Schwartzie the Love-Bug and a Request for Suggestions

I go next door two to three times a day to take care of my neighbors cats
when she's out of town. I feed them, scoop the litter box, let them outside
if they want, and let them back in. Schwartzie has been mostly disinclined
to go outside which is fine with me. I have had problems trying to get them
back inside at night in the past. And unlike previous episodes of
cat-sitting, Fetters doesn't seem to care to stay out for very long. So
that's all well and good, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, I went over mid-morning and Fetters wanted back inside. Okey doke.
Then Schwarztie started rolling around on the living room floor, begging for
scritches and attention. Awww! He head-butted me, he rubbed up against my
legs, he mrrrphed at me and he purred! I've never heard him purr before!
This is a change from his normal stand-offish behaviour. It made me smile.
It also made me feel guilty when I had to leave. I'll be back to give them
more FF tonight.

An aside, speaking of FF. Their cat-mom bought a case of FF in gravy. I
noticed the same thing with Persia (who gets FF or the Publix equivalent)
once a week. When I bought the "with gravy" stuff, she'd lap up the gravy
and leave the rest of the food pretty much untouched. I've noticed the same
thing with her cats.

I'm not about to tell her what to feed her cats. But I took over a can of
the "pate" type I had and they scarfed it up and literally licked the bowl
clean. There was not a drop of food left. So, is there an appropriate way
to point out she's pretty much wasting her money if they only lick the gravy
and leave the food behind to be thrown away?

She's on a budget just like I am. So even though she probably got a deal FF
isn't cheap. Especially not since most of it is going down the garbage
disposal. Any suggestions?

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
I go next door two to three times a day to take care of my neighbors
cats when she's out of town. I feed them, scoop the litter box, let
them outside if they want, and let them back in. Schwartzie has been
mostly disinclined to go outside which is fine with me. I have had
problems trying to get them back inside at night in the past. And
unlike previous episodes of cat-sitting, Fetters doesn't seem to care to
stay out for very long. So that's all well and good, as far as I'm
concerned.

Well, I went over mid-morning and Fetters wanted back inside. Okey
doke. Then Schwarztie started rolling around on the living room floor,
begging for scritches and attention. Awww! He head-butted me, he
rubbed up against my legs, he mrrrphed at me and he purred! I've never
heard him purr before! This is a change from his normal stand-offish
behaviour. It made me smile. It also made me feel guilty when I had to
leave. I'll be back to give them more FF tonight.

An aside, speaking of FF. Their cat-mom bought a case of FF in gravy.
I noticed the same thing with Persia (who gets FF or the Publix
equivalent) once a week. When I bought the "with gravy" stuff, she'd
lap up the gravy and leave the rest of the food pretty much untouched.
I've noticed the same thing with her cats.

I'm not about to tell her what to feed her cats. But I took over a can
of the "pate" type I had and they scarfed it up and literally licked the
bowl clean. There was not a drop of food left. So, is there an
appropriate way to point out she's pretty much wasting her money if they
only lick the gravy and leave the food behind to be thrown away?

She's on a budget just like I am. So even though she probably got a
deal FF isn't cheap. Especially not since most of it is going down the
garbage disposal. Any suggestions?

Jill



Simple: just tell her how they scarfed up the pate.

If she trusts you enough to care for her cats, then showing her how to save
and also feed her cats shouldn't be a problem.
"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
I go next door two to three times a day to take care of my neighbors cats
when she's out of town. I feed them, scoop the litter box, let them
outside if they want, and let them back in. Schwartzie has been mostly
disinclined to go outside which is fine with me. I have had problems
trying to get them back inside at night in the past. And unlike previous
episodes of cat-sitting, Fetters doesn't seem to care to stay out for very
long. So that's all well and good, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, I went over mid-morning and Fetters wanted back inside. Okey doke.
Then Schwarztie started rolling around on the living room floor, begging
for scritches and attention. Awww! He head-butted me, he rubbed up
against my legs, he mrrrphed at me and he purred! I've never heard him
purr before! This is a change from his normal stand-offish behaviour. It
made me smile. It also made me feel guilty when I had to leave. I'll be
back to give them more FF tonight.

