Vet Tech Journals: Imp's checkup

Managed to grab Imp, my biggest kitty, and bring him into work with me
today. He was silent and sullen the whole trip there and pouted in the
cage. When i had a free moment i would go visit him and scritch his
chin and he would purr a little.

Now Imp has always been a big boy, ever since i adopted him. And last
year he weighed in at 14.2 lbs. Dr. Z said he was definitely a big boy
and some weight loss wouldn't hurt.

Well imagine the look on my face when i put him on the scale today.
16.2 POUNDS!!! OMG!!! He's really big. And Dr C and I agreed that he
needs to go on a diet, NOW. In fact all three of my cats are a little
bit round.

On Mischief you can tell when she walks, that she has a tummy. And
Mayhem it's a little harder cause she's fluffy.

So all three of them need to lose some weight. The problem is how to
do it. Their diet is Purina Cat Chow. They all get fed when i wake up
around 6:30 before i go to work, and then fed again at 7 pm when i get
home. Each get 1/4 cup both times.

So they'll all come and munch, but eventually they walk away, and then
during the rest of the day or night come back several times to munch on
whatever's left, even if it's not their own bowl.

I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to limit their food intake when
they are so used to mooching off of each other's dishes. I've tried
separate rooms but will almost always catch someone else sneaking a
bite. I'm thinking different levels like putting Mischief's on the
high shelf and Mayhem's in the little cubby she sleeps in and Imp's in
the bedroom under the bed. But during the day i can't monitor them.
Even at night it's hard..........

ARGH!!!

Imp was freaked out when he came home and hadn't eaten his breakfast.
He was hiding behind the armoir so i put his bowl in front of him five
minutes ago. The 'Argh' was because I suddenly heard crunching while i
was typing this and turn to see Imp eating out of Mischief's bowl. He
had nibbled on what i gave him, turned up his nose and walked in here
to eat out of another bowl. IT'S THE SAME FOOD YOU DUMMY!!!!!

See, it's not just Mischief sneaking a bite, but IMP has to eat a
little bit of what's in HIS bowl and then go and eat out of what
Mischief left over in her bowl. And later, Mischief will go eat out of
Mayhem's bowl and Mayhem will eat out of Imp's bowl...........No wonder
they are all plump.

Anyone else here experience the same thing? How do you manage the
weight of one or multiple cats in a multiple cat household?

Dr. C totally sympathizes with me too, since she also owns three cat,
with two of them being overweight. She feeds them in different areas
and levels and that has seemed to work for her.

Oh and BTW, Imp also got vaccinated, his nails trimmed, his ears
cleaned, his anal glands expressed and a BATH!!!! Poor guy!!


Kristi

Mischief wrote:
Anyone else here experience the same thing? How do you manage the
weight of one or multiple cats in a multiple cat household?

I have no idea. Persia eats a grand total of 1/2 a cup of her dry R/x food
a day (fed twice daily, 1/4 cup increments) and she still manages to weigh
in at 16 lbs. They suggested I give her half of that. Oh pulleeeeeze! She
gives me a hard enough time with a only 1/2 a cup, how on earth am I going
to deal with her crying over 1/4 of a cup daily? The vet isn't the one who
has to hear her cry like she's a starving waif in whatever country is
politically correct these days.

Some cats are just "fluffy". Persia is healthy in every other regard so
although I limit her food intake and don't give her people food (she hates
canned tuna anyway and I don't often eat ham) I guess that's the way she's
gonna be. She's just fluffy. But she's so sweet

Jill

IMO, the only way to do it is switch to a low carb wet food and give them
set feeding times. Diet dry food, just doesn't work for kitties. Their
systems are not geared to the carbs in it (I know, I am a broken record).

Here is a great page by a vet that is VERY good with food.

http://www.catinfo.org/



"Mischief" wrote in message
ps.com...
Managed to grab Imp, my biggest kitty, and bring him into work with me
today. He was silent and sullen the whole trip there and pouted in the
cage. When i had a free moment i would go visit him and scritch his
chin and he would purr a little.

Now Imp has always been a big boy, ever since i adopted him. And last
year he weighed in at 14.2 lbs. Dr. Z said he was definitely a big boy
and some weight loss wouldn't hurt.

