Hi new kitten and some issues.

My previous cat recently mysteriously disappeared after 11 years with me. Saddened by this, I went and adopted a new kitten. He will be indoor only to prevent recurrence. Thing is... While he's a sweet and playful kitten, he's extremely savage with food.

He was listed at 9 weeks but doesn't yet have his molars all the way in and he came to me very skinny and malnourished with all his bones sticking out. I don't think they were feeding him and his brothers. I also don't think he's 9 weeks because he keeps trying to suckle everything and he came to me at 1.2 lb despite his frame being not tiny like our last kitten. He been here about a week now and is currently 2.3 lbs. He doesn't have worms and is healthy. It just seems like they didn't feed him.

He goes into the fridge when its opened, he viciously tries to jump into plates and steal food when people are eating, he eats so much that it isn't even funny. He has severe food aggression. He tries to eat the dogs food, he scarfs down food like he'll never see it again, and his entire focus is food. How can I help rid him of this?

Here's a video of an example of how he acts.

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

Oh my goodness this sounds just like my cat Juniper when we first got her. The rescue said she was a bit of a food hound and they weren't lying. She would come flying at us when were eating our food and eat her kitten food until she threw up. She'd try to steal my other cats food before she finished her own.
So for a few weeks we seriously started eating our meals standing up at the counter. We separated her from our other cat when feeding them moist food and just tried to slow her down when eating dry kibble. After a few weeks she didn't even come by our human food plates and she also learned she's not in competition with the other animal. I think with your cat it will just take time for him to learn that too.
We laugh now because a year ago I thought my cat was going to be a porker who loved human food. Now she won't even come near it.

I have yet to post on "New Cats on the Block" (I started yesterday and I'm loving the site!!) but I ate about an hour ago and just about lost my marbles.

My new kitten is 8 weeks, a tad thin - nothing unhealthy, but she eats and drinks so much and so fast that I have to very consciously time out and measure out her food to avoid diarrhea    She loves her food. But mostly she loves MY food. It's so aggravating! I was eating a burrito and some nachos and cheese and when a little beef and queso dripped down. She JUMPED onto it and licked it up in a wag of a sheep's tail. The bite was smaller than a pea, so I wasn't too worried. But she tries this almost every meal I eat, and that would be way too much human food in one day, especially not knowing the ingredients.

I did a little research and most people say it's a discipline thing. Of course it smells good and kittens are so easily stimulated, they just want to eat what you're eating and be in the middle of darn near anything! I recommend a "pack-leader" type strategy - eat when your cat's food bowl is empty, don't let your cat have your food (guard at all costs!), and immediately afterwards feed your kitten. In this case the cat knows that you always  eat first (works great with begging dogs too) and it usually helps them get into the hang of a delayed reward mindset.

I hope this helps!    Welcome!

He hasn't vomited even once and he's had no diarrhea at all. Did I mention that he will eat ANYTHING? Beans, watermelon, dog food, bugs, ANYTHING. He walks INTO the fridge when he hears it open. He poops and pees more than seems possible. He's extremely active also, way more than other kittens I've seen. All in all, he's an affectionate and lovely boy... Just very food obsessed. He was critically bony when I got him and is still very bony. The shelter has a 2 star rating for being dirty and undermanned, and I don't think they were feeding the litter nearly enough.

May I also add that in his fit of snatching food and trying to hold onto stolen food he shouldn't have, he has bitten fingers and hands and drawn blood several times. He bites VERY hard when he's going for a piece of food. He quite soft mouthed otherwise.

Here he is - already loves my dog Nigredo.   His name is Oreo BTW.

http://s518.photobucket.com/user/myrasosweet/media/DSCN0678_zpsb4ovmvtr.jpg.html


http://s518.photobucket.com/user/myrasosweet/media/DSCN0613_zpsyapx5ep2.jpg.html


http://s518.photobucket.com/user/myrasosweet/media/DSCN0666_zpslrutvcpl.jpg.html

This behavior is in much very reasonable.  He is literally fighting for his life, and he is very good at it.  As you witness, he was decivisely undernourished earlier.   So first, he KNOW he must try and take care of himself.  Second, he IS a lively kitten and growing.   Kittens (and growing human boys) do eats surprisingly much.

So him eating quite a some is natural, by just being a lively kittens.  Him being aggressive with finding and taking food, has its reasons.

OK, so be sure he KNOWS there is always food for him.  Second, make sure there is fat in that food.  If you use dry food, it shall be of kitten type, and minumum 20% fat content.  And of course, lotsa animal proteines...

Goats milk is always a useful supplement.

Third - it MAY be a shortage of something, some mineral or vitamine.  So give him as extra, some nice vitamine preparate.  There are several on the market.

I expect it will get better with time, especially as you say, otherwise he is friendly and mild mannered, with just friendly nibbles.

mjfromga said:

My previous cat recently mysteriously disappeared after 11 years with me. Saddened by this, I went and adopted a new kitten. He will be indoor only to prevent recurrence. Thing is... While he's a sweet and playful kitten, he's extremely savage with food.

He was listed at 9 weeks but doesn't yet have his molars all the way in and he came to me very skinny and malnourished with all his bones sticking out. I don't think they were feeding him and his brothers. I also don't think he's 9 weeks because he keeps trying to suckle everything and he came to me at 1.2 lb despite his frame being not tiny like our last kitten. He been here about a week now and is currently 2.3 lbs. He doesn't have worms and is healthy. It just seems like they didn't feed him.

