Fat cat contest, it's wrong!

wrote in message
...
"Mary" wrote:
Mary, why don't you give Hills M/D a try? I've had Gus on it for ~3
months and it has really helped him to lose weight. He always was a
whiner for continuous handouts but since going on the M/D he seems
more satisfied with what he gets.


Hi, thanks, I will! I should have asked if anyone knew of a good food. I'll
see if my vet has it.

"Phil P." wrote

Mary, what type of weight loss program is Buddha on?

I cut her dry food down to 1/4 cup a day that I give her in sprinkles
if she begs too much. (This cat is intense--stares at me like "I will
KILL you if you don't FEED me and screams at me!) Then she gets
half a can of the only cat food she loves *wince* FF Chopped Grill--
every 12 hours. We play every night, her galloping after the pointer.


If you're interested,
I can tell you about the weight-loss program we've had success with.
Also,
you might want to think about getting a good pediatric scale so you can
monitor her weight more closely. Its hard to notice subtle weight losses
or
gains in a cat you're with everyday. Seeing small losses every few days
reduces the frustration and lets you know the program is working.

I'd love to hear about the program you have had success with. Perhaps
you will post it hereso others can benefit too?

I highly recommend the Tanita 1583. The 1583 has gradations down to .5 oz
(10 g). I've had mine for a few years and I have absolutely no
complaints.
Tanita makes excellent scales. I also have a BLB-12 that I use for
weighing
cats on fluid therapy. The gradations go down to .1 oz, but you don't
need
a scale that accurate (and expensive) for normal weighing.

Here's how simple it is:

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

Phil


I'll ask for it for Christmas. I already take her heart rate twice a day,
by the way, with the stethascope I bought. It is down around 180
most of the time now--down from 300+!

Cat Protector wrote:

I think it is however you want to look at it.


Exactly. This issue has two sides to it, as does any hot button topic
worth debating. My personal view is there are probably just as many
ill-willed folks who will fatten up their cats for a contest as there
are big-hearted folks who will be inclined to help kitties become more
healthy.

It's just like human eating contests. Some people are repulsed and go
on diets. Others are "inspired" to become contestants!

It's probably a wash in either case, after all is said and done.

Who's to say that those who entered the contest are bad people? There are
some cats out there that are on the hefty side but it could be genetic or a
hormonal imbalance rather than simple overeating. Some Sites out there have
mentioned this. So what if someone enters their cat into a fat cat contest?
There are much worse things that could happen to cats out there. The humans
that entered their felines could be beating or abusing them, dumping them on
the streets, or worse.

My cat Jade was a rescue and she also was also a bit plump. She gets lots of
exercise and eats normally and is not overfed at all. She still has a hefty
side but is otherwise healthy and happy. I am not sure she'd make a good
candidate for a "fat cat" contest though since she'd be considered small
compared to some other cats that are also overweight.

--
Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com

Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs!
www.panthertekit.com

"LibForBush" wrote in message
...
Exactly. This issue has two sides to it, as does any hot button topic
worth debating. My personal view is there are probably just as many
ill-willed folks who will fatten up their cats for a contest as there are
big-hearted folks who will be inclined to help kitties become more
healthy.

It's just like human eating contests. Some people are repulsed and go on
diets. Others are "inspired" to become contestants!

It's probably a wash in either case, after all is said and done.

Cat Protector wrote:

Who's to say that those who entered the contest are bad people? There are
some cats out there that are on the hefty side but it could be genetic or a
hormonal imbalance rather than simple overeating.

No, no, I said those who WOULD fatten up their cats for the contest
were ill-willed.


Some Sites out there have
mentioned this. So what if someone enters their cat into a fat cat contest?
There are much worse things that could happen to cats out there. The humans
that entered their felines could be beating or abusing them, dumping them on
the streets, or worse.

My cat Jade was a rescue and she also was also a bit plump. She gets lots of
exercise and eats normally and is not overfed at all. She still has a hefty
side but is otherwise healthy and happy. I am not sure she'd make a good
candidate for a "fat cat" contest though since she'd be considered small
compared to some other cats that are also overweight.

I do agree the contest can be understood as a "fattest cat" contest (and
obviously promoting obesity is not a good idea) although that's not what it
actually says. It sounds more like a photo contest to me. Since the winners
will be published in the Nov. 2005 issue, and the rules say that Cat Fancy
can
use the photos any way they please, I wonder if they will not be used to
accompany another "how to trim down your fat cat" article.

I really don't see the difference in a "fattest cat" contest and a "photo
contest" restricted to fat cats. The owners are still compensated with a cash
prize for having an obese animal to photograph.
I suppose it remains to be seen in what light Cat Fancy chooses to display the
contest winners though.
Sherry

LibForBush wrote:


It's just like human eating contests. Some people are repulsed and go
on diets. Others are "inspired" to become contestants!

I don't really get this--if you actually go look at the "sport" of competitive
eating, the majority of the winners are not fat, so I don't believe eating
contests inspire people to either go on diets or to eat more. Take a look at
Sonya Thomas, who is one of the top competitive eaters and weighs 105 lbs. What
inspires me is wondering where on earth she puts it all.

BudGan wrote:

Cat Protector wrote:

Who's to say that those who entered the contest are bad people? There are
some cats out there that are on the hefty side but it could be genetic or a

hormonal imbalance rather than simple overeating.

No, no, I said those who WOULD fatten up their cats for the contest
were ill-willed.

Well, it wouldn't be a good idea, but I actually wonder if some people really
would do that to try to win a hundred or two hundred dollars. Cat Fancy runs
all sorts of contests, so it seems as though there would be others easier to
win--at least by the contest entry deadline.

The problem was that he was a
rescue who had apparently been starving, and if he didn't get enough food to
satisfy him he followed her around constantly howling. She just couldn't
stand
the horrible noise.

It's true! That's *exactly* how Biskit is. When we have company, she even tries
to lead people to the food bowl.Everytime *anyone* gets out of a chair at this
house, she runs to them, meows, and runs to the food bowl.

Sherry

Hodge wrote:

I don't really get this--if you actually go look at the "sport" of
competitive
eating, the majority of the winners are not fat, so I don't believe eating
contests inspire people to either go on diets or to eat more. Take a look
at
Sonya Thomas, who is one of the top competitive eaters and weighs 105 lbs.
What
inspires me is wondering where on earth she puts it all.

She must have a great metabolism. (Mine sucks.)
--
Mine too, but regardless I couldn't eat 65 hard-boiled eggs in six and a half
minutes like she can. I suppose there is a rule about how long you have to keep
them down.