A Dilemma - need some help

katachtig

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I've had many discussions with my vet over this and I need some ideas.

Over the last few months, Much has been losing weight (4oz in the last two months). All of her blood work is good and we know she has good kidney function. We are now giving her Pepcid because the vet thinks the Metacam she is taking for her arthritis may be irritating her stomach.

And while I'm worried about her, the big problem is Carly who is now becoming "my little sausage". She has always had food issues since we got her 1 1/2 years ago. But now she is putting on weight.

We currently free-feed with a serving of wet food in the morning and at night. The vet wants to continue free feed because he feels that Much is more at risk in losing weight than Carly is in gaining. Also, we can't give Much a large serving of wet food because she will end up throwing up.

So any ideas how I can keep my little sausage from expanding?
 

batgirl2good

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***hugs*** You have been so good to me concerning Humble's surgery.

All I can tell you is what I was told here: get a cat dancer and try to give her some exercise. Could you put Carly in a separate room when you feed Much so that she won't get any of it? Or take Much off by herself and give her a little teaspoon of food or something with none of the others around?

Do they all 3 eat at the same time?

I will be thinking of some things for you.
 

kittenkiya

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Do you think separating them at food time might be a good idea? If I had, say, a problem food-wise with Tammy-Timmy and the rest of the household. I could put Tammy in a different room, feed her and feed the other cats as a group.

I do not use wet food, I free feed dry. But if certain foods were needed by her, she could be confined just to eat her certain thing and then let go to feed with the rest.
 
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katachtig

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Much eats just fine with Carly (they are at opposites sides of the room). It is just leaving food out all of the time for Much means that Carly gets it too. And she is a little piglet.
 

batgirl2good

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Originally Posted by katachtig

Much eats just fine with Carly (they are at opposites sides of the room). It is just leaving food out all of the time for Much means that Carly gets it too. And she is a little piglet.
Are the cats ever separated? Gee, that would be hard. The vet toldme that special diets are hard when you have more than one at.
How much does Carly weigh now? Has the vet suggested anything?
 
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katachtig

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Originally Posted by batgirl2good

Are the cats ever separated? Gee, that would be hard. The vet toldme that special diets are hard when you have more than one at.
How much does Carly weigh now? Has the vet suggested anything?
She weighs 10 lbs 14 oz. I think she should be closer to 10 lbs.

I guess the only way is to put Carly in a room by herself all day but I really don't want to do that.
 

batgirl2good

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Originally Posted by katachtig

She weighs 10 lbs 14 oz. I think she should be closer to 10 lbs.

I guess the only way is to put Carly in a room by herself all day but I really don't want to do that.
I would hate to do that, too.
 

stephanietx

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Here's how we handle the feeding situation in my house. Callie has to have smaller servings more often to prevent throwing up. Hannah is a sausage and is on a new feeding schedule to lose weight. (Sound familiar?) However, we have discovered that if we feed Callie a food with larger morsels, like Royal Canin #35, she eats slowly enough to not throw up.

First of all, we don't free feed. We have supervised eating and there are daily portion limits. They eat at the same time in the morning and in the evening when their wet food is served, but Callie eats in the kitchen and Hannah eats in a bedroom with the door shut. When Callie is finished, Hannah can come out. If I have the time to stand and supervise their eating in the mornings and/or in the evenings (day off or go into work later), then they both eat in assigned areas of the kitchen. As soon as one is finished, I pick up the dish, distract her with a toy until the other one is finished. Then I immediately pick up the other cat's dish to discourage cleaning the bowl.

The other times, we put dry food down for Callie and when she's finished, we pick up her bowl and put it on the counter. (Our cats do not jump on the counters.) When Callie's hungry, she goes and sits in her feeding spot and IF IT'S TIME, we feed her since she has a habit of becoming a bit portly. Callie has learned that if we don't come feed her, a nap is a good option, or she'll go find somewhere else to lay down. Picking up the food dish keeps Hannah out of it. (Hannah knows she's not supposed to eat out of Callie's bowl and has learned that if Callie's eating, to go away and lay down or go play.) It's also helped Callie lose weight and stay at a good weight for her.

One thing I've learned is that when we're gone, they mainly sleep, so if we're going out for a couple of hours in the evening, or I have to work late, I don't really need to leave food out. We're fortunate right now in that I work days and DH works 2nd shift so we don't have to leave them alone for too long during the day.

