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Hi, Cat Site.
I am hoping someone may have some experience, or information, with some behavioral complexities I'm managing with my adopted cat. This is a dash lengthy, to provide detail, so thank you for reading along.
A little over a year ago, I adopted a two month old kitten(very recently rescued) from the local Humane Society.
He was certainly skittish, and very shy- but endlessly sweet, when he had an option to warm up. His HS papers noted that he, as well as his sister, were found malnourished, and taken in from the barn at three weeks old(!).
Nearly a week into adopting him, he ran an extremely high risk of sepsis from a blockage in his intestines/colon(likely from a shift in nutrition from the barn, to the shelter, to home). Gratefully, the vet removed the blockage, and he has been nearly quite healthy, ever since. The vet suggested consistently keeping him on quality wet food, occasionally introducing dry from time to time, to gauge his digestive reaction. I've been fairly strict with what, and how much he has eaten. He is nearly a year, and a half year now, and eating combination dry, and wet food, just fine(at separate time intervals, to aid digestion).
I use the descriptor, "nearly quite healthy", as he has come a long way from his demeanor at the HS, but he still has some serious behavioral ticks.
He is intensely, obnoxiously food obsessive.
There are no boundaries.
Counters? -Might as well be the floor. Plastic? Teeth. Half a Banh-mi? Jalapeno-bits, and a partially eaten mini-baguette across the living room floor. Spiders? Cat-Bear Grylls, delicious.
It doesn't matter if he has just eaten, or what the food is. He will engorge himself until he vomits, then keep eating!
Not only am I concerned about training him to avoid the counters, and kitchen- but vicariously, I feel anxious just observing his habits. Psychologically, in his cat brain, he is always hungry! It must be so uncomfortable. Importantly, this is also unpleasant for my very patient, very understanding roommates(and their older animals).
I asked a beloved vet about these behaviors- She had mentioned it was very possible his mother wasn't receiving enough nutrients while the kittens were in-utero, certainly not feeding them enough while they were living as semi-feral, in the barn(this was not only suggestive by his HS adoption papers, vet reminded it's rather uncommon for a cat to give birth to only two kittens!).
If he were a puppy/dog, I may try beginning with some clicker-training, purely-positive training, and basic conditioning, with lots of positive reinforcement(I am more familiar with doggo-husbandry, then gato-husbandry), but.. he's a cat, and this is new territory, for me.
I would love to curb his counter-surfing, as well as his obsessive-food-seeking.
As per a little personal researching, and veterinary recommendations, I currently, consistently implement the following:
- Feed quality wet food 2-3 times a day, in different intervals, to imprint the idea that his resources will not be evaporating any time soon
- Positive reinforcement/distractions/little bits of food, if he is staying out of the kitchen(to establish the bedroom, or living room, is a positive base, where he can find resources)
- Removal of potential temptations/problem items(mostly counter food)
..Scattered kibble across the floor, as a distraction(often while the other cat is fed, the humans are eating dinner, or if Yarrow[food-monger]) seems particularly neurotic.
..Slow dispensing treat-ball.
..Ignoring begging, if persistent enough. Sometimes redirection with a bit of food in his bowl. Expulsion from the area-of-obsession, if threshold is crossed(removal from the kitchen, usually outside for a bit[though less, as winter approaches])
These strategies have been well and fine- but, seem such a temporary fix. Any advice, or former experience, for methods that are super-effective? Hopefully something not super-invasive, long-lasting, and positive?
I would love to find ways to manage, and reshape this behavior while he is relatively young, especially so we can work on other things!(like shyness, better sociability around strangers, confidence around the house, especially during household activity, etc.!)
Thank you again, so much, for reading!
Fingers-crossed, hoping there's a method for this madness.
I am hoping someone may have some experience, or information, with some behavioral complexities I'm managing with my adopted cat. This is a dash lengthy, to provide detail, so thank you for reading along.
A little over a year ago, I adopted a two month old kitten(very recently rescued) from the local Humane Society.
He was certainly skittish, and very shy- but endlessly sweet, when he had an option to warm up. His HS papers noted that he, as well as his sister, were found malnourished, and taken in from the barn at three weeks old(!).
Nearly a week into adopting him, he ran an extremely high risk of sepsis from a blockage in his intestines/colon(likely from a shift in nutrition from the barn, to the shelter, to home). Gratefully, the vet removed the blockage, and he has been nearly quite healthy, ever since. The vet suggested consistently keeping him on quality wet food, occasionally introducing dry from time to time, to gauge his digestive reaction. I've been fairly strict with what, and how much he has eaten. He is nearly a year, and a half year now, and eating combination dry, and wet food, just fine(at separate time intervals, to aid digestion).
I use the descriptor, "nearly quite healthy", as he has come a long way from his demeanor at the HS, but he still has some serious behavioral ticks.
He is intensely, obnoxiously food obsessive.
There are no boundaries.
Counters? -Might as well be the floor. Plastic? Teeth. Half a Banh-mi? Jalapeno-bits, and a partially eaten mini-baguette across the living room floor. Spiders? Cat-Bear Grylls, delicious.
It doesn't matter if he has just eaten, or what the food is. He will engorge himself until he vomits, then keep eating!
Not only am I concerned about training him to avoid the counters, and kitchen- but vicariously, I feel anxious just observing his habits. Psychologically, in his cat brain, he is always hungry! It must be so uncomfortable. Importantly, this is also unpleasant for my very patient, very understanding roommates(and their older animals).
I asked a beloved vet about these behaviors- She had mentioned it was very possible his mother wasn't receiving enough nutrients while the kittens were in-utero, certainly not feeding them enough while they were living as semi-feral, in the barn(this was not only suggestive by his HS adoption papers, vet reminded it's rather uncommon for a cat to give birth to only two kittens!).
If he were a puppy/dog, I may try beginning with some clicker-training, purely-positive training, and basic conditioning, with lots of positive reinforcement(I am more familiar with doggo-husbandry, then gato-husbandry), but.. he's a cat, and this is new territory, for me.
I would love to curb his counter-surfing, as well as his obsessive-food-seeking.
As per a little personal researching, and veterinary recommendations, I currently, consistently implement the following:
- Feed quality wet food 2-3 times a day, in different intervals, to imprint the idea that his resources will not be evaporating any time soon
- Positive reinforcement/distractions/little bits of food, if he is staying out of the kitchen(to establish the bedroom, or living room, is a positive base, where he can find resources)
- Removal of potential temptations/problem items(mostly counter food)
..Scattered kibble across the floor, as a distraction(often while the other cat is fed, the humans are eating dinner, or if Yarrow[food-monger]) seems particularly neurotic.
..Slow dispensing treat-ball.
..Ignoring begging, if persistent enough. Sometimes redirection with a bit of food in his bowl. Expulsion from the area-of-obsession, if threshold is crossed(removal from the kitchen, usually outside for a bit[though less, as winter approaches])
These strategies have been well and fine- but, seem such a temporary fix. Any advice, or former experience, for methods that are super-effective? Hopefully something not super-invasive, long-lasting, and positive?
I would love to find ways to manage, and reshape this behavior while he is relatively young, especially so we can work on other things!(like shyness, better sociability around strangers, confidence around the house, especially during household activity, etc.!)
Thank you again, so much, for reading!
Fingers-crossed, hoping there's a method for this madness.
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