dear gpm, shirley and chacha

thanks very much for the info and ideas.
i will pass on the info about restricted feeding times gpm. it's what i thought, but i lacked the science that you kindly provided.

shirley, it makes sense that a good diet will reduce the flea problem.

chacha i am not 100% convinced that there is a case of disease to answer homoeopathically. i couldn't agree more about the need for more exercise, less food and natural food - but i already suggested that the cat is switched to a natural diet but it was not met with enthusiasm by the owners. it's tricky because this is not a great human-cat match, so i don't know how much the humans would do for a cat that they don't really bond with.

this cat loves to be petted in a very normal way - not anxious or aggressive.
...but i do know a cat that will be petted for a minute or so and then suddenly bites. and another that is the same but scratches. is that a symptom? or part of the spectrum of feline interaction with humans, depending on how much the cat was handled as a kitten?