An aside, speaking of FF. Their cat-mom bought a case of FF in gravy. I
noticed the same thing with Persia (who gets FF or the Publix equivalent)
once a week. When I bought the "with gravy" stuff, she'd lap up the gravy
and leave the rest of the food pretty much untouched. I've noticed the
same thing with her cats.

I'm not about to tell her what to feed her cats. But I took over a can of
the "pate" type I had and they scarfed it up and literally licked the bowl
clean. There was not a drop of food left. So, is there an appropriate
way to point out she's pretty much wasting her money if they only lick the
gravy and leave the food behind to be thrown away?

She's on a budget just like I am. So even though she probably got a deal
FF isn't cheap. Especially not since most of it is going down the garbage
disposal. Any suggestions?

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
I go next door two to three times a day to take care of my neighbors cats
when she's out of town. I feed them, scoop the litter box, let them
outside if they want, and let them back in. Schwartzie has been mostly
disinclined to go outside which is fine with me. I have had problems
trying to get them back inside at night in the past. And unlike previous
episodes of cat-sitting, Fetters doesn't seem to care to stay out for very
long. So that's all well and good, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, I went over mid-morning and Fetters wanted back inside. Okey doke.
Then Schwarztie started rolling around on the living room floor, begging
for scritches and attention. Awww! He head-butted me, he rubbed up
against my legs, he mrrrphed at me and he purred! I've never heard him
purr before! This is a change from his normal stand-offish behaviour. It
made me smile. It also made me feel guilty when I had to leave. I'll be
back to give them more FF tonight.

An aside, speaking of FF. Their cat-mom bought a case of FF in gravy. I
noticed the same thing with Persia (who gets FF or the Publix equivalent)
once a week. When I bought the "with gravy" stuff, she'd lap up the gravy
and leave the rest of the food pretty much untouched. I've noticed the
same thing with her cats.

I'm not about to tell her what to feed her cats. But I took over a can of
the "pate" type I had and they scarfed it up and literally licked the bowl
clean. There was not a drop of food left. So, is there an appropriate
way to point out she's pretty much wasting her money if they only lick the
gravy and leave the food behind to be thrown away?

She's on a budget just like I am. So even though she probably got a deal
FF isn't cheap. Especially not since most of it is going down the garbage
disposal. Any suggestions?

Jill

Well, PetsMart's a few pennies higher than Wal-Mart, but *only* a few cents.
However, PetsMart will let you "swap" one flavor with another flavor
(unopened cans, of course). So if your cats sample one can of food out of
the case you just bought and hated it, they will let you do an even "swap".
Unlike other pet stores, it seems like they really know cats. I'll walk in,
hand the unopened can to the check-out person, go get another flavor and
just walk out of the store.

"jmcquown" wrote in
:

I go next door two to three times a day to take care of my neighbors
cats when she's out of town. I feed them, scoop the litter box, let
them outside if they want, and let them back in. Schwartzie has been
mostly disinclined to go outside which is fine with me. I have had
problems trying to get them back inside at night in the past. And
unlike previous episodes of cat-sitting, Fetters doesn't seem to care
to stay out for very long. So that's all well and good, as far as I'm
concerned.

Well, I went over mid-morning and Fetters wanted back inside. Okey
doke. Then Schwarztie started rolling around on the living room floor,
begging for scritches and attention. Awww! He head-butted me, he
rubbed up against my legs, he mrrrphed at me and he purred! I've
never heard him purr before! This is a change from his normal
stand-offish behaviour. It made me smile. It also made me feel guilty
when I had to leave. I'll be back to give them more FF tonight.

