Conference misery::feline_v1

    When I found Alex she was like that. Turns out that she had round
    worms and tape worms. As soon as she was treated for tapewporms
    she was no longer ravenous.
    
    A suggest that you bring a stool sample in to your vet have it checked.
    It sometimes takes several treatments to get rid of the round worms.
    A tell-tale sign of tapeworms (that may take a while to show up)
    are little white works around the cat's rear end; sometimes it looks
    like rice stuck to the cat's tail. 
    
    Good luck,
    Deb

    I would mention this to the vet.  Ravenous appetite is a symptom
    of some cat diseases such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes.  
    
    Don't panic, it probably isn't anything serious but I would let
    the vet know and see what he thinks.
    
    Jo Ann

    Now that the advice all favors illness of one severity or another,
    I'd like to offer hope -- my kitties have all gone through a stage
    when I couldn't give them enough to eat, and all tests for worms,etc.
    were negative.  I think of it as being like the cliches about teenage
    boys eating everything in sight while they are busy growing, when
    they finish the growth spurt stage the appetite goes back to normal.
    Maybe that's all this is?  How old is your new acquisition?
    
    By all means have the cat checked by the vet, it's always best to
    be sure.  I just wanted to offer my suggestion that it may "just
    be a phase".  Let us know how you do...
    
    
    Jan   who_has_some_pretty_good_eaters_in_her_menagerie
    

    All of a sudden, Fantine started eating as if she knew that those
    cases of food were filled with empty cans and she had better stock
    up.  What used to be a little (?) saggy belly fat is gone:  she
    has puffed up and looks like a little blimp -- happy as can be.
    Or, happy she *was*.  Vet said it is just overeating, and she is
    on a diet now.  Poor thing has to get shut out while other din-dins
    are served or she'll gobble all of it up.  Cosette is happier now
    that she has a chance at the food.
    
    (This all happened while the new kittens were away, or else I would
    have thought it was just a reaction to "the invasion of the food
    snatchers...")
    
    	P

    Shanti has an appointment with the Vets on Monday, then I *hopefully*
    won't be a worried mother anymore!
    
    Thanks to everyone for their comments! (BTW: She's getting a little
    more active, hopefully she'll *run* some of it off! But she's still
    eating...
    
    I can't even open a CEREAL box without her clawing me to death!
    
    

     
       Are you sure Shanti is not pregnant.  The reason I ask is that
    a friend of mine found a stray cat which we ended up keeping.  After
      a couple of months she started eating like there was no tomorrow
    -  large cans of KalKan were gobbled up in minutes.  Her stomach
    also started growing - we thought she had a tumor.  Instead she
    had 8 kittens!!

    Last night I took Shanti to the vets. She had a complete physical
    and she doesn't have tapeworms, and she's not pregnant! He said
    since she was at the SPCA it could have been that she was quite
    nervous and didn't eat alot. As she became acquainted with her new
    home, recouperated from her upper respiratory infection, still
    recouperating from her conjuctivitis, and feeling overall more at
    ease, she started eating. (I guess making up for lost time!) She
    has, in the past few days, calmed her eating habits. She did gain
    about 3 lbs since we got her. She goes back to the vets in 2 weeks
    for the 2nd of her FeLV. If she starts eating like there's no tomorrow,
    again, she'll go back sooner than 2 weeks!
    

    The more I've been talking to people, I've decided to get a second
    opinion from another vet. Since Shanti was at the SPCA for one week,
    and I've had her for 3...and she USED to be an outdoor cat, I'm
    REALLY getting concerned about her being pregnant. I have another
    appointment this Thursday. (I have to do this ASAP since she was
    supposed to be spayed next Tuesday!)
    

    At three weeks you should be able to tell if she is pregnant.  Check
    out her nipples....if they appear to be a rosey pink, then most
    likely she is!!  
    
    This is spring time ya know!!
    
    cin
    

    Shanti is doing fine. She's not pregnant, just a victim of a bad
    childhood. The vet said she probably came from a home that mistreated
    her, and now that she's getting "spoiled", she's taking advantage
    of a good situation!
    
    She has calmed her eating habits (she's too busy chasing our other
    cat, Charlie, around the house!). Today she gets spayed, so we won't
    have to worry about a REALLY fat cat!
    

    Just recently had a similar problem with an abandoned kitten (7
    mos.) I took in.  However, I knew I didn't have to worry about it
    being pregnant as it was a male kitten but I did fear worms.  His
    appetite was ravenous and after he would finish his meal, he'd venture
    to the other two cats' (and even the dog's) dishes to help himself.
    
    I had him (his stool) checked for worms; this was negative.  It
    was just a starving creature trying to make up for lost time as
    he (by the thin appearance when I found him) hadn't had a good meal
    for awhile.  He had an ear infection from ear mites (now clearing
    up - took longer for the infection to clear than getting rid of
    the mites themselves).  He also had a bad case of diarrhea which
    was cleared up with a pink solution for the intestines that you
    squirt into the animals mouth.  This solution also works on dogs
    with the same problem but the one I had at home for my dog contained
    paregoric.  The Vet did not recommend using the solution containing
    paregoric for a kitten or cat.  I guess it's like aspirin; okay
    for dogs with arthritis but deadly to cats.
    
    Anyway, the solution worked fine for D.P. (Double Pawed Gremlin)
    and he's even stopped pigging out at meal time.  He knows he doesn't
    have to hoard his food as the other pets in the house don't try
    to clean up all the dishes either.
    
