Conference misery::feline_v1

Assuming you feel that their respective weights pose potential health
problems, you might try a combination of tactics: feed Apollo a
tablespoon or two of an "enriched" food of some kind - add butter to
the canned food, perhaps - while putting a big glob of low-cal food
down for C'mell. Try to feed the nibbler only as much as he will eat
at one time, thus leaving no extras for the other one. Do not feed
them any more often than you do now. As time passes, try giving Apollo
slightly larger servings; if he's hungry enough, and realizes this is
his only chance, he may begin to eat more at a sitting. 
 
Of course, as we all know, cats can be very stubborn; if you give in
before he does, I guess you could feed him on demand, putting down a
dab of food every few hours, preferably while the other cat is off
dozing someplace - or locked in the bathroom. 
 
I admit that I have no experience in "training" cats this way. My fat-cat 
doesn't like dry food, so I can leave a dish of it out for the other one 
without worrying about having a 25-pound lump of fur on my lap some day. 
 
Good luck, 
-b 

    I'm going through this right now.  Sam is a very slim cat (looks almost
oriental).  Whereas Merry is humongous (16 lbs) and Pip falls between.  A 
while back when Merry weighed about 14.  I took him and sam in to see if he 
was overweight and if Sam was under weight.  The vet siad that they were both
okay albeit on the extreme ends of the scale.  This time Merry had gained a  
couple pounds so he said to put down the food a couple of times a day for about 
30-45 minutes.  Evidently Merry is a nibbler since all they get is dry food with
an occasional treat of Tender Vittles or canned food and he doesn't seem to eat 
the other kitties' food.  The first day I ttok up the food they went berserk.
They had every cabinet inthe kitchen open and since they couldn't find the 
bowl they ate through the bottom of the cat food bag they found and ate that.  
Now I've got that cabinet tied closed so they can't get into it.  The first
day or two they kept scrathing at the cabinet and trying to open it.  Now they 
seemed to have settled down and they wait for me to put it down.  The first time
I put the food down after having it up for a while, I was a little worried
because they ate so fast that Sammy got some caught in his throat.  And I was
sure they were all going to throw up from eating so fast.  But after a couple of
meals, thay have all calmed down and think this will work fine.  The thin 
kitties get enough to eat since they realize that this is the only chance they
get and Merry doesn't get to nibble all day.  (I still slip a treat or two to 
Sam and Pip when Merry isn't looking but I can't do it too often since Merry
(actually all of them) have an incredible sixth sense about food and where and
when it is avaiable.

tlh

P.S.  If they give you trouble, hang in there.  It took mine only a few days
to get used to the new scheme of things.

I find it comforting to know that I'm not the only cat lover out there
with kitchen cabinets tied closed.  Ever since we started feeding our
cats a low-ash diet (preferably Triumph, since they hate Geoff), they've
all kind of evened out at the "trim" side of the scale.  I don't know
why that should be, but maybe it's something that's removed from the
cat food along with the ash!

-Kathrin

My parents had this problem with two of their cats.  Their solution was
to put the slim cat's food up somewhere where the fat cat couldn't reach;
probably involving a bit of jumping.  This worked for them.
				Steve

According to our vet the cat food without ash is also much better for your cat,
particularly males that have been neutered.  The ash can lead to something called
FUS (feline urilogical syndrome) that is a blocking and infection of the bladder.
We lost one cat that way because once the cat has FUS there is no real way to
cure it.

Irene

This is my first entry into this file - I will introdude my felines when I
find a little more time.  Re .3 & .4, I have two neutered males, each of
whom is susceptible to cystitis (sp?), and who require a special low ash
diet.  The best I have found is a product called C/D, for cat diet.  It
is offered either canned or dry.  I have found that it is richer than
most store-bought foods, and therefore I can serve them less, which is
a good thing considering the price.  It is available only at veterinarians
and costs approximately $1 per 12 oz. can or $19 per 12 lb. bag.  I balked
at the price when I first bought it until I remembered that the last 
round with cyctitis cost us $300!  Now they are both happily fat and
content.

AND NOW, AN UPDATE:
	Took the brats in for their yearly physical. C'mell was still
overweight, but not as bad as last time. The vet recommended mixing some
canned squash or pumpkin filling with her food to add bulk. Thinking that
she would react to it like she does to vegetables ("I'm not eating that
sh*t!), I tried it anyhow. SHE LIKES IT! Or at least she tolerates it.
It's too soon to see if the pounds come rolling off, but at least it's a
start. (P.S. So far a $.59/can of squash filling has served for a week.)

