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

Original poster

Cat constantly meowing for food

47 replies

Lindtcat · 12/01/2023 17:29

My 4 year old female cat has started constantly meowing for food and im a bit worried as to why?
She's been neutered and I've taken her to the vet for it and they can't find a cause. All tests fine, been wormed just incase. It's driving me mad.

I give her two sachets, three times a day and she's still meowing. I feed her, she finishes and starts meowing. She will do it until she's fed again. She will sit by my legs and everytime I go to the kitchen, she follows me in there for food.

This started about a month ago.
Only changes recently is, we another cat in September. He's been spayed. So not that. They get on really well, he's fine. He eats and seems satisfied. They have different feeding and water bowls.

Anyone have any idea as to what could be going on?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lindtcat · 12/01/2023 22:13

Bump. Anyone have an idea ??

OP posts:
Loveatortie · 12/01/2023 22:19

My cat does this,i pick him up and fuss him. Maybe wants some love. My boy is 20 so probably forgets he has been fed😽

thunderstruckk · 12/01/2023 22:20

Oh that's odd, is she putting on weight? I'd be taken her back to the vets if she's eating 6 pouches a day and staying slim. I'd be worried about parasites (I can see she's been wormed just incase!) or hyperthyroidism / diabetes. Maybe even IBD if she can't absorb nutrients from the food so is always super hungry.

I know as cats age they can need more food and mine do get way hungrier in winter to be honest, but not the the point they're constantly meowing for it.

Did the vets do full blood work on her?

NeverDropYourMooncup · 12/01/2023 22:24

There's bugger all nutrition/protein in pouches and they're tiny.

Unless you observe every single mouthful, he's likely shoving his head in and having hers.

The amount actually in the low nutrition pouches has decreased over the last couple of years whilst staying the same price or getting dearer.

Try improving the quality of her food (tetrapaks of higher meat content food are available online, for example, or introducing dried food for some of their meals) and she'll be less of a pest - because hungry is hungry.

AtSomePointInLife · 12/01/2023 22:25

My cat does the same she's 13. I think maybe because it's cold and she just wants a full belly. She starts on the dogs food if I don't feed her again and again!! Constantly meowing and if anyone goes in the kitchen she runs in meowing, if I make a cup of tea and get the milk she goes crazy for that too. My cat doesn't want any loving she couldn't care less if she never saw anyone of us again as long as someone feeds her 🤣

wagnbobble · 12/01/2023 22:27

Did the vets test her thyroid levels , my boy cat suddenly started miaowing a lot for food and was found to be borderline hyperthyroid . Meds have really helped . My girl cat has always been very miaowy and cat beg for food all day but tests totally normal . She’s just loves food

Knittingnanny2 · 12/01/2023 22:28

My 13 year old cat was crying constantly for food and I’ve changed her to the gastrointestinal sachets. She was also pooing a lot and the new food seems to have sorted out both problems
expensive though!

HolibobsinApril · 12/01/2023 22:37

I had a very hungry cat and so I give him some scoops of dry food too. It really helps.

Wet food is something like 80% water.

Original poster
Lindtcat · 12/01/2023 23:10

Ill try introducing a dry food also. No she's not putting on weight, when we was at the weight they said she was a good weight. So not overweight. I don't think she wants love, she don't really like to be cuddle or touched except for when I wake up or come home. I am not sure what blood tests the vet done tbh. I assume it was a broad spectrum. I'm going to ask about thyroid and if that was checked. Maybe she's just hungrier...strange as she never used to do this. Thanks for all the replies!

OP posts:
whataboutsecondbreakfast · 13/01/2023 07:10

Six sachets a day must cost you an absolute fortune!

Is there a reason you don't give them dry food?

NeonEyes · 13/01/2023 07:16

You definitely need to find out what tests the vet did. It could be boredom but I’d be concerned about thyroid issues and diabetes amongst other things.

Original poster
Lindtcat · 13/01/2023 08:02

@whataboutsecondbreakfast it does! I buy them in bulk but still very pricey. About )
£22 a week to feed both cats.

OP posts:
Mumdiva99 · 13/01/2023 08:05

My cat has wet and dry and has started begging for more wet food!! She has plenty of dry left. She always ate the dry before. She is just being a cat. And if she looks cute enough husband gives in......completely reinforcing the behaviour!!

Original poster
Lindtcat · 13/01/2023 09:01

She was only on around 4 sachets in the day. I felt she still may have been hungry so upped to six. But I'm not giving her anymore wet food. So I'll start the dry and see how that goes. Should I mix in the wet and dry together??! Or should I give her the some dry food between her feeds?

