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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Ravenous rescue cat!

20 replies

everdene · 29/03/2016 17:47

Hi all, DH and I brought our rescue cat home last weekend.

He had just been neutered and has been wormed. They said he wasn't really eating after his neutering, and when he first arrived he wasn't eating much (he weighs 3.3kg).

However for the last day or so he has been absolutely starving, I've given him three pouches today (and some Dreamies while we were playing) - am I right that it's not possible to overfeed, if we stick to mostly wet food rather than cat kibble?

It is my first cat (though DH has had them before) and I'd hate for him to be hungry though am hoping his hunger is post-op/worried about scarcity/putting weight on after being so thin - am I right in thinking this will even out as he settles?

OP posts:

Atenco · 29/03/2016 18:00

Normally it is not possible to overfeed a cat, but I had a kitten once that had been on the street for three days without eating, and it just ate everything that was put before it, which was way too much.

cozietoesie · 29/03/2016 18:10

3.3 doesn't sound like a lot. Is he quite scrawny elegant?

Do you know any of his history? (He might be making up for lost calories but, alternatively, he might eg have a food obsession if he's spent all his life looking for nosh.)

I'd be tempted to give him what he asked for right now - within reason that is and keeping a close eye on consumption/shape. What brand of food does he have?

cozietoesie · 29/03/2016 18:24

PS - but having said that, I'd still want to do it within the context of a firm routine. They seem to like those - so perhaps more than you might otherwise give but preferably at the same times of day.

Original poster

everdene · 29/03/2016 19:39

Thanks so much for the advice!

Cozie, he is quite skinny around the ribs. He is a very sweet boy, he has been following me around all day probably because he is famished. He had a sad arrival to the animal rescue, he was delivered via shopping trolley in a sealed, sellotaped box without airholes, poor boy. The woman who dropped him off claimed to have found him in a park but I think it's more likely she someone had him at home as he is very well socialised, can use a litter tray, and doesn't have worn-down claws. The rescue home gave us a box of Whiskas and some Sheba as they said he was fussy but he's scoffed everything we've put down so far. I do wonder if he's been used to sharing human food as he tries to muscle in on our plates when we're eating, so I wonder if he just ate scraps previously.

That is a great idea to keep him to a schedule. He deserves a peaceful life and he seems to be settling in nicely here despite his horrible experience.

OP posts:

kirinm · 29/03/2016 19:48

Our rescue would eat and eat unless you too good away from him. I think perhaps he wasn't used to having food available to him so ate everything he could whenever it was available. It could be that?

kirinm · 29/03/2016 19:49

Sorry, that should be 'took food away from him'.

cozietoesie · 29/03/2016 19:54

It's just my experience that cats appreciate routine. We tend to do it mainly by time but also orally. (A lot of talking to cats here and we've developed special words for nosh etc etc.)

No table scraps is the rule for younger cats. (Seniorboy has any calorie I can get down him as long as it's not actually bad for him although he long ago learned not to go on surfaces.)

Poor poor boy. He won't know he's born in a loving household.

RubbishMantra · 02/04/2016 21:05

My friend has a greedy cat. Can't blame the poor boy, he would hang about the local chippy, waiting for someone to give him a scrap of food. One day Harry followed friend back to his student digs, and voila, he is now a proud cat owner.

He was at uni up north, and we live in the south, friend spent the last of his student grant for a cat carrier for Harry, to bring him home. Poor little thing was eating chips, which most cats don't even regard as food. I've read on here about cats eating birdseed to survive.

RubbishMantra · 02/04/2016 21:08

*Harry is now pleasingly plump and sleek, and has fields to roam, and a nice comfy bed.

bertsdinner · 02/04/2016 21:50

My cat's a rescue, he was an unneutered stray before. When I got him he was a nice weight, but he demands food constantly, gets upset if I try and regulate his intake (hiding, rubbing against furniture in a nervy way),and is now a bit overweight. Im finding it difficult as I want to slim him down.
My previous cat was also a rescue ( another unneutered stray), he was also very demanding with food though not overweight.

I could be talking bollox here, but I've got a theory cats that have been strays, and probably gone hungry, have "issues" with food, and see it almost as reassurance. Or are used to gulping food when its available and its some sort of trigger that just makes them want to eat all they can, as the next meal may not come for a while.
Im hoping mine settles with time

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 02/04/2016 21:54

I would put some good quality dry food down as well, it might fill him up a bit more.

cozietoesie · 02/04/2016 22:37

How long has he been with you, berts?

sashh · 03/04/2016 10:29

Mine eats at mine and then visits two neighbours for her second breakfast and dinner.

She was vaccinated last week and the vet weighed her - 3.25Kg, the vet said as she is still thin it isn't a problem.

I agree with getting him in to a routine though, at the moment he won't know he will always get food everyday.

NightWanderer · 03/04/2016 10:33

There isn't a lot in the pouches though. Mine goes crazy for the pouches and would easily eat more than 3 a day. I can't afford it though so I switched back to cans and dry food.

Firstmum24 · 03/04/2016 10:36

He will probably be eating more now because he is starting be to feel secure. It will take a while for him to settle into a proper routine with his eating. My two cats are little bisims - they play my husband and I off one another and they regularly get two breakfasts and two dinners. We have water and dry food out and available at all times and try to feed twice a day. We also use cans, pouches are so much more expensive if he is eating a lot!!!

Good for you for rescuing your cat.! I rescued my second boy and e is just amazing, so affectionate and loving !

Good luck with new cat. Xxxxx

Firstmum24 · 03/04/2016 10:38

And cats are scavengers naturally so they will eat even when full, they will just vom it up later in nice little places for you

cozietoesie · 03/04/2016 10:40

I switched Seniorboy to a very high meat content food - after discovering that he actually enjoyed it - and he eats a bit less of it than the Felix which used to be the mainstay. (Read the water content in the description on the back of those pouches and weep.) It's still expensive but he seems to be doing fine on it. I economise in other ways.

sashh · 03/04/2016 10:47

And cats are scavengers naturally so they will eat even when full, they will just vom it up later in nice little places for you

Or it comes out the other end - Her Mistyness once managed to get in the kitchen when there was a cheesecake out.

cozietoesie · 03/04/2016 11:18

Oh Dear.

bertsdinner · 03/04/2016 21:13

Cozie, he's been with me 5 months now. He weighs over a stone, but is a big stocky cat. He's quite timid, but getting better. Although he's not feral, I dont think he's lived in a house before. Im hoping he goes about a bit more in the summer and gets some weight off. On the plus side, his weight has stabilised and he's not put any more on.

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