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New cat question & weight question



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 31st 05, 08:30 PM
ElvisRocks
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Default New cat question & weight question

Hi all. I am finally getting a new cat on Sunday from a shelter. I took my
Randi to the vet for shots yesterday. They said he is
too fat - 15.75 lbs! And that he has a very slight heart murmur, which is
more reason to make him lose some weight.
It was hard when Elvis was here to distinguish who was eating what, but now
it appears Randi is eating 2 or 2-1/2 3 oz. cans a day and very little dry
food. The vet said to cut him down to one small can a day and two cups of
dry. But he doesn't eat that much dry food.
How much do your cats eat? He is a big cat, not just fat.

When I get the new cat (an adult female) after I take her to the vet right
away for bloodwork, when she gets the clear and I can bring her home, I need
some suggestions for introducing them to each other. With Randi, he was
only 9 weeks old and Elvis was mad at me for a day and then he mothered him.
I kept Randi in a separate room for a couple days and then they were fine.
Just would like to get
your suggestions. Thanks, Carol Oh, and my vet has KITTENS available
in a couple weeks! They aren't ready yet but
I think I am going to get two. Or three. lol


  #2  
Old March 31st 05, 10:29 PM
Cathy Friedmann
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"ElvisRocks" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I am finally getting a new cat on Sunday from a shelter.


Good! :-)

I took my
Randi to the vet for shots yesterday. They said he is
too fat - 15.75 lbs! And that he has a very slight heart murmur, which is
more reason to make him lose some weight.
It was hard when Elvis was here to distinguish who was eating what, but

now
it appears Randi is eating 2 or 2-1/2 3 oz. cans a day and very little

dry
food. The vet said to cut him down to one small can a day and two cups of
dry.


Two cups of dry/day, in addition to the 3 oz. of wet food!? Holy mackerel,
but that's a LOT of food! 3 oz. of wet, plus 1/2 - 3/4 cup of dry, maybe...
IMO/E, for that size of a cat.

I had an overweight medium-sized cat who weighed 13½ lbs. The vet put her
on a diet of 1/2 cup Science Diet Light/day. That was it. She very slowly
(as is advisable) lost weight over the next few years on that diet - to 9½ -
10 lbs. I also fed her *tiny* little treats - a few shreds of cheese, a
Tbs. or 2 of milk, some cantaloupe cubes, etc. Enough to give her
occasional treats, but not to wreck her weight-loss diet.

Cathy


But he doesn't eat that much dry food.
How much do your cats eat? He is a big cat, not just fat.

When I get the new cat (an adult female) after I take her to the vet right
away for bloodwork, when she gets the clear and I can bring her home, I

need
some suggestions for introducing them to each other. With Randi, he

was
only 9 weeks old and Elvis was mad at me for a day and then he mothered

him.
I kept Randi in a separate room for a couple days and then they were fine.
Just would like to get
your suggestions. Thanks, Carol Oh, and my vet has KITTENS

available
in a couple weeks! They aren't ready yet but
I think I am going to get two. Or three. lol




  #3  
Old March 31st 05, 10:59 PM
Karen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I'm thinking she meant 1/2.
Don't you think?

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...

"ElvisRocks" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I am finally getting a new cat on Sunday from a shelter.


Good! :-)

I took my
Randi to the vet for shots yesterday. They said he is
too fat - 15.75 lbs! And that he has a very slight heart murmur, which

is
more reason to make him lose some weight.
It was hard when Elvis was here to distinguish who was eating what, but

now
it appears Randi is eating 2 or 2-1/2 3 oz. cans a day and very little

dry
food. The vet said to cut him down to one small can a day and two cups

of
dry.


Two cups of dry/day, in addition to the 3 oz. of wet food!? Holy

mackerel,
but that's a LOT of food! 3 oz. of wet, plus 1/2 - 3/4 cup of dry,

maybe...
IMO/E, for that size of a cat.

I had an overweight medium-sized cat who weighed 13½ lbs. The vet put her
on a diet of 1/2 cup Science Diet Light/day. That was it. She very

slowly
(as is advisable) lost weight over the next few years on that diet - to

9½ -
10 lbs. I also fed her *tiny* little treats - a few shreds of cheese, a
Tbs. or 2 of milk, some cantaloupe cubes, etc. Enough to give her
occasional treats, but not to wreck her weight-loss diet.

