Content
- Why is your cat obsessed with food?
- symptom of an illness
- Emotional Disorder in Cats and Boredom
- help you overcome the obsession
Does your cat eat everything you put in the feeder, in addition to everything that lands on the ground? Also, does it go crazy when you smell a can of food you opened and beg you for food constantly?
Food obsession is a very common problem for many cat caregivers who do not know what to do to avoid or correct it, knowing that it is not healthy for the animal. In fact, your cat could have bad behaviors and aggressive attitudes towards its surroundings if its will is not satisfied.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain what to do if your cat is obsessed with food, explaining the main causes and some of the treatments you can apply to solve this problem.
Why is your cat obsessed with food?
Let's go straight to the source, the power. In this area we could find the first cause. Even though your cat is eating all day, may not be eating enough, something that is very different. Take a good look at your cat's physical constitution and see if it is abnormally weak or if, on the contrary, it suffers from overweight or obesity.
Most cats only need to be fed 1 or 2 times a day, but if you are not feeding them, or on the contrary, they receive low quality food, they will always look for food, both to feel full and to nourish themselves.
It is important to remember that it is very important to provide a young cat with high quality protein. A cat's appetite is directly related to its protein needs, so if they're not getting digestible protein, they'll be hungry.
If you have other animals at home, be sure to separate the food. For example, dogs are expert food thieves. It can also happen if you have several cats at home.Make sure all the animals in your household are fed.
symptom of an illness
Another cause that can make your cat go crazy with food is some disease. Many health problems can lead to changes in behavior and cause a big increase in appetite of the cat.
But don't panic, most of them are usually treatable if they are detected in time. These include: hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid gland, diabetes (lowering sugar makes you eat and drink more), Cushing's Syndrome, and digestive problems.
Emotional Disorder in Cats and Boredom
It has recently been discovered that cats can suffer from emotional psychological disorders, which lead to harmful behavior such as cats. obsession with food.
Your cat could be suffering from the disorder known as psychogenic abnormal eating behavior. Psychogenic means that the disorder has a root that is emotional or psychological rather than physical. Basically it means that your cat is addicted to food.
The causes are still unknown, but the treatment is based on training in behavior modification, called a behavioral therapy course. Take your cat to see an animal behavior specialist to properly diagnose it, but first check for the following signs:
- After eating your own food, you will eat the food of other animals in the house.
- Not only does it beg for food while you're eating, it's also able to jump onto the table and steal your food directly from the plates.
- He growls desperately as he puts the food in the feeder.
- Excessive attention-seeking behavior.
- Try to eat objects and elements that are not food.
Part of your cat's rehabilitation will carry out the following dynamics:
- Playtime and interaction with him.
- Boredom is associated with stress in cats, which in some cases makes the cat want to eat even if it is not hungry.
- Rewarding good behaviors and ignoring bad ones.
- Enrich the home environment with scrapers, toys and cat houses.
- It is very important that there is no food circulating around the house, except for eating time. This applies not only to cat food, but also to human food. Remember he doesn't make any distinctions.
help you overcome the obsession
There are some tips you can follow at home and keep an eye on your cat's progress. Maybe you can treat your obsession with food, but keep in mind that this is what it's for. I need patiencea and that may take some time. Constancy will be part of the long-term solution. Here's some advice to help your food-obsessed cat:
- Strive to seek the best quality food possible. With this you can be sure that your food has a high level of protein that will help you stay fuller for longer. You can also choose to seek food with a satiating effect.
- Twice a week add a small amount of wet food to your dry food and mix it. This will make it more attractive to him and he will be less likely to eat other things.
- At the same time, dry food will make your cat want to drink more water and this will help keep him healthy and full.
- Never leave feed available for him during the day. Respect the routines. Feed him at regular times or get him used to only small amounts several times a day.
- Every time he starts ordering food, ignore him. Leave the room or lock yourself in another, you must not give in with prizes or treats for cats.
- Restrict your cat's free exposure to food of any kind. Don't eat in front of him, adapt your schedule to yours and eat together.
- Meals must be regulated, and for whatever reason there must be additional food.
- Spend quality time with your cat, this will make you feel less bored and therefore less anxious.
