Isaac the insane eating machine

I adopted Isaac last month from a shelter. He's 1 1/2, neutered, skinny &
super sweet and friendly. For the first week or so that I had him he wasn't
eating much and he was also battling an upper respiratory virus. Eventually
he started eating more, especially when I cooked some ground turkey to
sprinkle on his food. I did that for as long as his medication was being
put in his food, and then I stopped.

Now he gets wet food twice a day (along with my other cat, Otto) and a
little dry food treat in the late evening. He acts like he's never seen
food before when I go to prepare their dishes. I have to feed him in my
bedroom because he eats his food incredibly fast. Really, really fast.
I've never seen anything like it. He then goes and pushes Otto aside (even
though Otto is twice his size) and eats his food. Whenever I'm preparing my
own food he's right in my face looking for handouts. If he thinks he hears
a treat bag he comes running and starts jumping up at me.

This morning I was getting my lunch ready. I had a piece of onion focaccia
bread on the counter and then stepped out of the kitchen for about 10
seconds. Went back in... where's my bread? I found it under the table with
Isaac who was happily chowing down on it. I've been putting canned pumpkin
in his food because he's still having problems with loose stools. He's more
than happy to eat that straight off the spoon. Any food item he sees, he
wants even if it's something you wouldn't think a cat might like. I can't
leave any food unattended. Any food with a strong odor that's in a plastic
bag or box must also be put away because he'll shred the packaging to get at
what's inside.

Right now I'm splitting a 5.5oz can twice a day between the two cats. I
give Isaac slightly more than Otto, and Isaac gets about 2 tbsp of pumpkin
in his. Often Otto doesn't finish his and Isaac takes care of the
leftovers. For dry food, he gets about 2 tbsp of SD kibble at night.
Should I be feeding him more? He's not a kitten anymore but he is quite
small. I don't want him to get fat either, though. Otto was long & lean
when I first got him and now he's a chunk of black fur (not obese, but
chunky).

--
Liz

"Elizabeth Blake" wrote in message
news:XMidnd30euJpJ_3ZRVn-

Right now I'm splitting a 5.5oz can twice a day between the two cats. I
give Isaac slightly more than Otto, and Isaac gets about 2 tbsp of pumpkin
in his. Often Otto doesn't finish his and Isaac takes care of the
leftovers. For dry food, he gets about 2 tbsp of SD kibble at night.
Should I be feeding him more? He's not a kitten anymore but he is quite
small. I don't want him to get fat either, though. Otto was long & lean
when I first got him and now he's a chunk of black fur (not obese, but
chunky).


That doesn't sound like too much food to me.

I would tend towards giving Isaac more food more frequently until you see
him carrying enough weight, then backing off. Sometimes shelter kitties have
been through quite a rough patch of never having enough to eat so it makes
sense that they go a bit nutso in the initial stages when presented with
food.

I have one that did much the same thing- once adopted he was very ill for a
bit, then he preceeded to eat the house as if to make up for it. He has
since levelled off.

-Toni

Elizabeth Blake wrote:
I adopted Isaac last month from a shelter. He's 1 1/2, neutered, skinny &
super sweet and friendly. For the first week or so that I had him he wasn't
eating much and he was also battling an upper respiratory virus. Eventually
he started eating more, especially when I cooked some ground turkey to
sprinkle on his food. I did that for as long as his medication was being
put in his food, and then I stopped.

Now he gets wet food twice a day (along with my other cat, Otto) and a
little dry food treat in the late evening. He acts like he's never seen
food before when I go to prepare their dishes. I have to feed him in my
bedroom because he eats his food incredibly fast. Really, really fast.
I've never seen anything like it. He then goes and pushes Otto aside (even
though Otto is twice his size) and eats his food. Whenever I'm preparing my
own food he's right in my face looking for handouts. If he thinks he hears
a treat bag he comes running and starts jumping up at me.

