Fat Cats

no practical help I'm afraid Quinn as i had a fat cat - but she lived just as long as my skinny cat.

I was told off by the vet because she was overweight - but she loved her food, wasn't keen on exercise and was the softest gentlest animal ever - she never in all her 18 years scratched anyone. Casey ran about as a kitten but ambled everywhere once she grew up! She hated low fat cat food and we never had the heart to refuse her anything else - well particularly himself couldn't.


Timmy was skinny, athletic, energetic and long legged and food was always a low priority, he'd eat a bit and then go (Casey would then dive in to polish off anything left). if he didn't like something he'd just starve until something he liked was provided.

They both lived to be 18.

so though you wouldn't want them to be diabetic, if they aren't drinking excessively they are probably quite happy and healthy as they are.

I'm trying mine on IAMS Adult Weight Control. They seem to like it. It remains to be seen if the two fat ones lose any weight. It is darn hard to put one or two one a diet when you have multiple cats in the house.

Vivien, thanks for the encouragement and although I know the risks possible I do feel that Cleo is her size more due to her genes than anything--her Dad was called '8ball' due to his black coat, big white spot and round figure--when laying about the kitchen his favorite place was the island--and he took up most of it.
I do think though being indoor cats in a small apartment that they could use some more exercise.

Roger-boy, that would be hard--I cant get my cats to not eat never mind not eat one thing or the other. I tried the IAMS once before---it didnt work. Let me know if you see any progess.

little k and terrydoo said they have great success with catnip in a corrugated cardboard thingy as far as playtime goes-anyone else have the same success or other items of assistance to try?

Hey Q, just finding this thread....

hey k...glad to have ya here

By the time I got home last night, I'd lost all internet connection.... I'm glad to be here as well.

For excercise you might want to try one of those 'runabout' toys. It's a plastic wheel looking thing that is hollow and has a little ball that spins around the inside. There is an opening just big enough for paws to fit in and bat the ball around. My 3 love it and they are all different ages and sizes. They play with that thing for hours and if one of them starts the other two hear it and come running.

oh k....glad you've connected

Aldistar thanks! I have one of those I believe--has different shaped holes and you can open it up and put in ball or mouse for play? Mine like it but, not too much really...when its in front of them and gets their attention, although thats a cat for ya really.

Their most favorite toys are the tiny wee mice filled with catnip. They quickly thump those under the couch and such and then the Zoey pounces Cleo as if it all her fault. sigh

The cat I used to have...was a chunky boy, especially when he got older, lazier, and more cantankerous. Toys didn't help much at that point. Sure he expressed interest, but then he'd just settle back down and watch, as if to say "entertain me". *L* He also was extremely picky about his food and would go without eating rather than have diet food. That was near the end of his life though...just before he turned 18. He ended up a skinny old man at that point...lost a lot of weight because of health conditions. Even though I wasn't living at home at the time he was initially diagnosed, (he was a family pet), I have such guilt over the last time I saw him. I was doing laundry at my parents' house and he came into the room and looked at me with a sorrowful look and a "meow". I wish I had picked him up and comforted him but I didn't want cat hair on my clean laundry. Oh I hate myself for that now because a few days later when my Dad took him to the vet, the vet found a huge tumour in his throat. He was put down that very day.

Sorry. I didn't mean for this to be a personal purge session. Now I'm sitting here blubbering like a fool.

Aw, caprice. That's very sad. Now stop your weeping & consider a kitten!

that's so sad caprice.

I found the excersize thingie TerryDo and I were talking about. This image is of the double-wide (snicker):



You can get a cardboard frame that goes with it - it sets the board at a slope.

A pet of any type would be impractical right now. And after Leroy was gone I told myself I'd never get another pet because it was just too hard to have to deal with his going, even though I had plenty of time to prepare because of his health problems. I haven't gotten another pet so far. Maybe one day, when it isn't impractical. Right now I enjoy everyone else's pets. My parents' dog, my friend's cats, the neighbour's cats (one who is a bit psycho, but I'm used to the variation in cat personalities) and anyone else I encounter who has a beast.

Most of the time I tend to think of the good memories and not the bad stuff. It's too sad to think of the end of a pet's life.

quinn1, in answer to your original question, I don't have the type of answer you're looking for. Cats can be such picky eaters and not the easiest beasties to get to do things your way. (Self-centered little critters aren't they? ) I know it isn't the healthiest, but I think just making your cats happy while they are here is the way to go. I wouldn't overindulge in giving them food, but it sounds like you are already restricting them. I guess the only other thing to do is to try and get their lazy kitty butts moving more, but that's difficult to do, I know! Try to engage their curiosity so they will move!

Other than that, I haven't really got any advice that's worked. I can only tell you from looking back that I'm glad the decision was made to give Leroy what he wanted to eat near the end of his life. He had been put on diet food, which he wouldn't eat, and I think I would have felt even more guilty if he had been kept on that diet until his last day.

It ain't easy. I hope someone has a solution for you!

(Edited for grammatical correction.)

Oh, Caprice!! You know you're not a bad cat mommy, don't you? He loved you and you were just your normal self - that's who he loved.

Signed,
Caretaker of the biggest hair factory in the western world.

Thanks ossobuco. But no matter what, I shall always feel guilty for that one time. It would have been the last time I held him, if I had picked him up. I guess part of it for me is not really getting to say a proper goodbye to him. I am bothered too, knowing he was in pain in his final days. But at least his suffering ended humanely.

Here is a funny story for you. My Mom had noticed a bracelet of hers that was missing. She looked high and low for it. In fact, at one point she wondered if my (then) sister-in-law might have taken it! This went on for a while until one day she saw Leroy hot-footing it away from her room carrying something sparkly in his mouth. Turns out he was the little thief! She stopped him before he got too far with his next stolen item. I always thought she should have followed him to see where his secret stash was because my Mom never did recover that bracelet.

By the way, your sign-off cracked me up!! *L*

Oh, Caprice I know just how you feel. I'm sure everyone here can sympathize. I've had cats all my life and have been to many a pet funeral. I lost all five of my babies in 18 months because of feline leukemia; it was the absolute worst time of my life. To make matters worse I was not able to get a new kitten (or any cat for that matter) for 2 years because my vet told me there might be a chance that any new cat would catch the disease. My condolences. Don't feel guilty, even when we know it's coming doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

Now I'm all teary eyed too...

Awww! I'm sorry Aldistar. I didn't mean to make you weepy too! It's been 7 years since Leroy was put down. We took him to a pet cemetery and I refused to cry because I knew I'd just lose it completely if I did.

I feel so sorry for you and your kitties! How long ago did all of this happen? Losing a pet is never easy. And you lost 5!!

Sometimes it amazes me how much we feel for our pets.

caprice, thank you so much for coming in and sharing..just another daily reminder to give an extra little rub to the fat happy beasties..and how short their time with us always is. When the time is right, and you feel right about it, you too may find all of that again.

Little k..excellent..a double wide! Cleo actually might be able to use that...Ill have to keep an eye out for one.

quinn

& give the lovable chunky critters a hug from me, too!