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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

373.0. "Increased Winter Appetites" by CARLIN::LEMAIRE (Sarah Hosmer Lemaire) Tue Nov 04 1986 15:19

    Does anyone else's kitties eat more in the cold weather?  In the
    past 2-3 weeks, my two (indoor/outdoor) kitties have increased their 
    food intake by about 50% (2 cans/day to 3).  I think they've gained a 
    pound or two each also.  (They USED to be 10lb-ers.)  People seem to 
    think it's probably due to the cold weather.  I don't remember it 
    happening last winter but they were still kittens then.  Maybe it's 
    also a slowdown in the availability of edible wildlife!  In any case, 
    I can't resist the faces and cries that say "I'm the most underfed in
    Massachusetts" and I succumb to their pleas.  
    
    Sarah
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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373.1IOSG::READTue Nov 04 1986 15:2414
    During the summer I was quite worried about Ifor, 'cos he seemed
    to be eating much less.  His sister Idris has always been 'skinny'
    so I didn't worry too much about her.
    
    However, now that winter seems to have arrived, they seem to nothing
    but eat.  Sometimes I think they intend to hibernate!  They've both
    put on weight, but they look really healthy, so I'm quite pleased.
    The food bill has gone up a lot tho', especially now that I've got
    a new dog that often manages to get the cat food.
    
    I wouldn't worry if I were you - I expect you eat more in the winter
    too.
    
    Jess
373.2Missy - feast or faminMASTER::EPETERSONTue Nov 04 1986 20:086
    
    My old lady pussycat "Missy" used to have a big fluctuation in weight
    and food invake from winter to summer.  In fact, in the winter
    she could have been considered a fat kitty, but in the summer she
    trimmed right down.  Missy died last August at the ripe old age
    of 20, so the fluctuations didn't seem to do her health any harm.
373.3parasitesSTUBBI::B_REINKEWed Nov 05 1986 00:063
    You might also check and see if there are any worm segments
    on the fur under their tail. That could be a cause of increased
    appetite.
373.4FROST::BARBERThu Nov 06 1986 14:559
    
    
    We were told by our vet that our outdoor dog (same probably applies
    to cats) will need more food in winter for him to produce more body
    heat.
    
    Someone must know the biological nature of this??
    
    donna B.
373.5FAT IS INSULATIONVAXWRK::DUDLEYThu Nov 06 1986 19:198
    I think the biological force behind this is quite simple.
    Body fat acts as an insulator.  Animals need this insul-
    ation in cold weather.  They need more of it actually in
    cold weather and less in hot weather.  How do you increase
    fat on the body?  By eating more of course!
    
    Donna
    
373.6oops, heat, not fatVAXWRK::DUDLEYThu Nov 06 1986 19:236
    Oops, I see I did not really answer the question
    of body heat.  I think the digestive process of
    food and calorie breakdown produces heat.
    
    Donna