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Why Does My Cat Ask For Food When He Has Food?

If your cat is acting greedy and asking for food even when food is in front of it you may be wondering why this is happening…

Why does my cat ask for food when he has food?

Your cat may ask for food for several reasons. Some of the most common ones are it likes being near you, it has had food stolen from another cat, or has a health issue such as a parasite infestation. Each of these requires different solutions to change its behavior.

Use these to control your cats eating speed

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01. Cat food puzzle (My Best) Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
02. Cat slow-feeder puzzle Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
03. Muffin tray Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad

So, now you know. But, how can you control this greedy behavior? Should you just keep feeding your cat if it keeps begging? Is it a good idea to leave food on offer all the time? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…

Why do some cats act greedy?

Some cats may act greedily if they are not fulfilled by the meal. This can happen when the food is lacking nutrition or quality making them keep begging and act greedy. If you fear this may be your cat’s problem you need to look into the food you are serving and test a different diet.

However, if you do decide to switch its diet do so gradually. Meaning, don’t purchase the biggest volume of food available in a new brand. Why? Well, your cat may just reject it and waste your money. It’s better to test a small amount and see how it responds.

Also, you are not just testing for how your cat finds the flavor, but how fast it’s eating, the after-effects, such as its stool. Meaning, does the new food cause diarrhea, or other issues? These things take some time to be sure.

How can you control a greedy cat?

If you have established that you have a greedy cat you may be looking for some tips on how you can control its greedy behavior. Here are some tips for this:

01. Use a food puzzle

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Sometimes a cat will eat too fast and not even give its brain enough time to register the food before it gets or begs for more. To get around this a food puzzle (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad) can slow them down.

02. Control their portions

Another simple way to stop the greed, and also control their calory intake is to control their portions. This is simply by reducing the amount you feed them gradually. Be prepared for some major whinging from your cat initially, but in time it is likely to adjust.

03. Switch to a meal schedule

Another technique is to switch from free-feeding to a meal schedule. This will stop your cat’s expectation to have food available at all times and start to adjust to a controllable schedule. This will also work hand-in-hand with the portion control I discussed earlier.

04. Use a muffin tray

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If a food puzzle is not your thing you may prefer using a muffin tray (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad). This will allow you to slow down your cat’s food consumption and make it feel like there is various food on offer.

Should you feed your cat if it keeps begging?

If your cat just keeps on begging over and over it is not a good idea to just keep feeding it. This is because some cats do not know when to stop and this can lead to overeating or even obesity.

It can be difficult to refuse your cat’s demands for food. But, if you feel they have had more than enough you will need to be strong and control their food intake to stop them from damaging their own health by overeating.

How do I get my cat to stop asking for food?

To stop your cat from begging for food you will need to train them to stop. It is not an overnight process, so be prepared. Make sure you have fed them enough. If you are sure then simply refuse their constant begging requests.

At first, it could be hard to refuse them. And, it will keep meowing and begging. But, in time, it will learn that you will not budge and focus on another activity. Then, these begging habits should gradually phase out.

Should cats have food available at all times?

You can have food available for your cat all the time if they have self-control. Meaning, if they can eat through the day and feel content with what’s provided. But, if they eat all the food provided quickly then constantly beg for more it is time to consider switching them to a controlled meal schedule.

Some cats will struggle to control themselves when it comes to food, And, for these cats, they should be controlled for their own safety, or they can eat themselves into obesity and other health-related issues.

Why do my cats act like they are starving?

Some cats will act like they are starving when you feed them because of a health issue. This can make them feel ravenous when they really can’t be that hungry. Issues such as diabetes, or even parasites are examples of these issues that can make this happen.

So, if you see your cat acting like this it may be the obvious choice to assume it’s just being greedy, but look into it, it could be a bigger issue with its health.

Can health issues cause your cat to keep asking for food?

Health issues are known to contribute to some cats ‘ asking for food. When this happens they may eat far more than normal and may appear to just being greedy. It can be hard to determine if this is the case or not. So, you will need to either look for other symptoms to back it up or consult your vet.

Some cats could have these health issues and show no other symptoms so it can be hard to determine if they are not being greedy or not. But, if in doubt it’s best to consult with your vet.

Will a cat stop eating when full?

Some cats will stop eating when they are full. However, other cats will just keep on eating. When this happens it can turn into a bigger issue such as obesity. Then, other health issues related to being over-weight can follow.

It’s best to keep an eye on your cat’s eating behavior when they have food readily available, for example, free-feeding. If they gobble up the food quickly then keep begging for more consider this as a bad sign and consider changing them to a meal schedule.

Should I leave dry cat food out all day?

You can leave dry cat food out all day for some cats and they will graze on it taking their time. however, you need to monitor this because some will not know when to stop eating it and overeat. Therefore you need to evaluate it on a case-by-case basis.