Well imagine the look on my face when i put him on the scale today.
16.2 POUNDS!!! OMG!!! He's really big. And Dr C and I agreed that he
needs to go on a diet, NOW. In fact all three of my cats are a little
bit round.

On Mischief you can tell when she walks, that she has a tummy. And
Mayhem it's a little harder cause she's fluffy.

So all three of them need to lose some weight. The problem is how to
do it. Their diet is Purina Cat Chow. They all get fed when i wake up
around 6:30 before i go to work, and then fed again at 7 pm when i get
home. Each get 1/4 cup both times.

So they'll all come and munch, but eventually they walk away, and then
during the rest of the day or night come back several times to munch on
whatever's left, even if it's not their own bowl.

I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to limit their food intake when
they are so used to mooching off of each other's dishes. I've tried
separate rooms but will almost always catch someone else sneaking a
bite. I'm thinking different levels like putting Mischief's on the
high shelf and Mayhem's in the little cubby she sleeps in and Imp's in
the bedroom under the bed. But during the day i can't monitor them.
Even at night it's hard..........

ARGH!!!

Imp was freaked out when he came home and hadn't eaten his breakfast.
He was hiding behind the armoir so i put his bowl in front of him five
minutes ago. The 'Argh' was because I suddenly heard crunching while i
was typing this and turn to see Imp eating out of Mischief's bowl. He
had nibbled on what i gave him, turned up his nose and walked in here
to eat out of another bowl. IT'S THE SAME FOOD YOU DUMMY!!!!!

See, it's not just Mischief sneaking a bite, but IMP has to eat a
little bit of what's in HIS bowl and then go and eat out of what
Mischief left over in her bowl. And later, Mischief will go eat out of
Mayhem's bowl and Mayhem will eat out of Imp's bowl...........No wonder
they are all plump.

Anyone else here experience the same thing? How do you manage the
weight of one or multiple cats in a multiple cat household?

Dr. C totally sympathizes with me too, since she also owns three cat,
with two of them being overweight. She feeds them in different areas
and levels and that has seemed to work for her.

Oh and BTW, Imp also got vaccinated, his nails trimmed, his ears
cleaned, his anal glands expressed and a BATH!!!! Poor guy!!


Kristi

And this chart helps too

http://www.geocities.com/jmpeerson/canfood.html

It's on Dr. Lisa's page, but it's good to post separately as she has values
for regular store brands too.

"Karen" wrote in message
...
IMO, the only way to do it is switch to a low carb wet food and give them
set feeding times. Diet dry food, just doesn't work for kitties. Their
systems are not geared to the carbs in it (I know, I am a broken record).

Here is a great page by a vet that is VERY good with food.

http://www.catinfo.org/



"Mischief" wrote in message
ps.com...
Managed to grab Imp, my biggest kitty, and bring him into work with me
today. He was silent and sullen the whole trip there and pouted in the
cage. When i had a free moment i would go visit him and scritch his
chin and he would purr a little.

Now Imp has always been a big boy, ever since i adopted him. And last
year he weighed in at 14.2 lbs. Dr. Z said he was definitely a big boy
and some weight loss wouldn't hurt.

Well imagine the look on my face when i put him on the scale today.
16.2 POUNDS!!! OMG!!! He's really big. And Dr C and I agreed that he
needs to go on a diet, NOW. In fact all three of my cats are a little
bit round.

On Mischief you can tell when she walks, that she has a tummy. And
Mayhem it's a little harder cause she's fluffy.

So all three of them need to lose some weight. The problem is how to
do it. Their diet is Purina Cat Chow. They all get fed when i wake up
around 6:30 before i go to work, and then fed again at 7 pm when i get
home. Each get 1/4 cup both times.

So they'll all come and munch, but eventually they walk away, and then
during the rest of the day or night come back several times to munch on
whatever's left, even if it's not their own bowl.

I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to limit their food intake when
they are so used to mooching off of each other's dishes. I've tried
separate rooms but will almost always catch someone else sneaking a
bite. I'm thinking different levels like putting Mischief's on the
high shelf and Mayhem's in the little cubby she sleeps in and Imp's in
the bedroom under the bed. But during the day i can't monitor them.
Even at night it's hard..........

ARGH!!!

