{"id":16145,"date":"2024-06-16T15:26:44","date_gmt":"2024-06-16T15:26:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cats.com\/?p=16145"},"modified":"2025-03-22T11:52:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T11:52:30","slug":"food-aggression-in-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cats.com\/food-aggression-in-cats","title":{"rendered":"How To Deal With Food Aggression in Cats"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_99226\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-99226\" class=\"size-full wp-image-99226\" src=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Purina-DentaLife-Tasty-Chicken-Flavor-Dental-Cat-Treats-15-compressed.jpg\" alt=\"Purina DentaLife Tasty Chicken Flavor Dental Cat Treats\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Purina-DentaLife-Tasty-Chicken-Flavor-Dental-Cat-Treats-15-compressed.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Purina-DentaLife-Tasty-Chicken-Flavor-Dental-Cat-Treats-15-compressed-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Purina-DentaLife-Tasty-Chicken-Flavor-Dental-Cat-Treats-15-compressed-624x416.jpg 624w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Purina-DentaLife-Tasty-Chicken-Flavor-Dental-Cat-Treats-15-compressed-540x360.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-99226\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kirsten McCarthy \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Food is a vital resource and a survival mechanism for all species, but what happens when your delightful cat becomes a tiger at mealtimes?<\/p>\n<p>Food aggression is common in dogs with minimal occurrences reported in cats. Food aggression in cats manifests as resource guarding and is subtle in most situations, with serious contributions to obesity, heart disease, and other chronic problems.<\/p>\n<p>In this article, we explore reasons for food obsession, investigate psychogenic abnormal feeding behaviour, and offer practical solutions for better health and welfare of cats and owners.<\/p>\n<h2>How Do I Know if My Cat Is Food-Obsessed?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-99318\" src=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Food-Aggression-In-Cats_-What-You-Need-To-Know_eng.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Food-Aggression-In-Cats_-What-You-Need-To-Know_eng.png 1440w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Food-Aggression-In-Cats_-What-You-Need-To-Know_eng-768x597.png 768w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Food-Aggression-In-Cats_-What-You-Need-To-Know_eng-624x485.png 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Cats who behave aggressively prior and throughout feeding time might not just be hungry; they could be exhibiting signs of food obsession.<\/p>\n<p>Symptoms include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bowl guarding.<\/li>\n<li>Growl, swats, or hisses during mealtime.<\/li>\n<li>Terrorizes other household pets away from their food.<\/li>\n<li>Steals food, eats through packaging and rubbish.<\/li>\n<li>Strikes when food is present.<\/li>\n<li>Spends most of the time in the kitchen, vocalising excessively, begging for food.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Causes of Food Aggression in Cats<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/cats-are-obligate-carnivores\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cats are obligate carnivores<\/a>; their natural diet consists of mostly small rodents with a high requirement for dietary protein so they cannot survive on fruits or plants. The cat\u2019s inability to endure on a vegetarian or <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/vegan-cat-food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vegan diet<\/a> increases the risk of starvation when prey and food is scarce living outdoors.<\/p>\n<p>Felines, as strict meat-eaters, have extra stringent nutritional requirements and yet seem less adapted than dogs to sense nutritional imbalances so their diet should be complete, balanced, digestible, palatable, and nutritionally safe (without deficiencies).<\/p>\n<p>Cats as solitary predators prefer to eat alone and frequently, inappropriately they are often fed with other cats in proximity. The inability of a cat to access a food resource safely and privately is believed to lead to overeating, <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/feline-obesity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">obesity<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/why-is-my-cat-not-eating\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">under-eating<\/a>, and possibly <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/cat-vomiting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vomiting<\/a> due to food gorging.