This morning I was getting my lunch ready. I had a piece of onion focaccia
bread on the counter and then stepped out of the kitchen for about 10
seconds. Went back in... where's my bread? I found it under the table with
Isaac who was happily chowing down on it. I've been putting canned pumpkin
in his food because he's still having problems with loose stools. He's more
than happy to eat that straight off the spoon. Any food item he sees, he
wants even if it's something you wouldn't think a cat might like. I can't
leave any food unattended. Any food with a strong odor that's in a plastic
bag or box must also be put away because he'll shred the packaging to get at
what's inside.

Right now I'm splitting a 5.5oz can twice a day between the two cats. I
give Isaac slightly more than Otto, and Isaac gets about 2 tbsp of pumpkin
in his. Often Otto doesn't finish his and Isaac takes care of the
leftovers. For dry food, he gets about 2 tbsp of SD kibble at night.
Should I be feeding him more? He's not a kitten anymore but he is quite
small. I don't want him to get fat either, though. Otto was long & lean
when I first got him and now he's a chunk of black fur (not obese, but
chunky).

--
Liz



Haha... sounds like a piggy trapped inside a feline body.

I won't hurt to give him all he can eat for a while. The voracious
appetite may slow down some in a few weeks after getting stuffed a few
times. Perhaps he still has this notion his next meal might be the last
food he sees for a while... thus the gobbling everything in sight.

The kitten I adopted from a shelter is exactly the same way. I can't even
get the food into the dish before he starts eating it and trying to pull it
out of the dish. He is wild at feeding time! After he finishes his food he
tries to get the other cat's food. I have to watch him like a hawk. Even
after he eats he won't leave the kitchen and waits for more food. I thought
maybe I wasn't feeding him enough, either. (He gets 1/2 of a 5 1/2 oz can
and about 1/2 cup dry per day.) But he is a good weight and doesn't look
skinny. I'm really hoping he grows out of this stage.

Sue
"Elizabeth Blake" wrote in message
...
I adopted Isaac last month from a shelter. He's 1 1/2, neutered, skinny &
super sweet and friendly. For the first week or so that I had him he
wasn't
eating much and he was also battling an upper respiratory virus.
Eventually
he started eating more, especially when I cooked some ground turkey to
sprinkle on his food. I did that for as long as his medication was being
put in his food, and then I stopped.

Now he gets wet food twice a day (along with my other cat, Otto) and a
little dry food treat in the late evening. He acts like he's never seen
food before when I go to prepare their dishes. I have to feed him in my
bedroom because he eats his food incredibly fast. Really, really fast.
I've never seen anything like it. He then goes and pushes Otto aside
(even
though Otto is twice his size) and eats his food. Whenever I'm preparing
my
own food he's right in my face looking for handouts. If he thinks he
hears
a treat bag he comes running and starts jumping up at me.

This morning I was getting my lunch ready. I had a piece of onion
focaccia
bread on the counter and then stepped out of the kitchen for about 10
seconds. Went back in... where's my bread? I found it under the table
with
Isaac who was happily chowing down on it. I've been putting canned
pumpkin
in his food because he's still having problems with loose stools. He's
more
than happy to eat that straight off the spoon. Any food item he sees, he
wants even if it's something you wouldn't think a cat might like. I can't
leave any food unattended. Any food with a strong odor that's in a
plastic
bag or box must also be put away because he'll shred the packaging to get
at
what's inside.

Right now I'm splitting a 5.5oz can twice a day between the two cats. I
give Isaac slightly more than Otto, and Isaac gets about 2 tbsp of pumpkin
in his. Often Otto doesn't finish his and Isaac takes care of the
leftovers. For dry food, he gets about 2 tbsp of SD kibble at night.
Should I be feeding him more? He's not a kitten anymore but he is quite
small. I don't want him to get fat either, though. Otto was long & lean
when I first got him and now he's a chunk of black fur (not obese, but
chunky).

--
Liz

.. He acts like he's never seen
food before when I go to prepare their dishes. I have to feed him in my
bedroom because he eats his food incredibly fast. Really, really fast.
I've never seen anything like it. He then goes and pushes Otto aside (even
though Otto is twice his size) and eats his food.

