Buddha's New Diet

My hyperthyroid cat is nevertheless very fat. Given her
risk of diabetes, and with Phil's recent post regarding a canned-only diet
as one that can prevent and even help to correct diabetes, she now gets no
dry food (even treats) and two three-ounce cans of food per day. This is day
four, and she eats it all and is not begging as much. It appears that it is
more satisfying. We'll see what the scales say in a month.

"Mary" wrote in message
...
My hyperthyroid cat is nevertheless very fat. Given her
risk of diabetes, and with Phil's recent post regarding a canned-only diet
as one that can prevent and even help to correct diabetes, she now gets no
dry food (even treats) and two three-ounce cans of food per day. This is
day
four, and she eats it all and is not begging as much. It appears that it
is
more satisfying.


I think dry food is like an Italian dinner - fills you up for awhile but
leaves you raiding the fridge at 2:00 am! LOL! That's why dry feeders have
to graze - very few cats can consume their entire DER in dry food in two
feedings a day.

I also think dry food feeding could result in a learned eating behavior -
which may account, at least in part, for why so many dry eaters are
overweight. They get the urge to eat - just to eat - and not necessarily
because they're hungry.


We'll see what the scales say in a month.

Did you get a pediatric scale yet? It makes monitoring your cat's weight
easier and actually interesting! I just wrinkle a bag of treats and my cats
race each other to the scale!

http://www.maxshouse.com/Ours/titionscale-12-17-04c.jpg

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

Phil.

"Phil P." wrote in message
...

"Mary" wrote in message
...
My hyperthyroid cat is nevertheless very fat. Given her
risk of diabetes, and with Phil's recent post regarding a canned-only
diet
as one that can prevent and even help to correct diabetes, she now gets
no
dry food (even treats) and two three-ounce cans of food per day. This is
day
four, and she eats it all and is not begging as much. It appears that it
is
more satisfying.


I think dry food is like an Italian dinner - fills you up for awhile but
leaves you raiding the fridge at 2:00 am! LOL! That's why dry feeders
have
to graze - very few cats can consume their entire DER in dry food in two
feedings a day.

It really makes sense to me, since you put it that way. If you think about
it, it is the same as being ravenous at lunch when you've had nothing but
a donut for breakfast, as opposed to being normally hungry if you've
had eggs.


I also think dry food feeding could result in a learned eating behavior -
which may account, at least in part, for why so many dry eaters are
overweight. They get the urge to eat - just to eat - and not necessarily
because they're hungry.

This has to be a big part of Buddha's problem. Her first human
was older and expressed his affection mostly by feeding her dry
treats. She adores this man and anything associated with him
because he raised her from a tiny kitten. Buddha equates food
with love. She was five years old when he handed her over to
us because he began to travel. By that time she was really
overweight. Since my husband and I have had her we have
introduced daily play times and other "non-edible" rewards.
We were on the right track with her until the heart and thyroid
problems came up. Now I think this canned diet is what will
turn us around again. She is just now 10, so is not terribly old
but not young either.



We'll see what the scales say in a month.

Did you get a pediatric scale yet? It makes monitoring your cat's weight
easier and actually interesting! I just wrinkle a bag of treats and my
cats
race each other to the scale!

http://www.maxshouse.com/Ours/titionscale-12-17-04c.jpg

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

Phil.


I haven't but I will. Thanks.

"Phil P." wrote in message
...

"Mary" wrote in message
...
My hyperthyroid cat is nevertheless very fat. Given her
risk of diabetes, and with Phil's recent post regarding a canned-only
diet
as one that can prevent and even help to correct diabetes, she now gets
no
dry food (even treats) and two three-ounce cans of food per day. This is
day
four, and she eats it all and is not begging as much. It appears that it
is
more satisfying.


I think dry food is like an Italian dinner - fills you up for awhile but
leaves you raiding the fridge at 2:00 am! LOL! That's why dry feeders
have
to graze - very few cats can consume their entire DER in dry food in two
feedings a day.


Phil.



This is a good analogy. My previous cats were all free-fed on dry cat food.
At the time, I thought that was what was best for them because I had
accepted the theory that dry food would be better for their teeth and gums.
Of course, cats do not chew -- as you have discussed elsewhere -- so the
whole theory started with a false premise, and someone else pointed out that
humans do not expect eating hard food to clean our own teeth. My cats that
ate dry food did graze all day, as you described. Now, my cats eat Wellness
canned exclusively (except for a very *small* amount of Wellness dry every
few days as a treat), and they have adjusted very well to the twice-a-day
feedings. They are on a 12-hour schedule, and they are always ready for
their meal -- but they do not gorge themselves, and they do not beg for food
between meals. They do not necessarily polish off the whole portion at one
time, though. They will often eat some, leave for a short time, return and
eat some more, etc. -- but over a *much* shorter period of time than in
their dry-food days. Both cats had their annual physical exams last week,
and they came through it with flying colors. TED even commented on their
beautiful coats and once again mentioned that Holly no longer has any
dandruff (a change that came almost immediately after the change in diet
from dry food -- and a change that is particularly obvious on her because
she is a solid black cat).

