My 8-month-old kitten is overweight and always hungry. Is this normal?

Hello. This could be a behavioral issue, or possibly a medical one. There are some intestinal disturbances that can cause extreme appetite in cats. If this is behavioral, sometimes using the anti-anxiety medication amitryptiline, can quiet some of these extreme urges. But before getting into tests & possible medications, you might try switching your cat to a canned diet. It has been shown that some cats have a longer satiety response with wet diets. You can still offer hard food, but possibly offering this in puzzles can help. Kitty Kongs & treat balls slowly release food as a cat interacts with the toy. Homemade options like milk cartons & carboard rolls with taped ends & holes punched out to retrieve treats can keep your kitties mind busy. Give this a try & then talk to your veterinarian about other options at your next visit. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. On average, most normal sized cats should be between 8 and 12 pounds. Any cat over 12 pounds (unless it is a large breed cat like a Maine Coon) would be considered overweight. So, Mittens is at the high end of the range already. Based on the photos she does look to be overweight. Due to her body frame I would say 10-11 pounds would be a more ideal weight for her. You just need to cut back on her food. Typically wet food is very high in calories so I suggest you cut that way back or stop giving it all together. My recommendation would be to work with your vet on weight loss if you attempt to get her to lose weight and she doesn't. Sometimes a prescription weight loss diet is needed. Many cats are just vocal - it doesn't mean they are hungry. If you give in to her every time she begs you she will continue to gain weight. Many times it is not food they are after is that they are getting something from you (it's like a type of bonding). You many have to get her an automatic feeder so she does not associate you with food. Hope this. helps. Best wishes.

If he seems to always be hungry and appears bloated then it would be worth making sure he is well up to date on wormer. The fortiflora should help also, and then if it continues to be an issue I would try him on a good for gastrointestinal/digestive issues and see if that helps. Failing that consult your vet in case he has a gut issue.

It is more likely she is bored rather than hungry. You should do some environmental enrichment for her and I would also suggest you get an automatic feeder that will dispense food every few hours (her daily amount broken up into multiple smaller feedings through the day). I would cut out the wet food all together. Some Feliway diffusers may help to calm her a bit as well. ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) ( thedrakecenter.com/materials/environmental-enrichment-indoor-cats ) ( https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-5-Meal-Automatic-Dispenses-Digital/dp/B000GEWHNS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3LGP5X3KNCN9U&keywords=automatic+cat+feeder&qid=1563116991&s=gateway&sprefix=automatic+%2Caps%2C485&sr=8-3 ) Hope this helps. If you have more questions you can always opt for a private consultation where we can chat back and forth. That way you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Best wishes.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At 10 months of age, Toby can be fed twice daily. If he isn't finishing the food then I recommend offering less. Obesity in cats is a huge problem. If he is self regulating that is a good thing. I would decrease the amount from the pouches or cut out the dry, whatever you prefer. I hope this helps!

It's difficult to say for sure from the picture, but it looks like Phoenix has a bigger belly than he should. We assess overweight animals by assessing their body condition and scoring it based on observations. It's a bit vague, but gives a good idea of how much fat needs to be lost. Below is a link to a guide for scoring body condition. It's best to keep them at a 4-5 BCS, because thinner cats tend to be healthier and live longer. https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20cats.pdf For further information about maintaining an ideal body condition, please read the short article at the link below. http://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/evr_ct_obesity_in_cats_and_what_to_do_about_an_overweight_cat I hope that helps and all is well with Phoenix.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Young kittens at 6 weeks are going through a very rapid phase of growth, so it is completely normal for them to be eating like crazy all the time. It is not advised to limit his food intake, as he needs lots of energy to grow between now and 6 months of age. After 6 months, you should start being more strict with the food portions. The best thing to do between now and 6 months is to offer him a good quality kitten (not adult) diet in both wet and dry formulations. Offer his a certain amount of wet food per day (e.g. one can), and give him as much dry food as he wants. You can try spacing out his dry food so he does not gorge and eat too quickly to the point that he throws up (known to happy in food-happy kittens!). I hope this helps, and that Lumi is otherwise doing well!