If you want to trim down one cat without starving the other one , give the fat
one some catnip. He/She will be so busy going crazy that it won't have
the urge to eat, also the exercize is good for it.


				I only know this from experience with cats.

Sadly, C'mell is one of the "catnip immune" strain of feline (see discussion
in Note 9). However, she does seem to be slimming down using the "Brookline
Animal Hospital Diet" (pumpkin or squash as filler mixed 1:1 with normal
canned kitty swill). By the time she finishes her food, Apollo has cleaned his
dish. 

No kitty revenge stories?  Only hunt for food stories?

My encounter with a fat cat was a "marking" of anything that smelled of the
person enforcing the diet.

-dave

I want to know if anyone who has put a "fat cat" on a diet
has had real success in helping to reduce the weight.

A friend on mine has two 9 month old cats: Merlin (The gobbler) 
and Gwen (the Nibbler)  The cats eat Science Diet Growth dry cat 
food. They don't care for the canned food very much.   Merlin is
overweight (15 LBS) and we are trying to help him lose the 
weight.  When we realized he was eating Gwen's food as well 
as his we started feeding them 1/3 cup 3 times a day and watching
to be sure he didn't eat Gwen's food before she finished it.

While it appears he isn't getting fatter, he isn't losing any
of the weight either.  They are both indoor cats but are very active
having the "RUN" of the house. 

Any help would be appreciated!

-lz  

We used to worry about our "fat cat" Chorniy eating all of our
"nibbler's" food also.  Then, when he was about a year and a few
months old, he slimmed down and Koshka rounded out.  Now we're
thinking of putting *her* on a diet.

Perhaps your friend should wait until her two cats are adults to
take any drastic measures.  Watching the piglet to assure that
the more demure eater has a chance to finish her food is probably
all that is needed at this age.

--Louise

My parents' cat is on low calorie C/D, (Prescription Diet) which they get from 
the Vet.  It seems to keep his weight under control;  he still looks like
Garfield (well, not quite as orange), but he stopped gaining weight.

Steve

Speaking of Garfield and diets, I hope you all caught today's edition of 
Garfield's Believe It or Don't, in which frame #2 (#1 is the title) 
shows Garfield scarfing down the lasagna at a prodigious rate, with the 
caption "A Jon Arbuckle claims to own a cat who can eat 10 times its 
body weight.  To verify his claim, we offered the cat 270 pounds of 
lasagna", and frame #3 has the caption "The cat ate only 219 pounds of 
lasagna" along with the thought baloon of "Things went so well in 
rehearsal".

Copies are available by surface mail for those who MUST have it for 
their office or whatever..  VAXmail me if you must have one..

Tom

re:3.11 by TOOLS::ZIMAN >

         I want to know if anyone who has put a "fat cat" on
         a diet has had real success in helping to reduce
         the weight. 
                     
    I have a siamese, Cisco, who was overweight at about 11.5 pounds
    due to a hormone therapy to control spraying, and an active
    appetite. I have religiously been feeding him a not-quite-quarter
    cup in the morning, and a not-quite-tablespoonful at night.
    
    He is not happy but after almost a year he is down to about
    9+ pounds. 
    
    It does work. It does take a long time. It is worth it.
    
    Cisco is now more active (necessary to live with a Maine Coon
    Yearling) and looks better. Why just Saturday he caught an
    already dead mouse and carried it through a kitchen full of
    party guests. Sigh...
    
    							.wIx.
     

    
    I'd like to know if anyone has had the problem of their cat
    eating their food fast and than vomiting it up?
    I have a black cat Millie who i think may be Simese.
    she has the tall ears and penetrating eyes and always
    meowing constantly. thats when i get out the spray for 
    the plants and spray her.  But she can't keep any large
    amounts of food down.  So i give Millie about a teaspoon
    full at a time of the dry food she even loves the Alley
    cat food. 
    also does anyone have any suggestion of how to keep a
    cat from constantly meowing?
    