<\/p>\n<p>Kittens or cats who experience early weaning, nutrition deprivation or abandonment are predisposed to food preoccupation since food confiscation is perceived as a threat whereas indoor cats relying on humans for food provision are disposed to resource competition due to conflict and pre-feeding aggression when given large volumes of food once or twice daily.<\/p>\n<h3>What Is \u201cPsychogenic Abnormal Feeding Behavior\u201d ?<\/h3>\n<p>According to research published in the <em><u><i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/journal\/journal-of-veterinary-behavior\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Journal of Veterinary Behavior<\/a>,<\/i><\/u><\/em>\u00a0some cats are truly consumed with food and will act aggressively toward people and other pets while seeking out and protecting food. Researchers have characterized this unusual conduct as \u201cpsychogenic abnormal feeding behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The first cat diagnosed with \u201cpsychogenic abnormal feeding behaviour\u201d was Otto, an 8-month-old Siamese who was using aggression to get food. Otto tried to steal food from his owner after he had eaten his meal, he even resorted to eating plastic toys and seemed dissatisfied no matter how much food he ate.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0researchers concluded that based on normal laboratory findings (except for <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/high-blood-pressure-in-cats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hyperglycaemia<\/a> (high blood sugar)), the cause of Otto\u2019s abnormal behaviour was psychogenic in origin and required psychological treatment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Strangely, Otto exhibited another odd behaviour: pica.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/pica-in-cats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pica<\/a> refers to the behavior of chewing or eating non-food items. This behaviour is more common in purebreds like <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/cat-breeds\/siamese\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Siamese<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/cat-breeds\/burmese\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Burmese<\/a>. Pica may be caused by a variety of psychological issues, including being weaned too early, <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/stress-in-cats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">stress<\/a>, feelings of <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/cat-separation-anxiety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">anxiety<\/a>, and boredom. More commonly, pica may stem from physical issues like illness and dietary deficiencies.<\/p>\n<h2>Emotional Eating<\/h2>\n<p>Munching in response to stress or negative emotional state is recognized in both humans and animals and has been shown to work by alleviating the unpleasant emotional experience.<\/p>\n<p>This type of eating behaviour; called stress-induced or emotional eating, is linked to the development of obesity. Emotional eating is a coping mechanism whilst overeating may be a sign that an animal&#8217;s psychological well-being is impaired.<\/p>\n<h2>How To Manage Food Aggression in Cats?<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_99210\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-99210\" class=\"size-full wp-image-99210\" src=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Black-Short-Hair-Cats-Eating-Feline-Natural-Chicken-Lamb-Feast-Pate-Wet-Canned-Cat-Food-15-compressed.jpg\" alt=\"Black Short Hair Cats Eating Feline Natural Chicken &amp; Lamb Feast Pate Wet Canned Cat Food\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Black-Short-Hair-Cats-Eating-Feline-Natural-Chicken-Lamb-Feast-Pate-Wet-Canned-Cat-Food-15-compressed.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Black-Short-Hair-Cats-Eating-Feline-Natural-Chicken-Lamb-Feast-Pate-Wet-Canned-Cat-Food-15-compressed-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Black-Short-Hair-Cats-Eating-Feline-Natural-Chicken-Lamb-Feast-Pate-Wet-Canned-Cat-Food-15-compressed-624x416.jpg 624w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Black-Short-Hair-Cats-Eating-Feline-Natural-Chicken-Lamb-Feast-Pate-Wet-Canned-Cat-Food-15-compressed-540x360.