My young cat eats senior food. Why is he hungry and should I stop?

The exact amount of calories that a cat needs certainly depends on their weight and activity level, but will tend to decrease slightly when a cat reaches an adult age. So, that might be why Baluu is eating less canned food than he used to. If he did not used to eat the dry food along with the canned food, then that would also account for why he is eating less canned food. In general, we usually recommend about 5 ounces of canned food for each 10 pounds of body weight if they are not eating any dry food. Based on that, it sounds like Baluu is eating a sufficient amount since he is also eating some dry food. If it seems like Baluu is losing weight, then I would recommend having your veterinarian examine him to make sure there isn't something going on internally. Otherwise, I would suspect that his metabolism is just slowing down a little and he doesn't need as much food as he did when he was younger. Some cats really desire some variety in their food, and it sounds like Baluu is one of those cats. Good luck! I hope that answered your questions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You may want to look at his teeth, especially his molars (cheek teeth). Mikkel may have a lot of tartar on his teeth and severe inflammation of his gums which then hurt when he eats dry food. If you see brown concrements on his teeth, then he should be seen by a veterinarian and get his teeth cleaned under anesthesia. There is no need to have a tooth ache, and the bacteria in tartar can actually cause heart and kidney problems.

If both of your cats are 6 months old it may be that they simply don’t need as many calories and are eating less dry food for that reason. It’s pretty rare for cats to be too thin but you could check with your vet to make sure their body condition is good if you’re concerned about underfeeding. If you don’t want them to eat as much wet food then offer less. If they are maintaining their weight and are not vomiting or having diarrhea I wouldn’t be concerned that they’re eating a little less food.

Wet food has a higher moisture content, so it takes more of it to get the needed calories to feed your cat. It may be that Simba isn't getting enough food, and that's why he's always hungry. I would feed him dry food only according to the package instructions on his food bag and see if that helps satisfy his hunger.

If Christian is doing well ont he Fancy Feast, I would just continue with this, as it is a safe food and as long as he doesn't have any other health issues should be fine if he is eating it well. I would, however, recommend having him examined by a vet to ensure there isn't a reason he stopped eating hard food such as oral pain, and also as a senior pet it is recommended to have a check up and bloodwork yearly. Canned/wet food is actually ideal for cats due to the fact that they often don't get enough water through drinking so the wet food is better for urinary tract healthy, but any time we have a change in appetite, it should be investigated!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The symptoms you describe may be indicative of hyperthyroidism or diabetes, both of which are fairly common in older cats. Tests such as thyroid hormone levels (T4 and free T4) can be performed to rule out hyperthyroidism and chronically elevated glucose levels would be determined with a fructosamine level test. These are done with a blood sample, but are not routinely performed. I would also be happy to look at any test results you have for Dylan and provide a second opinion.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Esther. It would be a good idea for her to see her veterinarian for laboratory work to ensure there is a not a disease causing her increased appetite. There are several that affect older cats causing hunger. If she is healthy, then it is a behavioral issue. Cats prefer to eat small frequent meals throughout the day. This will satisfy their needs better. You can divide her total calories for the day into 8 or so small meals. So maybe feed her several teaspoons of food many times during the day instead of just two main meals for her. This will allow you to control her calories while still meeting her needs. I hope this information helps!