Bengal cats are great pets.
Although they can be challenging to care for (as we have established in a number of articles on this site) Bengals do make excellent companions and can bring much enjoyment and happiness to your home.
Part of owning a Bengal cat is to ensue that you provide your pet with the right food.
He/she will need the right food (check out our guide here to the best types of food for a Bengal cat) as well as the right quantity of food.
However, getting this “balance” right is never easy!
You may have noticed that your Bengal cat likes to eat a lot. Just as with humans, there can be a great deal of variation in how much one Bengal cat eats versus another, and this can also be a cause for concern if you think your Bengal is eating too much.
If you’re asking yourself “why is my Bengal cat always hungry?” Then in this short article we will walk you through a few reasons why.
Determining Why Your Bengal Cat Is Always Hungry
If you are concerned that your Bengal is too hungry too often and that he/she is eating too much, then you need to work through a simple step-by-step process to identify the key causes of the problem.
In our view, there are three key steps to take, which we outline here:
1. Rule out/eliminate any medical conditions – Your first port of call should be to ensure that there are no underlying health conditions that are causing your Bengal to be excessively hungry and want to eat too much. This is especially important if there is a sudden onset of the problem. Make sure that you book an appointment with your vet and explain the problems you are having. If there is some kind of underlying medical condition that is leading to your Bengal being hungry all the time, then work with your vet to resolve it to the extent that is possible
2. Check you are feeding the right type of food – Once you have ruled out medical conditions, the next step is to ensure you are feeding your Bengal the right type of food. There are all sorts of different types of food you can buy such as sensitivity diets, weight control diets and more. Read our guide here to the best food for Bengal cats for more information on what you should be feeding.
3. Check you are feeding the right quantity of food – Another important step is to ensure you are actually feeding the right quantity of food. It’s not uncommon in our experience for someone to think they are feeding their cat too much/too frequently, only to find that when they look at the feeding guidelines on the packaging it is actually correct. Consult with your food packaging and also your vet on how much is actually appropriate.
Conclusion – Why Is Your Bengal Always Hungry?
If your Bengal seems to want to eat all of the time, then it’s important to walk through the following simple process to understand the root cause.
Firstly, it is worth ruling out any medical conditions. This is especially true if there is a sudden onset of hunger – so take your Bengal to the vet to be sure.
Once you have ruled out medical causes, it’s time to look at the food you are providing your cat. You want to ensue that it is the right type of food for the age and lifestyle of the cat – check out our guide to the best food for Bengal cats for more information on what you should be feeding.
Another important thing to do is to ensure that you are feeding the right amount. We’ve spoken to a few owners who thought they were over-feeding their cats only to find that they were actually giving too little food. Check the packaging, and then also consider consulting with your vet to find out how much they think your Bengal should be eating.
If your cat is not overweight, and the vet has no health concerns, then you are probably fine to just keep feeding your cat. However, you want to monitor weight and overall health in order to “strike a balance”.
Make sure you read our guide to the best foods for Bengal cats in order to understand what you should be feeding your Bengal for optimal health.