As he's come from a shelter- do you know his previous history? A friend
of mine has two cats that were left in a locked house for several days
before being rescued. One result is that they go crazy if they're not
fed on time. It's like they remember being hungry and they're afraid
that they aren't going to get fed again

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

Thanls for the replies. I guess I'll feed him a little more. Since I'm
away from home about 11 hours a day (work, commute) 3 meals is tough. I'll
give him more dry food for his bedtime snack now. He's pretty good about
not waking me up for food, but once I'm awake he wants to be fed NOW. Last
night I was getting a new can of pumpkin out and put some in his bowl and he
jumped on the counter and had half of that finished before I could even get
the can of cat food open.

And then this morning, Otto didn't seem right. I put Isaac in the bedroom
with his breakfast and then put Otto's bowl down but he didn't want it. He
walked away, but then went in the bathroom to poop. I added some dry food
(which he thinks is a treat) to his and he ate a little then went off to his
cat castle to sleep. When Isaac was let out of the bedroom he ate
everything in Otto's bowl. I'm hoping Otto isn't coming down with any kind
of virus. I kept him & Isaac apart at first until Isaac's medications were
finished and he stopped coughing/sneezing.

Isaac isn't a kitten, he'll be 2 at the end of the summer, and I was told
that he was given up due to the owner's allergies. I know he was fed three
times a day at the shelter (Science Diet canned & dry) but don't know what
his home feedings were like. He loves any food I've given him, SD,
Wellness, Petguard. Not to mention pumpkin, bread, sausage from my lunch
that he stole while my back was turned, turkey, vegetarian fake ground
"meat" and anything else he can fit in his mouth. He's reminding me of my
sister's late cat, who loved kale, kiwi, even grapefruit. If it was edible,
she ate it.

--
Liz

Last night I was getting a new can of pumpkin out and put some in his bowl and he
jumped on the counter and had half of that finished before I could even get
the can of cat food open.


** why do you allow Issac to jump up on the counters and eat?
You are just re-inforcing a bad behavior and showing him that it's ok to do this.
He won't stop stealing food behind your back unless you teach him that this is
unacceptable behavior. Just get a water bottle and give him a squirt with it when he jumps on the counters.
And say "No" to him in a deep voice.
Then don't give him the food till he listens. You will need endless paitence and though it may take awhile to teach him ,Cats that jump up on counters will ingest numerous items off the counter that may smell like food or has been near food.
Example: rubber bands, twist ties, strings from chicken/roast, bones ect. These all could have fatal results.
This doesnt include electrical appliances or sharp knives he could be injured on.
What if he decided to start licking the sharp edges of the top of the can as you were opening it?
For his own good, you should not let him up there.
There are many ways to teach our beloved kitties proper behavior in a loving way.
When he jumps down after being squirted, tell him, Stay there Isssac...Good boy! In a raised happy voice. Then give him a peice of dry food as a reward. Then just be consistant, Don't veer from how you react.....believe me it pays off!
Cats actually like structure in their lives, they are more secure and less stressed with consistancy and little change in the everyday events.
I have a very well behaved kitty and this is how I taught her, love and consistency is the teacher.

Please consider this Elizabeth, it's just a thought from me to you.

Char





And then this morning, Otto didn't seem right. I put Isaac in the bedroom
with his breakfast and then put Otto's bowl down but he didn't want it. He
walked away, but then went in the bathroom to poop. I added some dry food
(which he thinks is a treat) to his and he ate a little then went off to his
cat castle to sleep. When Isaac was let out of the bedroom he ate
everything in Otto's bowl. I'm hoping Otto isn't coming down with any kind
of virus. I kept him & Isaac apart at first until Isaac's medications were
finished and he stopped coughing/sneezing.

Isaac isn't a kitten, he'll be 2 at the end of the summer, and I was told
that he was given up due to the owner's allergies. I know he was fed three
times a day at the shelter (Science Diet canned & dry) but don't know what
his home feedings were like. He loves any food I've given him, SD,
Wellness, Petguard. Not to mention pumpkin, bread, sausage from my lunch
that he stole while my back was turned, turkey, vegetarian fake ground
"meat" and anything else he can fit in his mouth. He's reminding me of my
sister's late cat, who loved kale, kiwi, even grapefruit. If it was edible,
she ate it.

