Meowing "hungry" cat driving us insane

[linda and guinness]

So my cat Guinness has been OTJ since October 2009. He's a on very strict diet now. Merrick canned with a little dehydrated raw. He get's fed just under an ounce every four hours (6 times in a 12 hour period). Basically, it works out to a full 5.5oz can a day. The thing is, because I am feeding him so much and he has always been obsessed with food, he is constantly following me around and meowing at me to feed him. Whenever I happen to walk into the kitchen, he's there meowing. He wakes us up in the middle of the night (even though his automatic feeder feeds him at 2am) and just stands in the hallway in front of our bedroom and meows and meows. If I shut the door, he scratches on it until someone comes out. He's always been a fairly vocal cat, but he is starting to drive everyone in our family crazy. He's never been a terribly affectionate cat (accept to me at quiet times), so now he just eats and meows, eats and meows. My dh wants to lock him in the garage at night (we live in So. Cal, so it's not too cold), but I think that might stress him out and raise his BG's again. I'm wondering if there are any natural calming aids that might help in this situation. I used to use Rescue Remedy to try and stop them from peeing in the house, but it never seemed to work. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get him to stop this behavior? I know it's best not to feed him when he is meowing (it just reinforces the behavior), but he is always meowing, so I'd never feed him if I tried that approach. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. BTW, his BG has been in the 50-60 range since going OTJ.

 

[Deanie and Boo (GA) and Scout]

Have you tried feeding him more?

 

[Sweetgrass & the Furries]

Hello.
All that hunger, poor guy. vocalizing and hunger can also be an indication of hyper thyroid.
It looked much like that in my older kitty, Flame.
She was hungry and noisy and squeaky and drove us a little batty.
Now 2 years later,she is happy on tapezole and not driving us batty with her noisiness. Poor baby, they do try and talk to us.

Long and short is, have you had a blood panel done lately?
It may be worth it see what the thyroid levels are at?

Meanwhile, feliway is a great aid for calm

 

[linda and guinness]

Have you tried feeding him more?

We are trying to get some weight off him, so I don't really want to feed him more. That actually probably wouldn't solve the problem anyways. He doesn't seem to have a "full" indicator in his brain. He would eat and eat and eat...in fact, that's how he ended up with diabetes.

 

[linda and guinness]

Hello.
All that hunger, poor guy. vocalizing and hunger can also be an indication of hyper thyroid.
It looked much like that in my older kitty, Flame.
She was hungry and noisy and squeaky and drove us a little batty.
Now 2 years later,she is happy on tapezole and not driving us batty with her noisiness. Poor baby, they do try and talk to us.

Long and short is, have you had a blood panel done lately?
It may be worth it see what the thyroid levels are at?

Meanwhile, feliway is a great aid for calm

He had his blood work done when diagnosis back in September. No mention of hyper thyroid. Could it have developed after the initial diabetes diagnosis? I hate to take him back to the vet, but it might be worth a phone call to double check if they ran a test for that. Thanks for the thought. Is tapezole fairly safe and ok for diabetics?

 

[Chloe and Kipper (GA)]

He could have developed hyperthyroidism but if you are trying to reduce his weight because he is too heavy, then that is probably not the answer. I hope Kipper's story will help you.

Kipper is a huge guy (long, tall, huge bones) and he was fat from eating carby food. At his peak he was 25 pounds. In November 2008 he weighed 24.2 pounds when he got his rabies shot. In April 2009 when he was diagnosed with diabetes he was positively skeletal at 14 pounds. He driving me nuts about wanting to eat all the time, but then he was always a hungry guy.

Now that he is well regulated and on Fancy Feast low carb and gluten free my baby has settled at a perfect weight (between 16 and 17 pounds). I just feed him all he wants, when he wants (although it works out to a schedule we have) and he is the perfect weight. When I was trying to reduce his weight before the diabetes was diagnosed I swear the reduction tactics (less food/more often) made him hungrier than he really was.

Try feeding your baby more food until he stops the meowing. I am not so sure he has no internal gauge. Perhaps you have not fed him enough so can learn to self-regulate. It took Kipper just about 4 months to do that, something I hardly believe he has done to this day, but true. He will, however, go for carby cat food or carby people food if he has the opportunity.

Hope this helps.

 

[Karen and Flo]

Any other behavioral issues? Peeing and pooing normally? Might not hurt to do a BG test. Some cats go back to needing insulin after being OTJ for awhile...

