Diet & Weighing Survey

After reading many of the posts to Catnipped's survey, and having recently
acquired (the hard way) some experience on feline diabetes, I became curious
(and eager to learn more) about how closely people watch their cats' diets.
Thus:

1. Do you count your cats' caloric intake:
-- Pretty exactly
-- Somewhat. They get the get the same, measured amount of food each day.
-- Not at all

[Pretty exactly. That's new for me and cats.]

2. By appearance, does your cat seem:
-- a little overweight
-- a lot overweight
-- slim
-- skinny
-- just right

[I think he's just right, but it's a little hard to say, as he has a touch
of tapeworm and so has a bit of a pot belly.]

3. Do you weigh your cat(s)? If so, how often? Using what type of scale.

[Yes, once a day. I use a human digital scale. I weigh myself then weigh me
with the cat. I repeat this twice to make sure the scale seems to be working
correctly.]

4. If you weigh your cat(s), how much does your cat(s) weigh? (Conversion
factor: 2.2046 lbs/kg)

[11.5 lbs]

5. If you do count your cat's calories, how many calories per pound of cat
does s/he receive each day?

[Right now he's having about 23 calories/lb., but I've only had him a week
and so don't know if he's maintaining weight, gaining, or losing.]

"Elle" wrote in message
.net...
After reading many of the posts to Catnipped's survey, and having recently
acquired (the hard way) some experience on feline diabetes, I became
curious
(and eager to learn more) about how closely people watch their cats'
diets.
Thus:

1. Do you count your cats' caloric intake:
-- Pretty exactly
-- Somewhat. They get the get the same, measured amount of food each day.
-- Not at all

Not at all, I watch their weight, not their caloric comsumption. Sammy's
weight will bear watching now (as you can see in the pictures I just
posted), but she has very obvious Maine Coon ancestry, just made 1 year old
(and I would hesitate to put so young a kitten on a calory restricted diet),
she gets *TONS* of exercise, and I can still feel her ribs easily. Not
being facetious, she is "fluffy" - as in *very* long-haired, so it's just
hard to tell by looking at her. Jessie is the perfect wieght for her size
and Bandit and Demi are, if anything, a bit underweight.

2. By appearance, does your cat seem:
-- a little overweight
-- a lot overweight
-- slim
-- skinny
-- just right

Sammy, as above, *maybe* a bit overweight (she'll be going to the vet next
month for her yearly check-up and I'll find out from her doctor if she
really is or is just a *big* girl ;).

Jessie is just right.

Bandit and Demi maybe a tad underweight.

3. Do you weigh your cat(s)? If so, how often? Using what type of scale.

Yes, but only on my bathroom scale by weighing myself and then holding the
cat and weighing again and looking at the difference in the two weights. If
I were concered about their weight I would proabaly buy a scale like the vet
has. But I don't think that's an issue right now.


4. If you weigh your cat(s), how much does your cat(s) weigh? (Conversion
factor: 2.2046 lbs/kg)

Sammy 14.7 pounds.
Bandit 9.8 pounds
Demi 6.4 pounds
Jessie 4.8 pounds

5. If you do count your cat's calories, how many calories per pound of cat
does s/he receive each day?

I don't count calories, but I give the same *amount* every day.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Elle wrote:
After reading many of the posts to Catnipped's survey, and having
recently
acquired (the hard way) some experience on feline diabetes, I became
curious
(and eager to learn more) about how closely people watch their cats'
diets.
Thus:

If I only had one cat, I'd do better. As it is, I have five, various
ages and degrees of round-ness. Boots is a tiny thing and extremely
picky; Biskit has become a tub and will clean up everybody's leftovers
if I let her; Yoda only likes chicken-varieties of canned, and that's
all; Bosley is a youngster, very active and lean, and needs more
calories. Feeding time is complicated, and Biskit has to be locked in
the bedroom with her own food. Nobody gets free fed because of her.
Every time I catch Boots alone in the kitchen, I offer her a bit of
canned food just to encourage her to eat a little more. She tends to
pick at her food and only eat a very small amount several times a day.
IMO, weighing the cat is extremely important. It is a major symptom of
hidden illness, and you can't tell a cat has lost weight until they've
lost a substantial amount. I just have baby scales, but I weigh them
about once a month.

Sherry

"Elle" wrote in message
.net...

SNIP


WOW! A post about cats!!!!

1. Don't count calories, Feed them both on a volume of food to weight
formula.
2. Both kittens are healthy & not overweight, just right.
3. Yes, I weigh them, my scale is a hooman one, so it's not real precise...
But it tells me if the kitties are gaining or staying stable.
4. Chablis 7 lbs, Muscat 5 lbs.
5. n/a
--
Mathew
Butler to 2 kittens: Chablis & Muscat
En Vino Veritas

Elle wrote:

After reading many of the posts to Catnipped's survey, and having recently
acquired (the hard way) some experience on feline diabetes, I became curious
(and eager to learn more) about how closely people watch their cats' diets.
Thus:

1. Do you count your cats' caloric intake:
-- Pretty exactly
-- Somewhat. They get the get the same, measured amount of food each day.
-- Not at all

No.


[Pretty exactly. That's new for me and cats.]

2. By appearance, does your cat seem:
-- a little overweight
-- a lot overweight
-- slim
-- skinny
-- just right

Just right.


