Cat obsessed with food - can anything be done?

[Aria2015]

My cat is 9 years old and he drives me bonkers constantly begging for food. He has access to dry food all day and night but he likes the posh Sheba pouches. We give him a few of these a day but even if we've just given him one, he is begging for more. Constantly around our feet meowing and running into the kitchen any time someone is in there and begging. He also will bite at legs and feet in a bid to get his way - even if he's just been fed. He'll also come into our room at 5am and meow loudly in the hope we'll get up and feed him (we never do!).

He hasn't got worms (we've had him checked) and he's a good weight (definitely not too skinny). It's just like he's obsessed with food. I hate to say it, but it makes it hard to enjoy him because I feel constantly harassed. My husband has even gone out at midnight to get wet food if we realise we've run out because of he's just left with the dry food the harassment goes to a whole new level! We've also experimented with different dry foods in case he didn't like it but it makes no difference.

Anyone had experience of a food obsessed cat and managed to o anything about it? He's been like this ever since we introduced him to wet food about 7 years ago (he was on dry food for the first couples of years).

[quote Aria2015]@sleepyhead this is interesting. He often tricks both me and my dh by acting like he hasn't been fed despite the other one feeding him and so we definitely have no routine. I think I will definitely try this though - will just have to make sure dh and I communicate on who has fed him what! [/quote]
Oh yes, dcat was a terrible liar. She was never fed. Ever. Cross her heart guvvnor

@GoLightlyontheEarth I probably give him 3 pouches (they're the small Sheba ones not the big ones) but the problem is that my dh will often think I haven't fed him (because the cat is very good at convincing him of this!) and will also feed him! He's out most of the night (sleeps most of the day). He's not overweight though but I guess he could be bored? But he can come and go as he likes so always has the option to head out.

Well obviously he needs tiger portions!!
Yabu to assume he is a domestic mog!!
Gorgeous op!!

[quote Aria2015]@ThePawtriarchy I'll ask for this next time we're at the vets. We've mentioned about the food but they just checked for worms...[/quote]
Ultimately it’s probably just a good way to spend some more money on your grumpy cat that bites you for food Our old cat was similar and it was a pain in the arse but he did have kidney issues so it was worth the check. At least you can rule out medical issues that way. Oh - other idea - to slow down his eating of it, you could water it down a bit or look for the ‘cat food puzzle’ things you can use. Might be a bit messier than worth it though!

Worth doing bloods and a thyroid test

@Chunkymenrock I mentioned the food issue to the vets and did I was worried he had worms. When I picked him up the nurse said he had been fully checked out and he didn't have fleas or worms. I didn't question it beyond that as I just assumed it was something that could be checked? I will definitely ask for a blood test next time though and get them to check his thyroid.

@ThePawtriarchy I did buy a special bowl that has bumps on the bottom designed to sow him down. It does work but it hasn't stopped the begging lol!

My Dcat gets a tiny bit of sardines twice a day to have her meds mixed in.

Does she pester for it, hell yes. Would she like dreamies constantly, hell yes. Would your toddler like constant chocolate and pester you for it constantly if it sometimes it paid off, hell yes!!!

Ditch the pouches.

Oh he's gorgeous you can't be mad at him! 😍😍

@Easterbunnygettingready lol! I think he thinks he is a tiger!

@sleepyhead1980 I'll get this looked into for sure.

@GoLightlyontheEarth

You say several pouches? My cat has one pouch a day in the morning and dry food in the evening. It sounds like you’re seriously over feeding him. How often does he go outside and how long for? He sounds bored and greedy. Several pouches is too much.

If he's not over weight then it's not "too much"

@RandomMess I think I'll try the set routine first and then if that doesn't make a difference try this. He's not a cuddly cat sadly but he does enjoy a laser pen. Are you even a cat if you don't like laser pens!? Lol!

@Fluffycloudland77 thanks - I'll look into some new toys to keep him occupied!!

If he's having dry food, have you weighed it to give him the correct portion size? Our dc begs for food and gets rumbunctious when he doesn't think he's had enough however he gets fat when we are overfeeding him (generally in the winter). I would have thought your boy would be fat too if you were overfeeding him. I have also been advised on here to give him more protein because it's more satisfying. We do sometimes give him a little extra dry food if he is persistent but throw it around the lounge so he has to run to get it!

Is he neutered? Apparently this is a "thing" with neutered male cats. Ours is also on the hungry (but also portly...) side; he is on appetite management food - Royal Canine I think.

OP

I would feed him more often. And consider bigger pouches if you're feeding the smaller ones.

Get him checked out as PP have suggested, and maybe look into higher satiety food.

But mostly, if your beloved pet is so hungry he is agitated, why wouldn't you feed him??

For reference, ours have a cat fountain, dry food down all the time, and a wet pouch about every six hours (last thing and first thing are about 8 hours apart.)

This reminds of the dark ages people saying babies were "spoiled" if they ate more or more often than some arbitrary routine.

@brushlaptop he is gorgeous - it's his saving grace!

Sounds exactly like my cat, always begging for more. He stretches up and hangs off my leg in the kitchen if I ignore the crying.
He could easily eat 2 pouches in one sitting. Tonight I fed him when I got in and he was after more immediately, begging away and following me around the house. As with your's there is dried food out all day and always access to water.
Basically he is wired to associate me ith food, he never begs to be fed by anyone else.
It is hard to ignore when the pestering is constant, most of the time I do try to ignore. I have no idea what the answer is, I also have another cat and she is not especially interested in food. I think it is purely in the genes really.

Does no one else's cats go crazy for dreamies or some other treat

Ours would happily ignore their free flow dry food for dreamies, wet food, tuna, sardines!! In fact one would hassle for fresh dry food he wasn't agitating for food because he was starving he just knew what he wanted and expected his slaves to comply!!

Mine want dreamies, freeze dried treats and asda cooked chicken breast

@Leah2005 years ago when he was a kitten we took him to the vets and asked about feeding him in the day because we were both working full time. The vet said to leave a load of biscuits out and see how he gets on. He said a lot of cats self regulate and don't over eat but some do. Every time he's been weighed at the vets his weight has been fine so we've never done portions with the dry food, just kept the bowl topped up or refilled.

I am also pestered for food by our two cats (neutered males). They see me and lick their lips. I feed them three times a day and I ignore or distract them other times. I don't leave food out for them. They look for their lunch an hour or so after their breakfast. It's mental! Your cat is gorgeous, op.

@margotsdevil yes he's neutered. That's interesting, I wonder if it is related!?

My advice sounds mean, but my cat has been food obsessed since kitten hood and is overweight. He's broken into automatic feeders, chewed and clawed thick plastic lids off to get to food, stolen fish from the neighbours. Utterly mad for it.

We only coped by having a strict routine, so he had set food at set times and no deviations. Treats go into a ball that doles them out. Meowing at us for food at other times (especially right after one!) is not tolerated, and he will be put outside. If he is too annoying I will squirt water past him when I open the door and he soon shoots off again. He never gets wet!
Also, he sleeps downstairs and has the sofa to himself every night so he doesn't wake us.