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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

914.0. "VERNE & SHIRL ARE HUNGRY" by MILVAX::AQUILIA () Tue Nov 24 1987 11:22

    i have two kitties, the most adorable pink eared white sister and
    brother you will ever see.  they are completely white and have one
    little spec of black (like a flick of an ash) right above their
    left eye.  you can't see it unless your looking for it and i don't
    know of anyone who can tell the difference of them but me.  and
    heres why.
    
    Verne is the male, a huge male.  7 months old, neutered a few weeks
    ago and getting bigger by the moment.  i realize that he will gain
    a few because of being neutered but my vet, dr. fitzgerald thinks
    hes a "monster".  anyways... he eats like one too.  he constantly
    finishes his food (leavin bits around the bowl, what a slob!) and
    then proceeds to poor shirley, the female who is smaller than 
    verne and joins her in what is left.  shirley puts up with this
    and sometimes i've seen her leave her bowl to vern to finish.  i
    was giving them a half can of friskies buffet in the morning and
    the evening and a little kitten chow mixed in with that.  my vet
    told me not to give them kitten chow because of verne bein neutered
    and all so i only give them the 1 can each a day now, a.m. and p.m.
    but they are still hungry and want more.
    
    should i be feeding them more, and is their anyother food that it
    better for them than friskies buffet.  we tryed purina and 9 lives
    but they are very picky and don't seem to like the big chunks of
    food in 9 lives.  i want them to have the best of everything and
    hope im not starving them.
    
    help,
    first babies ever....
    
    mother carla jeanne
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914.1There's more than 1 way to feed a kitty!LAIDBK::RESKELife's a mystery & I have no cluesTue Nov 24 1987 14:5120
    
    I can't believe that any cat eats more than my T.C.!
    
    My little guy is always and forever hungry but usually it's for
    mom's food.  He's 7 months old now and I give him either one small
    can of wet food (Amore) or a half of a big can in the morning and
    then leave dry food down for him all day.  I usually mix the dry
    with 1/2 Happy Cat and 1/2 kitten chow.  That way he can munch if
    and when he's hungry.  My vet agrees that this type of feeding is
    fine for the all day nibblers.  
    
    You might try the same thing and see if it keeps them content.
    As for the best brand of food, I guess it's whatever they'll eat.
    I've been told to stick with mostly the turkey and chicken since
    it has a lower ash content and it generally more healthy than what
    is put in some of the seafood type foods.
    
    Enjoy your kids!
    
    Donna
914.3A GOOD quality dry food...DISSRV::GERRYGo ahead, make me PURRR...Tue Nov 24 1987 15:527
    You might want to try a good quality dry food that could be left
    down for them during the day.  I'ld suggest Iams or Science Diet
    Maintenance.  These are low in ash and shouldn't cause a problem
    for your neutered male.
    
    cin
    
914.4WHAT ABOUT THE DRY FOOD???MILVAX::AQUILIATue Nov 24 1987 16:269
    thanks for all the quick responses.  i read note 890 and i guess
    i should be leaving some dry food out for them during the day also
    but my vet! he told me no... are you sure the dry food wont harm
    him.  and as for chicken and turkey in the can,...?
    im finding they prefer seafood, is it really that harmful?
    
    becoming a better mom,
    cja
    
914.5Oh No, NOT SEAFOOD!!!DISSRV::GERRYGo ahead, make me PURRR...Tue Nov 24 1987 18:2517
    I would think that you'ld do them more harm by feeding them seafoods
    than giving them a "good quality" dry food because of the magnesium
    content.
    
    The key is a GOOD QUALITY dry food.  Not your typical grocery store
    kitty junk food in a bag, but Iams, or Science Diet Maintenance.
    And if your really concerned Science Diet makes several types of
    dry food available strictly from your vet for male cats with cystitis
    problems.  It's called CD.  These foods may seem expensive when
    compared to the grocery store brands, but their concentrated, so
    they eat less and use the litter box less, hence you feed less,
    and change the litter less.
    
    Has your male cat ever had a problem with blockage???
    
    cin
    
914.6Listen to Cin; good food is cheeper in the long runVAXWRK::SKALTSISDebTue Nov 24 1987 19:1611
.5
    >  These foods may seem expensive when
    >  compared to the grocery store brands, but their concentrated, so
    >  they eat less and use the litter box less, hence you feed less,
    >  and change the litter less.

They may cost a little bit more than supermarket junk food, but it is a heck of
a lot cheeper than emergency visits for a blocked cat/surgical procedures
(periourethectomy).

Deb (who has spent $1200 on vet bills due to Argus's FUS)
914.7no more seafood? oh no!MILVAX::AQUILIAWed Nov 25 1987 17:3015
    oh no! they will certainly be dissapointed when they find this out.
    verne hasnt ever had a blockage problem before but hes only 7 months
    old and that is why i want to make sure im doing the best for him
    now, so he wont have this problem.  i guess im going with the IAMS,
    we have a pet store down the road that carries it, expensive or
    not, my kitties are worth it.  they dont eat table food, maybe some
    eggs that have ham and cheese in them - but thats all i've ever
    seen them eat, and ive tried to give them other things.  oh yes,
    the left over haddock was a real treat, but we rarely have leftover
    haddock.  i have enjoyed reading these files and will keep in touch
    with this file while they continue to mature and grow.  and i will
    certainly be needing all the help i can get, ....
    thanks
    cja
    
914.8Science diet testimonial30752::WILDEImagine all the people..Thu Jan 07 1988 18:3619
My males, Samson and Nicholas, are 8 years old now and have never had
a problem with any part of their bodies...they've never eaten anything
but Science Diet dry cat food with fresh water available at all times.

I recommend it HIGHTLY, and my vet is extremely pleased with my boys'
health.

Go for the kitten food until one year, then go for maintenance.

If you insist on feeding some wet food (canned anything), be prepared
to pay for teeth cleaning on a yearly basis....if you check their
teeth, you'll see tartar buildup.  The only solution is to either
feed only dry which will help clean their teeth, or to take care
of their teeth....my best friend just spent $134.00 to get kitty's
teeth cleaned at the vets...now she has to rub down the teeth of
the cat with a washcloth, massaging the gums real well every day
to maintain healthy mouth....plus cleaning teeth every year!

Needless to say, I'm glad I've never fed wet food.
914.9CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren, Sweetie, Holly; in Calif.Thu Jan 07 1988 18:548
    My vet gave me some gizmos that look like small strips of gauze.
     The idea is you roll them around your finger and rub the cat's
    gums with them.  Sweetie loves this.  I haven't gotten to the back
    teeth yet, as I want him to get used to this slowly, but I really
    think this is going to work well.  He hardly seems to notice that
    it's not just my finger.  (Our previous adventures with a toothbrush
    will not be discussed.)  Dry food is out for them because of FUS.