Cathy


But he doesn't eat that much dry food.
How much do your cats eat? He is a big cat, not just fat.

When I get the new cat (an adult female) after I take her to the vet

right
away for bloodwork, when she gets the clear and I can bring her home, I

need
some suggestions for introducing them to each other. With Randi, he

was
only 9 weeks old and Elvis was mad at me for a day and then he mothered

him.
I kept Randi in a separate room for a couple days and then they were

fine.
Just would like to get
your suggestions. Thanks, Carol Oh, and my vet has KITTENS

available
in a couple weeks! They aren't ready yet but
I think I am going to get two. Or three. lol






  #5  
Old March 31st 05, 11:23 PM
ElvisRocks
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Yes, he probably did. But he only eats a few mouthfuls of dry a day.


"Karen" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking she meant 1/2.
Don't you think?

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...

"ElvisRocks" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I am finally getting a new cat on Sunday from a shelter.


Good! :-)

I took my
Randi to the vet for shots yesterday. They said he is
too fat - 15.75 lbs! And that he has a very slight heart murmur, which

is
more reason to make him lose some weight.
It was hard when Elvis was here to distinguish who was eating what, but

now
it appears Randi is eating 2 or 2-1/2 3 oz. cans a day and very little

dry
food. The vet said to cut him down to one small can a day and two cups

of
dry.


Two cups of dry/day, in addition to the 3 oz. of wet food!? Holy

mackerel,
but that's a LOT of food! 3 oz. of wet, plus 1/2 - 3/4 cup of dry,

maybe...
IMO/E, for that size of a cat.

I had an overweight medium-sized cat who weighed 13½ lbs. The vet put
her
on a diet of 1/2 cup Science Diet Light/day. That was it. She very

slowly
(as is advisable) lost weight over the next few years on that diet - to

9½ -
10 lbs. I also fed her *tiny* little treats - a few shreds of cheese, a
Tbs. or 2 of milk, some cantaloupe cubes, etc. Enough to give her
occasional treats, but not to wreck her weight-loss diet.

Cathy


But he doesn't eat that much dry food.
How much do your cats eat? He is a big cat, not just fat.

When I get the new cat (an adult female) after I take her to the vet

right
away for bloodwork, when she gets the clear and I can bring her home, I

need
some suggestions for introducing them to each other. With Randi, he

was
only 9 weeks old and Elvis was mad at me for a day and then he mothered

him.
I kept Randi in a separate room for a couple days and then they were

fine.
Just would like to get
your suggestions. Thanks, Carol Oh, and my vet has KITTENS

available
in a couple weeks! They aren't ready yet but
I think I am going to get two. Or three. lol








  #6  
Old March 31st 05, 11:42 PM
Karen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Oh, well, since you are trying to get him to lose weight I wouldn't worry
that he doesn't eat dry. I'm excited about your new kitty.

"ElvisRocks" wrote in message
...
Yes, he probably did. But he only eats a few mouthfuls of dry a day.


"Karen" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking she meant 1/2.
Don't you think?

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...

"ElvisRocks" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I am finally getting a new cat on Sunday from a shelter.

Good! :-)

I took my
Randi to the vet for shots yesterday. They said he is
too fat - 15.75 lbs! And that he has a very slight heart murmur,

which
is
more reason to make him lose some weight.
It was hard when Elvis was here to distinguish who was eating what,

but
now
it appears Randi is eating 2 or 2-1/2 3 oz. cans a day and very

little
dry
food. The vet said to cut him down to one small can a day and two

cups
of
dry.

Two cups of dry/day, in addition to the 3 oz. of wet food!? Holy

mackerel,
but that's a LOT of food! 3 oz. of wet, plus 1/2 - 3/4 cup of dry,

maybe...
IMO/E, for that size of a cat.

I had an overweight medium-sized cat who weighed 13½ lbs. The vet put
her
on a diet of 1/2 cup Science Diet Light/day. That was it. She very

slowly
(as is advisable) lost weight over the next few years on that diet - to

9½ -
10 lbs. I also fed her *tiny* little treats - a few shreds of cheese,

a
Tbs. or 2 of milk, some cantaloupe cubes, etc. Enough to give her
occasional treats, but not to wreck her weight-loss diet.

Cathy


But he doesn't eat that much dry food.
How much do your cats eat? He is a big cat, not just fat.

