My Bengal is overweight and hungry. Am I starving her? How to help?

It is more likely she is bored rather than hungry. You should do some environmental enrichment for her and I would also suggest you get an automatic feeder that will dispense food every few hours (her daily amount broken up into multiple smaller feedings through the day). I would cut out the wet food all together. Some Feliway diffusers may help to calm her a bit as well. ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) ( thedrakecenter.com/materials/environmental-enrichment-indoor-cats ) ( https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-5-Meal-Automatic-Dispenses-Digital/dp/B000GEWHNS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3LGP5X3KNCN9U&keywords=automatic+cat+feeder&qid=1563116991&s=gateway&sprefix=automatic+%2Caps%2C485&sr=8-3 ) Hope this helps. If you have more questions you can always opt for a private consultation where we can chat back and forth. That way you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Best wishes.

These are good questions, and I will try to help you as best as I can. The problem with judging how much a cat show weight depends not only on their breed, but their bone structure as well. Some cats are naturally bigger than others, and what is a healthy weight is individual per cat. American shorthair females can range in weight from 6-12 pounds, so it can be normal for some females to be at Luna's weight or even higher. That being said, however, she may be smaller in frame, and needs to be closer to the middle or lower end of the weight range. I certainly wouldn't want to say she needs to lose a certain number of pounds, and have her be too skinny. It's great that she has lost 1.4 pounds, and if she hasn't been seen by a vet since the summer, it may be that she has reached a better weight (sometimes cats only need to lose a few pounds to reach a healthy weight). I would recommend taking Luna back into the vet for an exam to see if she has reached a healthy weight according to them. Another way to tell is to look at her body condition score. This will help give you an idea of how she is doing weight wise, and the vet can confirm how much more she needs to lose. I will put a link to a body condition chart for cats: http://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20cats.pdf As for how much to feed her, what you've been doing has clearly helped her lose weight, and I would continue to do that if the vet feels she needs to lose more weight. If she doesn't, then you can discuss with a vet a healthy diet for her. It's normal she will be hungry, dieting is not easy for either humans or cats :-)

You are correct that Alby does need to lose a few pounds. This can be a tough situation. While you can feed a food meant for multi-cat households, you may not get the results you desire. These diets are typically medium calorie and meant to keep fat cats from getting too fat and skinny cats from getting too skinny. Your best option is to start separate feedings. Cats generally need to eat 4 to 6 times a day for best results. The skinny cats can eat a food with a higher calorie content while Alby gets a food with a lower calorie content. You can find the calories on the side of the bag. Utilizing food puzzles or kibble dispensing balls can help Alby to burn some calories and stay stimulated while eating. Also setting aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play will help to burn calories. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. On average, most normal sized cats should be between 8 and 12 pounds. Any cat over 12 pounds (unless it is a large breed cat like a Maine Coon) would be considered overweight. So, Mittens is at the high end of the range already. Based on the photos she does look to be overweight. Due to her body frame I would say 10-11 pounds would be a more ideal weight for her. You just need to cut back on her food. Typically wet food is very high in calories so I suggest you cut that way back or stop giving it all together. My recommendation would be to work with your vet on weight loss if you attempt to get her to lose weight and she doesn't. Sometimes a prescription weight loss diet is needed. Many cats are just vocal - it doesn't mean they are hungry. If you give in to her every time she begs you she will continue to gain weight. Many times it is not food they are after is that they are getting something from you (it's like a type of bonding). You many have to get her an automatic feeder so she does not associate you with food. Hope this. helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, you can cut back a bit on how much you feed her. Ideally, this is based on your veterinarian's recommendations on how much to cut back which is based on how much she weighs and the kind of food she eats. Another alternative, is feeding her a weight loss diet that works great called Hill's Science Diet metabolic weight management diet. This is something you can buy online or at your local pet store. Good luck and have a good night!

If he's on a weight loss diet prescribed by your vet, then it may be that he just isn't used to getting "less" food. Feeding a higher fiber diet (most weight-loss diets add fiber) can help him feel fuller on less food, which can help with his being hungry on fewer calories. If the problem continues, ruling out any issues such as metabolic problems is also a good idea to make sure there isn't an underlying cause with it. You may also want to spread out his meals to several more throughout the day, instead of just 1-2 large meals, so that he feels like he is getting "more" over a longer period of time.

Some cats have voracious appetites and although possible medical causes such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism would be quite rare in such a young cat. I recommend using a specialised diet such as hills metabolic or royal canin satiety fed in small meals frequently or better still using a puzzle feeder or treat ball to stimulate normal hunting instincts and both mental and physical stimulation.