My cat will not stop meowing?

I know why. When I get home, he greets me, and then he follows me to the kitchen (where I normally chill) and meows at the microwave, fridge, stove, or counters. He wants me to get my damn food and give it to him (screw that, I barely have enough food to feed my own self. He can eat his cat food.) When I cook something, he meows at me through the preparation and consumption of my meal. 

 

Periodically I'll pick him up and set him down by his food, but he just follows me right back into the kitchen. By the way, he eats his food when I'm sleeping and when I'm at work. That's it, though. He's so afraid he's going to miss a chance for my food, he literally starves himself until I'm not around to see him eat. I have not given him any food, but his previous owner told me (after I had already had the cat a few days) that he spoiled the hell out of him. [Thanks a lot, asshole. Spoil the cat then beg me to take him off your hands.]

How do I make the meowing stop, and make him realize I will NEVER share my food with him? I'm about to lose it.

 

Update: Have not given him any of MY food***
I do feed my cat, lol.

 

Answer

MSJ:

A cat who is aging, anxious, or poorly sighted may also meow to distraction. Steve C's suggestions should help any cat including such special cases. Also try Feliway or similar products that calm cats.
Your new companion may take weeks or months to settle in, just like a new human roommate. Give him time. I notice you don't refer to him by name. 

Can you feed him in the kitchen just before you start cooking? Then he won't be as lonely and you can understandably chill a bit before cooking your meal. If you're not starving, try staying out of the kitchen yourself for a while, with a drink you won't have to share. That should help separate the attention issue from the hunger one.

 

Kai:

The cat is used to being given any kind of food all the time as his previous owner used to do. It's just like a child who has been given whatever he wants to eat whenever he wants to eat it but now his new guardians are only letting him eat at specific meal times and only what is being served--he's not going to going to like it much. And once a cat gets used to eating other types of food other then his cat food, he's less likely to ever stop wanting all those other foods, ever. 

 

You first should check his cat food and make sure it''s about 99% meat. Cats are meat eaters and when they are being fed almost pure meat, they tend to stop wanting food all the time--one of the signs your cat isn't getting enough meat is that it is hungry all the time (many cats eating cheap commericial cat food which are mostly grains and fillers will seem like they are always hungry because, basically, they are). You might have to switch to a much higher quality cat food with far more meat in it too.

Ashley:

cats meow its in their nature if he meows this much he or she is oviously telling you something, to me it seems like an attention thing. I would try to play with him more . and when you feed him mix little bits of canned food into the dry food that way he can have a sence of fifillment. 

 

my kitten did this for a while too his reason was because he just didn't like regular food . so I tried the wet and dry food theory and it work he no longer begs for food from me. and about the meowing I never had a problem with that because I play with my boys a lot and when I know that they want attention I give it to them.

 

Mike:

Cats meow its in their nature if he meows this much he or she is obviously telling you something, to me it seems like an attention thing.They are like some kids, want mummies attention all the times especially if you leave them all day.We know that hunger is not a problem at all, I'd say that your cat just seeks attention from you and it wants love also.

Ocimom:

Give him better food. All dry is not good for cats (especially the cheap kind full of byproducts, grains, dyes). Offer him more canned food. Most find that much better then plain old dry food.

Or you can invest in feeding a raw diet which is the best diet.

Also play with him more - he is alone all day and then you come home and ignore him. Maybe YOU need to rehome him to someone that is a more caring owner.

 

Kasi:

I've had cats all of my life, and they do the same. You have to understand that to them you are the Alpha King, and having a little scrap of your food is an honor to them. To solve the crazy meowing is I buy cans of cheap tuna and keep a couple of cans dumped into a tupperware dish. When I eat, I put a forkful of the tuna onto a little plate and make them feel a part of my meal. They love it, and the tuna is good for their health.