The diet MUST start TODAY.

greenvillegal

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So I was reading Molly's weight loss story yesterday, and the same vet has started a new kitty, Bennie. Bennie's hinny was all scabby and sore from him being too big to be able to wash it. My eyes got all wide as I read that. Lately Amadeus has been unable to wash his hinny and he's gotten lots of dingleberries and just general feces that stay and I've had to use baby wipes. He'll also drag his hinny across the floor and wipe poo on the carpet.

I am going to somewhere find the money for Wellness since I have read so many good things about that food. Looks like it'll cost me about $135/month. A lot for me right now, but I know it's either pay now or pay later, and I don't want Amadeus to suffer with his hinny or be at risk for any other kinds of ailments. I got a couple cans last night and all 3 of my boys ate it up.

I tried just doing higher end dry food and giving him a less amount, but that's obviously NOT working. He has gained 3 pounds in the past 2 years and I am so worried and feel like a horrible meowmy.

Amadeus is at 25lbs right now (yikes). I hope for him to lose 1% - 2% per week, which I read is the healthy rate for cats.

If anyone has any insight for helping a very overweight cat lose weight, I'd love it.
 
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greenvillegal

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Is this even better than Wellness canned?

I had trouble finding a place that sells it around here. There are lots of tractor supply companies and farm stores but that seems weird that they would sell a special cat food.
 

sharky

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no not better than canned

for canned try to avoid the ones heavy in veggies

What do you have readily avail brand wise
 
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greenvillegal

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Well I live near a Petsmart, PetCo, Whole Foods, and Earthfare. Those are the more specialty ones, Whole Foods and Earthfare being specialty grocery stores.

Thanks so much for your care and help!
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by greenvillegal

Is this even better than Wellness canned?

I had trouble finding a place that sells it around here. There are lots of tractor supply companies and farm stores but that seems weird that they would sell a special cat food.
you'd be surprised - i can't find chicken soup brand at the petstores or grocery stores - but it's at the feed store...
 

jencat

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Try doing a web search for the different brands of food, Natura pet (Innova, Evo, California Natural), Felidae (on the canidae website), Wellness, Natures Variety, Natural Balance, Merrick Pet, Eagle Pack etc. They all have store locators. A lot of feed stores carry cat food brands. I didn't know this either untill I used the store locators.
 

sharky

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I am unfamiliar with whole foods but I think they have petgaurd which is very good ///

petsmart
nutro
blue spa(read labels )
authority
meow mix ( read labels )
by nature
avoderm
 
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greenvillegal

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Well, here's a one week update. I haven't weighed Amadeus yet after starting him, I am going to weigh him weekly though starting Saturday. He and all of the other kitties adjusted well to the food switch. They love the canned Wellness. I am feeding grain free and probably will stick with that forever. It's a lot more expensive than what I was feeding but I am going to try to make it work because I know it'll be worth it in the long run.

Amadeus' hinny is already looking better though. And I am seeing less "skid marks" on the floor too. Last night he got lots of exercise as DBF brought home a laser pointer. He LOVES it!!!

I'll post a weigh update Saturday.
 

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Good luck with Amadeus. You'll probably see results soon.

Bijou just had his annual last Saturday and he's up to 19.2 lbs. I've asked my hubby to please stop over-feeding him. Hubby is up first every morning and he gives Bijou his 1/2 can of wet food (which Mika shares) and he just fills the dry food bowl. I've asked him to limit the dry food to 1/3 cup per day. Let's hope hubby listens better about feeding than he does about being going outside.


Mika gets dry food in our daughter's room overnight which Bijou has no access to so at least she won't suffer during Bijou's diet.
 
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greenvillegal

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Yeah it's aggrevating! I told my DBF to stop filling up their bowls with dry to the brim. He was like, "it has nothing to do with what they're eating." Ha! I couldn't disagree more! They DO need more exercise but it's also important what you feed them. Since then he is allowing me to do the feeding. In fact, he's put me in charge of it.
 

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Hi Greenevillegal,

My mom's cat has chronic constipation/early stage megacolon, and switching him over to Wellness has made a huge difference in managing his condition. It is expensive compared to most foods, and Mom's on a fixed income, but it's still much cheaper than a trip to the e-vet to clear an impacted bowel.

I always call manufacturers of products I like to ask about coupons, samples, etc., so I suggested mom call Wellness directly and ask. The woman she spoke with was very sympathetic and sent her $10.00 worth of coupons (one $5 and 5 $1 ones) and said she could call once each month to get them. The phone number is: 1-800-225-0904

The large cans (12 oz.) are cheaper than the small or medium. Our local pet store orders it by the case (12 cans) for my mom. Three cases last her approx. 2 1/2 months.

Good luck, hope this helps.
 
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greenvillegal

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Thank you SO much Sable. I am putting this number in my phone!!! I will definitely call today to see if I can get some coupons.

I am not sure, Amadeus has never had a problem pooping, but I can tell he is MUCH happier on the Wellness canned diet. He is frisky, loves playing with the laser pointer, and his rear end looks amazingly better already. And he's not scooting it across the floor and wiping poop anywhere anymore!
 
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greenvillegal

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Amadeus is now down to 23.6 pounds as of today, June 21. On June 10 he weighed 25 pounds. So in almost two weeks he lost 1.4 pounds. I am trying to make sure this is not too rapid. When I did the calculations it did seem to come out to 1 - 2% per week unless I did something wrong.

He is a lot friskier now and he (as well as all of the boys) love the Wellness canned. His coat is healthy and his eyes are bright. He's snuggly and purry as normal.

As long as he's losing weight at a healthy rate (I plan to weigh him every Saturday now) I am happy! He's doing better than me!
 

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SLOW DOWN the wt loss ... IE ask a vet ... many cats it take s a yr to loose 5 lbs ...

Safe Rate of Weight Loss

Please understand that your overweight cat took months to get into his current condition and that it will take months to safely lose the weight. This is not a race but it is critical for you to stay the course and not give up.

A safe rate of weight loss is 1 - 2% of their current body weight per week. I do prefer to stay closer to the 1% than the 2%.

For example, if your cat weighs 20 pounds, he can safely lose up to ~6 ounces per week. (20 pounds X16 ounces/pound = 320 ounces. 2% of 320 = ~ 6 ounces.)

1% would be 3 ounces per week - or 3/4 pound/month.


As your cat loses weight, the amount of weight that he should lose each week will decrease.

For example, if your cat is down to 16 pounds, his weight loss should slow to ~2.5 -5 ounces each week which represents 1-2% of 16 pounds.

http://www.catinfo.org/feline_obesit...of_Weight_Loss
 
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greenvillegal

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6 ounces a week seems about what he has lost the past 2 weeks then. Of course, when I weighed him for his initial weight he might have had a fully belly or something.

I am monitoring him really carefully because I know the seriousness of losing weight at a healthy pace for cats. I will make sure to follow these guidelines, thanks so much for posting them.
 
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greenvillegal

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Amadeus lost 2 ounces last week! Is that too slow or just right? I have been buying the bigger cans of Wellness that are 12.5 but I've been trying to eyeball the amount. I probably should start using a measuring cup.
 

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I think you want to err on the side of slower. And probably you should use a measuring cup to make sure. Sometimes our perception isn't quite accurate.
 
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greenvillegal

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Amadeus is down to 22 pounds now. that's 3 pounds in just over a month. I know that's a little much. He lost the most pounds the first week, then slowed to a couple ounces a week so it seems to have evened out now. He's frisky, extra playful, and I can just tell how much happier he already is. And that makes ME happy!!!
 
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