What this means
Appetite changes without illness too: a growing kitten, a pregnant or nursing cat, or a cat that is more active or spends time in the cold eats more. It is worth watching more closely when the appetite rises with no clear reason and stays up for several weeks.
The key question is what is happening to the weight. If a cat eats more but grows thinner, its body is burning food too fast, failing to absorb it or losing it in the urine, which points to hormone or gut disease. If the weight is rising, the cat may simply be taking in more than it uses, but that too is worth discussing with a vet.
Weigh your cat and note how much it eats, whether it drinks and urinates more, and whether its behaviour or stools have changed. Do not change its food or cut its portions on your own before a vet has found the cause.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
-
Overactive thyroid
Too much thyroid hormone speeds up the metabolism, so the cat eats a lot but loses weight, becomes restless and may drink more. It develops in middle-aged and older cats.
About the condition: Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) -
Diabetes mellitus
When the body cannot use sugar, the cells go hungry, so the cat feels hungry and drinks and urinates a lot even as its weight falls.
About the condition: Diabetes mellitus -
Intestinal worms
Worms take a share of the nutrients, so a cat, especially a kitten, can be hungrier yet fail to grow or lose weight.
About the condition: Intestinal worms -
Gut disease that stops food being absorbed
When the gut no longer absorbs nutrients, the cat eats more and its stools may be large, loose or greasy.
-
Growth, pregnancy or more exercise
A growing kitten, a pregnant or nursing cat and a very active cat naturally eat more. In that case the cat does not lose weight and looks healthy.
-
Habit, boredom or stress
Some cats ask for food out of boredom or for attention, especially if asking always pays off. Think about this only once a vet has ruled out illness.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether your cat is losing or gaining weight
- Whether it drinks and urinates more
- Whether it has become more restless or louder, especially at night
- Whether its stools have changed or show worms
- Whether it is vomiting
- How much food it eats in a day
When to book a routine visit
Book an examination if your cat is eating much more than before, especially if it is also losing weight, drinking more or has become restless.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
Body systems: Hormones and metabolism