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My new kitty (I have had her for about 2 1/2 months now) has some issues. She is about 3 years old. When I got her from the "rescue" lady She was 2 1/2 pounds underweight. She is a tiny cat too!! She was 5 pounds at the time and now she is about 7 1/2 pounds. She looks good and is at her perfect weight. I feed both my kitties Natural Balance.
However, she is ALWAYS begging for food even though she gets plenty. If I even go into the kitchen she comes running from down the hall begging. She is up on the counters in the night looking for food. She has knocked down two empty glasses that had remnants of milk in them. She gets into the trash if I leave a bag out in the kitchen. She begs when we are eating. (we NEVER give her people food) I know that she belonged to a one lady before she was given up to the rescue lady. The rescue lady had her from Dec of last year to June of this year when I adopted her. She was in bad shape when I got her but I have nursed her back to health. She has had EVERY test known to man and she is in good health now. No worms... thyroid etc.. that was all checked.
The other odd thing is that she spits up tiny bits of her dry food throughout the day. It's long after she has eaten too... It's like she is a chipmunk and holds it until later. Sometimes she will re-eat the food. I was perplexed at first when I got her and saw dry cat food around the house. I talked to the vet and he said he never heard of such a thing. Could this also be a result of what has happened to her?
When will she realize she will NEVER be starved in this household? I feel she is in survival mode still. Will this eventually go away?
Any advice?
Thanks!
PS. She has a vomiting issue too. She SCARFS her food and then vomits (about the amount of a small child) an hour later. I attribute this to her eating fast and too much.
I think it will eventually moderate, if not entirely go away. My cat was a stray and has remained pretty much a chow hound ever since (14 years of living indoors). But he's polite about it. Once a cat is deprived of food and stays hungry for months, it is difficult for it to get used to the idea that it doesn't have to eat as much as it can (and more) every time it gets the chance. Just give it a lot of TLC.
My stray has similar behavioral issues. I thought giving her an auto pet feeder that gave her whatever she wanted would end the belief in lack she picked up from the streets. Last check at the vet she's bloated from too much food and at risk of overweight diseases. She's less than a year old and over 10 lbs on a tiny frame. She's also aggressive about muscling my other cat out of his dinner so feeding time must be supervised. I joked with the vet-- I really don't mean to make her a low rider cat! Vet said no more than 1/4 cup of food twice a day when I was feeding her 1/2 a cup twice. My other house cat tends to graze, whereas she scarfs. Her belly is about 4 times the size of her head just to give you an idea how badly I've mismanaged this situation. Keep in mind I started out with a kitten whose every bone stuck out. She was emaciated but I've gone overboard.
I may not know what works, but I know at will infinite supply method doesn't work. She just kept gorging herself. Playing with her more seems to distract her away from the all consuming pursuit of food & provide more exercise in the bargain. She snubs the laser pointer so a wand toy is primary motivator. Changing her life from outdoor stray starving to death with every moment a life and death harsh reality vs lazy less stimulated indoor cat has apparently been the most difficult adjustment for her. She has no desire to go outside or run away but I think this is a combination of hold over survival habits from street life and new found boredom of pampered existence. She hasn't gained more from these recent changes but I don't think she's lost any either. I hope someone out there knows more because carrying these extra pounds is bad on her joints & diabetes is a horrible thing to risk. Ask any diabetic human what it is to be tormented by that disease. Our bad habits about the subject of food are being passed onto animals.
Your kitty vomiting back up sounds lots like my ex landlady's elderly dog. Keep in mind this is all just guessing cause and effect. His teeth & digestive system (unknown at the time he had digestive tumors) were coming out from under him so that was his way of softening the food more than it was when given. It went unnoticed because his personality was always a bit neurotic. She fed him plenty and he looked like a pork roast (jack russell breed doesn't hold extra weight well). Since your kitty is young, you might want to consider giving her wet food instead of kibble and see if that changes anything about the vomiting. Sudden changes in food brands will also bring digestive upsets so keep that in mind. Food allergies are also something to consider- she's hungry but can't really eat creating a desperate feeling? Just a theory.
On the vomiting. I have one who has a very sensitive stomach. There are very few foods I can feed her, that she can keep down. I recently found Blue Buffalo BASICS. Seems to be missing whatever it is that causes her to vomit all the time.