 

[Mary & Stormy Blue]

Linda,

Perhaps feeding him more lo-carb food might be the answer. What about feeding him his regular food, but adding a filling snack of more plain old raw meat to his meal? Say something like a whole raw chicken gizzard (or two) that he really has to work at chewing to eat? Cats, like people, should eat slower in order to feel full. If we eat too fast - we are still hungry even if it was *enough* food that we just ate. Add extra water to his canned food, too, so that he *thinks* he is getting more food, but the water helps to fill him up.

As far as the weight loss part goes - try to get him to exercise more instead of cutting his calories. I know that is what is working for Leo. He's so busy chasing Zeus all over the house that he is finally losing weight and I have not cut his food intake one bit.

HTH,

~M

 

[linda and guinness]

Any other behavioral issues? Peeing and pooing normally? Might not hurt to do a BG test. Some cats go back to needing insulin after being OTJ for awhile...

No other behavioral issues. All peeing and pooing are normal. I test his Bg every couple of weeks and just did a test about a week ago - always 57, 58. This has been going on since I've started feeding him every four hours small amounts (since he was first diagnosed).

 

[linda and guinness]

Linda,

Perhaps feeding him more lo-carb food might be the answer. What about feeding him his regular food, but adding a filling snack of more plain old raw meat to his meal? Say something like a whole raw chicken gizzard (or two) that he really has to work at chewing to eat? Cats, like people, should eat slower in order to feel full. If we eat too fast - we are still hungry even if it was *enough* food that we just ate. Add extra water to his canned food, too, so that he *thinks* he is getting more food, but the water helps to fill him up.

As far as the weight loss part goes - try to get him to exercise more instead of cutting his calories. I know that is what is working for Leo. He's so busy chasing Zeus all over the house that he is finally losing weight and I have not cut his food intake one bit.

HTH,

~M

Thanks Mary, I think I will start adding some raw food to his regular meals to bulk them up a little and see if that works. I hadn't thought about chicken livers and don't even know where I can buy those. He does eat super, super fast. He tries to finish his meal in a flash and then tries to muscle his way into his brother's bowl. I do add about a tablespoon of water to each oz of food. I'm thinking I might just have to increase the amount of food and hope that helps.

I do exercise them everyday, but lately he's become so obsessed with the kitchen and his food bowl, he won't play for very long and will just go back to sitting next to his bowl meowing.

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[Chloe and Kipper (GA)]

OMG I cannot believe I skipped over what may be an obvious answer. It sounds like you taking very good care of Guiness, testing and all, but all cats get worms and even if they are indoor only cats if there is one flea they run the chance of tapeworms. It is possible?

That said, I am glad to hear you are going to feed him more. Keep us posted.

 

[chriscleo]

you don't talk to him when he meows at you, do you?
harry was a HUGE meower until i started ignoring him every time he meowed.
only other thing i can suggest is feed fewer meals, on a strict schedule. might take about 2 months for him to figure the schedule out but you might have peace after that.

 

[Victoria & Sundance]

So you are feeding 5.5 ounces a day? How heavy do you want him to be? Is he small? Because Sundance was small and she was 7.5lbs and ate about 6 ounces a day.

Have you read Dr. Lisa's site about weight loss for cats? http://www.catinfo.org/feline_obesity.htm

You should really read all of the points there carefully as cats can develop health issues if they lose weight too fast. They are only supposed to lose about 1% of their body weight per week and you should never be feeding them under what they need... Just under what they would need to maintain the over weight status.

Calories count too... not just ounces. Please read Dr. Lisa's site. I know you said he was a foodie, but unless he is a very small cat, I think he's not getting enough food.

Good luck and keep us posted.

OH PS... this is not to say that the other issues are not valid...A Hypter T test does sound in order... it's just that the food part may also be an issue.

 

[Mary & Stormy Blue]

Linda,

Perhaps feeding him more lo-carb food might be the answer. What about feeding him his regular food, but adding a filling snack of more plain old raw meat to his meal? Say something like a whole raw chicken gizzard (or two) that he really has to work at chewing to eat? Cats, like people, should eat slower in order to feel full. If we eat too fast - we are still hungry even if it was *enough* food that we just ate. Add extra water to his canned food, too, so that he *thinks* he is getting more food, but the water helps to fill him up.

As far as the weight loss part goes - try to get him to exercise more instead of cutting his calories. I know that is what is working for Leo. He's so busy chasing Zeus all over the house that he is finally losing weight and I have not cut his food intake one bit.