When I get the new cat (an adult female) after I take her to the vet

right
away for bloodwork, when she gets the clear and I can bring her home,

I
need
some suggestions for introducing them to each other. With Randi,

he
was
only 9 weeks old and Elvis was mad at me for a day and then he

mothered
him.
I kept Randi in a separate room for a couple days and then they were

fine.
Just would like to get
your suggestions. Thanks, Carol Oh, and my vet has KITTENS
available
in a couple weeks! They aren't ready yet but
I think I am going to get two. Or three. lol










  #7  
Old April 1st 05, 08:22 AM
Phil P.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"ElvisRocks" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I am finally getting a new cat on Sunday from a shelter. I took

my
Randi to the vet for shots yesterday. They said he is
too fat - 15.75 lbs! And that he has a very slight heart murmur, which is
more reason to make him lose some weight.
It was hard when Elvis was here to distinguish who was eating what, but

now
it appears Randi is eating 2 or 2-1/2 3 oz. cans a day and very little

dry
food. The vet said to cut him down to one small can a day and two cups of
dry. But he doesn't eat that much dry food.
How much do your cats eat? He is a big cat, not just fat.



Hiya Carol. How're ya doin'?

A neutered, inactive 15.75 lb cat needs about 286-300 kcal/day (figure 40-45
kcal/kg/day). Most 3 oz cans of cat food contain about 85-100 kcals. So, 3
cans 3 oz cans - without the dry food - would be pretty close to his
maintenance diet. For him to lose weight *safely*, you'll need to reduce
his daily caloric intake by no more than 25% - or to about 214 kcal/day - or
about 2 cans. You can leave out about 1/4 cup of dry to fill in the
remaining kcals. I could give you a more accurate estimate if you let me
know which canned and dry foods he's eating.


When I get the new cat (an adult female) after I take her to the vet right
away for bloodwork, when she gets the clear and I can bring her home, I

need
some suggestions for introducing them to each other.



Randi has just lost a life-long companion. Are you absolutely sure he's in
the right frame of mind to handle the introduction and presence of a new
cat(s)? Some cats take longer than others to go through the greiving
process - especially if they were very close.




With Randi, he was
only 9 weeks old and Elvis was mad at me for a day and then he mothered

him.
I kept Randi in a separate room for a couple days and then they were fine.
Just would like to get
your suggestions.


If you feel Randi is ready, the best way to begin the introduction process
is one sense at a time -- let them adjust to each other's scent before
actually seeing and meeting each other. Set up a 'sanctuary room' for the
new cat. Put her food and water bowls and a litterbox and a *new*
scratching post in the room and make sure the room has a few hiding places
and cubby holes where she can hide and feel safe when she needs to. You can
also put a towel over the carrier and leave the gate open. This allows her
to adjust to her new home in security and also doesn't make Randi feel like
his tuff is being invaded. Initially, keep the door to the sanctuary room
closed. After a few days, switch the cats.

Once you see that the cats are adjusting to each others' scent, you can
stack 3 gates in the doorway (which you can return after the introduction)
so the cats can see each other and approach each other as closely as they
feel comfortable. Don't try to force or entice the cats to approach each
other - let them approach each other through the gate in their own time. If
things get nasty, you can still close the door with the gates in place (just
make sure you place the gates on the inside of the door frame.

http://www.maxshouse.com/introducing_cats.htm

Once you see the cats approaching each other in peace - a few hisses and
spits are normal - start placing their food and water bowls on the far side
of each room and gradually inch them closer to the gate. When the cats are
able to eat with both bowls touching the gates - you can start letting the
cats approach each other 'in person' without the gates but closely
supervised. Keep a blanket handy in case of a fight. The first few
meetings should be short and gradually increase the time together. If you
see one or both cats getting nervous or aggressive - put the new cat back
in the sanctuary room before a fight develops. A serious fight at the
beginning can cause permanent damage to their relationship.

I'm sure others can add to this, this was just the basics.



Thanks, Carol Oh, and my vet has KITTENS available
in a couple weeks! They aren't ready yet but
I think I am going to get two. Or three. lol


Littermates and young kittens are great to watch grow up together! Many
become *very* close and best buds for life. The only problem is that they
usually ignore *us* and would rather play with each other!

Best of luck.

Phil.





 




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