    The cats get fed twice a day and the dog (now 12) gets fed once
    a day.  There's always dry food down for "free choice"; not a whole
    lot but just enough for munchies for the cats.  I have never found
    that dish empty at night so I guess they get enough to satisfy their
    appetites.
  
    I do have a problem with my older (9 years old) male neutered cat
    (both males have been neutered and the female spayed.  He's terribly
    overweight and I think it's mostly from not enough exercise.  They
    are all indoor cats as to let them out would be instant suicide
    on our busy street.  I can't seem to get any assistance on this
    from the vets I've asked but maybe someone reading this file can
    help.  My overweight cat, Buffy, is around 16 lbs.; looks like one
    of those elephant seals.
    
    

    Science Diet makes a food called r/d (for reduction diet) that is
    only available through the vets.  It is lower in calories than their
    other foods and will help to reduce your cats weight.
    
    You might just try playing with him alot more and having him chase
    after you or a toy to try to burn off some of those extra calories.
    We were able to slim Jesse James down with the r/d after he porked
    out on c/d and gained three pounds.
    Jo

    r/d works wonders in helping Fantine shed her blubber:  she hates
    it and won't eat anything at all 'til she figures out that's all
    she is going to get!  I (and the vet) feel that if/when she needs
    the nutrients and few calories, she'll eat what little she needs.
    
    Feeding has therefore become quite a series of rituals:  p/d
    for pregnant Nutmeg, c/d or maintenance diet for Cosette, and
    r/d or nothing for Fantine.  That means, of course, separating
    cats and feeding dishes, or everyone would head straight for the
    p/d, I'm sure.  And Fantine will head straight for anything that
    *might* have a calorie in it.  
    
    But when they purr...who can complain?
    
    	P

    Your household sounds alot like mine.  I use the growth for Joui,
    c/d for Winston and Monroe and the maintenance for Jesse now that
    the r/d took care of his c/d caused fat.  If I get anymore cats
    I will have to get a bigger house so that there will be enough rooms
    to feed each of them in!  And a bigger closet to keep all the bags
    of food in!
    jo

    Jo,
    
    I don't have a closet in the house (for cat food sacks) that one
    or the other of the cats can't get into.  Tag-Along can even open
    doorknobs that have been tightened with elastic bands!
    
    So... I got these *huge* food storage containers at the pet supply
    store:  they look like oversize Tupperware (wish they were Tupperware,
    actually, because their containers seal very tight and last forever),
    but Tupperware doesn't make anything quite that big.  In one corner
    of my kitchen are assorted plastic canisters of dry food and cases
    of canned food of each type.  We haven't (yet?) had to get k/d which
    I guess is a special kidney diet.  What else have they got???

    Also, those plastic garbage barrels work great for storing the large
    bags (20 lbs) of food and keeping it air tight and kitty proof!!
    I don't bother to do anything but open the bag at the top and pop
    it in the garbage can!!!
    
    purrs
    cin
    

    I've used the plastic garbage cans (rubbermaid roughnecks) for a
    couple of years and they've worked very well until about a month
    ago when Argus figured out that he can take a flying leap off the
    counter or washing machine, kick the thing over and very often knock
    the cover off. (That's what I get for having the cats on my lap
    while watching WWF action.)
    
    Anyhow, I tried keeping it locked up and Argus began spraying. This
    went on for a month. Finally, this weekend, I put out his self-feeder
    again and he seems to have stopped spraying. I was very proud of
    the fact that he had trimmed down to 14 lbs (from 22), and I'm sure
    he is going to put the weight back on, but he is a lot better natured
    (and so am I).
    
    Deb

    
    
    Deb,
    
    Argus sounds like quite the character!  The type that will drive
    you crazy but you wouldn't want to live without!
    
    Regards, Carole
    

    RE: -1
    
    Yes, he is the ultimate pussycat; all of the good qualities of a
    dog, plus he is (sometimes) litterbox trained and purrs.
    
    Deb
    

    My family had a cat once who was so fat he couldn't reach over his
    stomach to clean himself.  Mom put him on a diet, but he died soon
    of hardening of the arteries.  I don't know if that has anything
    to do with weight.
    
    My friends, my family and even the security guard at the airport
    who searched Mielikki for concealed weapons claims she is fat.  I
    asked the vet and he said no.  She gets lots of excercise and she
    can still clean herself.  So what is the correct weight for a 1
    year old cat?
                                                      
    

    Well, like people, there is no ONE correct weight, but probably
    a range.  I would guess that the 'average' weight of most cats
    is in the 8-12 pound range, with larger-boned cats being closer
    to 12 lbs.
    
    At 1-year old, your cat may not be quite full-grown yet.
    
    donna
    

    There is a big difference in "average ranges" depending upon breed
    or mixtures thereof.  For example, a Russian Blue at 8 pounds would
    be a blimp (and Fantine is just that!);  a adult should weigh in
    at about 6 pounds.  On the other hand, from what I have heard here
    in FELINE and seen at shows, a 12 pound Maine Coon would be small.
    
    Anyone have more specific information on weights per type of cat?
    
    

    I think that the weight allowance is based on height rather than
    breed (although there is a close correspondance there!)
    My vet felt that 12 pounds was plenty for my female maine coon,
    but that since the male was at least an inch taller he could have
    another pound or two.  I think the vet was measuring the shoulder
    height.
    Sally