Do slow feeders cause food aggression
How to Handle Food Aggression in Cats: 11 Vet-Reviewed Tips & Tricks
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Learn moreDealing with food aggression in a cat can be overwhelming and even scary at times. Food aggression can exhibit itself in a variety of ways, including growling, biting, food stealing, and attacking. Unfortunately, without appropriate management, food aggression will almost always get worse over time.
Its important to begin making changes in your feeding routine to remedy the undesirable behavior. Here are some of the most useful things you can do to manage your cats food aggression.
The 11 Tips for Handling Food Aggression in Cats
1. Visit the Vet
When you notice food aggression in your cat, the first step is to visit the vet. This is especially important if your cat has suddenly developed food aggression. It can indicate an underlying medical condition, like diabetes, thyroid disease, or a neurological condition.
Your vet can determine if the food aggression has a physiological, behavioral, or combined cause. If they find something wrong with your cat, be prepared to make multiple changes to remedy the undesirable behavior. Dont just rely on treating a medical condition to repair the problem.
Pros
- A good option for sudden changes
- Can determine the underlying cause
- Can help with a treatment or modification plan
2. Dont Allow Begging
Cats with food aggression beg between meals or when they see food. Many cats attempt to beg at the table, with some even stealing food from your plate or kitchen counters. You may have to keep your food more secure and out of reach of your cat if food stealing is occurring. If your cat can open the cabinets, you can secure them with baby locks.
Some people find it funny or charming when their cat begs at the table or attempts to steal food, so they encourage the behavior by not discouraging it. If your cat succeeds in stealing or being given food for begging, the behavior will continue to worsen. If needed, keep your cat in another room when others are eating to prevent begging and food stealing. Dont give in to begging, no matter how charming the behavior may seem.
Pros
- Can be easy to discourage
- Can be remedied by keeping food out of reach
- Usually improves when encouragement isnt present
Cons
- May require cabinet locks, putting the cat up, and not giving in to cute behaviors
3. Dont Reward Bad Behaviors
If your cat receives rewards for begging or stealing, they will usually continue with the behavior. Rewarding bad behaviors can make them worse.If your cat starts begging for food at 3 AM, and you get up and feed them to get the begging to stop, youve rewarded the bad behavior, and your cat now knows that begging can result in them getting what they want.
No matter how frustrating or annoying begging gets, the whole household must be on board with refusing to give in to your cats demands.
Pros
- Often reduces begging and other undesirable behaviors
- Works well with a commitment to change
Cons
- Can be difficult
- Requires the entire households commitment to change
4. Give Attention, Not Food
Sometimes, we arent sure how to show affection to our pets. This often results in people giving treats, snacks, and extra food as a way to show love. Unfortunately, this can increase the food-aggressive tendencies of your cat. It can also increase begging and food stealing, especially when your cat doesnt get what they want.
What your cat needs from you is your attention and affection. Each cats needs will vary, but spending more time with your cat, whether snuggling, playing, or solving a kitty puzzle, will provide enrichment instead of filling them up with treats.
Pros
- Easy to remedy
- Can discourage bad behaviors
- Helps meet your cats social and exercise needs
5. Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement involves rewarding your cat when they participate in a desirable behavior instead of discouraging an undesirable behavior. Positive reinforcement can involve giving your cat a treat as a reward, but it can also be done with attention, toys, and games. Some cats can be rewarded simply by scratching their ears and chin, while others can be rewarded with a quick game of fetch or a new toy.
Using positive reinforcement requires you to stay ahead of your frustration and emotions when dealing with your cat. If you begin offering negative responses to undesirable behaviors, it can make your cat anxious or frustrated. Positive reinforcement involves redirection and reward for desirable behaviors, which helps build your cats confidence and trust in you.
Pros
- Provides an immediate reward for desirable behaviors
- Encourages positive behaviors without actively discouraging negative behaviors
- Builds trust and confidence
Cons
- Requires patience and knowing your cats needs and wants
6. Give Space
During meal time, food-aggressive cats will let you know if youre too close to them by growling, hissing, or swatting. Give your cat space when its time for a meal. Once youve put their food down for them, dont try to take it back.
Dont attempt to pet your cat or be near them while theyre eating. If needed, you can feed them and leave the room. Ensure other pets arent crowding your cats space, and dont feed multiple pets in the same space together.
Pros
- Usually easy to remedy
- Can decrease food aggression attacks and other negative behaviors
- Helps your cat feel comfortable
Cons
- May require changes to your feeding routine
7. Give Privacy
On top of giving your cat space, they need plenty of privacy when its time for food. You can put your cat in a room by themselves to prevent them from getting irritated by loud noises or people.
By not giving your cat a quiet, private place to eat their meals, you may unintentionally be increasing their aggression. Cats that feel crowded, stressed, or like their food is at risk of being taken are far more likely to show food aggression behaviors.