    Now I know what it means to have a cat "own" you.
    She is very protective and demands attention every
    minute. and jumps on everyones lap who comes over!
    it's not so great when they don't like cats. Millie
    is persistent in her lap jumping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    meow from Millie
    
    and thanks
    

    Yeah.  Koshka pigs out from time to time - swallows the
    food whole and it doesn't stay down long.  We usually
    water our cats' food down so they have to take a long
    time eating it (this also gives Chorniy enough water
    so he might not get the urinary infections common to
    males).
    
    --L

    Hazel (age 14 and 1/2) has had this problem for a long time. Just a
    nervous stomach, I guess. We, too, have resorted to giving him just a
    spoonful at a time. It makes feeding more of a chore, but not more of a
    chore than cleaning cat vomit from the back of the couch. It also help
    keep Christa, our new kitten, from being as pesty. She's discovered
    that the high-test 9-Lives is better than the stuff the other cats get.
    (Age does confer some privileges.) 
    
    kh
                                   -30-

    re:.16
    
    My Pip (4.5 lbs, all fur), had this problem. She was gulping down
    her food before Argus (22 lbs) finished inhaling his food so he could
    start on hers. Then he wound up throwing up. I solved this by feeding
    everyone in a seperate place. Pip now eats in another roon with the
    door shut. She seems more relaxed, too. She is a very dainty eater
    that likes to devour exactly one item (i.e. 1 dry food pellet, one
    slice of veal or beef of nugget of cheeze) at a time.
    
    Deb

    Nebula, who is also a half-Siamese black cat, does the same thing
    - even if she hasn't eaten all that much.  Most Siamese cats I have
    known have delicate tummies.  (Luckily, cats don't hold much; you
    only get to clean up at most a couple of cubic inches of recycled
    cat food - not like a big dog!).  She does seem to do it less now
    that she only gets wet food (The Fickle being on a diet means Nebula
    only gets what Fickle gets).  She also tends to throw up when she
    is at us (for example, when she gets locked in somewhere - it is
    hard to prevent that with a black cat).
    
    I don't know how to get a part-Siamese cat to stop meowing all the
    time.  Sometimes I wish I did!  It is just part of their charm,
    most of the time; they are affectionate, demonstrative cats that
    are lots of fun to have (usually).  After a while it gets so that
    you don't notice the meows unless they have a note of urgency or
    unless you are soliciting them ("Say `MEOW', little cat." "MEOW!"
    "You're a good girl!" "MEOW!" "Meow!" "MEOW!!" etc. - my husband
    thinks that this Siamese cat game is pretty funny.).

    I'll try the watered down food approach, anything is worth
    a try.  Millie got both arms of our livingroom chair with
    some lovely recycled cat food. I use K2R spotlifter but it
    really doesn't do a great job, does anyone have any suggestions?
    
    re: meowing: at least Millie is good for an alarm clock
    she wakes us up at the same time every a.m.
    She also Meows when you say her name, How Vain!!!!!
    she is very intelligent and seems almost human sometimes
    and is very affectionate, but very afraid to go outside
    she has to have us watching her to go outside.
    
    Do simease cats pace alot too! she always looks like she's
    in a hurry to go nowhere fast.
    
    meow for now
    Deb
    

    I just have to throw in my $.02 about vocal cats.  The apple of
    my eye is one such beast.  It *is* part of his charm and I wouldn't
    want it any other way.  (Even when awakened by his high decibel
    screaming.   Murr-<pause>-ROWWWW!)  
    
    As far as cleaning up recycled cat food is concerned,
    it's tough.  On carpets it's not so bad because you can really go
    at it with a brush.  We have one that was intended for use with
    the home steam cleaners that you can rent.  It does a good job without
    ripping out the nap.  Probably wouldn't work so well on a chair
    though.  I can't offer any ideas about cleaning furniture because
    we really haven't had to deal much with it.  Our cats are usually
    good enough to toss their meow mix on our bare floors.  Perhaps
    Tracey has seen something about it in one of our magazines. Trace?
    
    Gary

     For anyone concerned with FUS, i suggest AGWAY lo-ash dry or canned
    food. It is equivalent to "VET" diets and is the same price as
    commercial foods. You can find it at any AGWAY store.
    
