Compulsive Over Eating

[Mojo]

I make games for my kitties and their dry food throughout the day- I have a bottle with holes cut out that they have to push with their nose, and in the evenings they play "fetch" with biccies.

Cos they are indoor I have to make sure I dont over feed and as Mango loves her food this stops her from gorging on it. Maybe try that?

[nicchick]

I have to feed my two cats seperately. With my adult cat I could happily leave biscuits down all the time and he only eats when he is hungry and he eats very slowly. My kitten, well, she would eat everything in the house in one sitting if she got chance. My adult cat also wont fight for his food, he just lets the kitten eat his share too! So, I shut the kitten in the dining room for fifteen/twenty minutes with her bowl, and leave my adult cat elsewhere with his bowl. They get biscuits morning and late afternoon, and some wet food just before I go to bed.

Its hassle yes, but, it means they both are healthy weights.

As to the litter - it seems your cat knows the difference!! Like someone else said either stick with tescos and be prepared to clean up evey so often, or buy the catsan.

nic

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

gingivitis is better than obesity

I dont think so

I have a cat that does this, even if asleep upstairs she will hear me pouring the biscuits and be there in a flash! She will scoff then throw up. She is not allowed any biscuits at all now so when I put them out she has to be locked in a room. I also make sure I dont put too many out for her to get them.

Yeah it is hard tying to keep the over eater away but when your warned of your cat getting diabetic you have to something about it.

[fluffybunny]

I have a similar feeding problem with a 7kg lardy (Geoffrey) who can't gain any more weight and a 3.4kg skinny (Milly) who can't lose any more.  Milly eats Royal Canin Outdoor Mature food, which is quite high energy, so I have to make extra sure that Geoffrey doesn't get any - it really does literally involve putting the biscuits down when she wants to eat them, and picking them straight up again after she wanders off.  She will also eat some wet food (I offer her both and let her choose), but Geoffrey is on wet food only and absolutely not allowed biscuits at all!  On the days we are at home there is a constant round of picking bowls up and putting them down again.  Even with much protesting, Geoffrey knows now that there are times that Milly is allowed food when he isn't.

The biggest problem I have is on days where we both work, as Milly invariably doesn't want breakfast at the time it's offered - so we have to set it on a timer and hope that she gets at least some of it when it opens a bit later on!  It's really not ideal but if I just leave her breakfast or a bowl of biscuits down, I know they will have been eaten by the time she comes back for it.  At least by staggering two small bowls of wet food on a timer during the day she stands more chance of getting some. 

[Feline Costumier]

He sounds like he is greedy just like my Charlie.  I have to really watch what I give him.  He rampages round the kitchen if he thinks he hasn't had enough to eat and would eat until he burst if I let him.  Best of luck must be more difficult with two cats

This is Dave too. I stupidly left some uneaten lasagne on the kitchen counter last night, when I remembered and went back Dave had polished off the lot! He has nothing to graze on as he just eats everything put down in one sitting, I would have an extremely fat cat and empty wallet if he had biscuits down on demand.

Feeding separately is the way forward, or supervised feeding so you can prevent him from tucking into your other cats leftovers. Sounds like a real pain but once you have a routine it is fine. Better a slightly grumpy normal weight cat than a contented overweight one with potential health problems as a result.

[Millys Mum]

So in summary Harry can't gain weight, Charlie can't lose weight, they've got to eat more biscuits for their teeth but can't eat too many biscuits because they'll get fat. How on earth are you supposed to work all of that into one diet?!

Its achievable 
Its the carb filled biscuits improves teeth story again, gingivitis is better than obesity so wet food is ideal for your fatter boy as he can eat more for less calories. The best thing for teeth are raw chicken wings, these do actually clean the tartar away unlike biscuits that shatter on the tip of the tooth!!

The only way to stop him vomiting is to stop the free dry food, stick a handful in water and leave for half an hour and see how much they swell up  especially the real cheap dry stuff.

He could also have worms if always hungry.

Try an ultra fine clumping litter from tesco called sophisticat choice, its £5 a tub but lasts longer as you dont chuck it. If they like it you can get £14kg for £8.99 from zooplus 

[LesleyW]

He has also developed a nasty habit of poohing next to his litter tray    He doens't do it all the time, just ocassionally.  Thats started since we swapped from catsan litter but I'm sorry I can't justify £9 a bag when the same size bag of Tescos own is about £2 and to my eyes is nigh on identical!!

Any advice??

Unfortunately, it sounds like he knows the difference.  You have to weigh up spending the extra on Catsan and having a clean floor or cleaning up after him if he doesn't like the Tescos.  Cats have extremely sensitive noses and he can obviously smell a difference between the two, and has expensive taste unfortunately.

[Maddiesmum]

He sounds like he is greedy just like my Charlie.  I have to really watch what I give him.  He rampages round the kitchen if he thinks he hasn't had enough to eat and would eat until he burst if I let him.  Best of luck must be more difficult with two cats

[Gillian Harvey]

I agree with BC, don't leave biscuits down - they don't need to have biscuits down all the time, especially as you feed pouches as well - thats like doubling up on the amount they really need. Wet food is much less likely to put weight on them as it isnt full of carbs like dry food is. Contrary to popular belief dry food doesnt clean the teeth either, so its not really benefiting their oral health.

[blackcat]

Feed them separately. I had to do that for several years with one cat on a special diet that was potentially toxic to the other cats who did not have the same disorder. It's a pain, but it works...

When they have finished eating, remove the rest of the food and offer it again later.

[CharlieFarley]

Not so easy to take the biscuits away when you have 2 cats.  You are right Harry is a 'large' cat - but he is going to be a big boy anyway -  currently 5kg and vet reckons once fully grown he will weigh in at about 7kg.  Last vet check we were just told he wasn't to gain anymore weight.  However his brother Charlie is a measly 4.4kg and we've been told hes not allowed to loose any weight    They only get one bowl of biscuits between them in 24 hours, so they aren't having too many biscuits - its just if the bowl does get empty Harry seems to panic eat when its refilled.  We have cut them down from 3 pouches between them a day to 2 on the vets recommendation as they both had mild signs if gingivitus so we were told we need to get them to eat more biscuits.

So in summary Harry can't gain weight, Charlie can't lose weight, they've got to eat more biscuits for their teeth but can't eat too many biscuits because they'll get fat. How on earth are you supposed to work all of that into one diet?!  

[blackcat]

Leaving a full bowl of nibbles around is a good recipe for a fat cat, so for a start I would recommend you stop that. Secondly, if you know he gorges the dry stuff then serve it in smaller servings so he can not swallow so much it bounces back. Dry food rapidly expands when moist, so a lot of cats have this problem if they are allowed to eat too much too soon.

[CharlieFarley]

Harry has developed a habit that if his biscuit bowl (we leave biscuits down 24/7) gets even close to empty as soon as you reflll it he rushes over the bowl and gorges.  Half an hour later he'll then throw up   

Obviously to counteract this I try not to let the bowl get less and 1/4 full - but this isn't always possible and I am getting a little tired of cleaning up cat vomit (and why is it that the entire house is laminate bar 2 rooms and thoses are the ones he's always sick in?! ) 

I'm wondering what would cause this behaviour?  We've had him since he was 9 weeks old, and hes now 15months.  Hes never been deprived of food and theres been no changes in routine.  He has also developed a nasty habit of poohing next to his litter tray    He doens't do it all the time, just ocassionally.  Thats started since we swapped from catsan litter but I'm sorry I can't justify £9 a bag when the same size bag of Tescos own is about £2 and to my eyes is nigh on identical!!

Any advice??