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-99210\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Solving food aggression in cats generally involves the underlying causes of your cat&#8217;s food obsession. Kirsten McCarthy \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Sudden behavioural changes causing food aggression or excessive hunger require a veterinary health check with appropriate treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Studies have demonstrated that cats are lone hunters, nibblers, and have relatively small stomachs compared with dogs. Cats prefer to eat 10-20 small meals per day. To mimic their natural hunting behaviour; owners should divide their cat\u2019s daily food into a minimum of 5 portions fed throughout the 24-hour period.<\/p>\n<p>Multi-cat household cats should be fed in separate locations to reduce competition and visibility during mealtime.<\/p>\n<p>It is vital to position the water and food bowls in a quiet spot, away from unpleasant litter tray smell, bright lights, and noisy household appliances. Food should be positioned separately in case the food contaminates the water and, in an area, where your cat has a wide field of vision (in the wild felines are observant to potential predators and attacks).<\/p>\n<p>Food site is also important and should be changed regularly to enable cats engage their senses in searching for their food. Make use of vertical and floor space to encourage exploratory behaviour as well as increase exercise.<\/p>\n<h3>Ditch the Bowl! Use Puzzle Toys!<\/h3>\n<p>Encourage scavenging with the use of food-dispensing toys which allows the cat to consume small meals throughout the day from multiple locations. This provides a more natural feeding model for a predatory cat although promoting mental and physical enrichment.<\/p>\n<h3>Feeding for Health &amp; Wellness<\/h3>\n<p>Diet modification may also be necessary. Cats that are not nourished with species-appropriate foods, filling up on needless ingredients, colouring and fillers that do not provide adequate protein and fat ratios, individual amino and fatty acids for healthy brain chemistry and intracellular function may be predisposed to deficiencies.<\/p>\n<p>Feeding a <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/best-cat-food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">good quality commercial cat food<\/a> is preferable as the major part of the diet by offering different food with variety of textures and flavours which maximises long-term health and welfare. Moreover, <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wet-vs-dry-cat-food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">feeding a mixed diet<\/a> may reduce the risk of obesity and prevention of diseases.<\/p>\n<p>The overweightness epidemic is a direct reflection of the lifestyle of modern cats; cats gone from being outdoor predators to indoor confinement. Feeding methods should stimulate normal feeding behaviour to increase exercise during feeding time, promote weight loss and decrease boredom.<\/p>\n<h3>Beneficial Mood Food<\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_99134\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-99134\" class=\"size-full wp-image-99134\" src=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Orange-White-Maine-Coon-Eating-FirstMate-Chicken-Meal-With-Blueberries-Formula-Dry-Kibble-Cat-Food-10-compressed.jpg\" alt=\"Orange White Maine Coon Eating FirstMate Chicken Meal With Blueberries Formula Dry Kibble Cat Food\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Orange-White-Maine-Coon-Eating-FirstMate-Chicken-Meal-With-Blueberries-Formula-Dry-Kibble-Cat-Food-10-compressed.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Orange-White-Maine-Coon-Eating-FirstMate-Chicken-Meal-With-Blueberries-Formula-Dry-Kibble-Cat-Food-10-compressed-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Orange-White-Maine-Coon-Eating-FirstMate-Chicken-Meal-With-Blueberries-Formula-Dry-Kibble-Cat-Food-10-compressed-624x416.jpg 624w, https:\/\/cats.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Orange-White-Maine-Coon-Eating-FirstMate-Chicken-Meal-With-Blueberries-Formula-Dry-Kibble-Cat-Food-10-compressed-540x360.jpg 540w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-99134\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kirsten McCarthy \/ Cats.com<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Research into dietary variation or supplementation for anxiety and aggression in dogs and cats has revealed that the amino acid tryptophan is an antecedent to serotonin and its supplementation has shown to reduce anxiety and aggression.<\/p>\n<p>High-tyrosin diets may be helpful for animals during severe stress. Alpha-casozepine, derived from bovine casein, has been found to be anxiolytic in cats and dogs. L-theanine (an amino acid found in green tea) has led to mood improvement in cats with emotional disorders (after thirty days) whilst Valerian aided with fear aggression or redirected aggression towards other cats.