[I think he's just right, but it's a little hard to say, as he has a touch
of tapeworm and so has a bit of a pot belly.]

3. Do you weigh your cat(s)? If so, how often? Using what type of scale.

Human scale. I weigh myself, then myself and the cat in my arms... on a
digital scale.


[Yes, once a day. I use a human digital scale. I weigh myself then weigh me
with the cat. I repeat this twice to make sure the scale seems to be working
correctly.]

4. If you weigh your cat(s), how much does your cat(s) weigh? (Conversion
factor: 2.2046 lbs/kg)

[11.5 lbs]

18 pounds.


5. If you do count your cat's calories, how many calories per pound of cat
does s/he receive each day?

[Right now he's having about 23 calories/lb., but I've only had him a week
and so don't know if he's maintaining weight, gaining, or losing.]



Your survey is missing an important element. Breed of cat if applicable.
Some are naturally bigger than others and the weight quoted may leave
some thinking the cat is overweight... which mine is not because she is
a Ragdoll.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Elle wrote:
After reading many of the posts to Catnipped's survey, and having
recently
acquired (the hard way) some experience on feline diabetes, I became
curious
(and eager to learn more) about how closely people watch their cats'
diets.
Thus:

If I only had one cat, I'd do better. As it is, I have five, various
ages and degrees of round-ness. Boots is a tiny thing and extremely
picky; Biskit has become a tub and will clean up everybody's leftovers
if I let her; Yoda only likes chicken-varieties of canned, and that's
all; Bosley is a youngster, very active and lean, and needs more
calories. Feeding time is complicated, and Biskit has to be locked in
the bedroom with her own food. Nobody gets free fed because of her.
Every time I catch Boots alone in the kitchen, I offer her a bit of
canned food just to encourage her to eat a little more. She tends to
pick at her food and only eat a very small amount several times a day.
IMO, weighing the cat is extremely important. It is a major symptom of
hidden illness, and you can't tell a cat has lost weight until they've
lost a substantial amount. I just have baby scales, but I weigh them
about once a month.

I was wondering how folks with multiple cats coped. Sounds like you're very
disciplined and regimented to ensure all the cats' health; good for you!

"CatNipped" wrote
snip
4. If you weigh your cat(s), how much does your cat(s) weigh?
(Conversion
factor: 2.2046 lbs/kg)

Sammy 14.7 pounds.
Bandit 9.8 pounds
Demi 6.4 pounds
Jessie 4.8 pounds

Seems like one diverse group of sizes!

5. If you do count your cat's calories, how many calories per pound of
cat
does s/he receive each day?

I don't count calories, but I give the same *amount* every day.

I have taken the sacred vow to do the same. I shall not be swayed by any
cat's charms again. Surely they'd choose a little nutrional regimentation
over diabetes etc.! My Truman cat is okay with it as long as I play with him
a little when he starts meowing around the fridge, obviously quite eager to
have an extra helping of those good canned turkey giblets, etc.

"Elle" wrote in message
ink.net...
"CatNipped" wrote
snip
4. If you weigh your cat(s), how much does your cat(s) weigh?
(Conversion
factor: 2.2046 lbs/kg)

Sammy 14.7 pounds.
Bandit 9.8 pounds
Demi 6.4 pounds
Jessie 4.8 pounds

Seems like one diverse group of sizes!

The funniest thing is the littlest one, Jessie, regularly beats up the
biggest one, Sammy. Sammy still thinks she's a tiny kitten (as evidenced as
the pictures I just posted of Sammy in her undersized bed:
http://www.possibleplaces.com/CatNipped/Too_Big_Two/), but lord help Jessie
the day she realizes she's not! ;

Here's some pictures that shows both the difference in their size *and*
their pecking order: http://www.possibleplaces.com/CatNipped/BigLittle/.

5. If you do count your cat's calories, how many calories per pound of
cat
does s/he receive each day?

I don't count calories, but I give the same *amount* every day.

I have taken the sacred vow to do the same. I shall not be swayed by any
cat's charms again. Surely they'd choose a little nutrional regimentation
over diabetes etc.! My Truman cat is okay with it as long as I play with
him
a little when he starts meowing around the fridge, obviously quite eager
to
have an extra helping of those good canned turkey giblets, etc.

Sammy is the only one who is really voracious, but then she's still a
kitten. Jessie just eats when she's hungry and Bandit and Demi are picky
eaters.

Hugs,

CatNipped

"CatNipped" wrote
snip
Here's some pictures that shows both the difference in their size *and*
their pecking order: http://www.possibleplaces.com/CatNipped/BigLittle/.

I just went to your http://www.possibleplaces.com/CatNipped/Four_Sisters/ ,
too: What a fine quartet that make an already lovely-looking home even more
beautiful!

"Elle" wrote in message
ink.net...
"CatNipped" wrote
snip
Here's some pictures that shows both the difference in their size *and*
their pecking order:
http://www.possibleplaces.com/CatNipped/BigLittle/.

I just went to your http://www.possibleplaces.com/CatNipped/Four_Sisters/
,
too: What a fine quartet that make an already lovely-looking home even
more
beautiful!

Thank you! I need to go back and take the snide comments off the page now
though since I decided to get out of the indoor/outdoor wars.

Hugs,

CatNipped