Ask Dr Claire

My cat is always hungry, we give him heaps of cat food, biscuits and fresh water. We are very worried as to why he is doing this.

It’s important to understand the general health of your cat – i.e.  what they are eating, their weight, their body condition, weight loss or gain, the amount of drinking, presence of vomiting or diarrhoea and other behaviours.

Underlying medical problems that could cause an increased appetite include (and are certainly not limited to) diabetes, hyperthyroidism, gut disease etc. These need to be ruled out first, a hands-on examination from our local vet may be needed and a blood and urine test may be advised which in addition to diagnosing medical issues check the base health of your kitty.

In a healthy cat, a ravenous appetite but just be because they enjoy eating!

There are strategies that can be put in place here such as regular feeding of small portions of food, using food puzzles to slow down the eating, increasing play and interaction so they’re thinking about eating less and playing more.

If you’d like to chat in person to get a strategy in place for your cat, you can get a vet on a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail.

We’re on stand-by to help!

Chat soon,

Dr Claire