    
    
    
    

    Steve,
    	The prescription diet that you mentioned (Science Diet C/D made
    by Hills) is only available through a vet and is most commonly used
    for cats that suffer from FUS.  It is not a low calorie food, in
    fact it is quite high in calories.  It is very concentrated and
    has been known to cause obesity in some cats. My three cats are
    on it and they are allowed a mere 1/3 cup per day.  We split this
    up between two meals, one in the AM and one in the PM.  This seemingly
    small amount of food has maintained my cats weight at 13, 15, and
    18 pounds.  My cats are not overweight, two are large boned Maine
    Coons, and they other is an American Shorthair.  Hills does make
    a low calorie food which is sold through the vet also, it is called
    Prescription Diet R/D (for Reduction Diet).  Those of you that have
    overweight cats might ask your vet about this food.
    
    						Jo Ann
    

    
    One of my cats also vomits after eating sometimes.  I asked my vet
    about it and he said that careful attention should be paid to this
    vomiting problem.  If the cat attempts to re-eat the vomited food
    there is usually no problem because that would indicate that it
    was a case of regurgitation.  If the cat makes no attempt to re-eat
    the vomited food, and will not accept new food, you might want to
    have him checked out by the vet.  This could indicate that there
    is something else going on with him like, a swallowed pin or piece
    off a toy, or some other gastric upset.  One of my cats once ate
    the eyeball off a stuffed mouse and this caused him to vomit his
    meals.
    
    Jo Ann
     					

    About 5 years ago, one of my cats started vomiting fairly frequently
    after eating, and I was quite concerned.  So I made sure to replace
    the food with something fresher or tastier.  It took me about 6
    months (included a quick check at the vet -- cat was just fine,
    albeit a bit overweight) to remember my behavioral psychology and
    realize what was happening.
    
    I then responded to any vomiting by removing ALL food (not water)
    for 12 hours.  The vomiting decreased dramatically, although we
    continue to have an occasional battle of psychological warfare!
    
    :-)
    

    
    When one of my kitties had hair balls pretty bad (the one who does
    a lot of grooming of the other cat!) she vomited a lot.  Part of
    the Vets cure included feeding her boiled chicken.  Cat#2 thought
    that the chicken looked good - we changed during this time from
    'free food and lots of it for all' into separate feedings, and
    his was in the bathroom - she wasn't allowed.  (We let him in to
    eat whenever he wanted - but I think he felt deprived, and ate
    too much at once a few times.)  Eventually he had enough of this
    and decided maybe he could get some attention too if he vomited.
    (Still not sure if he ate a lot so he would vomit on purpose!)
    Anyway we immediatly put both of them on 'treatment'.  Sort of was
    a little bit of a punishment for him, cause he didn't get very
    much to eat - treated both exactly the same on the food schedule
    and things cleared up.
    
    Not sure who won the psyco game though.  (He still likes chicken
    and DEC turkey lots better than she does!  As that is something
    the Vet 'precribes' it is one of the few people foods they get
    as treats.  Might help later when they are sick again.  Also
    gave them gorgeous coats when they had boiled chicken breast
    exclusively!  $$$ Expensive fur coats those! $$$)
    
    \sjm

    I have a male cat - Rex.  I'm rather "ignorant" when it comes to
    cats and their physical needs/habits.  He's over 1 year now, not
    neutered but I haven't had any problems with him "spraying" that
    I know of.  If he DID spray would I notice this or could he be doing
    it and me just being ignorant, not know it?  
    
    I'm considering neutering him but just haven't gotten up the courage
    to take him to the Vets as he's desperately afraid to get out of
    the house and in the car.
    
    Also I have a female in the house.  She's a stray (I'm currently
    trying despretly to find a home for her with no luck) and have no
    idea if she's fixed.  She's very large, I'm pretty positive she's
    a female (that much I'm getting good at) but Rex doesn't have much
    luck in making "friends" - she prefers to be alone.  
    

    If Rex was spraying I'm sure you'ld know it.  The smell is really
    disgusting!!!!  

    
    My cat Snoopy (who passed away in March) frequently "gave us back"
    his food.  Our solution was to burp him as you would a baby.  One
    of us would sit down with him right after he finished eating (inhaling
    actually) and pat him on the back until he burped.  Worked every
    time!
    
    Ande

    What are the symptoms of this bladder condition?
    
