Help me Please!! My cat is eating everything! Is there something wrong?

[ji989]

My cat is a 16 months old, female, domestic short hair (grey). I got her when she was 9 weeks old.

When I first got her she ate normal (recommended) amounts. When she reached 3-4/mo she started to eat human food, food I left out, she would eat all of it. I have had cats in the past but none with behaviour like hers.

The past 10 months it has gotten really bad, she eats all the cat food I give her and then steals food from the cat who lives upstairs everytime we open the door. She will steal food out of my hands and even my mouth! If I leave to go to the bathroom and forget to bring the bag of chips with me she will wait until I leave and then eat it all. She goes through the trash can looking for food as well.

I just dont get it. I feed her more than enough, what is wrong? Does she has some kind of deffiency?

Please help, thanks.

[Karen]

It sounds behavioral, not a medical issue. How is her weight, has she been to the vet? I think all you can do is modify your own behavior (and buy a trash can with a lid), and work at keeping her occupied with other things - when you are home and she is feeling active, play games, try wearing her out. Some cats will play fetch, etc. Altering the human behavior may be easier said than done, but it is in everyone's best interest.

Keep a spray bottle handy, and if she goes for someone's food, spritz her. Most cats dislike water enough for that to be effective. Cats are not untrainable, but you need to be more persistent and consistent than she is! Good luck!

[moosmom]

She needs to see the vet to rule out an intestinal parasite. Most, if not all kittens are born with them. Is her belly round? Have you checked her poos to see if there are worms in them. Also check around her butt. If you see what LOOKS to be moving pieces of rice, those are worms and she will need deworming. It's easy and painless.

[ji989]

My trash can does have a lid and she flips the top with her head to get in, I started taping it shut but she gets into it by biting and clawing at the tape. I cant even keep a trash can in my room anymore. I use the spray bottle on her as well, she gets annoyed but never learns.

About parasites, I give her drontal and advantage multi for cats and she doesnt have a pot belly or worms in her stool. So it can't be worms, I read somewhere online a few years back that there are some cats who eat alot and have some kind of deffiency and need to be feed a special kind of food, I thought maybe my cat might have the same thing?

Her weight is normal for a cat her age, she isn't skinny nor is she overweight.

Thanks for your replies.

[lvpets2002]

:) Welcome to PT & enjoy the talks & pics.. Hey some pics of your baby would be good..:D