Kitten always hungry

sheltieluver

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
100
Purraise
13
Graham is almost 9 weeks old and is always hungry. He is eathing about 6.6 oz of wet and about 1-2 oz of raw along with about 1/8 of grain free kibble (Go Now). I spit this up into 4 feedings a day. He has been wormed twice once when he was 4-5 weeks with stongit and also albon he was wormed again last week with stongit. Am I feeding him enough?  I don't want him to get overwieight, Hes also trying to climb in our plates while we eat anything with food hes trying to get to. The other night  I was eating carmel candy he tried eating that as well.
 

smitten4kittens

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 30, 2012
Messages
1,449
Purraise
42
Location
pennsylvania
The amount of food sounds like enough, but you can't overfeed a 9 week old kitten so give him more if he wants it. You could also test again just to make sure he is worm free. He won't get fat at this age and needs all the nutrition.You can cut back on food when he is older if you need to for a healthy weight.
 

whatusername

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
20
Purraise
10
Well if he is eating a lot it can be a good sign. But also a bad sign, but I doubt this, he could be eating a lot if he is sick, but also does he have diarrhoea or vomiting? If he doesn't it is a good sign. However you do want to be careful that he doesn't get used to eating this much as he can become overweight which you certainly do not want. If you feed him wet food, this is bound to happen. If he is the only cat, I recommend just filling his bowl with hard food and refilling it whenever it empties, at this age you can just feed him the wet food twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Of course it is up to you but this amount if healthy enough for a kitten his age. It also depends on his breed, some cats naturally eat a lot. When you hold him try picking him up with one hand and holding him in the air (this may seem a bit mean but it's not) and run your other hand other his backbone (make sure the cat is bending his backbone) and let us know if you can barely feel his backbone, not feel it at all of feel a lot of it. As you can probably tell if you can feel it it means he is underweight, but it is good for your kitten to eat a lot so they get their nutritions. I am no expert but if he does seem pretty weighty just call up the vets for some advice.
 

smitten4kittens

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 30, 2012
Messages
1,449
Purraise
42
Location
pennsylvania
Well if he is eating a lot it can be a good sign. But also a bad sign, but I doubt this, he could be eating a lot if he is sick, but also does he have diarrhoea or vomiting? If he doesn't it is a good sign. However you do want to be careful that he doesn't get used to eating this much as he can become overweight which you certainly do not want. If you feed him wet food, this is bound to happen. If he is the only cat, I recommend just filling his bowl with hard food and refilling it whenever it empties, at this age you can just feed him the wet food twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Of course it is up to you but this amount if healthy enough for a kitten his age. It also depends on his breed, some cats naturally eat a lot. When you hold him try picking him up with one hand and holding him in the air (this may seem a bit mean but it's not) and run your other hand other his backbone (make sure the cat is bending his backbone) and let us know if you can barely feel his backbone, not feel it at all of feel a lot of it. As you can probably tell if you can feel it it means he is underweight, but it is good for your kitten to eat a lot so they get their nutritions. I am no expert but if he does seem pretty weighty just call up the vets for some advice.
A nine week old kitten should not be on a restricted diet. He should be fed as much as he wants. When he is older and finished growing, adjustments can be made to his diet if needed for an ideal weight. Wet food contains a lot more meat and is much healthier for cats. They are meat eaters after all
.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

sheltieluver

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
100
Purraise
13
My cats get very limited kibble and most don't get kibble at all because its not good for them.Cats actually are more likely to  get overwieght by eating kibbe then wet food. Like smitten said wet food contains actual meat which is what cats are designed to eat. Dry food is full of carbs and free feeding a cat dry food full of carbs will make them overweight.
 

sez2929

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
29
Purraise
11
Hi there,

I breed birmans and to keep them happy and healthy I worm them at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks and then every 3 months after that. I find drontal is the very best. Also at 9 weeks flea them with a combination like advocate on the back of their neck. Also I suggest you provide growing kittens with unlimited kitten biscuits and wet food once or twice a day. Growing kittens eat enormous amounts. Good quality canned wet food is fine but supplement it with raw fresh meat every couple of days. I highly recommend royal canin kitten food.

I hope this helps a little, enjoy your new baby! :)
 

vball91

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
3,853
Purraise
252
Location
CO, USA
Hi there,

I breed birmans and to keep them happy and healthy I worm them at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks and then every 3 months after that.
Wow, why do you deworm them that often? Are they outside kitties? I see no reason to deworm indoor only kitties this much.
 

sez2929

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
29
Purraise
11
Wow, why do you deworm them that often? Are they outside kitties? I see no reason to deworm indoor only kitties this much.
That is what I was advised by the vet and other breeders, they get about a quarter of a tablet at 4 and 6 weeks and then about a half from there depending on body weight, it is important they have it as kittens are very susceptible to worms and can easily pick them up, indoor cats or not, especially if other cats are present in their space.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

sheltieluver

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
100
Purraise
13
Graham is doing so well. He is now 9 weeks old and just went to the vet for his first kitten shot and worming and the vet said hes one little healthy ball of fur. He purred for the whole exam and the shot. He did have round worms which would explain his appitite. He was wormed with strongit so in a month when I take him in for his next kitten shot I will have him wormed again and have another stool sample checked.

Hes currently eating a combo of Wellness,Merrick, Evo and Natures instinct wet foods and also every other day he will get raw chicken livers, gizzards and hearts along with venison. I'm going to add some cornish hen also to the raw. Is raw rabbit ok for them to eat?

I bought him a scratching mat but he doesn't really use his claws on anything I only saw him once try to claw the side of the couch and I just said ah ah and removed him to the scratch mat. I also keep his nails cut pretty short.

All his sibblings got adopted. Hes been such a great addition to the family.
 

maewkaew

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
1,821
Purraise
155
Location
Chicago, Illinois, USA
 Sounds like Graham is doing very well! 

Some raw rabbit would be fine - depending on how much you trust the source where you are getting the rabbit.     You might ask about that in the Raw Feeding forum .  

Also keep in mind that  if you start feeding more than about 10%  of the diet from any foods  that aren't already in themselves formulated as complete balanced diets like the Merrick , Wellness, NVI etc. ,  then you'll have to start being more careful about making sure yourself that there is balance in the diet ,     for example you may need to add more of a calcium source.     but  I would also ask about that  over in Raw Feeding.    
 

vball91

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
3,853
Purraise
252
Location
CO, USA
Yes, please start a thread in the Raw and Home-Cooked Cat Food Forum with what you are feeding. It is vitally important that kittens get calcium in the right proportions as they are growing.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

sheltieluver

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
100
Purraise
13
Graham(Gammie as I call him) is now 12 weeks old he will go in for his second kitten shots next week. He still eats like a horse. I'm telling you I've never had a cat eat like him before anything food he will be there. I have to lock him up in the bathroom while we eat or he will steal off of our plates.

His stools are kinda soft I'm wondering if because I was feeding him too much at one time. He could eat 2 cans of wet food a day and would want more. I was giving him 1/2 can 4x a day but now I cut him back to a 1/4 can 4x a day with a tiny bit of Go Now kitten kibble about 1/8cup in the morning and in the evening.

He sleeps with me everynight right on my pillow. Doesn't claw anything normally once in a while he will go and do it on the mattress but I just take him over to his scratch mat. normally when he does this its because his nails need to be clipped.

I now have 2 new bottle kittens thou they are pretty much weened they are about 4 1/2 to 5 weeks old. Elmer and Bugs.
 
Top