He goes into the fridge when its opened, he viciously tries to jump into plates and steal food when people are eating, he eats so much that it isn't even funny. He has severe food aggression. He tries to eat the dogs food, he scarfs down food like he'll never see it again, and his entire focus is food. How can I help rid him of this?

Click to expand...

I agree with Stefan. He will outgrow this as soon as his body settles down. He is metabolizing at a very fast rate currently, because he was starved nutritionally. Also, kittens grow very quickly the first 6 months, and need unlimited food.

I would not allow him in the fridge, or give him table food unless it is for treats, and properly sliced into small pieces.

He can have hard-boiled eggs chopped up, plain, full-fat yogurt, cheese, plain boiled chicken, plain white rice, and kitten formula or goat's milk. No cow milk. Any of these will add protein and other good nutrients to his diet.

I would see that he has access to dry kitten chow at all times, and meals every 4 hours. Be sure to feed him right before bedtime.

I had a kitten who used to wake me every night to be fed around 2am by nipping my nose, as I was unable to leave wet food down for her due to my other adult cats eating it. This went on for several months.

An 8-week-old kitten should weigh about 2 pounds. Adult teeth come in around 12 weeks. A kitten needs to gain about one pound a month for the first 6 months.

Keep us posted on his progress! He's a cutie! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Thanks, everyone. The shelter said to only feed him wet food for now. Also, there is no bedtime. He plays around half the night. He runs through cans of food like there is no tomorrow. They say to feed him all he will eat but that just doesn't seem like a good idea because he doesn't stop eating and his belly gets SO FULL. Of course he is not allowed in the fridge. He is removed when he tries to go in. I've been giving him baked chicken every now and then. He's just extremely greedy. Hope it settles soon as everyone says.

Why did the shelter suggest only wet food?

I don't know. They just did.

Kittens need both wet food and dry kitten chow.

Just an update for anybody that may have cared.

A vet said this kitten was only 5-6 weeks when I got him, not 9 weeks like the shelter said. He weighed only about 1 lb when I got him and was skin and bones. Its about a month and a half later and his behavior is MUCH better. He doesn't enter the fridge and he's WAY less mean and savagey over food. He's also 5.2 lbs now. Here is his new photo beside his old one.

http://s518.photobucket.com/user/myrasosweet/media/DSCN0613_zpsyapx5ep2.jpg.html


http://s518.photobucket.com/user/myrasosweet/media/DSCN1645_zps7dhtgdvr.jpg.html

He has begun jumping on our older cat, which is of concern, but she does know how to knock him over and he's not being MEAN, so I've just been monitoring it. His feet are bigger than hers and she is an average 10 lb cat so I'm kinda hoping he doesn't turn into a giant cat, but we shall see.

He's always playing very roughly and has broken off all his whiskers, is this an issue?

M mjfromga

He looks great! Very healthy! [emoji]128077[/emoji]

He is jumping on your cat because he wants to mount her. He needs to be neutered ASAP.

Is your female spayed?

Do you need help locating a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in your area? If so, please post your city and state.

sarthur2 said:

M mjfromga

He looks great! Very healthy! [emoji]128077[/emoji]

He is jumping on your cat because he wants to mount her. He needs to be neutered ASAP.

Is your female spayed?

Do you need help locating a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in your area? If so, please post your city and state.

Click to expand...

Actually, not only is the female spayed, he was already neutered per shelter contract when he reached 2 lbs. That was quite a while ago! Also, I've seen males try to mount females. That isn't what he's doing. He charges her and jumps on her head.

Ah, okay. It's good that both are fixed. He sounds like he wants her to play, but she doesn't appreciate it. Hopefully he will learn. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

See what he does to this dog in the beginning? He does that to the cat also. The difference is, she REALLY hates it while the goofy dog doesn't mind. She beats him up but he always does it again.

sarthur2 said:

I agree with Stefan. He will outgrow this as soon as his body settles down. He is metabolizing at a very fast rate currently, because he was starved nutritionally. Also, kittens grow very quickly the first 6 months, and need unlimited food.

I would not allow him in the fridge, or give him table food unless it is for treats, and properly sliced into small pieces.

He can have hard-boiled eggs chopped up, plain, full-fat yogurt, cheese, plain boiled chicken, plain white rice, and kitten formula or goat's milk. No cow milk. Any of these will add protein and other good nutrients to his diet.

I would see that he has access to dry kitten chow at all times, and meals every 4 hours. Be sure to feed him right before bedtime.

I had a kitten who used to wake me every night to be fed around 2am by nipping my nose, as I was unable to leave wet food down for her due to my other adult cats eating it. This went on for several months.

An 8-week-old kitten should weigh about 2 pounds. Adult teeth come in around 12 weeks. A kitten needs to gain about one pound a month for the first 6 months.

Keep us posted on his progress! He's a cutie! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Click to expand...

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]


[VIDEO][/VIDEO]



It's been almost 5 months since the start of this thread. The kitten weighed in at 10.4 lbs this morning. Quite the giant for his age. He's doing pretty well. The old crabby cat hates him but they coexist. Here are two videos featuring him.

Regarding broken off whiskers: I got 2 kittens and they had broken off (very evenly) whiskers. They turned out to have ringworm, diagnosed by lab test. It turns out that ringworm eats thru keratin at skin level, eating thru or weakening hair shafts. So they break/fall off. Consider ringworm as a possibility when you see broken whiskers.