HTH,

~M

Thanks Mary, I think I will start adding some raw food to his regular meals to bulk them up a little and see if that works. I hadn't thought about chicken livers and don't even know where I can buy those. He does eat super, super fast. He tries to finish his meal in a flash and then tries to muscle his way into his brother's bowl. I do add about a tablespoon of water to each oz of food. I'm thinking I might just have to increase the amount of food and hope that helps.

I do exercise them everyday, but lately he's become so obsessed with the kitchen and his food bowl, he won't play for very long and will just go back to sitting next to his bowl meowing.

Thanks for the ideas!

Linda,

I want to clarify one thing - get chicken gizzards - not livers. Too much organ meat is not good - especially too much liver. Only 5% of a raw fed critter's diet should be liver. Gizzards are considered as "meaty meat" (ditto heart) because they are muscles - very dense, tough muscles. As far as to where to buy them, you can get them from the grocery store. A 20oz package (usually Pilgrim's Pride) is about $2.00 and is always in the chicken section of the meat department. They are always sold frozen around here.....
When I really want to get a lot of gizzards, I go to the packing plant and buy several 40lb cases that are packaged in 5lb bags for 39 cents per pound. But I am raw feeding four good sized dogs here *smile* and they each get about 1lb of food per day (Well, Otis gets 2lbs - the 3 girls get 1lb).

~M

~M

 

[Brenda and Morris]

So you are feeding 5.5 ounces a day? How heavy do you want him to be? Is he small? Because Sundance was small and she was 7.5lbs and ate about 6 ounces a day.

Have you read Dr. Lisa's site about weight loss for cats? http://www.catinfo.org/feline_obesity.htm

You should really read all of the points there carefully as cats can develop health issues if they lose weight too fast. They are only supposed to lose about 1% of their body weight per week and you should never be feeding them under what they need... Just under what they would need to maintain the over weight status.

Calories count too... not just ounces. Please read Dr. Lisa's site. I know you said he was a foodie, but unless he is a very small cat, I think he's not getting enough food.

Good luck and keep us posted.

OH PS... this is not to say that the other issues are not valid...A Hypter T test does sound in order... it's just that the food part may also be an issue.

I agree he's probably not getting enough to eat. My Morris was up to 26 lbs. at one point on dry food. Since changing to low carb, he has gradually come down to 15 lbs. but still is a pretty good eater. He gets roughly one 5.5 oz and one 3.5 oz can a day, sometimes more if he's hungry. I always add a lot of water also and unless I am able to be around to feed each mini meal, I freeze some of it so he has to wait for it to thaw....he gobbles up his food as well.

Good luck with getting Guiness to stop meowing...I think once they start it is a hard habit to break them of.

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

I don't have any advice, and I don't want to hi jack this thread, but mocha is a howler. It's really bad at night and in the mornings. Plus if she wants attention or food or to play. But she has done this for as long as we can remember. But it does seem to be worse now, more often and even louder. Now Im nervous about her being hyper T. Or should I only be worried if this was something new she was doing? I don't believe she was ever tested for that. She did have two full panels of blood work done in the past though. Would they of tested for that?

 

[Phoebe_TiggyGA_NortonGA]

I think you only need to worry about the howling meowing if it is a CHANGE from normal behavior.

Of my 4 cats, the only frequent talker is my Siamese-mix - So meowing is normal behavior for her and practically characteristic of the breed.

When Norton started howling / meowing in the night, it was because his blood sugar was low and he needed a snack. (diabetic now guardian angel)

When Buster started howling / meowing in the night, we EVENTUALLY confirmed that he had Hyperthyroid. After he started medication, the howling / meowing in the night stopped.

 

[Lee and Tida (GA)]

Linda,

Perhaps feeding him more lo-carb food might be the answer. What about feeding him his regular food, but adding a filling snack of more plain old raw meat to his meal? Say something like a whole raw chicken gizzard (or two) that he really has to work at chewing to eat? Cats, like people, should eat slower in order to feel full. If we eat too fast - we are still hungry even if it was *enough* food that we just ate. Add extra water to his canned food, too, so that he *thinks* he is getting more food, but the water helps to fill him up.

As far as the weight loss part goes - try to get him to exercise more instead of cutting his calories. I know that is what is working for Leo. He's so busy chasing Zeus all over the house that he is finally losing weight and I have not cut his food intake one bit.

HTH,

~M

Thanks Mary, I think I will start adding some raw food to his regular meals to bulk them up a little and see if that works. I hadn't thought about chicken livers and don't even know where I can buy those. He does eat super, super fast. He tries to finish his meal in a flash and then tries to muscle his way into his brother's bowl. I do add about a tablespoon of water to each oz of food. I'm thinking I might just have to increase the amount of food and hope that helps.

