She's Going For Every Little Scrap...

[LeonieLunatic]

Heya!

We have three cats, two of our own and one we're currently fostering.

We feed them one Sheba "perfect potions" with a small handful of dry food mixed in twice a day. We used to feed them three times a day, but they got a little chubby so at our vet's advice, we cut back.

We obviously also give them treats, usually dental treats, temptations and Sheba meat sticks.

Recently, one of our cats, Pebbles, just started going for every little scrap of food she can find. She got into my husband's rice when he set it aside for a minute, she licks empty bowls in the sink, gets into any bag of snacks and I've even seen her trying to eat a cupcake wrapper.

Obviously we don't let food just stand around, but sometimes you're just sitting on the sofa with a bag of chips or things like that, and she'll try to go for it. I don't think she's hungry because she does it right after we feed them, too. And neither of the others do it.

I've tried snapping my fingers or clapping when I see her do it, which is what I usually do when they do something they're not supposed to, but it doesn't stop her at all, she doesn't even hesitate or look at me.

What do we do?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! I would strongly suggest getting Pebbles in to see the vet, even if she's been in recently.

The amount of food you're saying you're putting out, for three cats, is a very small quantity in my opinion. There are a lot of discussion posts about feline weight loss, which should happen gradually over a period of time.

With that said, I would suggest eliminating the dry and increasing the wet a bit. Also, make absolutely sure that each cat is getting its share.

 

[LeonieLunatic]

.
With that said, I would suggest eliminating the dry and increasing the wet a bit. Also, make absolutely sure that each cat is getting its share.

We feed our foster cat seperately because she doesn't get along with the others too well.

The vet said we should feed them about 2/3 of a cup every day, and we're giving them pretty much exactly that. The mixed in dry food is also a suggestion by our vet, as both our cats have issues with their teeth and need something to chew and crunch.

 

[LeonieLunatic]

2/3 a cup EACH***

 

[neely]

It's wise that you are not leaving human food out and trying to be careful about Pebbles getting into your snacks. Obviously being diligent is important since you know this has become a bad habit. Just like a cat that is attracted to cords or strings you have to continue to be aware of her attraction to human food. Regarding the cats losing weight here is a helpful Article that describes how much to feed your cats: How Much Food Should I Feed My Cat?
Good luck on discouraging Pebbles and keeping your other cats at a healthy weight. Please keep us posted on their progress.

 

[Furballsmom]

Pebbles is the foster? Was she overweight? Can you feel a thin layer of fat over the ribs?
I still think a vet visit is required, there are just too many things that could cause a sudden outrageously large appetite.
If i may ask, did the vet clean the other cats teeth?

 

[Etarre]

How old is Pebbles? Sometimes older cats have thyroid issues, which can show up as excessive hunger and weight loss. If your cat is already on a diet (vet's orders) it can be hard to tell if you're just being really successful with the diet or if the cat is losing weight for another reason. And it's also hard to tell if the cat is demanding more food because of the diet or because she's also suddenly hungrier due to another problem.

We had this problem with our Gwen at about 15 years old. It's probably not relevant unless Pebbles is a senior, though.

 

[LeonieLunatic]

Pebbles and Cinnamon are our cats, the foster is called Mezi.

Pebbles is estimated to be about 6 years old. She has chronic Sinusitis and bad teeth. We have an appointment to clean them and get the really bad ones extracted later this month.

 

[LeonieLunatic]

Oh, and Pebbles was a little chubby and needed that diet. She could still stand to lose a little weight, she hasn't gotten super skinny or anything so I don't think it's a thyroid issue.

 

[susanm9006]

You might want to compare the nutritional info on Sheba against premium brand wet food. There may be others with a higher protein percent that would satisfy her more. I would also eliminate the temptations and substitute a 100% dried chicken or fish as their treat, also for more protein and fewer carbs.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi - oh, susanm9006 and I were posting at the same time

--here's what scares me, although of course I'm not a vet---it could be more than just what she's eating. She should be looked at to ensure that the crazy appetite isn't something more.

Also, as opposed to Polyphagia (below) it might be that for Pebbles the diet needed to be transitioned more slowly, and/or the Sheba isn't giving her enough protein and too many carbs.
Rather than Sheba every single time, what about adding/rotating into her diet some foods that are higher in protein for Pebbles; Wellness Core Grain Free Kitten, Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau, Nature's Variety Instinct Grain Free.

As well, you could provide some boiled unseasoned chicken or turkey, some raw egg yolk (the white must be cooked) unflavored gelatin, salmon, mackerel.

I've even seen her trying to eat a cupcake wrapper.

Polyphagia can also be the result of diabetes onset, because the cat's body often can not assimilate blood sugar when diabetic conditions are present. Blood sugar levels can be lowered as a direct result of insulin related tumors that your cat may have developed, and this will also have a direct impact on its appetite.

It may be possible that your cat has developed poor absorption of its food within the gastrointestinal system, leading to weight loss for various reasons, including inflammatory bowel problems, insulin deficiencies, or intestinal cancer. An inability to absorb food properly could cause your pet to lose valuable nutrients required for good health.

In addition, after your vet checks Pebbles out, ask him/her about probiotics. There's one that TCS members have used, Animal Essentials Plant enzymes and probiotics, to help the digestive system and gut function better.

 

[LeonieLunatic]

Hi - oh,
Rather than Sheba every single time, what about some foods that are higher in protein for Pebbles

We also occasionally feed them Hills. I'm not sure if Hills is higher in protein than Sheba, but my sister-in-law (who has four cats herself and is a vet tech) swears by that brand.

We used to do Hills in the morning and Sheba in the evening, but we've had a really tough month and Sheba is a lot cheaper than Hills. All three of our cats got sick (an upper respiratory infection that spread through the house like a wildfire) and my husband came down with a nasty stomach flu and needed to see a doctor himself, so we had a lot of unexpected bills.

But I got hired for a part time job today; so hopefully things like these will never happen again and we'll be able to afford Hills.

I had some chicken in the freezer, I moved it to the fridge to thaw and will boil it tomorrow for Pebbles to nibble on, thanks for the tip

I've been thinking about scrapping the Temptations, just because they're kinda small and Pebbles and Cinnamon tend to just swallow them whole. I'll finish the bag we still have but after that I'll stick to the dental treats (from Abound - so far the only dental treats we could find they will actually chew) and the Sheba meat sticks. We also give them lickable treats every now and again, preferably Delectables with digestive and kidney support.

 

[Furballsmom]

CONGRATS!!

 

[Furballsmom]

The title is on the dramatic side for your situation (sorry about that), but there might be something that helps.
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

CatFoodDB - Cat Food Reviews to help you find the best cat food for your cat

@yeva2292 did this one, it isn't one of those monstrosity spreadsheets LOL, but it lists costs, and includes hills and sheba;
Click Below:
Wet-food.xlsx
Daily And Monthly Costs Of Feeding Wet Food

 

[Furballsmom]

In any case, I'm thinking about you and sending you LOTS of good thoughts!!

 

[Etarre]

Congrats on your new job! I hope it helps everyone in your family (cat and human) worry less.