Cat won't stop crying for food.

Guys, I just don't get it. He gets fed the proper amount of food each day, yet he still walks around the apartment crying for food all the time. I'd say he just wants attention, but most of the time he'll jump off my lap or walk away soon after I start petting him.

We keep their food in a closet and whenever I open the closet to get something out for myself, he'll run towards me, even if he was sleeping, and just start crying like there's no tomorrow for food. If they run out of water I'll refill that and then he gets really excited and follows me to the kitchen crying, and then follows me back to his food and water bowls and starts crying again because there's no food in his bowl.

He's roughly 6 months old (no way of knowing, he was a stray and we adopted him at '2-3 months') and gets fed 3/4 cup of dry food a day, split into two meals. He used to be free fed, but we adopted another kitten over a month ago and ever since then he's been on scheduled eating because he would finish his food and then eat hers as well.

Any ideas? He's a great weight for his current size and I just don't understand why he's so whiney about food!

Thanks

If he hasn't been checked for worms, he could be wormy. If you let him outside, he probably is (wormy). He could also be sick, has he been to the vet since he arrived?

But this is typically a stray cat response. Don't give into his demands, feed him on a strict schedule both wet and dry. Once he knows that the food will "arrive" at specific times, his food anxiety will decrease. When they are living outside, they have no way of knowing when the next meal will be located. When food is found it is quickly eaten or buried for "later." While he is crying ignore him. When he is silent, then pay attention to him. It does get better, I promise.

...and here I thought I was the only one with a nutso cat Ceci does the same thing, sometimes she will wake me up at 2 or 3 in the morning, wanting to be fed. If I get anywhere near her food bowl she is practically screaming to get fed.

Its interesting to know though, that it may be a stray response, since she was found as a stray at around 3-5 months.

Well, it's been shown that even though dry food may add those calories, canned food is more nutritious and they 'believe' they've eaten more when they get some. I've always split our cats' meals into half and half dry and canned, and they really appreciate it, plus none have ever been fat. I give about 1/3 of a 6 oz. can, plus 10-15 or so dry food bits (side by side dishes), at 6 a.m. and 3 pm, plus in the evening give them 1/3 each of the tiny (Fancy Feast type) cans plus a few crunchies - and it may add up to more than the 'recommended daily dose' of whatever, but over 12 cats and 30 yrs it's worked, and they've still had tiny snacks of our food (thumbnail chunk sized chicken, tuna, etc.) without any of them ever being heavy.

I just found him licking the foodbowl to get any crumbs or smears of food that was there from this morning.

Wow.

Maybe try him on some canned food... some people have a higher metabolism than others and need more food, so no reason to assume that cats are different. You can always cut back if he seems to be overweight, but at least you won't feel that he might be really be hungry all the time.

Just wondering, Is it bad to free feed them dry food as adults? they don't seem to eat to much and are not overweight. In fact if you seen my girl she look like she never eats. ( I do see her eating though alot).

Again, I think, it just shows that dry food should not necessarily be the only thing they get to eat. I don't think it's 'bad' to free feed, though it doesn't work well with more than one cat, but it's not much of a diet for cats, who love variety.

Two things:

1. He could have worms. He should see a vet to make sure.

2. The food he's eating might not be good quality in order to sustain his hunger. Not all cat foods are created equally.

EDIT: Ok 3 things...

3. He could be a very active cat and burning off all of the food he is getting and needs more. Which is where a good quality food comes in.

Both of my cats are on Hill's Science Diet. He used to be pretty active, but he's pretty much past his early-kitten stage and started to be more adult like. Only time he really starts running around is when he's playing with the younger kitten.

Could these problems be stemming from how we feed them in the morning? He wakes us up every morning at ~7:00 a.m crying at our door and we feed him because that's when he gets fed in the morning. Is this teaching him that if he cries he gets food?

Yes, but you do have to feed him sometime, and our guys/girl start fussing me ages before feeding time, no matter what time of day it is, just part of being owned by a cat.

Alright, thanks guys.

I've just never had cats before who were so whiney!

Our 13 indoor cat started doing this a month ago.  Vet ran tests and all came back normal.  i thought might be hyperthyroid she's not absorbing or gaining weight, has diarhea all the time.  We will have to put her down this week.  It is breaking my heart.  GET your cat checked for everything.  It's probably something that you can control, especially at such a young age.  I am a firm believer in indoor cats.  To much going on outside. I wish you VERY GOOD LUCK!

one of my two cats is pretty whiney too. If ever i get up during the night to take a piss, he wakes up and begins the supplications. Not sure what is wrong...last time we went to the vet everything was good except she told us both cats are overweight by at least 2 pounds and we should cut food a bit. So we feed them 1/2 cup of pure vita dry food splitted in 3 servings...mostly at the same time every day. 

Any tips ?

No. It doesn't get better. My cat is now over 9 years old & has spent 80% of his life crying for food.

He is perfectly healthy & eats 2 -3 sachets of food a day and is fed at exactly the same times every day.

But, as soon as you get up from the sofa, or go to the toilet, he'll follow you crying & wanting food.

Is it like some people who are always hungry & don't have that "thing" that tells them when 

they're sated & so over-eat?