Imp was freaked out when he came home and hadn't eaten his breakfast.
He was hiding behind the armoir so i put his bowl in front of him five
minutes ago. The 'Argh' was because I suddenly heard crunching while i
was typing this and turn to see Imp eating out of Mischief's bowl. He
had nibbled on what i gave him, turned up his nose and walked in here
to eat out of another bowl. IT'S THE SAME FOOD YOU DUMMY!!!!!

See, it's not just Mischief sneaking a bite, but IMP has to eat a
little bit of what's in HIS bowl and then go and eat out of what
Mischief left over in her bowl. And later, Mischief will go eat out of
Mayhem's bowl and Mayhem will eat out of Imp's bowl...........No wonder
they are all plump.

Anyone else here experience the same thing? How do you manage the
weight of one or multiple cats in a multiple cat household?

Dr. C totally sympathizes with me too, since she also owns three cat,
with two of them being overweight. She feeds them in different areas
and levels and that has seemed to work for her.

Oh and BTW, Imp also got vaccinated, his nails trimmed, his ears
cleaned, his anal glands expressed and a BATH!!!! Poor guy!!


Kristi

I have 3 cats and they eat in different rooms with the doors closed. When
the slowest eater is done the doors get opened. They are fed 2 times a day
and dry food is not left out for them to snack all day. I started this when
I realized one was eating fast and them eating the others ones food. I only
had 2 cats then. It has worked out good doing this.

Ann

Ann

--
read Sam's blog at http://kittens-3.blogspot.com/
see pictures of Sam at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ann791/my_photos
"Mischief" wrote in message
ps.com...
Managed to grab Imp, my biggest kitty, and bring him into work with me
today. He was silent and sullen the whole trip there and pouted in the
cage. When i had a free moment i would go visit him and scritch his
chin and he would purr a little.

Now Imp has always been a big boy, ever since i adopted him. And last
year he weighed in at 14.2 lbs. Dr. Z said he was definitely a big boy
and some weight loss wouldn't hurt.

Well imagine the look on my face when i put him on the scale today.
16.2 POUNDS!!! OMG!!! He's really big. And Dr C and I agreed that he
needs to go on a diet, NOW. In fact all three of my cats are a little
bit round.

On Mischief you can tell when she walks, that she has a tummy. And
Mayhem it's a little harder cause she's fluffy.

So all three of them need to lose some weight. The problem is how to
do it. Their diet is Purina Cat Chow. They all get fed when i wake up
around 6:30 before i go to work, and then fed again at 7 pm when i get
home. Each get 1/4 cup both times.

So they'll all come and munch, but eventually they walk away, and then
during the rest of the day or night come back several times to munch on
whatever's left, even if it's not their own bowl.

I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to limit their food intake when
they are so used to mooching off of each other's dishes. I've tried
separate rooms but will almost always catch someone else sneaking a
bite. I'm thinking different levels like putting Mischief's on the
high shelf and Mayhem's in the little cubby she sleeps in and Imp's in
the bedroom under the bed. But during the day i can't monitor them.
Even at night it's hard..........

ARGH!!!

Imp was freaked out when he came home and hadn't eaten his breakfast.
He was hiding behind the armoir so i put his bowl in front of him five
minutes ago. The 'Argh' was because I suddenly heard crunching while i
was typing this and turn to see Imp eating out of Mischief's bowl. He
had nibbled on what i gave him, turned up his nose and walked in here
to eat out of another bowl. IT'S THE SAME FOOD YOU DUMMY!!!!!

See, it's not just Mischief sneaking a bite, but IMP has to eat a
little bit of what's in HIS bowl and then go and eat out of what
Mischief left over in her bowl. And later, Mischief will go eat out of
Mayhem's bowl and Mayhem will eat out of Imp's bowl...........No wonder
they are all plump.

Anyone else here experience the same thing? How do you manage the
weight of one or multiple cats in a multiple cat household?

Dr. C totally sympathizes with me too, since she also owns three cat,
with two of them being overweight. She feeds them in different areas
and levels and that has seemed to work for her.

Oh and BTW, Imp also got vaccinated, his nails trimmed, his ears
cleaned, his anal glands expressed and a BATH!!!! Poor guy!!


Kristi

Ann wrote:

I have 3 cats and they eat in different rooms with the doors closed. When
the slowest eater is done the doors get opened. They are fed 2 times a day
and dry food is not left out for them to snack all day. I started this when
I realized one was eating fast and them eating the others ones food. I only
had 2 cats then. It has worked out good doing this.