    Mary
    

    -<SYSMPTOMS OF BLADDER DISEASE>-
    MY BLUE STRIPED TABBY, POUPON, DID DEVELOP THE BLOCKAGE OF THE URINARY
    BLADDER.  THE SYMPTOMS MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED WERE AS FOLLOWS:
    FIRST OF ALL, POU IS A STRICKLY INDOOR CAT, SO HIS LITTER BOX IS
    CONSTANTLY BEING USED AND ABLE TO BE MONITORED BY US FOR ANY
    DEVIATIONS.  POUPON VERY FREQUENTLY WOULD VISIT THE LITTER BOX,
    AND ATTEMPT TO URINATE, WITH NO LUCK.  THE FREQUENCY OF HIS VISITS
    WERE APPROX EVERY 5 - 10 MINUTES.  HE ALSO LET US KNOW THRU SOME
    LOUD "MEOOOOWWS" THAT HE WAS SENSITIVE WHEN WE'D PICK HIM UP.  THE
    VET SUGGESTED TO US TO TRY AND GET A URINARY SAMPLE,  WELL THIS
    WAS PRETTY DIFFICULT SINCE THE CAT WASN'T GOING.  ALSO WE NOTICED
    THAT POU'S APPETITE WASN'T NORMAL AND HE INCREASED HIS TIME AT HIS
    WATER BOWL.  AFTER THE URINARY BLOCKAGE WAS DISCOVERED, THE VET
    PRESCRIBED A FOOD ADDITIVE THAT HELPS PREVENT ANY FUTURE BLOCKAGE.
    AND THE NAME OF THE DRUG ESCAPES ME.  IT'S ALSO ADVISABLE, ESPECIALLY
    IN MALE NEUTURED CATS TO KEEP THEM ON A DIET THAT'S LOW IN ASH CONTENT.
    3.0 AND BELOW.  ASH RETENTION IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF THE BLOCKAGE.
    HOPE THIS HELPS.    KC.          
    
    

    We found that after several catheterizations of Pumpkin, a sixteen
    pound orange tabby, that the way to prevent blockage was to feed
    him half of a Vitamin C tab each day.  No colds either...
    
    Gary

    I sympathise with all those having problems with the different eating
    rates of their cats, but feel very glad there is so much concern.
    
    A while back I had a gorgeous little 'tortie' called Dinah (as in
    Alice in Wonderland) she was happy as anything, albeit very skinny.
    At the time I was out of work so the dear little soul used to get
    constant fussing from myself and any visitors and used to love it.
    
    The problem came when I moved to a new flat with my boyfriend. 
    He at the time had FIVE other cats and she was just a tiny weeny
    kitten. Thankfully some friend who had almost adopted the cats anyway
    took on four of them but one remained.
    
    Tigger (yes another one) was a beautiful tom with all the optional
    extras.  A stunning Old English Tabby with almost flourescent green
    eyes, a tendancy to try and build up a passionate relationship with
    anything furry - especially cushions!!! and an immense appetite.
    
    When they first met in the new, somewhat smaller than they were used
    to, flat they actually got on OK (somewhat to our relief) , though
    I must confess Dinah did eventually get rather peeved with Tigg's
    constant attentions.  She managed to find safe places to perch though.
    
    The eating problem appeared very soon though Dinah would eat maybe
    two tablespoons a day absolute maximum where as pig features had the
    same appetite as a certain round orange cartoon cat.
    
    
    It took a while before it was noticed and unfortunately we presumed
    Dinah was about to grace us with more little fluffy balls of fun
    courtesy of Tigger's attentions. s she filled out we noticed she
    was starting to behave a little oddly, not up to her normal tricks.
    This didn't worry us to much but what did was her appetite for that
    horrible grey cat litter!  This noticed we took her down the P.D.S.A.
    as soon as possible, and the gerbils were deprived of their cage
    lining for the sake of her litter tray - she at least found it
    impossible to eat wood shavings.
    
    The vet's original idea involved them being in separate rooms with
    Dinah being feed on flaked freshly cooked white fish (sound familiar?)
    after so long of giving in to Tigg's she still wouldn't eat much 
    but started  getting a bit happier and took to baby food being 
    squirted into her mouth with a syringe really very well, it was 
    eventually the only food she would take.
                             
