Mickey, my 27 lbs foster and his journey back to a healthy weight

Awesome!!  Yay, Mickey!!

Carolina said:

Holly Molly! Mickey is a cat

AMAZING!

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 Yeah recently I've been looking at him and thinking "There really was a cat under all that blubber!" 

I forgot to post that I've discovered another "quirk" of his. I was standing at the kitchen sink getting his late dinner ready when for no particular reason I started whistling. He freaked! First he looked at me with his eyes wide then he turned around and ran from the kitchen! And this is a cat that does not run from food!

Hee hee, that's funny. Whistling gets two distinct reactions from Aria. If my husband does it, she thinks he's calling her so she will go to him. If I whistle, she tries to attack my face! My husband says my whistling is so bad it must hurt her ears!

Update - week 42

Mickey lost all of 1 oz last week for a current weight of 18:15 (lbsz) and a total loss of 7:15.

His weight loss has really slowed down. I'm going to give it another week to see if this is just a temporary slow down. If he doesn't loss at least 2 oz next week I'm going to have to try something different. I know I can't lower his calories. I already know that he isn't comfortable at anything lower than his current 165 calories/day.

I'm thinking I might try the varying calorie thing Laurie (LDG) has used with success. I tried it before and didn't see any benefit but that was when he was still losing at a pretty decent rate anyway. I have noticed throughout this little adventure that when I have adjusted his calories down that he would have a significant lose the week after but less in the weeks after that. So, I might try alternating calories between his current 165 and 180 or maybe 185 calories with him staying at each calorie level for 1 week.

I also might consider switching him to the food his adopters are going to feed him. I'll need to do that pretty soon anyway. This is a bit earlier than I had planned to but not by much. 

Carolina said:

Holly Molly! Mickey is a cat
AMAZING!

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I love hearing about him playing soccer! And running from the whistling. :lol3: Thanks to all your hard work, he is really enjoying life again!

What awesome progress you guys have made. Mickey loos fantastic. He must feel so much better not carrying that weight.

Update - week 43

Mickey weighted in at 18:12 (lbsz) for a 1 week loss of 3 oz and a total loss of 8:2.

I used to do the banana dance when he lost 4 oz but since his rate of loss seems to have permanently slowed 3 oz gets : 

I wrote last week that if his weight seems stalled I would try the alternating calorie thing. Since that doesn't seem to be the case I'm going to stay the course. Within the next few weeks I'm going to have to start switching him to the food his adopters will feed him so there isn't much point in making any unnecessary change other than that at this point.

Susan and Charlie, his adopters, haven't seen him in a few weeks. They'll probably be coming over next weekend. I told them how much he likes sleeping in a cat bed. Susan has bought one for him and is going to bring it with them. It will stay with me until he and it goes to them. Susan thought it would help with his adjustment if he had something that smelled familiar. I think it's a great idea. That and me getting him used to the food they will give him hopefully will make the transition to a new home easier for him.

Congratulations Mickey!! When I read of his leaving of you and your care my heart clenches and tears pop up. And it's not even me. I know you trust and have faith in the people who will be his family but still... I don't think I could bear it. I don't know if I CAN bear it, even vicariously. :heart3:

Aww, thanks otto!

You know I'm actually looking forward to him going to his forever home though. It's not that I won't miss him, I will, it's just that for me 5 cats is just too much. I can't give him the attention he wants and deserves. Charlie and Susan will dote on him and I know he will love that.

If I were asked what would be the perfect home for Mickey their home would be a perfect match. Honestly Charlie and Susan are probably better pet parents than I am!

I know the first few days without him will be hard though!  

mschauer said:

Aww, thanks otto!

You know I'm actually looking forward to him going to his forever home though. It's not that I won't miss him, I will, it's just that for me 5 cats is just too much. I can't give him the attention he wants and deserves. Charlie and Susan will dote on him and I know he will love that.

If I were asked what would be the perfect home for Mickey their home would be a perfect match. Honestly Charlie and Susan are probably better pet parents than I am!

I know the first few days without him will be hard though!  

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Thank you for this. After reading your words a couple of times I am feeling a lot less chokey over it.

mschauer said:

mrsgreenjeens said:

Oh my!  He really IS looking svelte :love: .  It's amazing how much difference even those last two pounds made, isn't it? 

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I hope his 19 lb picture isn't misleading. I think he might be in a different position in that one. Possibly standing instead of hunching down like in the others.

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I've been a lurker in this thread, but in any position there is no hiding what an absolutely amazing job you have done with this boy. :nod: Bravo to you!

AbbysMom said:

I've been a lurker in this thread, but in any position there is no hiding what an absolutely amazing job you have done with this boy.

Bravo to you!

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Thank you! Mickey gets most of the credit. He made it *so* easy!

Congrats, Mickey and mschauer! What an inspirational story.

I am using this thread as a guide for my newly adopted guy who is a bit overweight, as well. Nowhere near Mickey, though! Still, some good advice and invaluable experience over here.

Thank you for sharing! 

Update - week 44

Mickey weighted in at 18:11 (lbsz) for a one week loss of 1 oz and a total loss of 8:3.

Well our boy really seems to have slowed down with the weight loss. He has been averaging only 2 oz a week for the last 2 months. Any loss is good of course but it is a bit disappointing still.

I'm going to stay the course until time to switch him to the food his adopters will feed him. It looks like they will take him around mid-June.

Oh my goodness, I missed a week! I saw the 18:11 .... and I know you're a bit disappointed in the rate of loss, but he's still losing! :rub:

So have his parents-to-be been by to see him yet? You'll send him with some of the toys too, right?

Just joined a few days ago. Can I ask how he got so big in the first place?

manizheh said:

Just joined a few days ago. Can I ask how he got so big in the first place?

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I don't know much of his history. You can read in my first post of this thread what little I do know. But, there really is only one way an otherwise healthy cat gets obese : by overeating. I suspect his previous owners free fed him, probably dry food, and he just ate as much as he wanted. Some cats won't overeat if free fed. Some will.

TheTigerDen said:

Congrats, Mickey and mschauer! What an inspirational story.

I am using this thread as a guide for my newly adopted guy who is a bit overweight, as well. Nowhere near Mickey, though! Still, some good advice and invaluable experience over here.

Thank you for sharing! 

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I'm glad you're finding the thread helpful! Good luck with getting your guy trimmed down.

LDG said:

Oh my goodness, I missed a week! I saw the 18:11 .... and I know you're a bit disappointed in the rate of loss, but he's still losing!

So have his parents-to-be been by to see him yet? You'll send him with some of the toys too, right?

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His parents-to-be came by this weekend. It was their third or fourth visit. I'm planning on giving them one of Mickey's favorite toys, a Neko Flyer wand with a furry critter attachment. 

:heart2: Love that big (but getting smaller) guy!