I do this, too. My cats have a definite hierarchy around the food, and if
I just left them to their own devices, Smudge would eat most of it and
Licky would get nothing. Also, Roxy gets medicine in her food and I want
her to eat it. I don't want Smudge nosing it away from her, and I don't
want Roxy distracted by Licky's food and leaving half her medicine uneaten.
I don't find this too difficult to manage.

I realize that not everyone has several rooms with doors, although even
if the bathroom is the only room with a door, that's something, at least.

Joyce

"Mischief" wrote in message
ps.com...
Managed to grab Imp, my biggest kitty, and bring him into work with me
today. He was silent and sullen the whole trip there and pouted in the
cage. When i had a free moment i would go visit him and scritch his
chin and he would purr a little.

Now Imp has always been a big boy, ever since i adopted him. And last
year he weighed in at 14.2 lbs. Dr. Z said he was definitely a big boy
and some weight loss wouldn't hurt.

Well imagine the look on my face when i put him on the scale today.
16.2 POUNDS!!! OMG!!! He's really big. And Dr C and I agreed that he
needs to go on a diet, NOW. In fact all three of my cats are a little
bit round.

On Mischief you can tell when she walks, that she has a tummy. And
Mayhem it's a little harder cause she's fluffy.

So all three of them need to lose some weight. The problem is how to
do it. Their diet is Purina Cat Chow. They all get fed when i wake up
around 6:30 before i go to work, and then fed again at 7 pm when i get
home. Each get 1/4 cup both times.

So they'll all come and munch, but eventually they walk away, and then
during the rest of the day or night come back several times to munch on
whatever's left, even if it's not their own bowl.

I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to limit their food intake when
they are so used to mooching off of each other's dishes.

Hmmm. Try putting them on wet food twice a day and take up what they don't
eat at each mealtime, until giving them fresh the next meal.
My two don't have a weight problem perhaps because they can go out and
exercise, so that uses more calories.
If I had to keep them inside, I definitely wouldn't give Boyfie as much food
as he gets now. He eats nearly a big tin of cat food per day, plus a bit of
dry (because he loves dry so much) and his weight is stable at around 7 and
a half pounds. Kitty eats about half that amount, but she is half his
size and weight.
I leave a few tablespoons of dry food when I go to work in the morning -
after they have had their wet food breakfast - but not enough for them to
keep snacking on all day. They are ready for their wet food in the evening
then, looking forward to it, even.
We all know that the only way that ourselves or our pets get overweight is
when more calories are being taken in than are being used up. It really is
as simple as that.

Tweed

"Mischief" wrote

How do you manage the weight of ... multiple cats?

I think cats eat more than they need if they are bored. All but two of my
seven are a tad on the heavy side but none are what I would call *too* fat,
and it's not because they eat too much, it's because they are less active
since they've been contained in the house. Abelard and Lily tend to be
thinner so they get extra treats in a separate room.

Oh and BTW, Imp also got vaccinated, his nails trimmed, his ears
cleaned, his anal glands expressed and a BATH!!!! Poor guy!!

May as well get it all done at one time!

Christina Websell wrote:

Hmmm. Try putting them on wet food twice a day and take up what they don't
eat at each mealtime, until giving them fresh the next meal.

This was exactly what I was thinking. They may be mad at you for a few
days, and they may refuse the wet food for a few days if they've only
had dry so far, but I think we need a bit of tough love here if they are
all overweight.

If I left dry food out (and if Miranda even ate dry food), Caliban would
hoover it all up in a few minutes and Miranda would never get any. I
have to be very tricky with Mir's food. She nibbles a little at a time,
and after every nibble, I lift her plate up on the fridge where Cali
can't get at it. If she hasn't eaten all her food by the time I have to
leave for work, I lift her plate on top of my closet. Miranda the
monkeycat can climb up there, but Caliban can't.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.
Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Mischief wrote:

Managed to grab Imp, my biggest kitty, and bring him into work with me
today. He was silent and sullen the whole trip there and pouted in the
cage. When i had a free moment i would go visit him and scritch his
chin and he would purr a little.
snip
Oh and BTW, Imp also got vaccinated, his nails trimmed, his ears
cleaned, his anal glands expressed and a BATH!!!! Poor guy!!


Kristi

What a day for Imp!
Purrs,
Polonca and Soncek