# Ravenous Kitten that runs up my legs



## Stels87 (Jan 20, 2017)

Hi, I have two BSH kittens who are 5 months old. The lightest one Basil (2.1kg) is the most greediest, whenever I put food down its like I've not fed him in days. I feed them 3 tins of Lily's Kitchen each a day and leave down some Royal Canin Kitten kibble. He is a massive food bully too to his brother Boris (2.6kg). The last two months Basil has learnt how to run up my legs which can be extremely painful. He does so when I'm in the kitchen either preparing his food or mine. More recently he's found an even better way...a run and jump approach which results in him piercing my skin to latch on. When I'm eating my dinner he will again try to climb me to get to the dinner table whilst his brother will just sit there and look on in a daze. In the end I've resorted to locking them in the kitchen. Don't really want to do that but I want to enjoy my food. 

My vet doesn't really seem to have much to say one it. Apart from to monitor to his weight has he is evidently light given the amount he gorges!! He has been tested for parasites but that came back negative. If anyone has experienced something similar, and/or ways to tackle the running up the legs and to try to stop him being a pest round dinner time all answers will be welcomed. Thanks


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Stels87 and welcome 

Basil does sound underweight for a 5 month old kitten, especially a BSH kitten who are quite chunky kittens usually. My moggy girls weighed more than Basil at 4 months, and they are slim, small girls.

Basil's behaviour around food, as you describe it, is exactly how a kitten who is very hungry will behave. Especially trying to steal food off humans. I think you need to feed him more, but make it wet food, not dry.

When you say you're feeding him 3 "tins" of Lily's Kitchen a day do you mean 3 of the aluminium trays? If so, they are only 85 grams a tray x 3 = 255 grams a day. My kittens at 5 months were easily eating 400 grams of wet food a day.

Basil has a lot of growing to do, he needs a high protein diet of wet food to help build strong bones and muscles. He does not need dry food that contains lots of carbs (as Royal Canin dry food does).

As he is so desperate for food I am sure he would happily comply with eating wet foods other than LK, which is expensive.

Firm pate style foods are the best for him. Have a look on Zooplus UK at canned foods for kittens, e.g. Feringa Kitten, Grau Kitten, Animonda Carny Kitten, or Forthglade.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches

I'd feed him as much as he wants of the wet food, 4 meals a day. If you are going to be out all day leave him a meal or two in a timed pet autofeeder. I used them for years for my cats when I had to be out all day Mon to Fri.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Cats/Mat...84965185&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+mate+auto+feeder

I'd take up the dry food, and just feed him a few pieces a day as a treat. But instead of RC give him a better quality dry food that's high in protein and low in carbs. Thrive Premium Plus is the lowest in carbs (but still high compared with wet food). Buy from [email protected]

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/searchterm?searchTerm=thrive+premium+plus

Natures Menu Kitten from [email protected] is a good wet food. But note, it is good for him to have a variety of wet foods, from different manufacturers as that way all nutritional bases are covered. Also should one food be withdrawn from the market suddenly (as does happen) you are not left high and dry with nothing to feed him that he likes.

If you feed him as much as he wants I am sure he will stop climbing your legs, trying to snatch food from your plates and bullying his brother for food.

But the fact is that at the age of 5 mths the kittens should have their own feeding stations, at least 10 ft apart, at different heights (one on the floor and one on a work top, table or shelf.) If there is still a tendency for Basil to take Boris's food, then buy Boris a Sureflap microchip pet feeder so only he has access to his food.

https://www.sureflap.co.uk/en-gb/pet-feeder/microchip-pet-feeder

(if you shop around you can buy them cheaper than this ^^)

At 5 mths they are approaching sexual maturity and ready to be neutered. This will prevent any unwanted territorial behaviours developing such as spraying to scent mark.


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## Stels87 (Jan 20, 2017)

Thanks @chillminx.

Like yourself I work Monday to Friday so it's hard to leave out a lot of food. I will look at a timer style cat food dispenser sounds like a good idea. Yes, I am feeding the Lily's aluminium tins. I did tell the vet how much I was feeding them but she didn't correct me. I thought I was over feeding at one point. I was feeding them Animonda Carney Kitten to begin with but Basil didn't really take to it well, food would go straight through him. His poos were very wet (hence why got him tested for parasites but luckily came back clear) so vet said to keep him on chicken based foods. Yes Lily's kitchen is expensive Try to order when zoo plus has an offer. I will the feeding of just wet food and dry as treats then. See if that works.

Really appreciated your response. Thanks a lot


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Animonda Carny is quite high in offal content, and it doesn't suit every cat or kitten, so I'd avoid it for Basil.

Feringa, Grau, and Forthglade are OK for most kittens. Feringa especially is popular.

Another place to look is The Happy Kitty Co, a UK company which imports good quality canned foods from Germany. They sell a trial pack of cans including delivery for £9 as I recall.

You can email the owner and state which cans you'd like in the pack. I'd choose cans of Macs Kitten, Granatapet kitten, and some Ropocat. Ropocat is suitable for all stages of development.

It is important to have a variety of meats from different manufacturers to ensure Basil is getting all the nutrients he needs as a growing lad. But maybe avoid beef for now as his tummy didn't seem to like the A/Carny. He should be fine with turkey, chicken or lamb.

http://www.happykittycompany.co.uk/collections/cat-food/Kitten

http://www.happykittycompany.co.uk/collections/cat-food/RopoCat+Cat


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Great advice as always from @chillminx above.
One other thing I would suggest is to try feeding greedy cat a *raw* chicken wing a few times a week. The boney piece will occupy him for longer than any wet meal and it will also keep him filled up for longer. My first forays into consciously feeding raw were after experiencing similar issues with one of my cats and the suggestion of raw chicken wings came from my vet. Extra bonus will be lovely clean teeth and production of nice firm stool.


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