Kittens (5mos): 1 tubby 1 skinny, constant eater???

Question

I have two kittens, one 5 month boy and one 5 month girl (bro/sis). The girl is slim, active and eats well (jumps up on things rather than crawl/claw up) and the boy has a huge belly and is CONSTANTLY eating, everytime something happens it's an occasion to eat!!! I don't think he's even hungry- he just eats to eat.LOL He doesn't jump up on things, but rather claws up, or half jumps and half claws.
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I have a food dish out for them to eat and make sure it's full at all times, since they are cats/kitten they have small stomaches and need to eat frequently.
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I need to make sure the girl eats since she's thin (but healthily thin and I want her to keep growing well) but keep the boy from eating ALL the time. What do I do? Any suggestions or experience?
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The boy just keeps getting fatter and lazier.

Answer 1

I would suggest having regular feeding times because your male kitten is over indulging. Set regular times out with 15 minutes with the bowl down so they can both eat. Then put the bowl up till the next meal time. Leaving a dish of water and " kitty milk " is a good idea.

I think that if your kitties eat together the male kitty may be feeling like his sister will eat it all and he won't get any so he will eat as much as he can - I'm no expert it's just a thought. If you could seperate meal times for both of them - seperate bowls opposite side of the room, this may see a change in the eating pattern.
If this doesn't improve the male may need to eat " light " foods.

I'm sure you have toys but get some different ones with bells and tassles for the male so he can take some weight off & be more active.

Answer 2

If you are constantly filling up that cat bowl with food then yeh hes going to be a fat greedy cat.
Get into a routine. 3 spoons of cat food and biscuits in the morning 8 am
and then the same in the evening 6 pm.
If you keep doing this he will get used to the routine and will totter down to the kitchen at that time. Remember to not give him any more though no matter how much noise comes out of him.
Also encourage him to play more, drag a string, throw a tin foil ball! this will get him active and take his mind of that delicious tin of wiskers.

And if he is a lazy cat that tends to stay indoors alot thats just his personality. Not all cats are the same.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

I had the same problem with my cats. My 2year old girl was really skinny and my 6 month old boy was fat!. So i developed a schedule and will put food in the bowl and always let the girl eat first. While distracting the boy away. Males just want to monopolize everything.

Answer 4

We have dry food out for our kitten all the time, too, and refill when it's empty (about once a day or less), and it works for us. It doesn't appear to work for you, though, and I think that part of it is because the brother is trying to claim the dominant spot by making sure she doesn't get more to eat than him. I'm not saying that she's starving or anything, but he might think that she'll eat more than him if he doesn't take it all, or something.

I agree with the suggestion that two different bowls could be good, and to only give them food at two times of day (morning and evening). Stay with them the first times they eat, and whenever the boy tries to go to her food, you tell him off. If he doesn't learn, you might have to put him in a different room while she eats (friends of mine did that when one of their cats tried to eat all the food).

It might take a long time for him to learn not to eat more than he needs, but if he doesn't learn, you might have to get him some kind of "slimming" food. My friends have resorted to "eukanuba silhouette" to their one cat who seems to remain fat no matter what they do ^^;

Answer 5

Male cats are generally larger than female cats.

And most cats to tend to be rather lazy, so I don't think that's a problem.


Cats should have food available at all times in their dish, and they'll eat when they're hungry and stop when they're full.


If you are concerned about their health, take them to a vet. They're the only ones who will be able to tell you for sure if they're healthy.

Answer 6

Some cats are nervous eaters, anything that happens in their lives can cause stress and they think they need to eat.
Take him to the Vet, explain what's happening and see what they say.
Good luck.