    The conclusion of this episode, I would still rather be as breif
    as poss, (the happy memories are the best) Dinah is
    saddly no longer with us.  The vet discovered that the kittens to
    be were in fact a bladder infection and after a short time diagnosed
    feline leukemia (explained to me as "Cat Aids") this heartbreaking
    news didn't destroy all hope , with tablets to combat the pain and
    bladder infection she actually remained quite a happy cat slowly
    recovering.  Until the day she for the first time let out a real
    yowl of misery.  She had always been a squeeker but she eventually
    cried out. 
    
    :-(  With one small jab all her worries were over.  
    
         The only benefit from this is any other cat I have will be
         watched by eagle eyes when eating  whether it be food or anything
         else so there is no chance of them ending up weak enough to
         fall that ill.  I'm still not sure whether the eating problems
         were due to the infection as she was pretty pushy otherwise,
         but if I ever had any doubts whilst watching a cat eating again
         they'd be straight down the vets for a blood test.
                                                           
    

    I concur completely.  We have lost several to that problem, and
    all showed lack of appetite as the first symptom.  It can carry
    on for a remarkably long time, and lethargy is added as a symptom
    shortly thereafter (if not at the same time).  We have three new
    ones now, all of whom tested negative, and all of whom are strictly
    indoor animals.  I hope that is the solution to this problem for
    us.
    
    Gary

    Re: .34
    
    Near the end of your message you seem to be saying that you think
    Dinah developed leukemia because she was weak from not eating. 
    Instead, the lack of appetite is one of the first signs of the
    leukemia.  Oh, Pussycat, gone for four or five years now from leukemia,
    but never forgotten.
    
    Karen (and Sweetie and Holly, temporarily on another system)
    

    Apollo, C'Mell dilemma;
    
         I have 3 cats.  Tiki, Weasel, & Hunter.  I have a similar problem
    with Weasel, who eats & eats until the bowls are clean, while the
    others just nibble from time to time the way a cat is supposed to.
     All three of my cats go outside, but Weasel happens to just lie
    around when out and gets fatter and fatter.  It wasn't until I moved
    to a new place where there was plenty of woods and things for them
    to play in, that Weasel just happened to start losing weight.  Ii
    didn't even have to feed him less.  So in theory, from my experience
    I would say that either your cat is depressed for lack of things
    to do if it goes out at all, or it could be age and the cat needs
    to be fed apart from the other so he/she won't be starving the other
    one.  These are just possibilites based on my experience.  However,
    alot of things could be wrong.  Do you just feed them too often
    beacuse Apollo nibbles more often and you don't want him to starve?
    Or if the personalities differ, does C'Mell eat to make up for lack
    of attention.  I know now that Weasel did, because he was bored.
    Sorry this is long, but there is alot involved.  Cats do think they
    are people and tend to act like them.
    
    Cat Lover
    

    Agreed, FUS, which does ocurr in males, especially neutered ones
    can be deadly.  I have 2 males, although both are neutered only
    one has had FUS, Hunter.  If noticed early in onset, only a matter
    of 2 days at mostsurgery can be performed (fairly inexpensive too!)
    to remove the blockage.  In a few days the cat will be fine, except
    that he will be proned to FUS for the rest of his life.  Hunter
    has had the surgery once, and has been fine ever since.  The vet
    strongly recommended no dry cat food or the blockage will happen
    again.  On the other hand Hunters' brother Weasel has never had
    this happen.  Weasel eats dry food on occassion, but consumes large
    quantities of water to help flush the urinary tract.  The best thing
    to feed neutered males is the canned food and moist/Vittles.  Dry
    food is good for the teeth, but only in moderation and with plenty
    of water.  My understanding is that foods high in ash cause hard/sand
    like particles to form and thus block the tract.  There is a dry
    cat food called CD that the vets use that has no ash and you can
    buy, (for cats like Hunter who like only dry food).
    
    Sal
    

    If any one is concerned about feline leukemia for their pets,
    especially if they go outdoors on occation, your vet should be able
    to test the animals for exposure to the virus and vaccinate them
    if they have not been exposed.  The vaccine is given in two or three
    doses several months apart then 'boosted' once a year with the other
    yearly vaccines. If you are showing your animals it is valuable
    insurance due to the possibility of exposure with that many animals
    in a confined area. If you have had experience with fel.leuk. in
    your home, the vaccine might help your peace of mind for the next
    little darling bring home.
    
