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There is nothing more annoying than your cat constantly begging for food every time you sit down to eat. Fortunately, there are ways to stop the behavior. In this article, we’ll give you 10 tips that work to stop your cat from begging.
We’ll also look at the reasons your cat might be begging and how to get to the root of the problem.
Make Sure It’s Not a Bigger Problem
Before addressing any behavioral issue in your cat, make sure it is a behavioral issue and not a health issue. Some health conditions can cause cats to feel hungry all the time, which could be the reason they’re begging.
Gastrointestinal parasites, or worms, may lead to increased appetite in cats because the parasite is “eating” all the food your cat consumes.This condition should be reviewed by your vet and resolved with a dewormer, which should be obtained from your vet.
Hyperthyroidism or diabetes mellitus could also cause your cat’s appetite to increase, called polyphagia. Determining whether begging is a new behavior or if you’ve always had a begging cat can help you determine the cause. If there have recently been changes in your cat’s life, these changes could be the cause. Have you recently changed foods? Has the cat’s living environment changed? Has a new person moved into the household?
Most behavior changes that are related to changes in your cat’s environment will go away over time as your cat adjusts to the situation. Some cats are more sensitive to changes than others. If your cat doesn’t have worms and there haven’t been any recent environmental changes, then your cat’s begging is most likely a behavioral issue.
Why Healthy Cats Beg for Food
There are essentially four non-medical reasons why your cat might beg for food:
- They’re hungry. Cats who aren’t getting enough calories may beg for food because they need it. If your cat has recently lost weight, this can be an indicator that they need to eat more.
- Boredom. Cats who are bored might find eating somehow entertaining, as it can become an activity to pass the time.
- They’re picky. Cats who have gotten a taste of certain human foods can become “turned off” of their cat food. This happens because they like the taste of some foods more than others.
- Your cat has developed a begging habit. This usually happens because owners have given in to the cat’s begging at some point in time.
The 10 Tips to Get Your Cat to Stop Begging for Food
Whatever the above 4 reasons behind it, we’re going to give you 12 tips to stop your cat’s begging behavior. These do work, but not all of them will work for all cats, so you may have to perform some trial and error to correct the behavior.
It’s also important to remember that behavior problems don’t develop overnight and won’t go away overnight, either. Be patient and give your cat time to adjust to new habits.
1. Provide Your Cat With a Nutritionally Balanced Diet
Many cat owners don’t read the feeding guidelines on the back of their cat food, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Not all cat foods are created equal, so 1 cup of kibble in one brand could hold the same nutrition content as ½ cup of another brand.
The other reason for checking the label is to ensure you are feeding a complete and balanced food. Making sure your cat food has all the necessary vitamins and nutrients for optimal health will ensure your cat is getting what they need.
A complete cat food fed in proper portions will ensure your cat is not begging for food because they’re nutritionally deficient or hungry.
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2. Put Water in Wet Food
Once you’ve implemented the following feeding guidelines on your cat food, another effective trick is to water down their wet food. Cats consume wet food very fast because they don’t have to take time to chew it.
What happens is that they might finish the food before their brain gets the message that they’re full, so they beg for more food. Mixing water in the wet food can “trick” your cat’s brain into thinking they are fuller than they are. It also provides extra hydration, which is never a bad thing.
Mixing water into cat food is also a very effective way to help an overweight cat lose weight.
3. Trick Your Cat Using Chicken Stock or Dried Tuna Flakes
Dried tuna flakes, like Bonito flakes, are low in calories but chock full taurine, an essential amino acid for cats. Mixing these flakes with water will smell like food to your cat. Leaving this healthy treat out gives your cat the opportunity to take a few nibbles when they feel hungry.
Chicken stock is another option to trick your cat into feeling like they’re eating. It smells good, and your cat will like the flavor. Putting it down from time to time for your cat to take a sip when they are compelled to beg can make your cat feel like they’re also getting a meal.
4. Feed Small, Frequent Meals Using an Automatic Feeder
Getting your cat to stop begging requires teaching them that the behavior doesn’t get them what they want. Feeding your cat at unexpected intervals can help you do just this.
We recommend using an automatic feeder for this as it’s difficult to feed frequent meals by hand every day. There are several options for programmable feeders that will allow you to feed small meals at various times; some feeders will allow you to program up to 12 different meal times. Your cat still gets the same amount of food, but it’s spread out over a longer period.
5. Time Outs
Much like a toddler, sometimes it’s necessary to remove your cat from the room when they are exhibiting unwanted behavior. You have to be consistent with this and remove your cat every time they beg. If they don’t beg, they get to stay. Over time, your cat will learn that if they want to remain in your company, they can’t beg.
6. Food Dispenser Toys
Interactive food dispensers can be great for relieving boredom and delivering food slowly. Some have balls with holes in them with a tray on the bottom, so your cat has to “work” for food. Others are puzzle feeders, where you put your cat’s food into maze-like bowls that slow down their eating.
The result of interactive dispensers is that instead of a meal being eaten in 5 minutes, it takes 10 or 15. This not only makes your cat realize they’re full before the meal is done but also engages their brain and keeps them busy. You can use these feeders for meals or for “treat meals” in between.
7. Secluded Feeding Areas
Moving your cat’s feeding area out of the kitchen may work to stop them from begging. If your cat gets fed in the same location that you do, they may get the impression that each time you prepare food for yourself, you’re also preparing food for them.
Keeping food and water bowls in an area you don’t frequent as often may help your cat realize that you’re not always getting up to feed them.
8. Counter-Condition Your Cat
Assuming your cat associates begging with receiving food, you can condition them to think it means something else. Let’s use hugs as an example. Each time your cat begs, give them a hug or a snuggle. Over time they will learn that begging behavior means snuggles, not food.
9. Distraction
Developing a routine around feeding that your cat gets used to can help stop begging. If your cat knows exactly when food is coming, they will stop worrying about seeking it out. Try distracting your cat from begging by dangling a toy in front of them or sprinkling some catnip on the floor.
Often, playtime is enough distraction to make your cat forget they were begging for food in the first place.
10. Fetch Treats
This trick is great for stopping begging behavior and for helping overweight cats lose weight. Use a small handful of dry food and teach your cat that they get a piece when you call their name. Then, throw treats across the room for your cat to run and fetch.
This method is similar to distracting your cat with playtime but provides another incentive to stop begging because they get a treat.
Final Thoughts
The methods above will help you to stop your cat’s constant begging for food. First, make sure your cat doesn’t have a health condition that is causing them to beg for food. Then make sure they’re not hungry by ensuring they are receiving the right amount of complete, nutritionally balanced cat food.
If they’re bored, several of the tips above can help you redirect the behavior. Remember to always be consistent and patient. Changing behavior takes time, but you can make it happen!
Featured Image Credit: OlegD, Shutterstock
