Comments | falzalot: looking for cat food recs

falzalot

looking for cat food recs

Jun 15, 2012 11:04

So, Indiana really needs to lose some weight. I mean, seriously. I have been using the evo/innova weight management types for a bit, but it is not helping. I've read that canned food can help, but I don't normally feed it, so I need some advice. Any suggestions ( Read more... )

Comments 10

jacquez June 15 2012, 20:02:17 UTC

Seriously, if you aren't measuring Indiana's food, measure it. With a measuring cup. And read the bag and if the measured amount is not right for your kitty, decrease it. (I have a dog who gains a huge amount of weight on the recommended food amount, and she's an active dog! She just has something goofy with her metabolism or something and needs to be on half-rations to maintain her weight. I have a 15 lb kitty and a 9 lb kitty who need the exact same amount of food to maintain their weights; this "shouldn't" be true but it is.)

falzalot June 17 2012, 19:38:04 UTC

I will start measuring, it's just hard with 3 cats. Indiana and Gabby need to lose weight, but Jazzie isn't quite a year old yet. I think they are having a huge adjustement to not having the food out all the time. They don't eat everything that I put down at one time, so I put the rest away, and then they're all, "wait! wait! where's the damn food?!"

jacquez June 18 2012, 01:26:57 UTC

I have 4 cats, 2 who need active weight management to keep from getting too fat, an overlapping 2 who need special expensive I-have-a-chronic-disease-food A, 1 who needs I-have-a-chronic-disease-food B, and 1 who needs to eat MORE to keep her weight up. I feel you on the difficulties and promise you that most cats can adjust.

We found that 3 feedings a day worked best to keep weight on our skinny minny while still allowing us to control how much food the overweight ones were eating.

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falzalot June 17 2012, 19:53:10 UTC

So I guess you don't have an issue with one eating the other's food... I'll have to see how that plays out.

gwyn_r June 16 2012, 01:01:16 UTC

I know you might think raw is impossible, but I've been trying to transition the kitties to a raw diet and they're not especially fond of it, but they're getting there, primarily with the medallions I get. They eat a LOT less when I give them that. Some of the raw meals are pre ground medallions. I defrost a plastic bag of them about six at a time, and feed each kitty one medallion morning and night. They still get their kibbles because I can't seem to take that away from them, but I make sure they don't get more than 2/3 cup per day plus a couple of their greenie treats. That's it, though they always beg for more. ;-)

For dry, I like the Acana line from Canada as well as Orijens, and I recently gave them something from go! that they were crazy about. No byproducts, grains, etc.

falzalot June 17 2012, 19:32:40 UTC

I had never heard of the medallions - I may try some of that. As long as I don't have to prepare it myself! :->

gwyn_r June 17 2012, 19:46:49 UTC

I know that the preparation part is a killer -- that's one of the reasons I avoided it so long. There are a couple different companies that do it in medallions; the one I've been using is Natural Instinct. They have some little starter sized bags with just a few in them, and they come in different meats like beef, chicken, turkey, and duck. I think lamb, too? I can't remember. There's actually even a company that puts frozen whole mice in a little milk-carton type box -- when I saw that, I I just recoiled. ;-) I don't think I can ever go that far ( ... )

xrian June 17 2012, 14:57:56 UTC

Second (third) the recommendation on measuring the food and only doling it out a couple of times a day. My big girl (10 lbs) gets 1/4 cup in the morning, 1/4 cup at suppertime and 1/4 cup at bedtime, and she's maintaining her weight.

Some cats can be trusted with an always-full feed bowl and won't overeat, but others can't, and IMHO measuring and rationing is really the easiest answer.

falzalot June 17 2012, 19:35:03 UTC

Yea, I'm going to have to start doing that. They are gonna hate me. :-)

hunrvogt June 18 2012, 02:24:49 UTC

If they hate you, try a timed feeder. That way they direct the neediness at the feeder and not you.

Also consider putting food and water dishes in opposite ends of the house. Upstairs and Downstairs is great if that is an option.

Consider locking the young cat in a room to eat extra food once a day.