Is My Cat Really Hungry?

Question
I have a male cat approximately 8-10 months old.  I'm not sure what breed he is but I think he is a Calico.  He is an inside/outside pet.  And, he is always eating.  I fill his bowl in the morning and by nightfall the food is gone. Sometimes when he is outside I catch him scavenging for something to eat as if I have not fed him.  Is there a health problem?  Or, does he just eat because the food is available?

Answer
H.C.,

It is possible (barely) that your boy is a calico, but calico is a color, not a breed.  Also, virtually all calicos are female.

Anyway, in the wild, cats never know when their next meal is coming from or when, so there is a tendency to gorge themselves when they can.  Some housepets still exhibit this eating tendency.

However, to be on the safe side, I would have your boy checked for intestinal parasites (ascarids, tapeworm, coccidia) as a precaution.  You will need to take your boy and a stool sample to the vet.  These are easily treatable and can be another reason cats gorge themselves.

Best regards... Norm.