    Has anyone noticed how we say we have adopted a cat when in fact
    our home and lifestyle has been entirly taken over by several pounds
    of noisy appetite? Why is that? I think cats simply humor us when
    we think we are in charge.
    -- Pat

    Hi, this is Tjitske Mallo, Oss, Holland. I have two cats myself
    and find it hard to put one on a diet and the other not. Did you
    ever try to give them their meals seperately? Or put C'mell's meal
    on a point where Apollo can't reach it, and yet C'mell can?
    Since I do not have this problem with my cats, I do not know whether
    it helps or works. Good luck!

    Feed them both Baby food (Gerber)
    
    my cats love it - when one was sick, my vet told me that was one
    of the best things to feed him.
    
    

    I also have a black, part-Siamese cat that has been vomiting a lot
    lately.  She has the _exact_ same habits as .16 - wolfing down all
    her food at once, then vomiting it back up.  (so far only on the
    bare floor, fortunately).  It looks like there's plant material
    in the vomit, though (stems, leaves), as well as food.  I don't
    see any missing leaves from my houseplants, so I suspect she may
    be eating grass outside.
    
    Is it true that it's normal for cats to eat grass and then throw
    up?  I remember someone telling me once that this helped clear out
    their digestive system?
    

    Yes, it's normal for cats to eat grass and then throw up, but I
    would pay attention to any change in habits anyway.  Does she have
    a hairball he's having trouble geting rid of, maybe?  Have you tried
    Laxatone?
    

    No, what's Laxatone?
    

    A hairball medication.  Also works as a cat laxative.

    My Kali was throwing up once a week for about three weeks.  Then
    one night she threw up about three times.  We took her to the vet
    and he said it was furballs or it could be anything else she swallowed.
    He gave her Laxatone (she loves it), and another red jelly looking
    pill my husband has to get her to swallow.  Ever since no problems!!
    No more rubber bands for her to play with (she was eating them also).
    
    BK
    

    Glad to hear you gave up the rubber bands.  
    
    Mao has thrown up on and off all of her life.  Its not frequently
    enough to think that its an infection or somesort of sickness. 
    The vet thinks its furballs and laxatone does help.  Unfortunately,
    NONE of my cats likes laxatone so I have to wipe it on their feet
    and hope they lick it off and don't shake it all over the place.
    I had to learn not to put too much on one paw or else I'd have to
    clean up blobs of laxatone off the walls, floor, kitchen table etc.
      Does anyone know of a good, effective furball remedy besides
    laxatone that I might try to see if they'll take it any more easily?
      Nancy DC

    >  Does anyone know of a good, effective furball remedy besides
    >laxatone that I might try to see if they'll take it any more easily?
    
    Pure olive oil, although I expect that most cats (like most humans)
    will object to the taste. Mine are used to it because (being a typical
    Greek) I use it in everything I cook.
    
    Deb
    

>    Does anyone know of a good, effective furball remedy besides
>    laxatone that I might try to see if they'll take it any more easily?


I have been using a hairball remedy that I got from my Vet. It doesn't differ
much from the store bought type in composition but in it's delivery system.
It is packaged in a pump dispenser like those used in toothpaste. 

I take the cat in basic pill giving posture (head pulled back, lower jaw held
open) and squeeze a ribbon onto the back of the tongue. It is over in seconds
and they don't fling drops off of their paws any more.

Now of course the name. Well I don't remember the name. But I think it is
Petrolax. I will check it out tonight.
							.wIx.

    Mayonnaise works great.  My cat thinks it is a great treat and it does
    wonders for furballs.
    
    Denise

    Thanks for the suggestions...I'll try them.  I wonder if Imitation
    Mayo works?  ...
    

re: 3.51 


>    Thanks for the suggestions...I'll try them.  I wonder if Imitation
>    Mayo works?  ...
    
Nope!  It's the oil that is the effective additive - imitation mayo doesn't
have nearly as much oil, therefore, I'd expect it to be less effective.

    Hi,
    
    Did you ever try to comb or groom them? My cats just love that,
    makes them feel very loved and comfortable. And it gets rid of all
    the excessive hair, which means, less hairballs and less hair around
    the house.
    Use a fine comb or soft pighair brush.
    Both my cats jump on my lap if i get the comb out of the drawer.
    Especialy Appie, he is the oldest nutred cat. Hummeltje (= small
    one) is 11 years, one year younger. She is also nutred, but you
    would not say that. She loves singing when it's the season.
    They are outdoor cats as you might have gotten from this.
    Apart from the odd scratch or bite wound, we never had any problems
    with them. They eat well, treat us nicely and are not too com-
    manding. They even sort of like our dog.
    
