Wet/dry: Information Overload

I've been researching ad nauseum nutrition in cats and still need advice (Sharky, please
Ritz, rescued at approximately six months of age, not approx. 14 to 18 month old spayed female, DSH, approximately 12 to 15 pounds, a little overweight, survived first six months of her life on the streets by dumpster diving, indoor cat only; I play with (exercise) her a fair amount. My problem is that Ritz seems to be hungry all the time. She literally licks the can and plate of food and starts meowing, pawing at me at 3 a.m. to be fed. Because I noticed she's been gaining weight, I did cut back on the amount of dry food I'd been giving her about two to three months ago. She is peeing, pooping (smelly) and playing the same as always. I've been feeding her almost exclusively canned AvoDerm Natural Tuna & Crab Meat Entree in Gravy and Sardine and Shrimp & Crab Meat Entree, three 3-oz cans and 1/8 cup of Science Diet dry food. According to the labels, each can contains "Crude Protein, minimum 10%, Crude Fat, minimum 2%", metabolized energy, calories 67 to 70. I can't tell how many carbs are in the wet food I'm giving her. Based on my research, I am thinking Ritz is not getting enough protein and/or fat; she is certainly getting enough (empty?) calories. I also need to substitute occasionally some of her wet for dry food because I sometimes am away for 12 hours at a time (she scarfs and barfs when she is too hungry). I'm looking for a better dry food, as well. Any suggestions, ideas as to why is always hungry? Thanks so much; you helped Ritz be a happier cat because I the stupid human learned how not to be so stupid. (WHAT ! Cats don't like their paws touched?)

First question has she seen the vet? If yes did the vet say she needs to lose weight?

Second is her food dish evevated?

Realize dry matter protein of dry food is within 2-3 % of what the analysis on the bag is .... Wet food a protein of 10% on label is likely 48-55%( not low) dry matter protein the fat is similiar the dry matter would be 6-10% ( yes a bit low

Sharky, thanks for responding.
In early May she weighed 8.3 pounds which according to the vet was a "good" weight. She has gained weight and I am worried (frantic is not too strong) about her weighing so much such that she develops diabetes or can't do her favorite things, like jump up onto the window sil to watch the birds.
No, her food is not elevated; it's on a small plate on the floor in the kitchen. Why?

How often does she eat and do you free feed her? If you have scheduled feedings, what's her last feeding time?

Elevating often eliminates the eat and puke cycle...
Plus it slows them down
Call the vet and just ask when is a good time to bring her in for a quick wt check ... most of the time the techs do it and will be able to say what her ideal wt is ...

I do not free feed her. I use to back in March/April, but she gained weight.
Basically during the work week, I feed her a total of one 3-oz can of AvoDerm starting around 4 or 5 a.m., another 1.5 oz before I leave for work at 7 ish. When I get home around 6 pm, I feed her one 3 oz can, play with her (to distract her from wanting more food), then feed her another 1.5 oz around 7 or 8, then 1/8 to 1/4 cup dry food shortly thereafter. She usually wants more; most times I say No. During the weekend when I'm home more, I feed her the same during the morning, but tend to feed her earlier in the afternoon, in smaller amounts. This may be important: I give her half a can at a time only, in part so it takes her slightly longer to eat, in part to make sure she doesn't scarf and barf. Could it be I'm feeding her in too many "bits and pieces" so she's not sure when the spigot is turned off, so to speak?
Given the amount of food I just listed, I can't understand why she is still hungry.
I'd LOVE to take her to the vets; unfortunately, it is difficult to impossible to pick her up to get her into a carrier. I did buy a scale advertised as for "pets", but the base is way too small for Ritz, assuming she'd stand/sit still long enough for me to get a weight.
Thanks for your advice.

okay this is not a great way to weigh but works for me... you get on your scale with her then release her and find out what you weigh then subtract... you can call and give the vet that... Oh and if she truely is that bad ask about house calls...

Ah, I also have a perpetually hungry cat that scarfs n barfs. He was also a stray and I don't know how long he had to survive on his own.

As sharky said, elevate the food and/or use a slow-down food bowl so she has to work at it a little bit. While she may not like it, smaller, more frequent feedings will be better for her tummy and her problem. I do this with Tex. It may take quite a while for her brain to understand that she doesn't have to gobble down everything at once since this could be her "last meal" for a while.

I have one that I rescued at about 6 mos old and she's a small thing, but weighs about 11 lbs. I'm not happy with her weight, but the vet didn't mention she needed to lose weight, however, I don't like to see her looking like a beached whale when she's flopped on the floor! She's on a little slimming diet right now, which basically means we cut back on her serving portion size.

I wonder if you move one of her feeding times to just before bedtime if that would help her not wake you up at 3am??