Pros
- Helps your cat feel safe and comfortable
- Keeps your cat and other pets and people safe
- Reduces aggressive behaviors
Cons
- May require changes to your feeding routine
8. Feed Small Meals More Frequently
Many cats with food aggression show improvement when they receive several small meals instead of one or two large meals per day. Breaking up the feeding time can reduce your cats obsession with food by improving satiety between meals. It can also reinforce to your cat that they arent going to go hungry, which can be a real problem for cats that have previously been strays and missed multiple meals.
This approach requires you to portion their meals to avoid overfeeding. Feeding small meals more frequently shouldnt increase the amount of food your cat is eating unless recommended by your vet.
Pros
- Can help reduce food obsession
- Improves satiety between meals
- Helps your cat feel like they arent going to go hungry
Cons
- Requires careful food portioning
9. Provide High-Quality Nutrition
High-quality cat food gives your cat all the nutrients they need to be healthy. It can also help them feel more satiated between meals by providing nutrient-dense ingredients that keep them full and support healthy digestion.
Low-quality cat foods often result in your cat feeling full but quickly burning off the food theyve consumed, causing them to be hungry again before their next meal is due. This may require you to spend a little more on cat food, but it will be worth the benefit to your cat.
Pros
- Ensures your cats nutritional needs are being met
- Improves satiety between meals
- Supports healthy digestion
10. Get Creative
Finding ways to feed your cat that encourage their instincts can help you reduce food aggression. Food puzzles are a great way to encourage your cat to work for their food instead of obsessively and quickly eating it. The puzzles and slow feeders made for cats can help your cat get more out of their eating experience.
Another good option for cats is to hide their food in small portions around the house. One suggestion is to hide a few pieces of kibble in cupcake liners or something similar. While the game encourages your cat to use their hunting instincts, its not a good option when multiple pets are in the home.
Pros
- Gives your cat a mental exercise
- Encourages your cats instincts
- Makes mealtimes more about the experience and less about eating quickly
Cons
- Not a good option in multi-pet homes
11. Minimize Stress
Stressed cats are far more likely to develop aggression than happy cats, which can be food aggression or overt aggression. Minimizing your cats stress creates an overall happier environment for them and reduces their perceived need to react with aggression.
Stress minimization for cats includes providing quiet places, helping your cat feel safe from other pets or small children, and ensuring all of your cats emotional and physical needs are met. This will take some time and effort, but the payoff for your cat is worth it.
Pros
- Improves overall happiness for your cat
- Creates a home environment that feels safe
- Reduces overall aggression
Cons
- Will take time and effort to arrange
Conclusion
Food aggression can be a tricky issue to manage in cats. If your cat has food aggression, you should first get a vet visit to rule out a medical cause. Be prepared to implement multiple changes to your pets feeding time and environment to help your cat feel happier. A cat that feels happy, confident, and safe is less likely to exhibit food aggression.
Featured Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock
Food aggression in cats: A vet's guide to signs and treatment
Food aggression in cats can be a difficult issue for owners to manage, and it can cause undue stress on them, their cat, and other household pets. Food-aggressive cats and kittens display aggressive behaviors such as growling, hissing, or attacking when people or other pets come close to them or their bowl of the best kitten food. This can affect the bond they have with their human and even result in injuries if left unaddressed.
There are several potential causes of food aggression in cats, which range from behavioral issues, like stress or a previous history of food deprivation, to medical conditions that cause a ravenous appetite, such as diabetes. Determining the underlying cause can be tricky and may require help from your veterinarian.
If medical causes are ruled out, a cats food aggression is likely behavioral in nature. Managing cats with behavioral food aggression may be as simple as giving them physical and mental stimulation, for example, with the best cat puzzle feeders.
However, in most cases, it will require several changes to be made in the cats environment to minimize stress and keep everyone in the household safe from possible bites or scratches. In more extreme cases, your veterinarian may recommend referral to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.
If you believe your cat exhibits food aggression, read on to learn what could be causing it and what you can do to help make life easier on both you and your feline friend. Vet, Catherine Barnette reveals all...
Dr. Diana Hasler, MRCVS is a 2018 graduate of the University of Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. She has experience working as a small animal veterinarian in first opinion practice, where she has treated many dogs, cats, rabbits, and rodents. She has also recently branched out into the field of medical communications and does freelance work as a medical editor and writer.
Catherine Barnette DVMDr. Barnette is a graduate of the University of Florida, where she received both her B.S. in Zoology and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). She has 15 years of clinical experience as a small animal veterinarian, treating dogs, cats, and occasional exotic patients. She now works as a freelance veterinary writer, creating educational content for veterinarians, veterinary team members, and dedicated pet owners.
