My 10lb cat is always hungry and meowing. Is he getting enough food?

Tiger figured out that if he keeps meowing you will feed him to shut him up. So your Tiger is a clever kitty!. You should feed him wet food twice a day ( half a 3.5-4oz tin in the morning and the other half in the evening), preferably the pate type (ground mouse) and ignore his meowing for food during the rest of the day. Eventually he will realise that he only gets food in the morning and evening. This will be tough going for you, but be strong.

Your cat is still growing and may need more food than you are giving her. At this age she should get approximately 1 1/2 cans of cat food a day split into three feeds. That is approximately 8 oz of good quality wet (canned) food. Some cats need a lot of attention and lovings and petting, and if they do not get it, they will ask for food. So set aside time for playing with your cat, and talk to her or touch her every time you walk past her.

If Julian's weight seems appropriate and your vet has confirmed that his body condition is ideal you should not offer more food. Some cats have big appetites and will continually beg for food even though they are getting enough calories. If ignoring the begging is difficult you could look into using an automatic feeder for the dry food, or try hiding smaller amounts of dry food around the house so he has to 'hunt' for his meals.

If he's on a weight loss diet prescribed by your vet, then it may be that he just isn't used to getting "less" food. Feeding a higher fiber diet (most weight-loss diets add fiber) can help him feel fuller on less food, which can help with his being hungry on fewer calories. If the problem continues, ruling out any issues such as metabolic problems is also a good idea to make sure there isn't an underlying cause with it. You may also want to spread out his meals to several more throughout the day, instead of just 1-2 large meals, so that he feels like he is getting "more" over a longer period of time.

Great name! It is true at this age he could be having a growth spurt, but cats also learn very quickly to keep asking for food when they are rewarded! I would make sure his body condition is good (not too fat or too thin), and that he is on a good quality food with enough protein. If that is the case, I would get him on a meal schedule so that he (and you!) are not as tempted to ask for (or give) food when it is not meal time. If he is still staring at you, try playing with him or giving him new cat toys instead of feeding him. I think it is good you are asking this question instead of feeding him more as many of our cats are overweight!! I hope this is helpful!

A good solution that works for me is to put your cat on a light calorie diet without restricting the quantity, most cats won't get overweight this way and they will remain happy as their food bowl will always be full.

Wow, Mau’s appetite does seem quite voracious! There are several things we can see in cats that lead to an increased appetite including hyperthyroidism (high thyroid level) and some intestinal diseases. I would have Mau evaluated by his veterinarian. They will track his weight and may run some lab work to check for underlying issues. If no problems are found, the voracious appetite can be behavioral and then the quantity of food being given would just need to be controlled more closely.