[Silverfoxkit]

Hey there. It's been a long time since I've had the time or the internet for that matter to visit but now I've got a new little problem I could use some advice with. His name is Fester (short for Hephaestus).

Roughly a month ago I went into a not very good pet store for chinchilla supplies and found a roughly 8 week old kitten in a quite small ferret cage with a ferret with nothing. No food. No water, No litter. As soon as I picked him up I realized how severely dehydrated and underweight the little guy was, and knew his timer was almost out. Well as much as I knew we didn't need a second cat at the moment I couldn't leave him. He would probably have been a body in a trash can if I had. We took him home and with a steady supply of water, food, and love he recovered fairly well. Physically at least. Although he has not wanted for food for a single moment since he came into our lives he acts ravenously hungry when any human food comes near him. No amount of moving him will dent his determination. He is like a supersonic boomerang after any food. We are forced to lock him in the playroom anytime any member of the family eats anything, and our toddler munches a lot. He does eat his cat food well. He is gaining weight and looking good. People food just makes him frantic. I was hoping that time would make him calm down but its been over a month and you would swear the cat was starved silly the way he gets when we eat. He also has an abandoned kitten complex as well. Anytime we are gone for any period he gets frantic and when you are there he stays under your feet at all times. I can't count the number of times I've tripped over the fur ball.

Is there anything I can do to help with these problems? Does he just need more time? It gets very frustrating to have to catch him and put him up at every single snack or meal, not to mention he meows like he's dying when he gets locked up alone. I also think he may have suffered some abuse. He becomes terrified anytime someone picks up a broom. So long as its sitting there he is fine with it, but if anyone holds it he goes into a fit of panic.

[twinkiedooter]

From what you described he must have been some sort of castaway who ate nothing BUT people food. And the broom is definitely a torture instrument used on him. Just give him more time and lots and lots of love and he should come around. Let's face it, you can't undo a teeny lifetime of deprivation and living on people food scraps and being regularly beaten by a broom.

I hope he grows up to be a loving member of your family. Thank you for rescuing him and giving him a loving home.

[Wondergirl]

I'd give him more time.Two of our cats have to have their share of whatever we're eating for supper, but the other three don't care. And yes, it sounds like he has been abused in various ways and taken away from his mom too soon (separation anxiety).

Does it help to feed him his own food when you eat a meal -- or give him bit of people food on a paper plate?

Report back and let us know how it's going with him. And thanks for rescuing him!

[Silverfoxkit]

We've tried to offer him cat food when human food was present, even extra yummy can foods, but he has a very set mentality on our food. He will happily scarf down whatever human food is offered, but he eats it very quickly and is immediately looking for more. He has no problem leaping onto tables or trays and diving head on into a plate. I do not want to give him a diet filled with too much human food and he is too clever for cat food trickery. He knows when he's not being given people food.

[Wondergirl]

What does he eat of human food? Anything? Meats and gravies?

[Silverfoxkit]

Anything from meats and noodles to green beans. If the little bandit can snatch it, he'll take it.

[Wondergirl]

What if you gave him (put on the floor) his own plate of whatever the people are eating?

[Silverfoxkit]

As much as I'm sure Fester would vote YES YES YES to the idea, not everything we eat is terribly cat friendly. A lot of our foods are things like macaroni and cheese or spicy. I am also afraid that teaching him that he gets his very own plate will not dissuade the problem. He will learn that he always get to have our people food, and scrap food diets are not ideal for a growing kitten.

[Wondergirl]

What about feeding him with some people food plus his own every time you eat? If he jumps up on the table, pick him up and put him down on the floor. Tell him why. (That's important.) Keep doing that. It will eventually soak in.

That's what we have to do with Rasputin. He was okay with his own food for years, but around age 15 (is 19 now), he decided our food was better. Then he sleeps until the next meal.

[Silverfoxkit]

Ah, good cat name. ;). We have one other cat, also named Rasputin. We adopted him when he was a small kitten but have never had these issues with him. He's an attention hog, but not a picky or greedy one. Do you think that when Fester is neutered it will effect these behaviors any?

[Wondergirl]

Do you think that when Fester is neutered it will affect these behaviors any?

I'm thinking he will grow out of this. The main thing is to consistently remove him from the table while telling him why you are doing that. I don't think neutering will make a difference with the food thing. That need seems to be seared into his brain right now because of how he was treated when younger.

Is he free-fed dry food? Does he get cat treats?

(I thought our Rasputin was the only one in the world.)

[Silverfoxkit]

Yes, he's normally free fed. We tried picking up the food and putting it back down when we ate but I only accomplished making him extra eager to eat our food. He gets occasional treats. Hopefully this will just be a passing phase.

[Wondergirl]

Our cats are like Chicago's weather. If you don't like it right now, wait a few minutes, and it will change. And they say cats are creatures of habit...

Do you grow catnip? Have you tried that, given him a "hit" at meal time?