Cat begging....

[pussnboots]

Boots is constantly wanting food, he paws my legs all the time, I know this has been asked before but can't remember any answers. He is 16 yo and active and healthy, but he is driving me mad, he also wants his cat milk 3 or 4 times a day, he always has fresh water but prefers to drink out of puddles in the garden. I think perhaps he is a bit doo lally these days, what do you think.

[Eve]

Is he drinking excessively? Might be an idea to get him a general checkup just in case to pick up anything like diabetes.

[carlton23]

Get him tested for diabetes.

[carmalee]

you've probably hit the nail on the head - he's going a bit doolally - if he's been checked out at the vet and there are no underlying reasons, humour him - food is a really big thing in his life now. Common in elderly animals (and people)

[boxtops]

My cats will eat at any chance, they are terrific opportunistics, try not to humour him and keep to his usual two meals a day. with the odd biscuit snack, of course! My cats have always drunk from shovels and buckets in the garden, they never drink indoor unless they are not well so I don't put water down any more (we keep stepping in it if it's there). I have one of 14 years and he would eat every time I look at him. It does no harm though for you to get him checked over - he sounds a healthy boy but as they get older, a check-up now and again is not a bad idea.

[pussnboots]

He is not really drinking too much as I only give hime a tiny bit of cat milk each time and he only drinks water once or twice a day, it's the begging for food the drives me mad.

[Vagrant]

Last year, I tiled my brother's bathroom.
During a break for lunch, I noticed his 3 cats around my diamond wheel tile cutter. They had drunk the "water" (a mixture of water and ground up porcelain tile) from the sump and licked it clean.
Took them to vets (120 pounds!)
No ill effects.

[boxtops]

I can believe that, vagrant, my cats like nothing better than an old rusty shovel, or a plant saucer with green stuff in the bottom, or the tap of the water butt - anything with a bit of added goop in the water!

[pussnboots]

Glad to hear all this, Boots likes nothing better than a drink from a dirty old plant pot saucer, I clean it now and again but it's full of dead flies and dirt.

[frankiecat]

Boots is acting in a purrrfectly normal way - but he should have been acting like this all along.

Hooomins are easily trained - he should have trained you and Doc to feed him upon demand from the outset. I can eat my bodyweight in roast beef and still go begging for something else.

Cats are supposed to constantly interrupt hooomins when they are doing 'stuff' - it is so that hooomins don't get bored and feel unloved.

Love to Boots.

Frankie de Tom Cat and his scary sister - Princess Merlin. xx

[boxtops]

Frankie, perhaps you could have a friendly word with the gang here, they keep getting takeaways - Stiff Rat, End of Mouse, Privet Hawk Moth on the side...

[Hopkirk]

Cat milk? You spoil him!

[frankiecat]

Rover obviously loved you Boxtops - bringing you some tasty morsels. I don't get out and have to do with my ornithology hobby and chasing insects and spiders - and running from Merlin when she is in a mood (women cats are as bad as hooomin women).


Boots is an old lad though - maybe he should just do a Garfield and phone for a pizza with extra mouse and baby bird topping.

;-)

[boxtops]

Tends not to be Rover, frankie, he is more into lepidoptery, he's the one that catches the moths, he's fast in the air! Black Spot and No 1 son are the hunters and birders, No 1 particularly likes the unexpected, when we had a field at the back he was always bringing in slow worms (ssh) and he still hunts the occasional frog.

[pussnboots]

Love all u cat lovers, I think my cat is normal.

[CatGirl4]

It could be diabetes,or hypothyroidism,best get him checked out.

[tamborine]

its natural water the cats are after, rather than tap water. If you need to stop the food pestering feed it outside.

[manin]

Sounds like hyperthyroid to me. My 11yo cat is very much the same - has never been given milk but drinks water all the time and eats constantly (all the dog's food as well given half a chance). Also very lively and active - like a gigantic kitten - and also driving me mad. The vets say there is a simple test they can do, and simple medication they can give (on-going) if that is the problem, but that if the cat is happy and healthy there's really no need. If he starts to lose weight or condition get him to the vets as soon as you can.