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")

Mary wrote:

My hyperthyroid cat is nevertheless very fat. Given her
risk of diabetes, and with Phil's recent post regarding a canned-only diet
as one that can prevent and even help to correct diabetes, she now gets no
dry food (even treats) and two three-ounce cans of food per day. This is day
four, and she eats it all and is not begging as much. It appears that it is
more satisfying. We'll see what the scales say in a month.



You are fortunate that your cat will accept the canned with no side-effects.

My cat will happily chow down on the canned, but her digestive system
doesn't agree.

I may try again when things settle down again.

"Joe Canuck" wrote in message
...
Mary wrote:

My hyperthyroid cat is nevertheless very fat. Given her
risk of diabetes, and with Phil's recent post regarding a canned-only
diet
as one that can prevent and even help to correct diabetes, she now gets
no
dry food (even treats) and two three-ounce cans of food per day. This is
day
four, and she eats it all and is not begging as much. It appears that it
is
more satisfying. We'll see what the scales say in a month.



You are fortunate that your cat will accept the canned with no
side-effects.

My cat will happily chow down on the canned, but her digestive system
doesn't agree.

I may try again when things settle down again.

Joe, you know, you just reminded me of why I fed my RB
cat dry SD--because she had awful flatulance and runny
poo if she ate any canned at all! And yet, both of my current
girls showed no change at all "litterbox wise" when I introduced
canned food. It is odd. If these cats where like Gnarly was there
is know way I could feed them canned. It must have something
to do with the gut flora of individual cats? Maybe?

"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote in message
newsnc3e.56103$3z.50441@okepread03...

"Phil P." wrote in message
...

"Mary" wrote in message
...
My hyperthyroid cat is nevertheless very fat. Given her
risk of diabetes, and with Phil's recent post regarding a canned-only
diet
as one that can prevent and even help to correct diabetes, she now gets
no
dry food (even treats) and two three-ounce cans of food per day. This
is
day
four, and she eats it all and is not begging as much. It appears that
it
is
more satisfying.


I think dry food is like an Italian dinner - fills you up for awhile but
leaves you raiding the fridge at 2:00 am! LOL! That's why dry feeders
have
to graze - very few cats can consume their entire DER in dry food in two
feedings a day.


Phil.



This is a good analogy. My previous cats were all free-fed on dry cat
food.
At the time, I thought that was what was best for them because I had
accepted the theory that dry food would be better for their teeth and
gums.
Of course, cats do not chew -- as you have discussed elsewhere -- so the
whole theory started with a false premise, and someone else pointed out
that
humans do not expect eating hard food to clean our own teeth.


You know, I never even thought about that! But you're right! In fact
"dentists recommend" chewing *gum* - which ain't exactly hard...


My cats that
ate dry food did graze all day, as you described. Now, my cats eat
Wellness
canned exclusively (except for a very *small* amount of Wellness dry every
few days as a treat), and they have adjusted very well to the twice-a-day
feedings. They are on a 12-hour schedule, and they are always ready for
their meal -- but they do not gorge themselves, and they do not beg for
food
between meals. They do not necessarily polish off the whole portion at
one
time, though. They will often eat some, leave for a short time, return
and
eat some more, etc. -- but over a *much* shorter period of time than in
their dry-food days.


Cats usually eat to meet their energy needs - when those needs are met, cats
stop eating - unless their satiety cues are overridden by exceptionally
palatable foods or behavioral issues. The fact that they can go 12 hours
without any signs of hunger or weight loss means they're meeting their
energy needs with the amount of food you're feeding. With dry food, they
have to graze all day - or at least several times every few hours- to keep
their energy needs satisfied. This seems to suggest that dry food bloats
them without fulfilling their energy needs - that's why they need to keep
grazing thoughout the day.



Both cats had their annual physical exams last week,
and they came through it with flying colors. TED even commented on their
beautiful coats and once again mentioned that Holly no longer has any
dandruff (a change that came almost immediately after the change in diet
from dry food -- and a change that is particularly obvious on her because
she is a solid black cat).


After reading a lot about water balance in cats, I'm thoroughly convinced
that dry food may cause or at least contribute to some skin disorders as
well as endocrine and urological disorders.

Phil




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")