to have thought that cats were meant to self regulate when it comes to food?

[catnao]

I have two cats. One of them is slim and elegant and leaves food when it's had enough. The other, on the other hand, is frankly, massive. It is only about a year old. It cries loudly and persistently for food ALL day, and the only time the thing moves with any sort of alacrity is when anyone makes a move towards the kitchen. I KNOW it must be lying when it insists it's starving, but the problem is with three of us seldom all in the house at the same time, it manages to fox us all into thinking it hasn't been fed. Possibly just seconds earlier. Why is it eating like this? Just simple greed, or can cats have food issues?

Resolute! Ignored his pleading when got back from my mum's this evening, fed slim cat with kitchen door shut (despite the howls of "What about meeeeee?") through the door, and have instigated note culture, ie "I fed Fatso! He's lying!"

This is going to take will power. Damned thing STILL trying to nag me as I type (note to Fatso:scratching my legs whilst shouting is NOT working!).

Some cat self regulate, some don't.

Make sure your moggy is wormed regularly and get the vet to check for diabetes before you change Mog's diet.

Oh crikey! He is wormed regularly, but if he has diabetes at his age, surely I am a terrible cat parent to have let him get so fat!

We have several cats sneaking into our house and eating our moggy's food. Perhaps their owners think they're overfeeding them too when the reality is their mogggy's are greedy little gits getting it elsewhere too!!

Six dinner Sid??

my two cats are both on a diet as we were feeding them both far too much dried food. The vet actually showed us how much they are supposed to eat and it isn't much at all! My little girl cat is now terribly naughty and will bully the boy out of the way to get his leftovers, when that fails she will chew through bags to get to things. I think some cats, like humans, just love eating!

IMO some cats get 'hooked' on the sugars and carbs in dry food and some tinned stuff .Have you tried making a chewy stew from meat bits,carrot etc. to give to both of them?

My cat (ex-stray) does not self regulate so I guffaw at the common advice to 'leave some biscuits out for grazing'. She begs for food and, if none is forthcoming, she nips out for a 'takeaway' generally a tasty mouse. I disagree that commercial cat food producers encourage over feeding. If I recall correctly, Whiskas recommend just two pouches for a neutered cat. I often wish that there was nutritional information on the cat food like other foods.

Our cat adopted us when she was a stray kitten. She was a tiny little thing when she first turned up and refused to leave, now she is definitely fuller figured!

I think the feast/famine thing has something to do with it, but also she is greedy and lazy. She never goes out except to go to the toilet, the rest of the time she spends sleeping. Even if the weather's good and she ventures into the garden, she'll just curl up and sleep there instead!

She's been on a diet forever - strictly 50g of dried food a day but she doesn't get any slimmer. I think she may have a local benefactor elsewhere too.

I love cats. They always know how to get what they want.

Cats and dogs actually would not get fat and human diseases if they were not eating human type food with carbs and sugars. Any 'approved by vet's stuff' just gives them more work!!

I am very fond of my cats indeed, and I strongly suspect my partner loves them more than he loves me ("Hello gorgeous! How are you?" Me: "Oh that's nice...Oh. You were talking to the cat."), but the special food from the vet's is just out of our price range at the mo. Will just have to cut him down and encourage him to exercise as much as poss.

Mine has always been a small cat. When she was much younger she was diagnosed with allergies to the cheapo (dry) food I was giving her -- her fur fell out, she scratched herself constantly, got a staph infection (and wouldn't take her ABs without a ferocious fight) and I switched to food with no preservatives or artificial colours on the advice of the vet (vet was also talking about acupuncture ). She used to go through a lot of the cheap food. Since she's been on the healthier stuff she has self regulated and had no more problems. She will actually not eat the last little crumbs in the bowl and wait for it to be filled again after piteous miowing and mithering of anyone willing to give her an ear.

Cats I knew in my childhood never touched anything after having Whiskas -- I wonder if they add something to it?

Whiskas firm favourite here too (although Fatso will eat ANYTHING). Maybe it's laced with cat E or something?

I alternate between Origen, Sanabelle, Applaws and OrganiPets which are expensive, but it takes her a really long time to get through a bag. There's no more eating like there's no tomorrow. I actually spent more on the Purina stuff she was allergic to as she seemed to be stashing it in her wooden leg. Bowl after bowl disappeared, along with the fur, but she never gained weight. I'm always on the lookout for cheaper food without preservatives and colours. Grains don't seem to bother her.

Math the Hi Life Potty about Fish is free from colours and lots of nasty additives and is about 60% real fish, not derivatives. It does contain preservative but unfortunately it doesn't state what the preservative is.

Those of you who feed cats home made cat food, do make sure you give them taurine supplements. It is essential to their health.