Obsessed with Food- until he hurts himself!

by Janna
(Raleigh, NC)

My cat is so obsessed with food that he has broken 2 automatic feeders and will hurt himself to get to food. He will claw at the feeder for food regardless of the consequences-he has broken his claws and will be bleeding and he continues to paw at the feeder. It doesn't matter how much food he gets- he will eat until he throws up and eat more. We have finally modified the feeder so that he can't break it or himself, but he continues to stalk the kitchen for food. Not only does he get on the counters (which I hate) but I am afraid he is going to jump on the cooktop range one day when its hot. He knows he isn't allowed in the kitchen or on the counters, but doesn't care- he wants food regardless of what might happen. He is a perfectly behaved cat otherwise- he doesn't jump on items he shouldn't, doesn't scratch anything but his pad, and is incredibly affectionate. The automatic feeder feeds him routinely everyday, so he knows to expect it and it helps us maintain a healthy weight for him. What can we do about the kitchen behavior? Thank you!