    Well, that is about all for now. Hope my advice is useful!
    
    Tjitske Mallo

    Hi,
    
    This is one of (if not the first) the first replies I've written into
    this forum.
    
    I have a minor problem w/ my new tiger kitten. Tabitha is about 14
    weeks old, and I've had her for about a month. She gives me an un-
    believably small amount fo trouble for a kitten. Shes very affectionate
    and a sweet girl! My problem is, I'm a push over & she's a food HOG!!
    I feed her about a third of a 6 OZ. can of 9-lives @ about 5:30 or 6:00
    in the a.m.(this is when I get up) then before I leave the house I 
    make sure she has some (a little) dry food in her dish. I feed her more
    dry food when I get home(around 3:45 or so) I feed her another 3rd of
    a can of 9-lives for supper (when I eat) and then later in the evening,
    I give her more dry food. In all I feed her about 1 cup of dry kitten
    chow, and a little more than 2/3 of a can of wet food. My problem, is
    that Tabitha is used to her morning feeding more than any other, and
    bullies me into getting up earlier and earlier to feed her. this
    morning's feeding was @ 3:30!! what she does is lick my eyelids to wake
    me up. If I close the door she scratches at it and I cant sleep that
    way either! The only thing I've been able to think of is to get up and
    feed the little brat! well last night she ate & decided to work it off
    and try to get mommie to PLAY!! I dont like playing when I should be
    sleeping! I'm afraid by getting up when she wants me to I'm spoiling
    her too! And on the other hand, "THEY" say you should feed a growing
    kitten little & often. Whaddaya do? Should I just put up w/ the
    scratching for a while & maybe she'll realize after a couple of nights
    that she doesn't get to eat until I get up? or should I just get up &
    do this every night? I'm sick of these dark circles under my eyes! ha
    ha! Also do ya think I'm feeding her too much? I dont want her to be a
    fattie, & she's strictly an indoor kitty! any advise or criticism will
    be appreciated!!    thanks.............................Bonnie

    re:  54
    
    It might help if there were a bowl of dry down all the time that she
    can snack on when she feels the need.  Another thought might be to
    put some canned down before you go to bed so she can snack on that
    also.  Some of my furfaces wake during the night to feed - some 
    don't - some wake early and snack, then then doze off for another
    while.  I usually try and leave enough canned down to last at least
    through morning and early afternoon. 
    
    E.

	She sure has you trained!

	What I do... when the cats wake me up (usually about 5:30 AM)
	I shut them out of the room.  They don't pester me anymore
	after that but when they were younger they would meow and 
	scratch.  My solution was to keep a water bottle nearby and
	open the door and squirt them while saying no.  Sometimes
	I would put down magazines to deter the scratching by the door.

	My cats are fed between 6:30 and 7:00 every morning.  On the
	weekends, they are fed a little later (when they wake me up)
	but many weekend mornings I'll get up, feed them, and go
	back to bed.  

	I'm very careful not to let the cats associate making noise
	outside the door with getting me up.. even on the weekends.
	If they do wake me up on the weekends, I open the door, they
	go running in to the bed, and I go to the bathroom.  I then
	walk down the stairs (they aren't sure when I am) and feed
	them.  

	Good luck

	Karen

    Hi & thanks for the replys on my dietary problem. I've taken just
    about all of your advise. The point made about it being important 
    not to let the cat associate scratching w/ waking me was a good one.
    
    What I do now is leave out a bowl of dry all the time. at supper, I
    only feed her a very little amount of canned food. enough to keep her
    from begging me while I eat. The I give her a "REAL MEAL" at bedtime.
    (and some dry to keep her busy later) And I feed her canned in the a.m.
    This has just about solved my problem. she still comes in to wake me
    occasionaly, but as soon as I feel her licking my eyelids (which is so
    cute, you can't get angry) I put her out of the room & stuff my
    housecoat under the door so I can't hear her scratching! Soon she 
    realizes that I'm not coming out & she takes a cat nap till i get up.
    
    Thanks again for all the help, your hints were great!....bonnie