An aside, speaking of FF. Their cat-mom bought a case of FF in gravy.
I noticed the same thing with Persia (who gets FF or the Publix
equivalent) once a week. When I bought the "with gravy" stuff, she'd
lap up the gravy and leave the rest of the food pretty much untouched.
I've noticed the same thing with her cats.

I'm not about to tell her what to feed her cats. But I took over a
can of the "pate" type I had and they scarfed it up and literally
licked the bowl clean. There was not a drop of food left. So, is
there an appropriate way to point out she's pretty much wasting her
money if they only lick the gravy and leave the food behind to be
thrown away?

She's on a budget just like I am. So even though she probably got a
deal FF isn't cheap. Especially not since most of it is going down
the garbage disposal. Any suggestions?

Jill


Sonny does that too with certain FF cans. So I just squish the food with a
fork to make it more like pate, and down it goes.

Bobble

On Mon, 6 Sep 2010 13:23:21 -0400, "jmcquown"
wrote:

I go next door two to three times a day to take care of my neighbors cats
when she's out of town. I feed them, scoop the litter box, let them outside
if they want, and let them back in. Schwartzie has been mostly disinclined
to go outside which is fine with me. I have had problems trying to get them
back inside at night in the past. And unlike previous episodes of
cat-sitting, Fetters doesn't seem to care to stay out for very long. So
that's all well and good, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, I went over mid-morning and Fetters wanted back inside. Okey doke.
Then Schwarztie started rolling around on the living room floor, begging for
scritches and attention. Awww! He head-butted me, he rubbed up against my
legs, he mrrrphed at me and he purred! I've never heard him purr before!
This is a change from his normal stand-offish behaviour. It made me smile.
It also made me feel guilty when I had to leave. I'll be back to give them
more FF tonight.

An aside, speaking of FF. Their cat-mom bought a case of FF in gravy. I
noticed the same thing with Persia (who gets FF or the Publix equivalent)
once a week. When I bought the "with gravy" stuff, she'd lap up the gravy
and leave the rest of the food pretty much untouched. I've noticed the same
thing with her cats.

I'm not about to tell her what to feed her cats. But I took over a can of
the "pate" type I had and they scarfed it up and literally licked the bowl
clean. There was not a drop of food left. So, is there an appropriate way
to point out she's pretty much wasting her money if they only lick the gravy
and leave the food behind to be thrown away?

She's on a budget just like I am. So even though she probably got a deal FF
isn't cheap. Especially not since most of it is going down the garbage
disposal. Any suggestions?

Jill

Can you take a spoon or fork, and mix the gravy thoroughly with the
food? Perhaps they would eat it then.

Or mix a can of the stuff with gravy, with the 'pate' food, so they eat
the food, and not just lick the gravy?

They the expensive FF she already has won't go to waste(?)

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^

"Life without cats would be only marginally worth living."
-TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie.

Every day is a treasure with Kenzie; I try to treat them that way. There
will only be so many, and then there will never, ever, be any more.

How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven.
- Robert Heinlein



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On 6 Sep, 21:19, Bobble wrote:


Sonny does that too with certain FF cans. *So I just squish the food with a
fork to make it more like pate, and down it goes.


I always squish up wet food be it gravy or jelly if I don't The
Fabulous Furballs lick off the jelly/gravy then wander round grumbling
about how hungry they are! They have me very well trained about food
presentation!

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

"Lesley" wrote in message
...
On 6 Sep, 21:19, Bobble wrote:


Sonny does that too with certain FF cans. So I just squish the food with a
fork to make it more like pate, and down it goes.


I always squish up wet food be it gravy or jelly if I don't The
Fabulous Furballs lick off the jelly/gravy then wander round grumbling
about how hungry they are! They have me very well trained about food
presentation!


