Food problems - and chubby kitty

[Notabeararaccoon]

I have a little girl, just over a year old, who has behavioural issues around food. She is already a little overweight, and she is obsessed with food. And anything that might be food. She has never been fed human food by me (or anyone) - not least because she's always had a sensitive stomach. But she is obsessed. Anything I leave out is considered fair game, so she's stolen a bag of flour, the birdseed, the birds suet pellets...(they must have tasted good).

She was the most dominant kitten in her litter (part of her charm for me! Bolshy little madam), so I don't think it's a lack of food then (she was bigger than both her brothers, and bossier than her sister), and has always eaten well with me. I can't put her on an enforced diet, as she has a partner in crime who is a perfect gent and won't eat without her (and she'll shove him out of the way to get to his if he's not quick enough).

I'm worried that she'll come to some harm, today she was rumbled for being on the hob (where she knows full well she is NOT ALLOWED) because she knocked the grill pan off which she had been licking the juice from grilled halloumi from. I mean, it's so salty, why would a cat want that?

Anyone got any tips on how to manage this please? I do know it's my responsibility for leaving the grill pan out, but I desperately do not want my small tyrant coming to harm from eating something I've not considered as potentially devastatingly tasty to the feline equivalent of Mr creosote.

Have you spoken to your vet?
Excessive hunger can be a symptom of hyperthyroidism although it's more common in older cats.

Yes, vet said some cats are greedy , which I accept, but she (vet she) was also quite rightly as she is clearly the most beautiful girl cat for many many miles around a bit smitten with captain shoutalot who was stomping round the table mouthing off about the indignity of being brought to the vet, whilst enthusiastically head bumping the vet to show it wasn't personal she was just miffed with the idiot who'd put her in the carrier and taken her there.

I guess I'll monitor her weight, and try second guessing what next she might take it into her head to try and eat. She's already worked out how to open the bin, stand precariously on the edge of the bin and fish out food wrappers. I now have to weight the bin lid...

She sounds adorable.

The upside is that you will always have the tidiest kitchen in the road.

Ah Fluffycloudland, alas she is the most adorable girl in the world. And a spoilt brat, which doesn't help my own case (with me) but I have never known a naughtier cat. Or one who knows better how to play her (nominal only) owner!

I refuse to believe such a beautiful girl is ever naughty. You are clearly doing something wrong here.

Isn't she? I think she's my new favorite cat on mumsnet.

Guys, I can't even tell you, she does a sort of yawny miaow sigh that goes on for ages, she talks in her sleep, she is too clever by one half plus a further two thirds, she bounces off boycat, but then washes him to make up, then strops my carpet, and when she's shouted at, rolls upside down and chirrups at me! It's outrageous. I've never even done drugs, but am thinking I should perhaps sue her breeder for fostering addiction. She also makes like a dog and fetches toys thrown for her, whilst growling at them. And woofing in delight when she throws them at my feet for re-launching.

I'm definitely suing the breeder. Worse than morphine.

She's fed felix and iams dry food. I've just tried them on some outrageously posh stuff (can't remember name but proper fishy/chickeny stuff) which they liked (greedy guts more than boy cat tho, tbf, that is true of pretty much any cat food with these two). She's not big on the dry food (but eats more than boycat), but I wouldn't say they're over fed. I've had cats for ten years, and none have ever been overweight. boy cat is a lean mean handsome machine, but sadly an absolute sap for her (absolutely not taking a lead from owner). They're both house cats as I'm near a v busy 4 lane road, and have each other, loads of play time with me and each other and visiting slaves/children, and the run of the house.

I think we're just going to have to get tough. It will be easy

Asbo flops to the floor and rolls over in an adorable pose when shouted at.

When visitors come he sits nicely and looks blank.

She looks really skinny in the first pic

She's so utterly gorgeous

Now that's clever Polter. A hurt paw is always worth a chew stick and some sympathy.

Only just looked at photos as I'm usually on the app and don't see them. OMG so adorable. Give her all the foods she wants immediately.

What breed is she?

she doesn't look overweight at all, how do you know she's overweight?

Ah thank you for lovely comments! Asbo sounds cute (great name btw) and Poltercat .

I cheated a bit with pic, as that was her in her babyhood, she's grown into the outrageous ears a bit more now . She's an oriental shorthair (as is boycat) so a very vocal and intelligent breed anyway, but not photogenic (well, to someone with my camera skills) as her adult coat is darker and very shiny, so hard to get a good photo. She's a Havana brown, which is the colour of bourneville choc, and boycat is black.

Sadly YeOldeTrout I know she's a bit tubby because I can feel her! You can just about feel her ribs still, but only just, and she weights in at 0.3 kilos more than boycat, despite him being bigger.

Even then, I wouldn't mind her being a wee bit tubby providing she's healthy, it's just the obsession with trying to eat everything! I would rather she DIDNT eat the suet pellets (with added bugs ), and then throw them up for me to clear up, but at least they didn't harm her (and are now in a cat proof container), it's more what she'll find that I've not even thought could be remotely tempting...I broke a nail the other day, so got the clippers out and she was dying to eat the sodding nail clipping!

Does she eat non-food things? Could it be pica?

Oh stripytees she eats ANYTHING. Her default position on anything is 'can I eat this?' And she normally comes back with an answer in the affirmative. I don't know what pica is, but thank you, I'll look into it.

Both Felix & Iams are high in carbs and not filling so she is probably hungry.

Change her to high protein wet food which will be more satisfying for her and keep her fuller for longer as well as far healthier.

Carb heavy food is contributing to the weight gain.

Look on Zooplus for Animonda Carny, Feringa, Grau grain free, Catz Finefood Smilla, Bozita www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches

Supermarkets & Pets at home stock Natures Menu, Lillys Kitchen and & few new brands whose names I can't remember.

Applaws biscuits go down well here as long as I buy the small 400g bag and don't expect him to eat them for more than two days.

Ours will try to eat things off the floor but they cant focus well

Ah thank you both MistressMia and fluffycloudland again. I'll have a look at the brands mentioned. Trouble is, with a sensitive stomach (which she, frankly, couldn't give a shiny wotsit about), I don't like to change foods too much to just experiment, as she ends up not quite with diarrhoea, but heading that way. Difficult too, when you have two, and one behaves like the duke of fecking catsville ("no no dear lady, after you, I positively insist') whilst she (and I adore her beyond belief) is like - err - someone incredibly beautiful and indulged with absolutely jack in the way of manners suddenly launched into the queens intimate circle! And she doesn't give a toss, she just walks over someone's head coz she's taken a fancy to the canapés and they happened to be in the way...