# Does your pet know when to stop eating, or will they stuff themselves until they burst? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 28, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252 "2012-04-28T18:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/1 "2012-04-28T18:29:50Z")
I have a couple of stray cats which the neighbor downstairs originally started feeding, but I (in a weak moment) one day gave them some treats as well. The bobtailed male (“Bob”) often begs me for a bite, but not always, but the jet black female is ALWAYS there, always begging me, even right after my neighbor just gave her something. I am sure she would keep eating (she already is chubby) until she exploded Mr. Creosote style if I gave her a chance. ---
**Author:** ![SnakeBabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@SnakeBabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeBabe)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/2 "2012-04-28T18:41:29Z")
My pythons would over eat any chance they could ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/3 "2012-04-28T18:44:13Z")
Fairly sure my dog would eat until he exploded if given chance. ---
**Author:** ![shemarstan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@shemarstan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shemarstan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/4 "2012-04-28T18:44:17Z")
probably has worms ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/5 "2012-04-28T18:46:28Z")
My cat will stop as soon as she’s not hungry. Her “meals” usually consist of 4-6 bites, from what I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/6 "2012-04-28T18:49:03Z")
My dog only eats what she wants, and leaves the rest. This is the second husky I’ve had, and the first one was like that also. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/7 "2012-04-28T19:10:49Z")
I have had four beagles in my dog servant career, and every one of them has been a complete glutton and would eat until they overflow. And then have that wafer thin mint. Lily, the small (22lb) female has been known to pull an entire loaf of bread down from the counter, consume it, and 30 minutes later be begging earnestly for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/8 "2012-04-28T19:15:11Z")
My girl was chubby when I got her and she will eat as long as there is food available. Although sometimes she’ll be picky about the dry food that I give her (specially formulated for her diabetes.) ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/9 "2012-04-28T19:22:49Z")
My pugs both free-feed, and they are both trim & healthy (and that’s what the Vet said, not just me!). So yeah, they stop when they should. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/10 "2012-04-28T19:44:30Z")
Sadie’s bowl always has food in it – she doesn’t gorge there. But she’s never turned down a table scrap or something we give her by hand. I’ve often wondered if she has a limit, but I’m afraid to find out. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/11 "2012-04-28T19:53:21Z")
Our cats nibble all day on their dry food. They will beg for anything else at any time, BUT when they do get their gooshy food, twice a day, they typically nosh a bit and then go nap, lol. Then they munch more later on. And they’re both in the ‘healthy and trim’ arenas, but they’re only 3.5 years old. When they get older that might change, but as long as they continue eating a little at a time I think they’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/12 "2012-04-28T20:46:45Z")
Any chance that little black cat is pregnant? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/13 "2012-04-28T20:50:00Z")
I’ve never heard of a pet exploding. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/14 "2012-04-28T22:03:52Z")
Both of my cats would eat until they exploded. Then their disembodied little heads would roll around looking for additional noms. My dog, on the other hand, could really care less about food. She will sometimes go two or three days without eating just because she really can’t be bothered to stop playing long enough to eat. She is a weirdo but it keeps her really trim and healthy so I won’t complain. ---
**Author:** ![drillrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@drillrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drillrod)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/15 "2012-04-28T22:56:07Z")
My dog is 13 and has always been a responsible self-feeder. We just keep the bowl full. The vet says she’s a good weight. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/16 "2012-04-28T23:18:32Z")
We freefeed dry cat food, and two of the cats are chubby and two are normal. When we give the gooshyfood, all four will happily eat even if they’ve just had some dry food, but all four will stop before they explode. We’ve had a couple of cats (now deceased) who would eat as much shrimp or fish as my husband was willing to feed them, even to the point of vomiting. I made him quit feeding them quite so much. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/17 "2012-04-28T23:29:38Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > Any chance that little black cat is pregnant? We spayed her awhile back, tho she does have a bit of mange (also now being medicated). ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/18 "2012-04-29T01:26:48Z")
glutton dogs will stand there and shit while they gulp food. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/19 "2012-04-29T01:45:18Z")
The border collie and both cats are all responsible self feeders. Food is always available to them and they pick at it as they see fit. The little black cat will beg for food just 'cos, but rarely takes more than a taste. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252/20 "2012-04-29T01:58:35Z")
I no longer have any dogs, but they would self-regulate their food. the Boston Terrier was lean and trim because she kept active. The bulldog never got that fat either, because she was too lazy and lame to get up and eat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-pet-know-when-to-stop-eating-or-will-they-stuff-themselves-until-they-burst/620252.md?page=2)