I do exercise them everyday, but lately he's become so obsessed with the kitchen and his food bowl, he won't play for very long and will just go back to sitting next to his bowl meowing.

Thanks for the ideas!

Linda,

I want to clarify one thing - get chicken gizzards - not livers. Too much organ meat is not good - especially too much liver. Only 5% of a raw fed critter's diet should be liver. Gizzards are considered as "meaty meat" (ditto heart) because they are muscles - very dense, tough muscles. As far as to where to buy them, you can get them from the grocery store. A 20oz package (usually Pilgrim's Pride) is about $2.00 and is always in the chicken section of the meat department. They are always sold frozen around here.....
When I really want to get a lot of gizzards, I go to the packing plant and buy several 40lb cases that are packaged in 5lb bags for 39 cents per pound. But I am raw feeding four good sized dogs here *smile* and they each get about 1lb of food per day (Well, Otis gets 2lbs - the 3 girls get 1lb).

~M

~M

I have a question about the gizzards. How much and how often to feed the gizzards? Do you cut them up or give it to the kitty whole?
Thanks,
Lee

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

thanks phoebe. As you can see mocha is siamese and the vet told us when she was very young they tend to be very vocal and she is. I guess I never read that could also be a sign of something else.

 

[Erimess & Sammy (GA)]

So you are feeding 5.5 ounces a day? How heavy do you want him to be? Is he small? Because Sundance was small and she was 7.5lbs and ate about 6 ounces a day.

Have you read Dr. Lisa's site about weight loss for cats? http://www.catinfo.org/feline_obesity.htm

You should really read all of the points there carefully as cats can develop health issues if they lose weight too fast. They are only supposed to lose about 1% of their body weight per week and you should never be feeding them under what they need... Just under what they would need to maintain the over weight status.

Calories count too... not just ounces. Please read Dr. Lisa's site. I know you said he was a foodie, but unless he is a very small cat, I think he's not getting enough food.

Good luck and keep us posted.

OH PS... this is not to say that the other issues are not valid...A Hypter T test does sound in order... it's just that the food part may also be an issue.

I have to totally agree with this whole post. I don't know which Merrick you're feeding but the "average" one has about 155 calories per can. So for a 10 pound cat that would only be 15.5 calories per pound. If he's an overweight male, I have to imagine he's just a wee bit bigger than that, meaning it's even less per pound. If he's 15 pounds, that would only be 10 calories a pound!! Just to compare, my male cat maintains on about 17-18 per pound. The female about 20 per pound - she's younger and more active. She'd probably lose weight on 17-18 per pound. The least they'd ever eat in a day is 5.5 oz, and only if it was like a high calorie Wellness - they could eat a good 9-10 oz. of some low calorie seafood thing. Every cat is different, but that's something to compare to.

I guess I also don't understand the little 1 oz meals. Regardless what it adds up to at the end of the day, that's probably not enough to make him feel like a meal. Granted, he might be used to eating and eating, and he may end up meowing regardless, but I think he probably really is just plain hungry.

And a hyper T test is not part of a typical blood panel, so even if lab work was just done, doesn't mean that test was done.

 

[linda and guinness]

For those recommending that I read Dr. Lisa's site - that is where I came up with this formula for his current intake. She has an example there of a cat that was eating approximately 6oz a day and losing weight at a nice slow pace. The cat then started to get extra food from it's owner (only about a tsp of extra food) and his weight loss stopped and started to creep back up.

Guinness, my cat, started at 17lbs (and obviously overweight based on his rounded silloutte) in September of 09 and is now 16.4lbs. He's lost 6 oz in 4 months. As far as I've read, that is not a dangerous drop in weight in that period of time. If he is sticking to our current feeding he does fairly well losing weight slowly. I notice that he starts to seem to gain when he starts stealing his brother's food in the middle of the night. That's why I am a little leary to start feeding him more food. But I will.

The reason I feed him so many small meals was that it was recommended that small, frequent meals were the best thing for his pancreas. He went OTJ only a month after being diagnosed and I wanted his pancreas to have the best chance to heal and handle small meals instead of large meals. It's worked so well and he is off insulin, so I've been reluctant to A). add more food and B). reduce the number of times I feed him each day.

Lastly, he gets 5.5 - 6oz of Merrick Cowboy Cookout each day, AND about a tablespoon of Stella and Chewy's Dehydrated Raw. It is high fat and high calorie, so he's not just getting that 155 calories, he's actually getting more.

