| Well, my Noella is sssoooo fat, she tips the scales at nearly
20 lbs. This cat will eat anything in sight. You can just grab
rolls of fat, and I'm talking fat, not loose skin from all over
her body. She became that way very quickly after being fixed. She
was not that way before.
Anyway, I have stopped leaving food in the dishes. She will eat
only at prescribed mealtimes. If there isn't anything extra hanging
around, then she can't get too much. This makes it a little tough
for the other 4, but they have all easily adjusted to the schedule.
They all could lose a little. That's probably the biggest thing
you can do to help him. It's like people, cut out all the inbetween
meal snacking. Give recommended portions, and don't leave extra
meals in the dish. They get bored just like we do, and if there's
food around, well, what better way to spend the time.
I don't know what you've got for living arrangements, whether
your kitty is strictly indoors or not, but I always leave plenty
of toys around, especially action type toys that don't need me.
Like balls that move and bounce practically just by looking at them.
The cats can bat those around for some time. And catnip mice hanging
from a door knob or scratching post are also easy for them to move
around by themselves.
My cats also have a big yard and trails in the woods we go walking
in. Noella is also big on stalking birds, she doesnt kill them just
chases them. She loves crashing through the garden too. Going outdoors
with you while you work outside is great if you have that ability.
Denise
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| My friends that had plump felines and my own, Corkie, was even plump
for awhile and we all had great luck with the Hills R/D (Reducing
Diet). Made by the people that make all the Science Diet foods.
Corkie didn't seem to be able to tell it was diet food. She liked
it just as much. She's lost the extra she gained while on medication
and is now back to her regular Science Diet. For exercise, if you
don't mind participating, go to your local Pier 1 (or similar import
store) and get a peacock feather or some other type of fuzzy feather
and wave it around in front of your kitty. You wanna see exercise!
You'll get quite a bit yourself with this method. I've never known
a kitty that didn't like to play "feathers". Just don't let him
eat it! Good luck with your kitty diet.
Pat
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| Diet tips:
With 4 cats in the house and ONE who is becoming "Samson the tubbo", I've
had to deal with the "diet for one cat while others don't lose weight"
issue. We feed Science Diet dry, so changing from moiste to dry was
not a solution...HOWEVER, removing the bowl at night was a solution.
I now fill the dish in the morning and make sure there is food around
until approx. 7:30 - then the dish is removed. This has worked for
me as Sam tends to nibble in the evening and eat really hearty through
the night - several feedings between 12:00 PM and 6:00 AM. Now he
is forced to eat once in the evening, and he gets to nibble once in
the morning before he turns in for the day (during the week while I
work, this is the schedule for him). So far, the other cats have
adapted to the plan and not lost weight, and Sam seems to be getting
less food. He is also up and around more - maybe from being a little
hungry...which can't hurt in this case.
Exercise:
Get a long heavy piece of string or twine and tie a large knot in the
end of it (ours is approx. 10 feet long). Drag past kitty's nose and
exit from room.....you will have a herd of cats right behind you for
as long as you are willing to play. This is Sam's second favorite
game. First favorite is the crochetted ball hanging from an elastic
string and dangling approx. 16 inches off the ground in a doorway.
If I start this bouncing, the gang plays a rousing game of
"tetherball" with me....the ball is filled with old nylon hose toe
that is filled with dried catnip. Works wonders.
Hopefully, Sam will soon be his old svelt self.
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