I do feed her shortly before I go to bed (around 8:30 pm), and just last night, she started meowing for food around 1 a.m. And this despite having eaten four, three oz cans of AvoDerm for the day (280 calories).
This morning I did elevate the food like you all have suggested, and it didn't really slow her down: she licked the plate clean, a difficult feat, pushing the plate out into the dining room to get the last morsel. In addition to one AvoDerm can of food, I gave her some Whiskas, purely because it has more fat in it than the AD: could her body be starving for fat?
I'll borrow a scale and try picking her up (never that before) and weighing her. At least I'll get a ballpark figure.
The vets that do make house calls have a bad reputation, and my vet does not do house calls. I really DO want to take her to the vet for my peace of mind but it is just such a traumatic experience; she cannot tolerate closed in spaces.
FWIW: her poop smells and is small, but that's normal for her. Her pee is sticky, probably because she usually doesn't usually cover it; again, normal for her. She is occasionally rubbing her bottom on the tile/carpet, but nothing is sticking out of her back end. She was treated for roundworms in late April 2010 and Giardia in early May 2010. She has no symptoms of tapeworm (that would explain the hunger). She is active and playing as usual.
Thanks for your insights and advice.

Many former strays have food anxiety.

All my thoughts below are just thinking out loud, I know some contradict each other, I am just throwing things out for you to think about:

I am not an advocate of free feeding, or feeding a predominantly dry diet, but some former strays really really need to have food available at all times. Perhaps putting her on a grain free kibble like Wellness Core and free feeding for a while would help her realize that she is always going to have enough to eat.

The canned food you are feeding her is very low in calories, 70 cal for a 3 oz can is very low, but if you are feeding three a day plus dry, it sounds to me like she is getting too much to eat as it is! My cats get only 180 calories a day, and you are giving her 280! Perhaps a canned food with a higher fat content would make her feel more satisfied.

When she begs for food at times other than meal times get her involved in a Game instead. She may want to eat out of boredom.

Butt scooting usually means constipation or blocked anal glands. Exercise, and a grain free diet can help with that.

Yes, I was thinking that although she is getting enough protein and calories, she may not be getting enough fat; hence, the Whiskas.
I believe the AD is grain free, although it does have carbs of course.
I am going to a high-end pet food store today or tomorrow and will look for a high protein/medium fat/low carb/low cal (oxy-moron?) wet and/or dry food.
My friend who rescued Ritz also suggested free feeding to reassure Ritz that she's not going to starve. But Ritz has been getting food regularly since late December 2009, and it seems the increase in hunger started two or three months ago (when I realized just how much she was eating and gaining weight).
I have tried distracting her from meowing for more food by engaging her in play; it only works for a while, and she goes back to her food plate.
What do you suggest for constipation. She hates pumpkin but will eat oat bran if I mix it well with the food and she if really really hungry.
I am also going to try to get her to the vets for a reality check (and her back paws clipped....)
PS: one of these days I'll figure out how to post a picture of her.

I recommend a grain free all canned diet for constipation problems. I learned that here. Wish I'd known about it when Ootay was alive.

My Jennie is like your Ritz. She is a rescued stray and does have some food anxiety, however I do not free feed, and couldn't even if I wanted to as all my cats are on different diets.

The Wellness grain free canned chicken Jennie eats exclusively is very high in calories 120 per 3 oz can. So she can't have a lot of it, even on 1 1/2 cans a day she has gained weight, and is constantly asking for food.

I add water (almost 1/4 cup) to every one fourth can serving she gets, which slows her down and helps fill her up. I put warm water in her dish, then put in 1/4 of a three ounce can and cut it up into chunks, then swirl the water for a minute, to make a gravy. She gets this meal six times a day, for a total of 1 1/2 three ounce cans, and 180 calories.

So as much as I hate it that she is overweight by my standards, I can't cut her back any more. Oh, one more thing. Jennie does crave varieity, but any variation in her diet and her constipation and blocked anal glads surface. So, once a week, and only once a week, she gets a can of a different flavor.

She also is a lazy player, she prefers to lie down and bat at the string, or catch her Bump Under The Rug, which does not expend a lot of energy.

Some cats you can only do so much with. I am working on making my peace with the fact that Jennie is going to be a slightly overweight (by my standards) cat with a low play drive. Jennie is close to celebrating her 3 years anniversary Gotcha Day so this acceptance has been slow in coming.

One thing I've learned in all these forums and which has put Ritz' weight issues into perspective: there are worse things than having a cat slightly or more than slightly overweight (like, terminal diseases; having no money no mattter what you pawn to get proper vet care for your kitty cat).

I will add water to her food (done that before, doesn't care for it, but....) and not worry as much about fat/calories/weight, which no dobut Ritz picks up on.
Thanks all.

We fooled one of our old cats with the dry food - got a very low calorie option from the vet so we could give him more food without giving him more calories. Maybe you could switch your brand of dry so you can give him more out in the night?