Also, in the beginning with the scheduled feedings and controlled portions, it was hard for me not to cave in and feed when my cat wanted fed. I had to retrain myself to not give in. I also learned that sometimes she's just bored and wants to play or she just wanted some attention and love. I still tell them at times, "No, it's not time for you to eat." "Just because I'm going to your room for something doesn't mean I'm going to feed you." and "Just because I'm leaving for work, doesn't mean you get to eat." They're okay with it and still love me even when they don't get their way.

Stephanie
 

stephanietx

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You're welcome! If you have any questions, just drop me a note!

Stephanie
 

mzjazz2u

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I understand where you're coming from. With Jake being sick and losing so much weight recently, it's been hard. Peaches is getting a little thick but when you have a cat that desperately needs to gain weight you just can't do scheduled feedings. The cat that has lost weight can't eat as much at one time and you have to have food available at all times so they can eat tiny amounts often. So I totally understand! Hang in there! I'm going through the same thing with food right now!
 
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katachtig

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Originally Posted by mzjazz2u

I understand where you're coming from. With Jake being sick and losing so much weight recently, it's been hard. Peaches is getting a little thick but when you have a cat that desperately needs to gain weight you just can't do scheduled feedings. The cat that has lost weight can't eat as much at one time and you have to have food available at all times so they can eat tiny amounts often. So I totally understand! Hang in there! I'm going through the same thing with food right now!
Thanks so much. I've been following your thread on Jake and your devotion to him.

I'm thinking that I just need to exercise Carly more. I lost my Petunia because she stopped eating and I just don't want to limit Much's feeding times.

Maybe we should send Peaches and Carly to fat camp.
 

batgirl2good

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It is hard, isn't it? It's not as though we can explain it all to them, and we sure can't take them out for a run or whatever.
 

stephanietx

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Originally Posted by batgirl2good

It is hard, isn't it? It's not as though we can explain it all to them, and we sure can't take them out for a run or whatever.
Yes, it's hard. However, I think it's harder on my than it is on them! That's why I try to distract them with some kind of toy or a special love session. I came to realize that I was the one feeding them too much since I controlled the amount of food given. They're so sweet and they look so forlorn sitting there waiting for their food and their little meows are so pathetic like they're starving, ya know? But I had to learn not to give in!! It took a good month to get us all adjusted, but now they are fine with it.

Stephanie
 

mzjazz2u

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Originally Posted by katachtig

Thanks so much. I've been following your thread on Jake and your devotion to him.

I'm thinking that I just need to exercise Carly more. I lost my Petunia because she stopped eating and I just don't want to limit Much's feeding times.

Maybe we should send Peaches and Carly to fat camp.
I started exercising Peaches more a couple weeks ago.
So I take a string toy and make her jump up in the air and she does it for a couple minutes and then she keels over on her side and grunts like she just can't go on!
She's not that bad yet but I don't want her to progress any further. Right now she just has a little extra "winter fluff" as my friend calls it. Actually right now I wish Jake had some extra fluff.

Hey... maybe we should start a kitty fat camp! We could probably make some $$$.
 

batgirl2good

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Originally Posted by stephanietx

Yes, it's hard. However, I think it's harder on my than it is on them! That's why I try to distract them with some kind of toy or a special love session. I came to realize that I was the one feeding them too much since I controlled the amount of food given. They're so sweet and they look so forlorn sitting there waiting for their food and their little meows are so pathetic like they're starving, ya know? But I had to learn not to give in!! It took a good month to get us all adjusted, but now they are fine with it.

Stephanie
That is how I feel, too. I am so sad for them, and I think they may really be hungry. I am just now learning not to give in.
 
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katachtig

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Originally Posted by mzjazz2u

Actually right now I wish Jake had some extra fluff.
It was just a few years ago when I was worrying about her have too much fluff. Good thing for her is that she is getting all of the tasty canned foods that she didn't have before (she was on a diet restriction for UTIs and the vet feels it is more important that she eats).
 

jcat

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I had to go look for the link to this at meowhoo: http://www.nekofeeder.com/
Somebody, I believe M.A./hissy, posted it a while ago. Could you use this for Much (or Jake) to free feed from, and just give the others meal feedings?
An alternative is to put a cat flap requiring a magnetic key in the door to a small room or closet where you can leave out a bowl of dry for the cat(s) requiring extra calories. That's fairly inexpensive.
 
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