Bear with me here; I'll try to be brief.
I'm on a budget but trying to get more wet into my girls after having to take a break for a while. For the past month I've been feeding Fancy Feast. I started very slow with the classics and figured out beef makes both Mooch and Noodles throw it right up. They were eating every flavor. Both girls needed to lose some weight and Mooch was having issues with dry bowel movements. They will be 10 toward the end of February.
Since last June I have had Noodles back and forth to the vet for an over-grooming issue on her lower belly and inner thigh. She does not handle well and has a "good' murmur; so we tried to take a "less as more" approach at first. Long story short; she received a steroid injection and a few days later went into heart failure early in December. It took me 2 days to get her eating again. To entice her to eat I bought some cans with the gravy flavors and that sort of thing; thinking she could lick them up.
Now Mooch won't eat the pate classic varieties unless I put her in the bathroom and even then it's hit and miss. I can't be tossing a lot of cat food. Noodles eats everything and eats quicker than Mooch. I have to guard Mooch while she eats because Noodles will nudge her right out of the way. They are litter mates and Noodles has always been dominant with food. When they were strictly on dry Mooch would take a few bites and then back up and watch Noodles eat. Once Noodles walked away; Mooch would finish. Ironically; Mooch is slightly larger and weighed more. She has always had more of a lean muscle look (before she got so fat anyway). Both have lost weight over the last few years as I've moderated their food better (never free fed). Per our vet; we are aiming for them to be around 9lb each. They are good size cats.
Noodles lost weight after her crisis but has quickly put it back on. She actually feels heavier now. She was at 11lb 15oz when she first went to the vet for the heart failure. That was down from 12lb 3oz a few days earlier. Because of her condition and temperament; I won't be bringing her back in to the vet's office (vets orders; we will do phone consults). I am hoping to find a better scale for home. She eats like a champ, begs for more by tapping me with her paw and a few times nipping my pants to hurry me up. Unfortunately she has had soft poops a few times now. I'm starting a food chart to try to tell what triggers it.
Mooch is happy to eat any of the foods that come with a gravy. She did eat a can of flaked and a can of chunky; which if I'm reading right, are better for them in terms of carbs. I'm just very limited in flavor varieties when it comes to those options (lots of fish flavors, beef). I still have to guard her; but she at lest can eat in the same room as Noodles. She has lost weight and unfortunately I don't have a good number for her; but she is noticeably lighter than Noodles. I have left a small amount of dry down during this transition; so its available if she is truly hungry. They do eat some; but we toss a little every morning too. Plus; according to the can they should be getting more than 2 3oz cans each per day. I haven't figured out their appropriate amount yet.
Any feedback or suggestions? I'm slowly wading and re-wading through food options. I do need to stick to something less expensive. I have a Petsmart about 40 minutes from me, an overpriced local place, Walmart/Grocery stores and I do have Amazon Prime. Should I just let Mooch eat what she wants flavor wise? I'd like to eliminate excess grains; but I have to be realistic about the cost as well. And of course; they need to actually eat what I invest in.
I do plan to ask the vet this week if the softer stools plus weight gain for Noodles are possibly related to her medications.
Sorry this is so long; between the two of them my head has had plenty to think about!
I'm on a budget but trying to get more wet into my girls after having to take a break for a while. For the past month I've been feeding Fancy Feast. I started very slow with the classics and figured out beef makes both Mooch and Noodles throw it right up. They were eating every flavor. Both girls needed to lose some weight and Mooch was having issues with dry bowel movements. They will be 10 toward the end of February.
Since last June I have had Noodles back and forth to the vet for an over-grooming issue on her lower belly and inner thigh. She does not handle well and has a "good' murmur; so we tried to take a "less as more" approach at first. Long story short; she received a steroid injection and a few days later went into heart failure early in December. It took me 2 days to get her eating again. To entice her to eat I bought some cans with the gravy flavors and that sort of thing; thinking she could lick them up.
Now Mooch won't eat the pate classic varieties unless I put her in the bathroom and even then it's hit and miss. I can't be tossing a lot of cat food. Noodles eats everything and eats quicker than Mooch. I have to guard Mooch while she eats because Noodles will nudge her right out of the way. They are litter mates and Noodles has always been dominant with food. When they were strictly on dry Mooch would take a few bites and then back up and watch Noodles eat. Once Noodles walked away; Mooch would finish. Ironically; Mooch is slightly larger and weighed more. She has always had more of a lean muscle look (before she got so fat anyway). Both have lost weight over the last few years as I've moderated their food better (never free fed). Per our vet; we are aiming for them to be around 9lb each. They are good size cats.
Noodles lost weight after her crisis but has quickly put it back on. She actually feels heavier now. She was at 11lb 15oz when she first went to the vet for the heart failure. That was down from 12lb 3oz a few days earlier. Because of her condition and temperament; I won't be bringing her back in to the vet's office (vets orders; we will do phone consults). I am hoping to find a better scale for home. She eats like a champ, begs for more by tapping me with her paw and a few times nipping my pants to hurry me up. Unfortunately she has had soft poops a few times now. I'm starting a food chart to try to tell what triggers it.
Mooch is happy to eat any of the foods that come with a gravy. She did eat a can of flaked and a can of chunky; which if I'm reading right, are better for them in terms of carbs. I'm just very limited in flavor varieties when it comes to those options (lots of fish flavors, beef). I still have to guard her; but she at lest can eat in the same room as Noodles. She has lost weight and unfortunately I don't have a good number for her; but she is noticeably lighter than Noodles. I have left a small amount of dry down during this transition; so its available if she is truly hungry. They do eat some; but we toss a little every morning too. Plus; according to the can they should be getting more than 2 3oz cans each per day. I haven't figured out their appropriate amount yet.
Any feedback or suggestions? I'm slowly wading and re-wading through food options. I do need to stick to something less expensive. I have a Petsmart about 40 minutes from me, an overpriced local place, Walmart/Grocery stores and I do have Amazon Prime. Should I just let Mooch eat what she wants flavor wise? I'd like to eliminate excess grains; but I have to be realistic about the cost as well. And of course; they need to actually eat what I invest in.
I do plan to ask the vet this week if the softer stools plus weight gain for Noodles are possibly related to her medications.
Sorry this is so long; between the two of them my head has had plenty to think about!