That all being said, I'm going to reduce the number of times I feed him and increase his meal sizes (slightly) to see if that will help with the meowing. I don't think it will though...my guess is he will continue his meowing and just start to gain that 6oz back. He's always been a nervous eater. When he was being fed dry, he would get nervous (mostly of my 3 year old daughter) and then go to his automatic feeder, stick his paw up it and get food. I've never seen him leave one oz of food in his bowl and when we were in the middle of giving him insulin and I was feeding him high carb FF to get his BG up when it dipped low, people would advise me to only give him the gravy so he wouldn't get full. He NEVER got full, ever. He's always been a meower, a people food begger and a BIG eater.

I think we are just getting tired of all the meowing now because it's so food centered and it's constant. Thanks all for your wonderful advise!! Lastly, no one spoke to my question regarding calming supplements (aside from the Feliway answer, which I've tried with little success). Does anyone use any calming type supplements for their cats?

 

[linda and guinness]

OMG I cannot believe I skipped over what may be an obvious answer. It sounds like you taking very good care of Guiness, testing and all, but all cats get worms and even if they are indoor only cats if there is one flea they run the chance of tapeworms. It is possible?

That said, I am glad to hear you are going to feed him more. Keep us posted.

Wouldn't he be dropping weight with a tape worm? Plus, I'm pretty anal about their litter box habits and have not seen any evidence on him or his output of a tapeworm. Good thought though.

 

[Victoria & Sundance]

Lynda, I'm sorry to sound contrary but 6 oz doesn't seem to be enough for a larger cat. Maybe he needs more food with less fat. How did you come up with the calculation for 6 oz or less of food? Are you exercising him as well? Sometimes they really need to be run around.

If you are worried about the pancreas, I can see why you fed small meals, but I think they might be a bit too small for his satisfaction. See what happens and keep an eye on the numbers if you increase the size of meals.

I don't want him to gain weight either, but the amount of food just seems so small for such a large cat.

 

[linda and guinness]

Lynda, I'm sorry to sound contrary but 6 oz doesn't seem to be enough for a larger cat. Maybe he needs more food with less fat. How did you come up with the calculation for 6 oz or less of food? Are you exercising him as well? Sometimes they really need to be run around.

If you are worried about the pancreas, I can see why you fed small meals, but I think they might be a bit too small for his satisfaction. See what happens and keep an eye on the numbers if you increase the size of meals.

I don't want him to gain weight either, but the amount of food just seems so small for such a large cat.

No worries, I just wanted everyone to understand that I came up with my calculations based on Dr. Lisa's webpage on weight control. I used her formula to come up with that 6oz, but like I said he also gets an unmeasured amount (probably about a tbl) of dehyrated raw. You are probably right that he needs more food. I guess since he wasn't losing weight quickly, I assumed he was eating the right amount. I do exercise him everyday for about 20 minutes at a time with a Da Bird and various other toys. Lately thought, whenever he sees me he only connects me to food and won't play until I feed him. I've already started giving him more food, so we will see how it goes. I will keep tabs on his BG and weight and go from there. I'm just so scared to overwhelm his pancreas and lose our honeymoon.

 

[Brenda and Morris]

" I'm just so scared to overwhelm his pancreas and lose our honeymoon."
I'd be scared too...you've done so well and it sounds like you are really on top of things. Hope the little bit more of food gives your household some rest.

You could ask your vet about prescribing Zanax (sp?)...I've heard of kitties that are hyper being given that to calm them down. @-)

 

[linda and guinness]

Lynda, I'm sorry to sound contrary but 6 oz doesn't seem to be enough for a larger cat. Maybe he needs more food with less fat. How did you come up with the calculation for 6 oz or less of food? Are you exercising him as well? Sometimes they really need to be run around.

If you are worried about the pancreas, I can see why you fed small meals, but I think they might be a bit too small for his satisfaction. See what happens and keep an eye on the numbers if you increase the size of meals.

I don't want him to gain weight either, but the amount of food just seems so small for such a large cat.

I went back and started reading Dr. Lisa's site again and found this..."The average cat should eat 4-6 ounces of canned food per day split between 2-3 meals but this is just a general guideline. When determining how much you should be feeding your cat once transitioned to canned food, keep it simple. Too fat? Feed less. Too thin? Feed more." I'm sure this is probably what I've been basing my current feeding schedule on. In fact, just to be sure I wasn't feeding him too little too soon, I added the extra raw to make his weight-loss safe.