<\/p>\n<h3>Minimise Life Stressors<\/h3>\n<p>Limit exposure to potential triggers and stressors with the aid of feline stress remedies such as Bach flowers, pheromone-based and botanical preparations including herbs as <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/catnip\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">catnip<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Behavioural modification techniques can be utilized to manage food aggression by providing the cat with environmental enrichment, scheduling playtime and owner interaction. Counter-conditioning the cat to feeding and desensitization to food is an alternative method.<\/p>\n<p>Reward positive behaviour whilst avoiding punishment and prevent exposure to food, except at the time of feeding. Owner abstinence from eating in the cat\u2019s presence and reward for calm behaviour is also of great value.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Resource guarding and competition cases range in complexity, but for the most part, it is a modifiable behaviour.\u00a0 With the appropriate feeding and environmental techniques, you can reduce your cat&#8217;s stress and help your cat to alter their behavioural response to food.<\/p>\n            <style>\n                .cliverse-post-faq h3{\n                    position: relative;\n                    background: #FFFFFF;\n                    box-shadow: 0px 9px 26px rgba(198, 198, 198, 0.25);\n                    border-radius: 15px;\n                    padding: 24px 110px 24px 110px;\n                    margin-bottom: 30px;\n                    transition: all 0.4s ease;\n\n                    font-weight: 700!important;\n                    font-size: 20px!important;\n                    line-height: 105.8%!important;\n                    color: #373737;\n                    cursor: pointer;\n                }\n                .cliverse-post-faq h3.active{\n                    background: #EDF1F7;\n                }\n                .cliverse-post-faq h3 .question-angle{\n                    display: flex;\n                    width: 24px;\n                    height: 24px;\n                    justify-content: center;\n                    align-items: center;\n                    position: absolute;\n                    top: calc(50% - 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9px);\n                    }\n                }\n            <\/style>\n            <script>\n                document.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function(event) {\n                    $ = jQuery;\n                    $(this).on('click', '.cliverse-post-faq h3', function () {\n                        var title = $(this),\n                            info = title.next();\n                        if (title.hasClass('active')) {\n                            title.removeClass('active');\n                            info.stop().slideUp(400);\n                        } else {\n                            title.addClass('active');\n                            info.stop().slideDown(400);\n                        }\n                        return false;\n                    });\n                });\n            <\/script>\n        \n            <div itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\" class=\"cliverse-post-faq\">\n                <h2 class=\"cliverse-faq-title\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n                                    <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n                        <h3 itemprop=\"name\">\n                            <div class=\"question-mark\">\n                                <svg width=\"42\" height=\"42\" viewBox=\"0 0 42 42\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path d=\"M23.3438 31.1562C23.3438 31.6198 23.2063 32.0729 22.9488 32.4584C22.6912 32.8438 22.3252 33.1442 21.8969 33.3216C21.4687 33.499 20.9974 33.5454 20.5428 33.455C20.0881 33.3645 19.6705 33.1413 19.3427 32.8135C19.0149 32.4858 18.7917 32.0681 18.7013 31.6135C18.6109 31.1588 18.6573 30.6876 18.8347 30.2593C19.0121 29.8311 19.3125 29.465 19.6979 29.2075C20.0833 28.95 20.5365 28.8125 21 28.8125C21.6216 28.8125 22.2178 29.0594 22.6573 29.499C23.0968 29.9385 23.3438 30.5346 23.3438 31.1562ZM21 10.0625C16.6914 10.0625 13.1875 13.2168 13.1875 17.0938V17.875C13.1875 18.2894 13.3521 18.6868 13.6452 18.9799C13.9382 19.2729 14.3356 19.4375 14.75 19.4375C15.1644 19.4375 15.5618 19.2729 15.8549 18.9799C16.1479 18.6868 16.3125 18.2894 16.3125 17.875V17.0938C16.3125 14.9453 18.416 13.1875 21 13.1875C23.584 13.1875 25.6875 14.9453 25.6875 17.0938C25.6875 19.2422 23.584 21 21 21C20.5856 