Cats suddenly fighting more after diet change.

[chgojcs]

So here's the deal.  We have one male and one female, both approximately coming up on seven years old.  They've been together sicne we adopted them at two months.  They've always had their moments, but nothing major.  Pretty much what one would expect from "siblings."  

Only recently, after getting them off dry food and onto a moist only diet, have they been a little more...well, bitchy with one another.  Especially the male.

Today we heard a bit of a row from the other bedroom that we had never heard before.  Or that it had been so long that we can't remember it.  It might not necessarily be the behavior, but perhaps it seems more frequent.

Is this just something that is becuase they are adjusting to the new diet (it's only been a couple months) or could this be something else?

 

[carolina]

Hi there!

Were they being free Fed kibbles before and are now in a schedule? How much and how often, what Times are you feeding?
Also, is that happening all the time, or around meal times?

 

[chgojcs]

They were grazing on kibble.  We feed them moist exclusively now.  Weruva, BFF, Evo, etc.  We feed them twice a day, roughly twelve hours apart.  It seems to occur really only after the nighttime meal.  Heck, it happened not fifteen minutes ago.

 

[carolina]

They were grazing on kibble.  We feed them moist exclusively now.  Weruva, BFF, Evo, etc.  We feed them twice a day, roughly twelve hours apart.  It seems to occur really only after the nighttime meal.  Heck, it happened not fifteen minutes ago.

How much are you feeding them?
Can you add a meal - make it three meals, instead of two?
From grazing all day on kibbles and going to 2 meals a day..... yeah.... they will be protective of their food. They might be hungry too :nod:
IMHO 3 meals work better.....

I do get those fights on meal times btw - I feed on schedule too, raw. Usually it happens when they are hungry though, and waiting for their meals.

 

[chgojcs]

The three meal a day schedule probably won't be feasible considering work schedule.  And it only happens after they eat at night.  We feed them is seperate rooms, too.  So they don't fight over anything.  

After they eat, our boy seems to want to just bug our girl until she gets annoyed enough to tell him to piss off.  Gender dynamic suddenly rearing its ugly head?  Or is it because he's overwieght that the new diet and schedule is making him pissy?

 

[carolina]

The three meal a day schedule probably won't be feasible considering work schedule.  And it only happens after they eat at night.  We feed them is seperate rooms, too.  So they don't fight over anything.  
After they eat, our boy seems to want to just bug our girl until she gets annoyed enough to tell him to piss off.  Gender dynamic suddenly rearing its ugly head?  Or is it because he's overwieght that the new diet and schedule is making him pissy?

Well, again, how much are you feeding them? How much do they weight, and how much are they eating?
I think it is food related.
I feed mine around my work schedule, and still feed 3 meals a day - one in the am, before work, one feeding early evening, right after work, and the late night meal, before going to bed. That makes 3 meals.
Can that be done?

 

[chgojcs]

Well, never mind, I am done with this site.  'Well, again...."  

Every question I've ever come here to ask has been met with some sort of uppity patronizing.  I find that pathetic for a site where people who may not know as much as you do come to gather information.

 

[carolina]

Well, never mind, I am done with this site.  'Well, again...."  
Every question I've ever come here to ask has been met with some sort of uppity patronizing.  I find that pathetic for a site where people who may not know as much as you do come to gather information.

I am sorry.... But how is that patronizing? :dk:
I am trying to help you..... :dk:
Unfortunately.... I can't without knowing how much you are feeding them :dk: That is an important piece of information.
By trying to help, it is not always responding what you want to hear......

I don't know how much you are feeding them.
I do have experience though with what you are saying..... I asked you three times, and you didn't respond just about the most important question needed to figure this thing out.

Nobody here is patronizing you - it is not about that.....
You asked for help though..... so....

 

[whollycat]

Well, never mind, I am done with this site.  'Well, again...."  

Every question I've ever come here to ask has been met with some sort of uppity patronizing.  I find that pathetic for a site where people who may not know as much as you do come to gather information.

Carolina truly wasn't being patronizing, she asked in each post how much was being fed, but she didn't get an answer. She is sincerely trying to help. Knowing how much is especially important now since you stated that the boy kitty is overweight.

So, that being said, how much are they fed at each meal?

Also, has your boy kitty lost weight? If so, how much over what time span? I ask because kitties, especially those that are overweight, need to lose weight slowly so they don't develop hepatic lipsidosis--fatty liver disease.

And one last question: why are they fed in separate rooms?

Thanks!

 

[chgojcs]

We feed them in seperate rooms because she eats faster than him and will try and steal his food.  As for how much, they roughly get 150 calories per day.  A can per cat total, depending on the food.  The one pattern we have noticed is it seems to happen after a particular brand, specifically Weruva, which I know is much lower in calories then other brands.  And no, he hasn't lost any discernable weight that we can see, but he is very used to having food at the ready as we did used leave dry food out all the time, and he used to graze constantly.  We would like to get him down to a bit of a healtheir weight, depending on what is healthy for his body type, as he is a bit thicker than she is.

And also, it only happens (the few times that it has) after their nighttime feedling.  After their morning feeding, they're fine; no problems at all.

 

[carolina]

you say he is overweight.... Do you know how much he weighs?
Also, are you weighing him regularly since you switched the diet?

Keep in mind, kibbles can have 450 calories per cup (up to almost 600 in some richer grain free ones) - if he ate more than 1/2 cup a day, which is normal, he was getting a lot more calories than he is getting now.
The reason I am bringing this up, is because a sudden drop of calories in an obese cat can be dangerous and should be very closely monitored, because of the risks of fatty liver disease. Don't rely on what you can see.... when cutting back calories that much, weigh him instead.....

Make sure, that no matter what, your boy doesn't lose more than 1 lb per month. Fatty liver can be very very dangerous (as in deadly)

In general, the regular sized cat will be fine with one can a day, or 150 calories.... This is the minimum calorie amount I have seen recommended during transitions to avoid fatty liver.... The amount for obese cats need to be adjusted though.... If weruva is lower in calories something to keep in mind....

In regards to your original question, IMHO your boy is hungry. Mine act out when they are hungry too :nod:
Adding a little more food, and making it 3 meals would help you..... even if you can offer a little bit in between meals.....

The final clue that makes me think this is that it happens more often when you feed Weruva....

 

[chgojcs]

He's about 14lbs, which (according to the vet) makes him about 3-4 lbs over weight for his breed.  After two months, we weighed him, and he's at about 13.5lbs.  Just above that.  

We think it's because of the very low kcal count in Weruva.  Testing that theory tonight.

 

[whollycat]

He's about 14lbs, which (according to the vet) makes him about 3-4 lbs over weight for his breed.  After two months, we weighed him, and he's at about 13.5lbs.  Just above that.  

We think it's because of the very low kcal count in Weruva.  Testing that theory tonight.

Sounds like a good plan.

To judge if your boy is overweight, check out Catinfo.org's Is Your Cat Overweight (there is also a link to a chart that is quite helpful). Also, at the same site is info on Implementing a Safe Weight Loss Program, which gives info on how to figure out how much they should lose per week given their current weight.

Let us know how your theory went.

 

[carolina]

He's about 14lbs, which (according to the vet) makes him about 3-4 lbs over weight for his breed.  After two months, we weighed him, and he's at about 13.5lbs.  Just above that.  
We think it's because of the very low kcal count in Weruva.  Testing that theory tonight.

Oh good! So he is not losing too much - that's excellent :nod:
Yep on the Weruva.... I think that's the case too......
You might get away by feeding 1/2 Weruva and 1/2 a higher calorie food for those days, if that is the case - it might help :nod:
Good luck with your boy