____
Boyfie started to do this a while ago "it's not quite like I want it" so I
used to squash it up and run around getting it exactly like he wanted.
Then I though "hang on a minute, this is a cat who was in the out, starving
and would eat any cat food that came his way."
So I stopped. He gets very good, almost top quality food, and if he cannot
be arsed to eat it in small pieces I thought he must go without so I left
him to get on with eating it or not. I took it up after an hour if he moaned
about how he'd like it to be slightly different.
Then he changed his mind ;-)
He decided everything in his bowl was fair game even in bigger chunks than
his delicate new sensibilities would like it to be.
In short. Eat it or leave it. He eats it.
I've no time for healthy cats that get spoiled enough to get picky over what
they will or will not eat.
If they are are poorly I will go to the ends of the earth to mess around
with their food to make it what they want, but not for a healthy one who is
taking the proverbial to see what better it can get ;-)

On 9/6/2010 4:19 PM, Bobble wrote:
wrote in
:

I go next door two to three times a day to take care of my neighbors
cats when she's out of town. I feed them, scoop the litter box, let
them outside if they want, and let them back in. Schwartzie has been
mostly disinclined to go outside which is fine with me. I have had
problems trying to get them back inside at night in the past. And
unlike previous episodes of cat-sitting, Fetters doesn't seem to care
to stay out for very long. So that's all well and good, as far as I'm
concerned.

Well, I went over mid-morning and Fetters wanted back inside. Okey
doke. Then Schwarztie started rolling around on the living room floor,
begging for scritches and attention. Awww! He head-butted me, he
rubbed up against my legs, he mrrrphed at me and he purred! I've
never heard him purr before! This is a change from his normal
stand-offish behaviour. It made me smile. It also made me feel guilty
when I had to leave. I'll be back to give them more FF tonight.

An aside, speaking of FF. Their cat-mom bought a case of FF in gravy.
I noticed the same thing with Persia (who gets FF or the Publix
equivalent) once a week. When I bought the "with gravy" stuff, she'd
lap up the gravy and leave the rest of the food pretty much untouched.
I've noticed the same thing with her cats.

I'm not about to tell her what to feed her cats. But I took over a
can of the "pate" type I had and they scarfed it up and literally
licked the bowl clean. There was not a drop of food left. So, is
there an appropriate way to point out she's pretty much wasting her
money if they only lick the gravy and leave the food behind to be
thrown away?

She's on a budget just like I am. So even though she probably got a
deal FF isn't cheap. Especially not since most of it is going down
the garbage disposal. Any suggestions?

Jill


Sonny does that too with certain FF cans. So I just squish the food with a
fork to make it more like pate, and down it goes.

Bobble

I think it's the texture of the food they don't like, so they just lap
up the gravy. If you do what bobble says, then the texture is different
so therefore they will eat it. IIRC, the style with gravy is in sort of
a cube, and they are sort of rubbery, so who can blame them? I know I
don't like rubbery meat in cube form - but if it's more like, say, grape
flavored Bubble Yum that is (artificial grape flavor, and enough sugar
to cause diabetes) I'm there!!!

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Magic Mood Jeep wrote:

I think it's the texture of the food they don't like, so they just lap
up the gravy. If you do what bobble says, then the texture is different
so therefore they will eat it. IIRC, the style with gravy is in sort of
a cube, and they are sort of rubbery, so who can blame them? I know I
don't like rubbery meat in cube form - but if it's more like, say, grape
flavored Bubble Yum that is (artificial grape flavor, and enough sugar
to cause diabetes) I'm there!!!

LOL. I have this thing for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, or
cupcakes, etc. Luckily, that requires too much of a production for me to
eat it all the time!

I feed Smudge FF (when she can be bothered to come by for some food),
and I noticed that the kinds in gravy comes in a variety of shapes and
consistencies. Some of it is cubed, as you said. Some is more shredded.
No idea why they won't eat it - it looks pretty good to me.

Joyce

--
There is, incidently, no way of talking about cats that enables one
to come off as a sane person.
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