Also...by placing a ping pong ball or even a rock or something similar, in the center of the food bowl, will slow down the eating process, if you feel that is the cause.
On the vomiting. I have one who has a very sensitive stomach. There are very few foods I can feed her, that she can keep down. I recently found Blue Buffalo BASICS. Seems to be missing whatever it is that causes her to vomit all the time.
Also...by placing a ping pong ball or even a rock or something similar, in the center of the food bowl, will slow down the eating process, if you feel that is the cause.
Interesting in regards to the rock in the bowl. I will have to try that. She lived with 22 cats with the rescue lady. She was SO thin and I imagine she had to fight for her food She can be aggressive sometimes.
I even feel she might have been abused... I don't know but something tells me. If I say NO! when she is being a bad girl, she cowers and acts like I am going to hit her! I always tell her that we don't do that in this house sweetie.... you are safe and at home now.... you never have to starve or worry about anything again... I wish she could understand those words.
When will she realize she will NEVER be starved in this household? I feel she is in survival mode still. Will this eventually go away?
.
Maybe. Maybe not - there's no hard and fast rule as it all just depends on the personality of the individual animal concerned.
One rule that does apply species wide though is that with any animal that's been starved (especially if it was at a young, impressionable age) is that "free feeding" (ie, an endless supply) does NOT work. Animals live in the present and the logic needed to form the relationship between "food here now" and "food will still be there later" just isn't present.
In some animals it's just a gradual "wearing off". Some take longer, some don't take that long and still other never entirely believe the food will come day after day, so best not take any chances.
You're best bet is "little and often". Portion out her quantity for the day and divide it up to a number that's practical for you to feed it to her up to maybe about 4 or 5 small meals. This has two benefits:
a) there's always food in her tummy and
b) it might help with the vomiting. We have one that will also throw up if she eats too fast. It's not the quantity, it's not the food - it all just seems to come down to the speed at which she's eaten it. But she'll do it within 10 or 20 mins (max) of eating.
As for the squirreling away of her dry food... Are you quite sure she's actually doing that and that it's not more of a reflux issue from - perhaps - over consumption? Cats, by design, are not squirrellers, so if she is doing that, it most definitely is odd.
There are also slow-feeder bowls you can buy - a big dome in the middle makes the animal eat around it (ie, the rock or tennis ball principle) and slows down the rate at which they eat. Or it's supposed to anyway.
Maybe. Maybe not - there's no hard and fast rule as it all just depends on the personality of the individual animal concerned.
One rule that does apply species wide though is that with any animal that's been starved (especially if it was at a young, impressionable age) is that "free feeding" (ie, an endless supply) does NOT work. Animals live in the present and the logic needed to form the relationship between "food here now" and "food will still be there later" just isn't present.
In some animals it's just a gradual "wearing off". Some take longer, some don't take that long and still other never entirely believe the food will come day after day, so best not take any chances.
You're best bet is "little and often". Portion out her quantity for the day and divide it up to a number that's practical for you to feed it to her up to maybe about 4 or 5 small meals. This has two benefits:
a) there's always food in her tummy and
b) it might help with the vomiting. We have one that will also throw up if she eats too fast. It's not the quantity, it's not the food - it all just seems to come down to the speed at which she's eaten it. But she'll do it within 10 or 20 mins (max) of eating.
As for the squirreling away of her dry food... Are you quite sure she's actually doing that and that it's not more of a reflux issue from - perhaps - over consumption? Cats, by design, are not squirrellers, so if she is doing that, it most definitely is odd.
There are also slow-feeder bowls you can buy - a big dome in the middle makes the animal eat around it (ie, the rock or tennis ball principle) and slows down the rate at which they eat. Or it's supposed to anyway.
Wow, I never thought about reflux issues. Ill mention that to the vet next time. The food is pretty chewed and soggy. She starts chewing again, and then drops it on the ground. I know when she is getting ready to do it.
I have done that and believe it or not, when she has some food left in her dish, she is begging as if she has none.
I would then pick her up and set her by her dish. If she ignores the food still there, then I would ignore her.
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She was 2 1/2 pounds underweight. She is a tiny cat too!! She was 5 pounds at the time and now she is about 7 1/2 pounds. She looks good and is at her perfect weight. I feed both my kitties Natural Balance. 
She can be aggressive sometimes. 
Feed more and more often..........