What I didn't pick up on was this: "If your cat weighs 18 pounds but really should weigh 12 pounds, please make sure that he is consuming at least ~180 calories per day. (12 pounds lean body mass X 15 calories/pound/day = ~180 calories/day)" Like you mentioned, Merrick Cowboy Cookout is only 154 calories per can and I think the Stella and Chewy's is like 55 calories a patty and I've only been giving him about 1/4 of a patty (so about 12 calories). 154 + 12 = only 166 calories, not enough food.

Extra food for Guinness tonight...but not too much! Thanks for all your help!!

 

[Nancy and Cody]

I have a foodaholic also- and I feel your pain about be harassed ;-)
I have a few thoughts... for what its worth:

1) I just read the back of a fancy feast can and it suggests :
3 ounces (1 can) per 3.5 ounces of body weight for a normal adult cat per day.
So a 16 lb cat could eat 13.71 ounces or 4 1/2 cans of fancy feast per day to maintain.
Obviously, calorie count is more of a factor than quantity, but i wouldn't know how you could tell calories if you make your own. At first guess i might think FF is higher calorie than homebrew ?

2) Could he be lacking some important nutrient which is making him desperate?

3) Anytime I have added a meal (even once) my cats are back the next day at that time looking for a repeat. My 10.5 lb sugarcat gets 5.5 ounces 2x/day (11 ounces) plus a 1/2 T snack at bedtime. If someone takes him up to bed before the snack, there is no sleeping until he gets the snack. once he gets the snack he leaves us alone, because thats what his routine is.

4) Somewhere I read that free feeding cats small amounts can encourage bowel problems because they have no bulk/quantity to push down the line (peristalsis). (think about it, wild cats don't graze) Megacolon is no fun, I tell you from experience.

slowly increasing quantity; and cutting him back to 3-4 meals/day; and putting him somewhere safe so he doesn't bother you, sounds like decent plan for the health of your family life. He'll get use to it. cat_pet_icon best of luck!

 

[Black Bear & AcroMeg]

Try Xanax, as Brenda recommended, if you are truly at wit's end. I would be in jail or a psych hospital today if I hadn't had just a few grains to give my 19-year-old hyperthyroid civvy Echo night before last. It works, it's safe (in appropriate dosage) and so much kinder to poor kitty than exile to garage. But I have felt your DH's desperation, believe me. Good luck!

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

I thought that Dr. Lisa's formula was wt x 13 cals + 70 cals.? So for a 10 lb cat that would be 10 x 13 = 130 + 70 = 200. What is his ideal weight? If it is 12-14 then he should be getting 225-250 cals.

It is what I have gone by. BUT both of my FDs needed to be free feed until they learned they wouldn't starve. For Beau this was while he was still being regulated, but for Jeddie, it was when he was OTJ. He was dx in Sept, I adopted him in Oct and took him off insulin in 2 days. But he had lost weight and was eating everything in site. Probably 12 oz a day. He was 9 lbs and is now about 10.5 lb (3+ months later) and he is finally slowing down and walking away from dishes with food in them.

I also divide their food into 4 meals. I have 5 cats and feed them all a total of 30.5 oxs divided between them and I think the two males and my oldest (with hyper-T) eats about 6-8 ozs and the two younger ones eat about 4-6 ozs.

So, it is quite possible that Guinness needs a little more food and maybe in fewer and larger meals.

If he is 8 or older he is probably due for his first "senior" panel that includes thyroid.

And you might try Rescue Remedy again for this issue as it is a different issue than the peeing. I have been using it on Jeddie for peeing and OCD issues (over grooming mostly). He is settling in better and I think the RR is helping.

 

[Erimess & Sammy (GA)]

1) I just read the back of a fancy feast can and it suggests :
3 ounces (1 can) per 3.5 ounces of body weight for a normal adult cat per day.
So a 16 lb cat could eat 13.71 ounces or 4 1/2 cans of fancy feast per day to maintain.

I would never pay any attention to the feeding instructions that are on the package of food. Some of them say per 3 pounds of cat and some say per 3.5 pounds of cat. The ones saying per 3.5 pounds are coming out to around 27-29 calories per pound -- for the 3 cats I've had since I started tracking this stuff, they'd all gain weight on that big time cause that's about 1 1/2 times as much as what they need.

Granted, the info I have is getting a little old. However, even when I have updated info, I find that 99% of all feeding instructions out there are too high, and some are drastically too high. I've got a little sample bag of some dry sitting here that's telling me to feed my cats what comes out to around 40 calories per pound!

I used to follow those instructions and ended up with a big fat diabetic cat.