OP posts:
Allergictoironing · 13/01/2023 09:47

Make sure you get a decent quality dry food, not just Go Cat or anything like that, and make sure it's marked as "complete".

Don't mix them, just put a bowl of dry near where you feed her the wet. Mine actually have their dry ad lib, I just top the bowl up as & when it runs low, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea until you've had a chance to see just how much she's eating!

Personally I would measure carefully how much you put in, but at least initially see how much she wants rather than sticking to the small amounts on the pack. This way you can tell the vet how much she's eating of a decent quality dry if she still doesn't put weight on.

Bestcatmum · 13/01/2023 09:51

My one year old cat does this non stop. It drives me nuts. She knows full well if she pesters me enough she will get a treat. It's like kids whining for sweets. I give her 2 or three different cat biscuits when she does it rather than treats which are not very good for them. She'll eat them as if I've given her caviar.

Original poster
Lindtcat · 13/01/2023 09:55

Okay. I've popped into Tesco and bought the Purina One sensitive food. She's had her first feed of the day and I've filled up a bowl of dry food alongside her water. She's currently not interested in it at all. Has smelt it and walked off. Now sitting by my feet meowingEnvy

OP posts:
Nottodaty · 13/01/2023 10:02

Our cats would prefer to have a bowl of biscuits to graze on during the day, they also have wet food twice daily.

But they fussy with biscuits - really fussy & can suddenly decide they no longer like them grhhhh Or if they’ve been out to long prefer a fresh batch.

Fremdschämen · 13/01/2023 10:26

AtSomePointInLife · 12/01/2023 22:25

My cat does the same she's 13. I think maybe because it's cold and she just wants a full belly. She starts on the dogs food if I don't feed her again and again!! Constantly meowing and if anyone goes in the kitchen she runs in meowing, if I make a cup of tea and get the milk she goes crazy for that too. My cat doesn't want any loving she couldn't care less if she never saw anyone of us again as long as someone feeds her 🤣

12 to 13 is around the age that some cats develop hyperthyroidism.

I'd keep an eye on her for unexplained weight loss, unsettled behaviour, excessive vocalisation in a previously contented cat, coat becoming dull, cat losing interest in grooming, wandering from room to room, increased heart or respiration rate etc.

AtSomePointInLife · 13/01/2023 16:58

Thank you Fremds** She's always been like this so it's nothing out of the ordinary.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 13/01/2023 17:14

Lindtcat · 13/01/2023 09:55

Okay. I've popped into Tesco and bought the Purina One sensitive food. She's had her first feed of the day and I've filled up a bowl of dry food alongside her water. She's currently not interested in it at all. Has smelt it and walked off. Now sitting by my feet meowingEnvy

Just leave it down for her. She'll eat it if she's hugry.

My three each get a pouch of wet a day (half for breakfast, half for dinner) and then unlimited access to dry. So, so much cheaper than feeding a primarily wet diet and they all seem very happy on it.

Fizbosshoes · 13/01/2023 17:39

Both my cats started doing this at around the end of October. The boy cat especially, would literally be in the kitchen every half an hour, at some points. We fed them 4 times a day (up to 6 pouches between 2 of them although I think the girl cat barely got a look in, some days!) And a small bowl of dry biscuits. They both looked noticeably bigger after a few weeks, although they were both fairly small to begin with.(Boy cat is 3.7kg but the girl is much smaller) Then after about 6 weeks they suddenly reverted back to eating quite frugally again.

Boy cat is given hugs at every meowing session, but girl cat is like yours @AtSomePointInLife and actively avoids any petting/touching/hugs etc! She's the queen of social distancing! 🤣

Frayalight · 13/01/2023 18:49

You could try Purina One light dry biscuits and add a small amount of water to see if she'll eat it. If not just serve it without water. My cats have been on it years and enjoy it.

Original poster
Lindtcat · 14/01/2023 00:07

No luck with her today. She's still meowing but refusing to eat dry food. My other cat was very much enjoyed it though! I'm starting to think she's not meowing due to hunger? Going to try get a vet appointment for early next week. Will make sure to ask what specially was checked and tested for and request more investigation if needed. I am noticing, my other cat is putting on weight. She's not but she's not underweight. Concerned.

OP posts:
MonsoonMadness · 14/01/2023 00:12

My cat is quite overweight. She has one sachet if wet food a day and a small scoop of dry food. She’s still starving all day . I don’t know what to do.

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