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My cat swallows food whole. How do I get him to stop?
We rescued a cat we found in our backyard about three years ago. At the time he was starving to death, but he's pretty healthy now. My problem with him is that he swallows his dry food whole, and then throws it up on our carpet in our living room, only to go back to his food bowl to eat more! He also eats like a glutton and will complain when he's hungry. We only feed him and our other cat once a day, sometimes twice, with plenty of water.
Does he do this because he almost starved to death? Since it's been three years wouldn't he have stopped doing this by now? Could it be because our other cat thinks she's the alpha female and tries to eat all the food? She doesn't swallow her food whole like he does, though.
Thank you!
I'd like to add that it's not me who buys the cat food, it's my mom, and for some reason we used to feed the cats wet food but stopped about a year ago. Perhaps it was too expensive?
I'll look into getting wet food for the cats, though.
Keep the suggestions coming!
4 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Actually swallowing dry food whole is very normal in cats - read: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=libra...
But fact is, you're not feeding him often enough - so it makes complete sense as to why he gorges when you finally feed him. And especially so if he's competing for food with another cat.
Adult cats shouldn't be fed once a day - they should be fed TWICE a day - once in the morning and once at night. Since you've been starving him I think the best thing to do to get him to stop gorging is to temporarily feed him three times a day. Put just a handful down for him and put him separate from the other cat. Once he realizes he's not going to be starved for 24 hours cut the feedings to twice a day.
A dry food only diet is VERY bad for cats. You should be giving them canned food as well - http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=libra...
- 5 years ago
It's because cats don't have teeth made to chew on food like dogs do. They may attempt to break them in half and be successful but apart from that they will swallow it. I have 4 cats and they all do it, just make sure you feed your cat canned food once a day to give it the nutrients he or she may need, or not to cause diabetes or other health problems when it is older
- 1 decade ago
Try cutting the food up into smaller pieces, then he can't swallow it whole. I'm assuming they're rather large bits? There could be something wrong with his digestive system- definately check it out with the vet.