Signs of food aggression in cats
The most reliable sign of food aggression is aggressive behavior (directed towards humans or other pets) that occurs around the food bowl or when food is present. If your cat demonstrates any of the following signs, you are likely dealing with feline food aggression:
- Guarding the food bowl
- Hissing or growling when the food bowl is approached by people or other pets
- Attacking people or pets when food is present
Other, less obvious, signs may also be associated with food aggression. Although these signs do not directly involve aggressive behavior, and therefore are not sufficient to make a diagnosis of food aggression, they seem to stem from an excessive preoccupation with food.
These signs may serve as a possible warning sign for food aggression:
- Meowing and pestering people when the food bowl is empty
- Frequent attempts to steal food from people
- Chewing through packaging to get to access cat food and other food items
- Loudly begging for food in the kitchen
Causes of food aggression in cats
There are many possible causes of food aggression in cats. In most cases, no specific cause can be identified. Even when we think we know what may be causing a particular cats food aggression, this can be difficult to confirm.
1. Food scarcity
Food aggression may be attributable to a period of food scarcity. Perhaps your cat was weaned too early as a kitten, leading to a period of malnutrition. Or maybe your cat lived outdoors as a stray for a while, never sure where they would get their next meal. Any period of food scarcity is likely to increase a cats desire to secure food for themselves, so they will not go hungry again.
2. Stress
Stress can also contribute to food aggression. If your cat has undergone significant life changes (recent adoption, a move to a new home, new pets in the home, etc.), this stress can trigger a wide variety of behavioral changes, including food aggression.
3. Multi-cat household
Cats in multi-cat homes also appear to be more likely to develop food aggression. They may feel the need to compete for resources, including food. Feeding multiple cats in the same household can be tricky; competition between cats may result in food aggression and other aggressive behaviors.
4. Medical issues
Finally, food aggression can have underlying medical causes. Any condition that increases your cats hunger, such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism, can lead to food aggression and an increased preoccupation with food.
Diagnosing food aggression in cats
Any cat with a new onset of food aggression should be evaluated by a veterinarian. Your vet will likely perform a thorough physical examination, a fecal parasite examination, and blood tests. Other tests may also be recommended, depending on the results of your cats physical exam. These tests are used to rule out medical conditions that may cause excessive hunger, which could be contributing to your cats food aggression.
If no medical cause is found for your cats food aggression, an underlying behavioral cause should be suspected. Your veterinarian will likely ask about your cats behavior at home, including how long the behavior has been present and what other behavioral changes (if any) you have observed. Through this behavioral history, your vet will determine whether your cats behaviors are consistent with food aggression.
How to stop food aggression in cats
The first step in managing food aggression is to avoid making the situation worse. Ensure that your cat has plenty of space at mealtime and does not feel the need to defend their food. Feed them in a quiet room, away from people and other pets. By making mealtime a more calm experience, you can decrease some of the anxiety and arousal that often accompany food aggression.
Remember that cats in the wild hunt small prey, eating many small meals throughout the day. Instead of feeding your cat one or two large meals per day, feed your cat four or five smaller meals each day. Not only does this mimic your cats natural feeding behavior, it can help decrease the feeling of food scarcity that often underlies food aggression.
Finally, ensure that your cat has plenty of outlets for play. Use active feeding devices, such as Doc & Phoebes Indoor Hunting Cat Feeder, to make mealtime more mentally and physically stimulating for your cat. Play with your cat several times per day, using teaser wands and other cat toys. A tired cat has less nervous energy to fuel stress-related responses such as food aggression.
If your at-home efforts are unsuccessful, talk to your veterinarian. They may refer you to a veterinary behaviorist for a more detailed evaluation and comprehensive treatment plan.
Food aggression in kittens
Food aggression in kittens is very similar to food aggression in adult cats. Its more likely to occur when you take in a kitten that has gone through a period of food scarcity, but it can be seen in any kitten. When managing food aggression in kittens, the basic steps are the same as managing food aggression in adults. Give your kitten a secure space to eat, offer multiple small meals daily, and ensure that your kitten has plenty of healthy play outlets for their energy.
Dont ignore food aggression and hope it will go away. The earlier you start addressing behavioral problems such as food aggression, the more likely you are to achieve a successful outcome.
Food aggression in cats is a frustrating problem that does not always have an unidentifiable underlying cause. If you are struggling with feline food aggression, work with your veterinarian to rule out underlying medical causes of your cats behavior change. Once you have determined that your cats food aggression is behavioral in nature, focus on decreasing stress surrounding mealtimes and feeding small meals that encourage physical and mental activity in your cat.
For more solutions to some of the most common issues encountered by pet parents, we recommend taking a look at our guide to the top kitten behavior problems and how to fix them.
