*sigh* Tucker's weight, again

r/d has less calories than w/d.

S.

wrote in message
...
(Rene) wrote:

I'm going to the vet's over lunch today to discuss food options, but
it's down to either Hills r/d again or Walthams weight control. I'm so
frustrated! I feel like I'm failing him as a kitty mom. Thoughts,

Hills also has a weight control diet called w/d.

-mhd

r/d has less calories than w/d.

S.

wrote in message
...
(Rene) wrote:

I'm going to the vet's over lunch today to discuss food options, but
it's down to either Hills r/d again or Walthams weight control. I'm so
frustrated! I feel like I'm failing him as a kitty mom. Thoughts,

Hills also has a weight control diet called w/d.

-mhd

r/d has less calories than w/d.

S.

wrote in message
...
(Rene) wrote:

I'm going to the vet's over lunch today to discuss food options, but
it's down to either Hills r/d again or Walthams weight control. I'm so
frustrated! I feel like I'm failing him as a kitty mom. Thoughts,

Hills also has a weight control diet called w/d.

-mhd

"Rob" wrote in message news:bnLXc.83$B91.42@trndny08...
wrote in message
...
(Rene) wrote:

I'm going to the vet's over lunch today to discuss food options, but
it's down to either Hills r/d again or Walthams weight control. I'm so
frustrated! I feel like I'm failing him as a kitty mom. Thoughts,

Hills also has a weight control diet called w/d.

-mhd

just like any other living being, if you burn less calories in a day than
you consume, you gain weight. so, he basically needs more exercise or less
calories or better yet, both. i have the same problem, a 20lb cat who
should probably weigh about 15, and 2 other cats that are fine. very
difficult to control diet of one cat, so we run him around with the laser
pointer often ... he literally shakes the house (old house ). i tried to
get him to run on the treadmill with me, but he found that even less
unrealistic than i did . we're trying to leash train him as well, but
he's a real scardy cat when it comes to outside which really we don't want
to change since he doesn't try to escape out the door right now.

You're right Rob. I had switched to the Hills m/d because he wasn't
losing on the r/d (and driving me nuts with his constant begging).
Guess that food does the opposite of what it's supposed to for him. I
had a chat with the vet's office today, and based on the printouts I
made from the companies' web sites, chose the Walthams Calorie
Control.

I think what I need to do is play with him in a room, separately. The
other cat is crazy when it comes to playtime, so I think Tucker is
intimidated. He is already leash trained, so I took him outside
tonight for a little fresh air.

I do have a laser pointer, but haven't tried it on him in a while.
Good idea. Also have one of those r/c mice, but I think *I* enjoy it
more than the cats.

"Rob" wrote in message news:bnLXc.83$B91.42@trndny08...
wrote in message
...
(Rene) wrote:

I'm going to the vet's over lunch today to discuss food options, but
it's down to either Hills r/d again or Walthams weight control. I'm so
frustrated! I feel like I'm failing him as a kitty mom. Thoughts,

Hills also has a weight control diet called w/d.

-mhd

just like any other living being, if you burn less calories in a day than
you consume, you gain weight. so, he basically needs more exercise or less
calories or better yet, both. i have the same problem, a 20lb cat who
should probably weigh about 15, and 2 other cats that are fine. very
difficult to control diet of one cat, so we run him around with the laser
pointer often ... he literally shakes the house (old house ). i tried to
get him to run on the treadmill with me, but he found that even less
unrealistic than i did . we're trying to leash train him as well, but
he's a real scardy cat when it comes to outside which really we don't want
to change since he doesn't try to escape out the door right now.

You're right Rob. I had switched to the Hills m/d because he wasn't
losing on the r/d (and driving me nuts with his constant begging).
Guess that food does the opposite of what it's supposed to for him. I
had a chat with the vet's office today, and based on the printouts I
made from the companies' web sites, chose the Walthams Calorie
Control.

I think what I need to do is play with him in a room, separately. The
other cat is crazy when it comes to playtime, so I think Tucker is
intimidated. He is already leash trained, so I took him outside
tonight for a little fresh air.

I do have a laser pointer, but haven't tried it on him in a while.
Good idea. Also have one of those r/c mice, but I think *I* enjoy it
more than the cats.

"Rob" wrote in message news:bnLXc.83$B91.42@trndny08...
wrote in message
...
(Rene) wrote:

I'm going to the vet's over lunch today to discuss food options, but
it's down to either Hills r/d again or Walthams weight control. I'm so
frustrated! I feel like I'm failing him as a kitty mom. Thoughts,

Hills also has a weight control diet called w/d.