 

[Erimess & Sammy (GA)]

Linda, do keep in mind that the stuff people are saying is just trying to figure out what the problem might be, and not necessarily meaning that is the problem. Keep in mind that all this is guidelines and not definitives. Guidelines are a place to start when you don't know what to do, and then adjust as necessary for your cat. He certainly isn't losing weight too fast. Notice that Dr. Lisa's site also stresses that her guidelines are a starting point, and that it's also a generous starting point and many times too much. So monitor and just follow what your cat needs. (I'm see the 13.6 x wt + 70 on the weight loss page.) Also keep in mind that he's been on this diet for a while (4 months, right?). Vet checked him recently and made sure he's not developed any (new) health issues?

Since that formula comes out to 233 for 12 lb, even though ECID, I still find it a bit odd that he would lose only like 6 oz. in 4 months on ~165 calories. I certainly don't have any answer to that.

If the idea of the little meals was his pancreas, you might speak to your vet about that. You might be over-doing it. You could maybe make small changes and see what happens. I wouldn't want him gaining weight back either.

I have a bad feeling he's going to meow. I've known people to think I was totally nuts (as though this really wouldn't work), but I've accomplish this with two cats now. Sammy got in a bad habit of meowing too, like all the time. And when I first got Tia not quite 2 years ago, she would meow when I was messing with the food. I trained both of them to stop meowing so much. I would stand with their food ready, and every time a meow came out, I said firmly, "Shhhh! No!" They didn't get their food until they didn't meow, to start with, 15 seconds. This sometimes meant leaving the food on the counter if they simply wouldn't shut up. Once they accomplished 15 seconds, then it went to 20 seconds, etc. Tia learned more easily and once she was to 30-40 seconds, she mostly stopped meowing altogether. Now she just lets out a little mew here and there and I ignore that. Sammy was more difficult and worked him all the way to 1 minute, until he learned to sit quietly in the doorway until his food was on the floor. (With him, I would try to sneak it on the floor when he was off in the litter box or something, and then leave the kitchen, so that he wouldn't be rewarded for meowing at me.)

Yes, it did work for both cats. And yes, it was VERY annoying when I first started and they couldn't shut up for 2 seconds straight.

Just cause Rescue Remedy didn't work for peeing doesn't mean it won't work for this. It might. You can only try. (I've never used it but a lot of people swear by it.) I just now started trying Feliway cause Tia has been peeing around the house occasionally, in Pounce's "hang out with mom" territories. (She's been checked but we think it's behavioral.) So I just started spraying the Feliway around those areas at least once a day. She's not rubbing them with her head yet, but for the last 3 nights she has zonked out on my lap when I've been in the living room chair and that's not her normal place. (It's Pounce's.) So maybe that means something. :?:

Getting long, but one last thing. I'm leary of that Xanax. I've never heard of using it for cats. Cats aren't humans, so I don't know... but it's a controlled substance and is addictive in humans. It also cannot be just suddenly stopped and has to be weaned slowly off of. (That's assuming a regular dosage as opposed to taking it occasionally.) Unless cats react to this stuff totally differently, it's not something I'd want to do unless I was desperate. But that's me... one of those cases of reacting to a subject that we know in humans, when a cat could be way different.

 

[Erimess & Sammy (GA)]

P.S. According to Merrick's site, that cowboy stuff has 1.05 kcal/gr, meaning 164 for one of the big cans. Either what's on Janet's charts is outdated, or the numbers don't "add up" right. If this is right, plus the raw, you're at least close to that 180. :lol:

 

[Justgin]

Gosh I know this is an old thread but scanning over the answers I thought I'd put in my 2 cents. I'm having the same hunger problems with my kitties. They used to eat about 70% canned 30% dry. Now ever since May 4 this year they've been on all canned. Now I would have thought that they'd be MORE satiated instead of less. But they've been asking for more food ever since. I mentioned this to my vet on Thursday when Oreo had his first curve testing and he suggested they aren't getting enough fiber. Gosh why didn't I think of that? They got more fiber in their dry food. So how would I add more fiber and what source would I use? The vet suggested Purina DM dry, but I really don't want to go that route. Gee I had thought all canned food was complete.

 

[Lillie]

In response to the question of fiber- I add pumpkin puree to Leo's wet food for added fiber. I noticed a difference in him being hungrier when I took him off the dry and his bm's were smaller. I had a feeling he wasn't getting enough fiber from the grain free wet food so I added the pumpkin.

 

[Squalliesmom]

Pumpkin is a good addition, I used to give Squallie a tbsp with breakfast and with dinner, until he decided he didn't like it any more (Cats!). Just make sure it is pure pumpkin puree, not the pie filling which has a bunch of spices!