--
Liz

"D." wrote in message . net...
In article kqp8g.8391$Qq.2959@clgrps12,
"Char" wrote:

Last night I was getting a new can of pumpkin out and put some in his bowl
and he
jumped on the counter and had half of that finished before I could even get
the can of cat food open.

** why do you allow Issac to jump up on the counters and eat?
You are just re-inforcing a bad behavior and showing him that it's ok to do
this.
He won't stop stealing food behind your back unless you teach him that this
is
unacceptable behavior. Just get a water bottle and give him a squirt with it
when he jumps on the counters.




Maybe she doesn't think it's a bad behaviour and doesn't mind if her
cats do it. It's an individual thing.


--
Web site: http://www.slywy.com/
Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/
Journal: http://slywy.blogspot.com/


To D;
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I did end my statement to her with;
"its just a thought from me to you" I was not being judgemental to her.

In my own personal opinion, cats that run rampant on kitchen countertops also spread germs from their feet fresh from the litter box to the cooking / preparation of food areas.
The concern is this: Cat feces may in fact carry parasites, bacteria, germs,
pathogens and viruses that are harmful to humans -- one of theses organisms ( Toxoplasma gondii) is known to cause severe brain damage to unborn children.
But, I didn't mention this because I wasn't trying to be judgemental or mean, just supporting and informative.
If you are going to quote me, please quote me in full with both opinions I stated, not just snips of partial sentences.
I also stated, and I quote;
"Cats that jump up on counters will ingest numerous items off the counter that may smell like food or has been near food. Example: rubber bands, twist ties, strings from chicken/roast, bones ect. These all could have fatal results. This doesnt exclude electrical appliances or sharp knives he could be injured on.
What if he decided to start licking the sharp edges of the top of the can as you were opening it?
For his own good, you should not let him up there."

I myself would not want my beloved companion electrocuted, stabbed accidently by a sharp kitchen utensil, or injest something that would wrap around the bowels or perforate them, maybe constricting them and eventual surgical removal and a hospital stay adding up to hundreds of dollars.

I also wouldn't want to prepare my dinner on a countertop I thought was clean, that I had just cleaned, and left the room for a second, then unknowingly, my beloved kitty jumps up behind my back searching for food and infects it with some pathogen/germ transferred from his feet after taking a great big crap moments before.

To correct this behavior is an action of love and concern about your kitties and your families well being.
But, of course this is only my personal opinion.
thanks,
Char

On Thu, 11 May 2006 01:13:06 GMT, "D."
wrote:

In article kqp8g.8391$Qq.2959@clgrps12,
"Char" wrote:

Last night I was getting a new can of pumpkin out and put some in his bowl
and he
jumped on the counter and had half of that finished before I could even get
the can of cat food open.


** why do you allow Issac to jump up on the counters and eat?
You are just re-inforcing a bad behavior and showing him that it's ok to do
this.
He won't stop stealing food behind your back unless you teach him that this
is
unacceptable behavior. Just get a water bottle and give him a squirt with it
when he jumps on the counters.

Maybe she doesn't think it's a bad behaviour and doesn't mind if her
cats do it. It's an individual thing.

My S.O. thinks that it's disgusting to let a cat climb on the food
counters. I don't care as long as we're not actually cooking at the
time.

"dgk" wrote in message
...

My S.O. thinks that it's disgusting to let a cat climb on the food
counters. I don't care as long as we're not actually cooking at the
time.


I'd probably prefer that they didn't go on the counters, but the best I've
been able to do is get them to the point when they don't go up there when I
am around. I'm not kidding myself about what they do when nobody is home.

And I've had dogs large enough to eat out of a pot on the stove long enough
to have developed the habit of never leaving anything out or uncovered. Not
food, not knives, not anything. There is nothing that can be hurt, or that
can hurt them, up there.
Exception being a solid surface stove that remains hot after cooking is
done. So I've developed another habit- filling the pan with water and
leaving it on the burner as the surface cools. Notice that is me who has
adapted and not the kitties.

I wipe the counters down very frequently. It's no big deal and Clorox clean
up wipes are cheap.
Works for me.


--
Toni
http://www.irish-wolfhounds.com