The cynologist explained to Ryazan why well-fed cats and dogs beg for food

Cats and dogs can beg for food even with a full stomach. As told “Gazeta.Ru” specialist on animal behavior, cynologist Anastasia Shustrova, such behavior is often either a symptom of stress, or a habit that is fixed by the owner. The main rule is not to encourage begging. If a person gives food so that the pet stops meowing or barking, the animal has a pattern of “I make noise – the person gives food.”.

The expert explained that the feeling of satiety in animals consists of two stages. First, the walls of the stomach are mechanically stretched, giving a signal about the arrival of food. If the food is too concentrated and it is not enough, the receptors may not work: the pet ate, but did not feel satiety. In this case, help products with high fiber content, giving the desired volume. The second stage is metabolic saturation, when hormones that block hunger are released. If this mechanism fails, for example, with leptin resistance against the background of excess weight, the animal may want to eat constantly.

The cynologist advises to focus on the dynamics of weight and general condition. If the animal does not lose weight, actively and does not have pathological symptoms, everything is fine with calorie content and food composition.

“If a pet asks for food constantly, but everything is fine with health, and the resulting diet is balanced, then this is a purely behavioral story that should be discussed with a behavioral specialist,” Shustrova said.