feeding?

[SuburbanRhonda]

Also check with a vet that she hasn't got hyperthyroidism.

One of my cats has, and unless they're on medication, they eat day and night because their metabolism is all over the place.

[Polyethyl]

She is 1yo.
she was wormed on the day I adopted her.

[Polyethyl]

And I have had her a month.

[ElegantDream]

What about better quality wet (I mean grain free and high protein?).

Mine came eating Felix and ate loads. I swapped onto food from The Happy Kitty Company and after the first week or so, she started to regulate.

Mine was also about one - I think some growing was going on as she was underweight when we got her.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Mine was eating 6 pouches a day, I wormed him and he's back down to 3-4 a day.

Worming is a monthly thing, our rescue girl was always food orientated too.

[Purplehonesty]

Our cat was exactly the same - she would Be knocking the food out of your hand as you fed her.

I think it's due to being in the rescue centre. Six months in she catches and eats loads of small things outside and cares less about her food than she did.

She was tiny and thin when we got her but now she is twice the size - but lean and all muscly!

[iloveeverykindofcat]

This is almost exactly Bibi's story, except she'd already given birth when the sanctuary found her. And yep, she's fat. It happened very quickly, and keeping her weight down is a struggle. I have most success with raw food/no grain - I suspect the grain makes them hungrier - but her portions are rationed by me and she will seek out any other available food like she's got a radar. It seems like not all cats will self-regulate, especially ex-strays.