Is kitty always hungry?

I live in some apartments stretched out over six buildings, with houses around, so urban but a good amount of land. There's this local cat and she's very very friendly.

We (being my apartment) like to keep an eye on her. After noticing she's never had a flea or tick, she disappears sometime for awhile (which gave us a heart attack initially) but always comes back, and appears to be well-fed. So we assume she's an outside cat who belongs to someone locally.

I live in Florida and during the tropical storms that passed over us we noticed her mewing at our door, she was outside in the rain! We let her come in, as we had a litter-box and stuff left over from the kitten fiasco (if anyone here remembers that) and she was a very nice house guest.

Since then she comes in every now and then as our guest. We figure we're not harming her, and normally let her in when it's raining to give her somewhere warm and dry to wait out the storm. So we hope (should her owners ever find out) they don't mind. We have NO intention of making her "our" cat. More like our guest whenever she's outside our door... so maybe twice a week.

Now! Here's the Point of this post:

Whenever she comes in she's ALWAYS hungry. She'll mew and follow us around and linger around the little food bowl we put our for her till some kibble appears in it (we got some cat food). She's a fat cat, so I assume she's eating well, her coat is nice, and she's never had bugs. Someone is taking care of her.

Can she really always be hungry?

Also, should we give her food? She's already fat, plus I think she goes home often and comes in only once in awhile, so I only give her a little snack more than a meal.

Thanks everyone!

Sounds like a scam artist to me... And making a good profit from it !!!

I knew a cat that did that, she'd mew and mew like she was deathly starved ALL the time, just because she knew she'd get fed. As far as anything physically wrong or if it actually means something I'm sorry I'm not of much help there!

I would guess that her 'dissapearances' are her owner trying to keep her in order for her to forget the houses that she has been frequenting and obviously begging from!!! I would definately NOT feed her as if she is not hungry it would not be fair to the owner to encourage her into your house. I know that you mean well but if everyone in your block is feeding her then it cannot be doing her much good. A friendly cat who likes to roam and be fussed is common but the feeding side is not good. If she was skinny, fair enough and if you knew she was hungry fine, but that is not the case. She knows how to use her kitty charms and does Many cat owners who let there cat out and suspect that their cat is making visits elsewhere will generally keep there cat in for a while to discourage it. They will no doubt e worried!

Some things to consider.

"appears to be well-fed. So we assume she's an outside cat who belongs to someone locally."

We have fed ferals at apartments and thought the same thing only to find out they were abandoned. Others like us were also feeding and the cat had worms which will cause a big abdomen.

"She's a fat cat, so I assume she's eating well, her coat is nice, and she's never had bugs. Someone is taking care of her."

May be others doing the same for her as you.

"Can she really always be hungry?"

Yes. Worms and/or pregnancy.

"plus I think she goes home"

Can you put a break away collar on her with your phone number? Might solve the mystery. Then you will know if she needs vet care and no owners are involved.

Hope the little one has a home and is just a social cat that likes to visit nice people like you.

If she has owners who leave her out in bad weather, they are not very good owners. Thank you for looking out for her.

I think you have to be careful in these situtions to not make too many quick assumptions as for all we know, this kitty could be much loved and is occasionally out in bad weather and goes to find shelter in these instances. Declaring bad owners without any proof is not really helpful.