 

[Justgin]

I was thinking of adding just 1/8 teaspoon to each can, at least for starters. Is that enough or too much? And how much more would they need per can to get a therapeutic amount?

Also I don't know if this makes any difference but before they went off all dry, I was giving them a capsule of Gentle Digest (pre/probiotic mixed in their wet food). I stopped because the first ingredient is rice flour! Why rice flour?

Anyway since he didn't have all these scabs before when he was on the probiotic, I started it back again. The capsules are small so I hope it doesn't affect his BG too much.

I dont know if it'll help those scabs or not but I hope so.

 

[Squalliesmom]

You can start the pumpkin at as much as 1/2 tsp, if you choose.

It can never hurt to have them on a good probiotic. I use Renew Ultimate Flora 30 million (you can get it at Amazon.com, Walmart, and many other places) and give 1 capsule with both breakfast and dinner. I have a kitty with IBD and it has been a big help to her.

 

[Lillie]

I give Leo about a teaspoon a day and I may be increasing it. He's a very big boy though so I'm not sure what amount would be good for an average weight cat. It's been trial and error with us since he does have IBD and is prone to mushy poops.

 

[Justgin]

Don't worry I have plain organic pumpkin! I'm hesitant to add anything just yet since I don't know what is making Oreo itch and scab. It would have to be food, right?

Any possibility it could be the Lantus? Omg I hope not. The reason I ask that is because when I first noticed a chunk of fur missing on the top of his head, there was no scab or even redness there, just white skin.

Then I noticed another chunk of fur missing just below his shoulder blade in an area where I had given a shot. It looked like the needle mark was more pronounced, like a tiny red spot in the center and a little bit red around it.

There's never been a scab there though, while the one on his head now has a scab. And now he's got other scabs on the sides of his cheeks, his body and legs. :/

 

[Marlena]

In response to the question of fiber- I add pumpkin puree to Leo's wet food for added fiber. I noticed a difference in him being hungrier when I took him off the dry and his bm's were smaller. I had a feeling he wasn't getting enough fiber from the grain free wet food so I added the pumpkin.

I, personally prefer green veg over pumpkin but Rocky loves ALL veg so it is easy for me. His favourite is broccoli, green beans and asparagus. He would eat it raw as well but I try to cook. I think green veg like that is healthy for many reason not just fibre but folate and potassium.

 

[Squalliesmom]

I give Leo about a teaspoon a day and I may be increasing it. He's a very big boy though so I'm not sure what amount would be good for an average weight cat. It's been trial and error with us since he does have IBD and is prone to mushy poops.

S. boulardii is a help for IBD kitties, especially during an exacerbation or flare.

 

[Squalliesmom]

Don't worry I have plain organic pumpkin! I'm hesitant to add anything just yet since I don't know what is making Oreo itch and scab. It would have to be food, right?

Any possibility it could be the Lantus? Omg I hope not. The reason I ask that is because when I first noticed a chunk of fur missing on the top of his head, there was no scab or even redness there, just white skin.

Then I noticed another chunk of fur missing just below his shoulder blade in an area where I had given a shot. It looked like the needle mark was more pronounced, like a tiny red spot in the center and a little bit red around it.

There's never been a scab there though, while the one on his head now has a scab. And now he's got other scabs on the sides of his cheeks, his body and legs. :/

Do you have a spreadsheet? I don't see a link for one in your Signature. Has your vet seen Oreo since this fur loss started? Is he actively scratching these spots? I kind of doubt it's the Lantus, but I guess anything is possible. What flavors of FF is he eating?

 

[Justgin]

Yes, he saw the vet Thursday during his curve testing. He told me to stop feeding the salmon FF and the purebites and bonita flakes I was giving as treats. Those three things are new since they've stopped eating dry. So now he's eating FF Tender beef, Tender beef and chicken, Turkey and Giblets, TEnder beef and liver, and chopped grill feast. All 5 are Classic variety. They've had that before and not had a problem.

The new ones were Savory Salmon, and Salmon and Shrimp. Plus Purebites and Bonita flakes for treats. I've never fed those before. The vet said to stop all the new stuff so I did.

And no I havent' made out a spread sheet yet.

 

[Lillie]

Squalliesmom- Leo does get this probiotic along with other ones in his food. Along with the pumpkin puree his poops are much better than they used to be but he does have an occasional bout of 'pudding poop".
I never thought I would be monitoring a cat's bm's so closely, and be so overjoyed when they are normal.