-mhd

just like any other living being, if you burn less calories in a day than
you consume, you gain weight. so, he basically needs more exercise or less
calories or better yet, both. i have the same problem, a 20lb cat who
should probably weigh about 15, and 2 other cats that are fine. very
difficult to control diet of one cat, so we run him around with the laser
pointer often ... he literally shakes the house (old house ). i tried to
get him to run on the treadmill with me, but he found that even less
unrealistic than i did . we're trying to leash train him as well, but
he's a real scardy cat when it comes to outside which really we don't want
to change since he doesn't try to escape out the door right now.

You're right Rob. I had switched to the Hills m/d because he wasn't
losing on the r/d (and driving me nuts with his constant begging).
Guess that food does the opposite of what it's supposed to for him. I
had a chat with the vet's office today, and based on the printouts I
made from the companies' web sites, chose the Walthams Calorie
Control.

I think what I need to do is play with him in a room, separately. The
other cat is crazy when it comes to playtime, so I think Tucker is
intimidated. He is already leash trained, so I took him outside
tonight for a little fresh air.

I do have a laser pointer, but haven't tried it on him in a while.
Good idea. Also have one of those r/c mice, but I think *I* enjoy it
more than the cats.

"blkcatgal" wrote:

r/d has less calories than w/d.

Sorry I meant m/d

-mhd

"blkcatgal" wrote:

r/d has less calories than w/d.

Sorry I meant m/d

-mhd

"blkcatgal" wrote:

r/d has less calories than w/d.

Sorry I meant m/d

-mhd

"Rene" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,

I went in to the vet's yesterday to get Tucker weighed. (He's had a
weight problem that I've been trying to control for over two years.
He's now 6.) He was previously on Hills r/d but the vet switched him
to m/d last December.

He's gained a ton of weight! They did a full blood panel on him, in
case of an underactive thyroid, but everything came back clear. I
don't understand. He gets a specific amount of food every day, no
treats except catnip, he has a cat buddy, has to go up stairs to eat,
etc. etc.

Rene

I used to let Holly free feed on dry cat food. I thought it was successful
because her health always seemed good. Then, over the course of a year or
so, I noticed that she looked a little heavier. Sure enough, she had gained
a pound, and that is a substantial percentage of a cat's weight. It was
about that same time that I changed to Wellness and Felidae canned. Holly's
weight dropped back to her optimal level. I was amazed, because I didn't
change food for weight-reduction reasons. I changed cat food because I had
recently adopted Duffy (who clearly needed better nutrition than what he had
been receiving), and I had also started to read recommendations for canned
food instead of dry food. She and Duffy are both thriving on the diet, have
luxurious coats, and display lots of energy. In both cases, their weight has
now remained completely stable at what I (and the vet) consider their
optimal weights. Moreover, neither cat seems hungry on this diet.

I stick to a 12-hour feeding schedule, or as close to that as possible. Each
cat gets 1/3 can twice per day (sizes are 5.5 oz. cans of Wellness or 6.0
oz. cans of Felidae). I open one can for one meal and use 2/3 of it, divided
between the two cats; then repeat the process for the next meal.

This will leave 1/3 can from two separate cans for one meal the following
day. I microwave the portions that have been refrigerated for a short time
to gently warm it. (Note: I am feeding twice a day, not three times) This
doesn't cost as much extra as I expected because my furbabies don't eat as
much as when I used dry food (and free feeding). Nevertheless, they always
seem satisfied. Duffy weighs a little more than 8 pounds, and Holly weighs 9
pounds. I don't know how much your cat weighs, but you would obviously need
to adjust the quantity commensurate with his weight.

I have noticed that I feed fewer calories than the 30 calories per pound
recommendations that I have read on some sites. It is also less than the 1
can per day that Wellness says is typical for an 8 to 10 pound adult cat.
Other friends have noticed the same thing with their cats. This may be
because indoor cats do not need as many calories as outdoor cats - but, for
whatever reason, I think the "recommended" caloric intake is likely to lead
to fat cats. For example, one 5.5 oz. can of Wellness chicken formula has
181 calories. This means that my cats are getting between 13 and 14 calories
per pound per day, and their weight has remained constant on this diet.
Other types of Wellness will vary slightly, but this gives a reasonable
approximation.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")