Has it ever occurred that your cat is sniffing around, taking you to her food bowl for more food as if she is always hungry? Unlike dogs, cats do not need to eat so much on a single day if you feel that your cat is overeating and keeps on calling for food. This behavior can be taken as a symptom of a medical problem or a psychological condition. Both the scenarios are not suitable for cats, and you might want to look into the matter before things turn ugly. Let’s get into the probable reasons why is my cat always hungry and how to deal with it.
Why is My Cat Always Hungry?
You know how much food should a cat eat a day? Ideal meal intake of kitten is not more than 2 times a day. Make sure that your cat food contains all proteins and balanced veggie portions to make it full for long time. Are you searching for the reasons why is my cat hungry all the time, here is some of the causes for this strange behaviour.
#1 Hyperthyroidism
If a cat is above 10 years old, take her to the vet and get her properly checked for hyperthyroid. Cats with hyperthyroid always feel hungry because of their increased metabolism that burns the calories too fast.
#2 Parasites
It is one of the major cause which makes your cat became hungry all time. In the case of a younger cat with a potbelly appearance, she may have parasites. That could explain the cause of them always being hungry. The parasites from the kitten’s body consume all the nutrition from her food before her body can get it. In this case, you should have a word with your vet and take her stool sample to get it tested for parasites like roundworms.
#3 Depression
It might also happen that your cat is depressed, and she gets her emotional needs met by eating or just chewing the food. Human beings also share the same psychology when they are depressed.
#4 Nutrition Deficient Diet
This is often seen when you feed cat food with very little protein. Cats need a high protein diet and include vitamins, healthy fats, and carbs. Carbs can make your kitten’s gut complete for some time, but carbohydrates cannot meet their nutritional needs. You can opt for the best grain free cat food if you control and maintains its appetite.
#5 Boredom
why does my cat eat so much? This can also happen if a cat does not play throughout the day. To simply put, if you are home alone and have nothing to do, you either eat or sleep. The same psychology works for your cat as well. It might also happen that your cat is feeling lonely because you are not paying enough attention to her. Being constantly hungry could be an act of drawing attention towards her.
#6 Cancer
Does cancer make your cat hungry all the time? Yes, the worst possible reason for such hunger could be cancer. Usually, tumours in the intestinal tracts cause increased appetite and weight loss due to changes in metabolism.
What Can I do if My cCat is Always Hungry?
Change the food: Cut down on the carbs and switch to high protein food like canned food for your cat. After eating the animal protein, she would feel more filled and not need to eat often.
Consider maintaining a scheduled feeding: As a pet parent, try to control your kitten’s eating habits by giving measured amounts of food at particular scheduled times throughout the day. Feeding 3 to 4 times a day is a better option with a proper diet.
Stimulate her mind: To help her with her psychological problems that give rise to such hunger throughout the day, you can stimulate her mind by using puzzle toys. The more she would be distracted playing with those toys, the less hungry she would be throughout the day.
Take her to the vet: Most often, the reason behind this hunger could be a medical condition. It would help if you took the cat to the vet before trying out methods yourself. After ruling out a medical condition post-diagnosis, you can try out other methods.
Final Thoughts
Pet behavioral changes are not always the same, and the causes can be a medical condition or a psychological one. Make sure to observe increased appetite causes in cats on time. Nevertheless, taking them to an expert is always the best course of action you can choose as he would know better how to handle the situation. Most often, playing with your cat for a good amount of time and giving her minimum training keeps her mind and body healthy. That way, you shield them against any psychological distress.