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Hi, me and the girlfriend got a kitten in November, he's now about 4 months old. He eats roughly 3 wet food pouches a day, but is still hungry all the time. The problem we have is he always jumps on the table and work tops to eat ANY food off of our plates, it's getting frustrating as he won't stop and I feel like locking him away won't help him learn. I tend to have sandwiches for my snacks and he always jumps on the table and steals a whole slice of bread and runs off with it while growling. I don't know how I can fix this, he always eats so fast too, would giving him smaller portions more often be better? Any ideas? Thanks.
Kittens need a lot of food because they're growing. I have no idea how big "pouches" of wet food are. I suspect your kitten could benefit from having some dry food available all day in addition to the three "pouches" of wet food.
When my kitten would jump on the table, I would pick her up and set her back down on the floor. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. She doesn't jump on the table anymore. She never stole my food either. I've had dogs all my life and know that it's my fault if a steak or anything gets stolen. Learn how to not set your food on the table until you're ready to sit down and guard it.
Sounds like he's not getting enough to eat, or not getting the nutrition he needs from what you are feeding.
What kind of pouches are they? Pouches are usually chunks in gravy type food which are generally very high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are not satisfying to cats, and he may feel hungry again just a short time after eating.
I'd add another meal of some kind of low carb pate to help him feel more satisfied.
Please don't add dry food. It's so bad for cats, especially males, and once you get started on it, it can be difficult to break the habit.
Another thought is, he may need more attention from you, he may be bored. Kittens have an enormous amount of energy and they need a lot of interactive play time from their humans to keep them out of mischief.
Play with your kitten, regular play sessions four or five times a day. Make sure he has some kind of furniture to jump and climb and scratch on. If possible, put a bird feeder outside a window to help keep him mentally stimulated. And play play play with him!
Sounds like he's not getting enough to eat, or not getting the nutrition he needs from what you are feeding.
What kind of pouches are they? Pouches are usually chunks in gravy type food which are generally very high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are not satisfying to cats, and he may feel hungry again just a short time after eating.
I'd add another meal of some kind of low carb pate to help him feel more satisfied.
Please don't add dry food. It's so bad for cats, especially males, and once you get started on it, it can be difficult to break the habit.
Another thought is, he may need more attention from you, he may be bored. Kittens have an enormous amount of energy and they need a lot of interactive play time from their humans to keep them out of mischief.
Play with your kitten, regular play sessions four or five times a day. Make sure he has some kind of furniture to jump and climb and scratch on. If possible, put a bird feeder outside a window to help keep him mentally stimulated. And play play play with him!
Correct. Even the more expensive and better brand pouches (like Wellness or Natural Balance...or is it Nature's Balance?...whatever) they are the chunks in gravy, and that gravy usually has a thickener that is carb laden. Beyond that, they have a much higher moisture content, and while it's good to get more liquid into the cat, the problem is it's still like 3oz or so, and fewer calories. Kittens need more STUFF in the food, they are growing! So mix it up, get some different kinds of cans. You can get some recommendations from any number of folks here or go read up at catinfo.org for the whole lowdown on cat feeding.
I fed Nimbus all wet food, and he was eating 4 meals of about 3 oz each every day until he was about a year old, then we gradually tapered it off to 3 meals of 3 oz per day, 'cause he was getting a fat backside lol...and this seems to be the right amount for him now.
Also, running off with a piece of bread sure sounds like kitten mischief to me. Agree, don't leave food unattended. Also you can train a cat...sort of. Reward is the key to that, never punishment. Cats don't grasp the concept of discipline or punishment very well. But they sure understand rewards! I have given Nimbus treats in one very specific spot on the kitchen floor enough times that if I want him off the counter or something, I say "treat?" and he goes and sits there and I give him a treat. He also waits until I'm done eating and if it's something he can have a bite of, he gets a single bite WHEN I'M DONE. Feeding a cat from your meals while you eat really isn't a good idea. Either teach 'em that they won't get any of your food at all, or that they have to wait until you're ready...
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