21 20.1882 21.1646 19.8952 21.4576C19.6021 21.7507 19.4375 22.1481 19.4375 22.5625V24.125C19.4375 24.5394 19.6021 24.9368 19.8952 25.2299C20.1882 25.5229 20.5856 25.6875 21 25.6875C21.4144 25.6875 21.8118 25.5229 22.1049 25.2299C22.3979 24.9368 22.5625 24.5394 22.5625 24.125V23.9844C26.125 23.3301 28.8125 20.4883 28.8125 17.0938C28.8125 13.2168 25.3086 10.0625 21 10.0625ZM41.3125 21C41.3125 25.0174 40.1212 28.9446 37.8892 32.285C35.6573 35.6254 32.4849 38.2289 28.7733 39.7663C25.0616 41.3037 20.9775 41.706 17.0372 40.9222C13.097 40.1384 9.47766 38.2039 6.6369 35.3631C3.79615 32.5224 1.86157 28.903 1.07781 24.9628C0.294046 21.0225 0.696301 16.9384 2.23371 13.2267C3.77111 9.51512 6.37462 6.34274 9.71499 4.11077C13.0554 1.87881 16.9826 0.6875 21 0.6875C26.3855 0.693187 31.5487 2.83507 35.3568 6.64317C39.1649 10.4513 41.3068 15.6145 41.3125 21ZM38.1875 21C38.1875 17.6006 37.1795 14.2776 35.2909 11.4511C33.4023 8.62467 30.718 6.4217 27.5774 5.12082C24.4368 3.81994 20.9809 3.47957 17.6469 4.14275C14.3128 4.80594 11.2503 6.44289 8.84661 8.8466C6.4429 11.2503 4.80595 14.3128 4.14276 17.6469C3.47958 20.9809 3.81995 24.4368 5.12083 27.5774C6.42171 30.718 8.62468 33.4023 11.4511 35.2909C14.2776 37.1795 17.6006 38.1875 21 38.1875C25.5568 38.1823 29.9255 36.3699 33.1477 33.1477C36.3699 29.9255 38.1823 25.5568 38.1875 21Z\" fill=\"#828FA1\"\/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            Why is my cat so crazy about food?                            <div class=\"question-angle\">\n                                <svg width=\"35\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 20\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M34.1269 0.504921C35.1752 1.25869 35.2967 2.58264 34.3981 3.46205L17.5 20L0.601898 3.46205C-0.296654 2.58264 -0.175251 1.25869 0.873062 0.504921C1.92138 -0.248853 3.49962 -0.147011 4.39817 0.732392L17.5 13.555L30.6018 0.732392C31.5004 -0.147011 33.0786 -0.248853 34.1269 0.504921Z\" fill=\"#828FA1\"\/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/h3>\n                        <div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" class=\"cliverse-post-faq-answer\">\n                            <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                <p>Indoor confinement, absence of exercise and play, resource competition, and inter-cat conflict in multi-cat homes is associated with increased food attention through boredom, depression, and anxiety. Lack of access to food and inadequate nutritional intake can cause tension-related problems contributory to food obsession.<\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n                        <h3 itemprop=\"name\">\n                            <div class=\"question-mark\">\n                                <svg width=\"42\" height=\"42\" viewBox=\"0 0 42 42\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path d=\"M23.3438 31.1562C23.3438 31.6198 23.2063 32.0729 22.9488 32.4584C22.6912 32.8438 22.3252 33.1442 21.8969 33.3216C21.4687 33.499 20.9974 33.5454 20.5428 33.455C20.0881 33.3645 19.6705 33.1413 19.3427 32.8135C19.0149 32.4858 18.7917 32.0681 18.7013 31.6135C18.6109 31.1588 18.6573 30.6876 18.8347 30.2593C19.0121 29.8311 19.3125 29.465 19.6979 29.2075C20.0833 28.95 20.5365 28.8125 21 28.8125C21.6216 28.8125 22.2178 29.0594 22.6573 29.499C23.0968 29.9385 23.3438 30.5346 23.3438 31.1562ZM21 10.0625C16.6914 10.0625 13.1875 13.2168 13.1875 17.0938V17.875C13.1875 18.2894 13.3521 18.6868 13.6452 18.9799C13.9382 19.2729 14.3356 19.4375 14.75 19.4375C15.1644 19.4375 15.5618 19.2729 15.8549 18.9799C16.1479 18.6868 16.3125 18.2894 16.3125 17.875V17.0938C16.3125 14.9453 18.416 13.1875 21 13.1875C23.584 13.1875 25.6875 14.9453 25.6875 17.0938C25.6875 19.2422 23.584 21 21 21C20.5856 21 20.1882 21.1646 19.8952 21.4576C19.6021 21.7507 19.4375 22.1481 19.4375 22.5625V24.125C19.4375 24.5394 19.6021 24.9368 19.8952 25.2299C20.1882 25.5229 20.5856 25.6875 21 25.6875C21.4144 25.6875 21.8118 25.5229 22.1049 25.2299C22.3979 24.9368 22.5625 24.5394 22.5625 24.125V23.9844C26.125 23.3301 28.8125 20.4883 28.8125 17.0938C28.8125 13.2168 25.3086 10.0625 21 10.0625ZM41.3125 21C41.3125 25.0174 40.1212 28.9446 37.8892 32.285C35.6573 35.6254 32.4849 38.2289 28.7733 39.7663C25.0616 41.3037 20.9775 41.706 17.0372 40.9222C13.097 40.1384 9.47766 38.2039 6.6369 35.3631C3.79615 32.5224 1.86157 28.903 1.07781 24.9628C0.294046 21.0225 0.696301 16.9384 2.23371 13.2267C3.77111 9.51512 6.37462 6.34274 9.71499 4.11077C13.0554 1.87881 16.9826 0.6875 21 0.6875C26.3855 0.693187 31.5487 2.83507 35.3568 6.64317C39.1649 10.4513 41.3068 15.6145 41.3125 21ZM38.1875 21C38.1875 17.6006 37.1795 14.2776 35.2909 11.4511C33.4023 8.62467 30.718 6.4217 27.5774 5.12082C24.4368 3.81994 20.9809 3.47957 17.6469 4.14275C14.3128 4.80594 11.2503 6.44289 8.84661 8.8466C6.4429 11.2503 4.80595 14.3128 4.14276 17.6469C3.47958 20.9809 3.81995 24.4368 5.12083 27.5774C6.42171 30.718 8.62468 33.4023 11.4511 35.2909C14.2776 37.1795 17.6006 38.1875 21 38.1875C25.5568 38.1823 29.9255 36.3699 33.1477 33.1477C36.3699 29.9255 38.1823 25.5568 38.1875 21Z\" fill=\"#828FA1\"\/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            Why does my cat get aggressive after eating?                            <div class=\"question-angle\">\n                                <svg width=\"35\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 20\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M34.1269 0.504921C35.1752 1.25869 35.2967 2.58264 34.3981 3.46205L17.5 20L0.601898 3.46205C-0.296654 2.58264 -0.175251 1.25869 0.873062 0.504921C1.92138 -0.248853 3.49962 -0.147011 4.39817 0.732392L17.5 13.555L30.6018 0.732392C31.5004 -0.147011 33.0786 -0.248853 34.1269 0.504921Z\" fill=\"#828FA1\"\/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/h3>\n                        <div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" class=\"cliverse-post-faq-answer\">\n                            <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                <p>Incorrect feeding, small portions, and once per day feeding can cause hunger, frustration, and aggression after eating.<\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n                        <h3 itemprop=\"name\">\n                            <div class=\"question-mark\">\n                                <svg width=\"42\" height=\"42\" viewBox=\"0 0 42 42\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path d=\"M23.3438 31.1562C23.3438 31.6198 23.2063 32.0729 22.9488 32.4584C22.6912 32.8438 22.3252 33.1442 21.8969 33.3216C21.4687 33.499 20.9974 33.5454 20.5428 33.455C20.0881 33.3645 19.6705 33.1413 19.3427 32.8135C19.0149 32.4858 18.7917 32.0681 18.7013 31.6135C18.6109 31.1588 18.6573 30.6876 18.8347 30.2593C19.0121 29.8311 19.3125 29.465 19.6979 29.2075C20.0833 28.95 20.5365 28.8125 21 28.8125C21.6216 28.8125 22.2178 29.0594 22.6573 29.499C23.0968 29.9385 23.3438 30.5346 23.3438 31.1562ZM21 10.0625C16.6914 10.0625 13.1875 13.2168 13.1875 17.0938V17.875C13.1875 18.2894 13.3521 18.6868 13.6452 18.9799C13.9382 19.2729 14.3356 19.4375 14.75 19.4375C15.1644 19.4375 15.5618 19.2729 15.8549 18.9799C16.1479 18.6868 16.3125 18.2894 16.3125 17.875V17.0938C16.3125 14.9453 18.416 13.1875 21 13.1875C23.584 13.1875 25.6875 14.9453 25.6875 17.0938C25.6875 19.2422 23.584 21 21 21C20.5856 21 20.1882 21.1646 19.8952 21.4576C19.6021 21.7507 19.4375 22.1481 19.4375 22.5625V24.125C19.4375 24.5394 19.6021 24.9368 19.8952 25.2299C20.1882 25.5229 20.5856 25.6875 21 25.6875C21.4144 25.6875 21.8118 25.5229 22.1049 25.2299C22.3979 24.9368 22.5625 24.5394 22.5625 24.125V23.9844C26.125 23.3301 28.8125 20.4883 28.8125 17.0938C28.8125 13.2168 25.3086 10.0625 21 10.0625ZM41.3125 21C41.3125 25.0174 40.1212 28.9446 37.8892 32.285C35.6573 35.6254 32.4849 38.2289 28.7733 39.7663C25.0616 41.3037 20.9775 41.706 17.0372 40.9222C13.097 40.1384 9.47766 38.2039 6.6369 35.3631C3.79615 32.5224 1.86157 28.903 1.07781 24.9628C0.294046 21.0225 0.696301 16.9384 2.23371 13.2267C3.77111 9.51512 6.37462 6.34274 9.71499 4.11077C13.0554 1.87881 16.9826 0.6875 21 0.6875C26.3855 0.693187 31.5487 2.83507 35.3568 6.64317C39.1649 10.4513 41.3068 15.6145 41.3125 21ZM38.1875 21C38.1875 17.6006 37.1795 14.2776 35.2909 11.4511C33.4023 8.62467 30.718 6.4217 27.5774 5.12082C24.4368 3.81994 20.9809 3.47957 17.6469 4.14275C14.3128 4.80594 11.2503 6.44289 8.84661 8.8466C6.4429 11.2503 4.80595 14.3128 4.14276 17.6469C3.47958 20.9809 3.81995 24.4368 5.12083 27.5774C6.42171 30.718 8.62468 33.4023 11.4511 35.2909C14.2776 37.1795 17.6006 38.1875 21 38.1875C25.5568 38.1823 29.9255 36.3699 33.1477 33.1477C36.3699 29.9255 38.1823 25.5568 38.1875 21Z\" fill=\"#828FA1\"\/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            How do I get my cat to stop begging for food?                            <div class=\"question-angle\">\n                                <svg width=\"35\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 20\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M34.1269 0.504921C35.1752 1.25869 35.2967 2.58264 34.3981 3.46205L17.5 20L0.601898 3.46205C-0.296654 2.58264 -0.175251 1.25869 0.873062 0.504921C1.92138 -0.248853 3.49962 -0.147011 4.39817 0.732392L17.5 13.555L30.6018 0.732392C31.5004 -0.147011 33.0786 -0.248853 34.1269 0.504921Z\" fill=\"#828FA1\"\/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/h3>\n                        <div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" class=\"cliverse-post-faq-answer\">\n                            <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                <p>Puzzle feeders are a great source of stimuli for all of the senses. They can be filled with food ready to be left during night-time or when you are away. To avoid resource rivalry in multi-cat households; each cat should be given its own feeder in a separate location (let your cat choose their individual preference). \u00a0<br \/>\nFood can be applied as a reward for performing tricks and obeying clicker or word commands (i.e. sit, stay, leave it, and come) to encourage mental stimulation whilst reduce overeating. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If unable to do several feedings each day, feed a minimum of twice daily, and hide food in creative hiding spots.<\/p>\n<p>Purchase a remote-controlled, automatic treat dispenser such as Treat &amp; Train. Teach the cat to wait calmly and quietly earns rewards. Start by rewarding at frequent intervals, increase to longer breaks between treats, reward frequently enough so the cat stays quiet and stationery. When the cat starts to meow, wait for him to be quiet, then as soon as he or she is quiet, hit the Treat &amp; Train remote control so treats are dispensed at a reasonable rate.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, teach nose games - ask your cat to stay or ask him or her to wait in another room as you hide treats throughout the house. Ensure they are easy to find in the beginning, increase the difficulty as weeks progress. Once you open the door, ask your cat to \u201cfind it\u201d and praise when he or she discovers each one. You can make it as challenging as you want by hiding treats inside boxes, cupboards, and under the rug.<\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                                    <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n                        <h3 itemprop=\"name\">\n                            <div class=\"question-mark\">\n                                <svg width=\"42\" height=\"42\" viewBox=\"0 0 42 42\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path d=\"M23.3438 31.1562C23.3438 31.6198 23.2063 32.0729 22.9488 32.4584C22.6912 32.8438 22.3252 33.1442 21.8969 33.3216C21.4687 33.499 20.9974 33.5454 20.5428 33.455C20.0881 33.3645 19.6705 33.1413 19.3427 32.8135C19.0149 32.4858 18.7917 32.0681 18.7013 31.6135C18.6109 31.1588 18.6573 30.6876 18.8347 30.2593C19.0121 29.8311 19.3125 29.465 19.6979 29.2075C20.0833 28.95 20.5365 28.8125 21 28.8125C21.6216 28.8125 22.2178 29.0594 22.6573 29.499C23.0968 29.9385 23.3438 30.5346 23.3438 31.1562ZM21 10.0625C16.6914 10.0625 13.1875 13.2168 13.1875 17.0938V17.875C13.1875 18.2894 13.3521 18.6868 13.6452 18.9799C13.9382 19.2729 14.3356 19.4375 14.75 19.4375C15.1644 19.4375 15.5618 19.2729 15.8549 18.9799C16.1479 18.6868 16.3125 18.2894 16.3125 17.875V17.0938C16.3125 14.9453 18.416 13.1875 21 13.1875C23.584 13.1875 25.6875 14.9453 25.6875 17.0938C25.6875 19.2422 23.584 21 21 21C20.5856 21 20.1882 21.1646 19.8952 21.4576C19.6021 21.7507 19.4375 22.1481 19.4375 22.5625V24.125C19.4375 24.5394 19.6021 24.9368 19.8952 25.2299C20.1882 25.5229 20.5856 25.6875 21 25.6875C21.4144 25.6875 21.8118 25.5229 22.1049 25.2299C22.3979 24.9368 22.5625 24.5394 22.5625 24.125V23.9844C26.125 23.3301 28.8125 20.4883 28.8125 17.0938C28.8125 13.2168 25.3086 10.0625 21 10.0625ZM41.3125 21C41.3125 25.0174 40.1212 28.9446 37.8892 32.285C35.6573 35.6254 32.4849 38.2289 28.7733 39.7663C25.0616 41.3037 20.9775 41.706 17.0372 40.9222C13.097 40.1384 9.47766 38.2039 6.6369 35.3631C3.79615 32.5224 1.86157 28.903 1.07781 24.9628C0.294046 21.0225 0.696301 16.9384 2.23371 13.2267C3.77111 9.51512 6.37462 6.34274 9.71499 4.11077C13.0554 1.87881 16.9826 0.6875 21 0.6875C26.3855 0.693187 31.5487 2.83507 35.3568 6.64317C39.1649 10.4513 41.3068 15.6145 41.3125 21ZM38.1875 21C38.1875 17.6006 37.1795 14.2776 35.2909 11.4511C33.4023 8.62467 30.718 6.4217 27.5774 5.12082C24.4368 3.81994 20.9809 3.47957 17.6469 4.14275C14.3128 4.80594 11.2503 6.44289 8.84661 8.8466C6.4429 11.2503 4.80595 14.3128 4.14276 17.6469C3.47958 20.9809 3.81995 24.4368 5.12083 27.5774C6.42171 30.718 8.62468 33.4023 11.4511 35.2909C14.2776 37.1795 17.6006 38.1875 21 38.1875C25.5568 38.1823 29.9255 36.3699 33.1477 33.1477C36.3699 29.9255 38.1823 25.5568 38.1875 21Z\" fill=\"#828FA1\"\/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            How to stop food aggression in cats?                            <div class=\"question-angle\">\n                                <svg width=\"35\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 35 20\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M34.1269 0.504921C35.1752 1.25869 35.2967 2.58264 34.3981 3.46205L17.5 20L0.601898 3.46205C-0.296654 2.58264 -0.175251 1.25869 0.873062 0.504921C1.92138 -0.248853 3.49962 -0.147011 4.39817 0.732392L17.5 13.555L30.6018 0.732392C31.5004 -0.147011 33.0786 -0.248853 34.1269 0.504921Z\" fill=\"#828FA1\"\/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/h3>\n                        <div itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" class=\"cliverse-post-faq-answer\">\n                            <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                <p>With the appropriate feeding and environmental techniques, you can reduce your cat's stress and help your cat to alter their behavioural response to food.<\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n\n                    <style>\r\n            .sourses-block{\r\n                margin-bottom: 30px;\r\n            }\r\n            .sourses-block .sourses-top{\r\n                display: flex;\r\n                gap: 10px;\r\n                margin-bottom: 24px;\r\n            }\r\n            .sourses-block .sourses-title{\r\n                background: #FFFFFF;\r\n                border-radius: 247px;\r\n                border: 1px solid #444;\r\n                box-sizing: border-box;\r\n                display: inline-block;\r\n                cursor: pointer;\r\n                padding: 12px 34px 13px;\r\n                position: relative;\r\n                z-index: 2;\r\n\r\n                color: #444;\r\n                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uses high-quality, credible sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the claims in our articles. This content is regularly reviewed and updated for accuracy. Visit our                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cats.com\/about\">About Us<\/a> page to learn about our standards and meet our veterinary review board.                    <\/div>\r\n                    <ol>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"1\">\r\n                                <p>Animal, P. (n.d.). Mood Food. Australia: Natural Pet Health. Retrieved June 20, 2020<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"2\">\r\n                                <p>Association, A. A. (2012, August 28). First feline diagnosed with food obsession. Lakewood, CO, USA. Retrieved June 22, 2020<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"3\">\r\n                                <p>D.McMillan, F. (2013). Stress-induced and emotional eating in animals: A review of the experimental evidence and implications for companion animal obesity.\u00a0<em><i>Journal of Veterinary Behavior<\/i><\/em>, 376-385. Retrieved June 21, 2020<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"4\">\r\n                                <p>Heath, A. G. (2016). Feline Obesity. In I. R. Heath,\u00a0<em><i>Feline Behavioural Health and Welfare<\/i><\/em>\u00a0(pp. 153-164). St Louis: Elsevier Inc. Retrieved June 20, 2020<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"5\">\r\n                                <p>Johnson-Bennett, P. (n.d.).\u00a0<em><i>Resource Guarding Behavior in Cats<\/i><\/em>. Retrieved June 27, 2020, from cat behavior associates: https:\/\/catbehaviorassociates.com\/resource-guarding-behavior-in-cats\/<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"6\">\r\n                                <p>Karen Overall, I. R.-D.-M. (2004, December 01). Feline Behaviour Guidelines. (A. A. Practitioners, Compiler) USA. Retrieved June 25, 2020<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"7\">\r\n                                <p>Rowe, S. E. (2018). Five-a-Day-Felix. UK: International Cat Care. Retrieved June 28, 2020<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"8\">\r\n                                <p>Shaw, L. (2012, August 30). Food aggression or obsession in cats can be a problem and may be linked to another unusual behavior. USA. Retrieved June 26, 2020<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                                    <li class=\"table-item\" data-source=\"9\">\r\n                                <p>Tammy Sadek, B. H. (2018). Feline Feeding Programs; Addressing behavioural needs to improve feline health and wellbeing.\u00a0<em><i>Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery<\/i><\/em>, 1049-1055. Retrieved June 18, 2020<\/p>\n                            <\/li>\r\n                                            <\/ol>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n\r\n       ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Food is a vital resource and a survival mechanism for all species, but what happens when your delightful cat becomes a tiger at mealtimes? 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