Constantly meowing for food.

Dr. Marie replied:

Hmmm....this is an interesting question. I can't say that I have ever seen a cat have anxiety because of food. However, I'm wondering if this is really anxiety? It sounds to me like the cat is actually training you to just feed him all the time.

The meowing when you are bringing food to the container really doesn't sound like an anxiety behavior. Rather, this is probably an excitement about the food that is coming!

It's tough to know how to advise you here. I think there are a few possible ways that you can go.

First of all, it is important to make sure this isn't a medical issue. I've seen cats do this if they have a dental problem. What happens is that the cat is hungry and asks for food, and then when food is given, he can only eat a little bit before the dental issue causes him pain. So, he stops eating, but then a few minutes later he is hungry again so he asks for food again. So, for this reason it would be good to have your vet check him out.

If his weight is on the low side, it's possible he has some sort of metabolic issue that is causing him to always be hungry.

If it does seem to be a behavioral issue there are a few things that can be done. The first would be to completely ignore him and tough it out for several weeks. So, you would give him food in the morning and then NO ONE is allowed to give him food till mid day and then again, completely ignore him until supper time. The first few days that you do this he will likely drive you bonkers with meowing, but if this is a behavioral issue then within a week he should start to get the message.

You could also talk to your vet about a behavior modifying drug such as Reconcile to help in this transition time.

I hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.

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