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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

1122.0. "Plump Pussycat" by UPBEAT::CGRAY () Wed Feb 17 1988 19:22

    My fat cat needs to go on a diet
    But if forewarned, he sure wouldn't try it
    
    Middle aged spread is setting in
    It seems like yesterday he was svelte and thin
    
    Though Caesar thinks the plump look is cool
    Mom doesn't really go for that rule
    
    The problem apparently seems to be
    a difference of opinion between him & me
    I think he'd prefer to be stuck in a tree
    Who will win this fight, we soon will see
    
    
    Seriously, 
    
    I am the owner of a 10 year old (almost) male indoor cat who
    could use a charter membership to a diet workshop or a health
    club.
    
    He weighs in at almost 14 pounds, and though he has a large frame,
    he's starting to get what the vet refers to as a "fat pad" around
    his stomach area.
    
    Has anyone successfully put their cat on a diet?  Caesar is not
    terribly finicky, except when he wants to be.  Any inputs on those
    special lo-cal cat foods?
    
    Also, any ideas on giving him more excercise (in addition to the
    workout he gets from walking downstairs to his food bowl)?
    
    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    
    
    Cheryl
                      
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1122.1Fat NoellaPARITY::WHALENAnd may the traffic be with youWed Feb 17 1988 20:5429
       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
    
    
1122.2Pudgy PussDPDMAI::BALLI AM standing up!Wed Feb 17 1988 23:3315
    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
    
1122.3Chubby foodBPOV09::GROSSEThu Feb 18 1988 11:059
    RE.2  I'll add my vote for the Science Diet Hill's R/D.  I once
    worked in selling pet supplies and we often recommended it and had
    good feedback on its results.  there was one common complaint among
    some of the customers which was that some of their cats got
    overly-hyper and did a lot of running around a bit more than people
    could take for an indoor cat.  But to my knowledge it s the best
    available diet cat food.  
    
    Fran
1122.5Lots and Lots of toys!DISSRV::HTAYLORCat lovers are a special breedThu Feb 18 1988 11:5910
    I'm putting in my 2 cents about the Peacock feathers.  They are
    wonderful!  Silver has never had one, but Tabby has and she loved
    it until she destroyed it.  I got mine at the Marlboro cat show
    for 3/$1.00.  I understand they sell them at all of the cat shows.
    They are simply marvelous.  
    
    Another good exercise toy is called a kitty tease.  It is like a
    fishing pole with a fuzzy mouse on the end.  They love it. 
    
    Holly
1122.6diet tip THE780::WILDEImagine all the people..Thu Feb 18 1988 17:1131
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.