New Here with Some Questions

Hi guys. I've never had a pet before, but recently adopted a cat. My neighbor had him for eight years or so, and decided to move away without him. He (Simon) started knocking on my door and I felt really bad for him, so now he lives here in the house with me. In most cases he's really smart and knows what to do and what not to do, so I'm not too worried. But I'd still like some advices on cat care, so if anyone can give me some pointers, I really appreciate it!

He's a little overweight I thought, so I started feeding him with Iams Weight Control, but it didn't seem to work too well. I'm switching to Science Diet, but it says on the package that it's suitable for adult cats under seven years old or something. I'm not sure if it'll be bad for Simon. And there are so many different kinds of food out there I really can't decide what's the best. I'm totally confused. I don' know which brands are better, and I don't know if Simon should be on senior diet or something.

Sorry for all the newbie questions.

Here are some pics of Simon, by the way.







If the pics don't wor, check out the following link to another forum. Scroll half-way down to JL9000's (me) post.

http://forums.s2ki.com/forums/showth...03#post3119103

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me!

Hi and welcome to the forum. I'm still a newbie here myself, and I am definitely no expert on choosing cat food. I just use what my vet recommends. But if your cat is overweight, one thing you should be aware of is the increased danger if the cat should stop eating for any reason, usually because he's sick from something else. In an overweight cat (and I know about those; you can tell from my nick), stopping eating can lead to a life-threatening situation pretty quickly. Here is a link to one short article about it, or do a web search for hepatic lipidosis.

Hepatic lipidosis is a real danger to your cat

Originally posted by twofatcats
Hi and welcome to the forum. I'm still a newbie here myself, and I am definitely no expert on choosing cat food. I just use what my vet recommends. But if your cat is overweight, one thing you should be aware of is the increased danger if the cat should stop eating for any reason, usually because he's sick from something else. In an overweight cat (and I know about those; you can tell from my nick), stopping eating can lead to a life-threatening situation pretty quickly. Here is a link to one short article about it, or do a web search for hepatic lipidosis.

Hepatic lipidosis is a real danger to your cat

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No worries. Simond loves to eat, that's why he got a little overweight.

Welcome! It was very kind of you to take Simon in. Actually, your questions are better suited for the "Health & Nutrition" forum. An adult cat food probably won't hurt Simon, provided he's healthy, but one of the "senior" formulas might be more suitable. I know there is a Science Diet "Feline Light Senior" dry food for cats 7 years and over, but I'm not certain about canned light for seniors. Have you talked to a vet about Simon's health and diet? He'll probably need to be checked out and given the necessary booster shots, and the vet can suggest appropriate foods. You can also pick up tips/opinions by reading through the threads on the other forum.

Originally posted by jcat
Welcome! It was very kind of you to take Simon in. Actually, your questions are better suited for the "Health & Nutrition" forum. An adult cat food probably won't hurt Simon, provided he's healthy, but one of the "senior" formulas might be more suitable. I know there is a Science Diet "Feline Light Senior" dry food for cats 7 years and over, but I'm not certain about canned light for seniors. Have you talked to a vet about Simon's health and diet? He'll probably need to be checked out and given the necessary booster shots, and the vet can suggest appropriate foods. You can also pick up tips/opinions by reading through the threads on the other forum.

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I'm still trying to figure out how to bring Simon to a vet as he doesn't seem to like leaving the neighborhood. He seems very healthy and active though.

Love your avatar, by the way.

Welcome! Your new kitty is a beauty! Have you had him to the vet yet? They will be able to help you with what food is best for your new adoptee! Do you know how old the cat is?

Put Simon in a carrier and drive him to the vet. My little girl HATES the carrier and going to the vet, but it's a necessary evil and she doesn't have a choice.

I'll move this to Heath & Nutrition for you.

Originally posted by JL_9K
No worries. Simond loves to eat, that's why he got a little overweight.

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Oh, my two love to eat, too! They are both a very FAT 14 pounds. But I just thought you should be aware of the information about hepatic lipidosis, because if you decided yours was a bit too chubby and you put him on a diet, there is a potential danger if you aren't really cautious. A weight-loss diet for a cat has to be VERY slow or they can get in trouble quick. And like I said, if he ever gets sick from something else and doesn't eat for a few days, there is danger, too, so you'd want to get him to a vet quick.

Getting your cat to the cat is a pain, but it is totally essential. Try setting the cat carrier on the floor for a few days prior and sprinkling some catnip in it. You can get catnip at nearly any petstore (just a few bucks). Put a few cat toys in it, even hang some toys that he can swat at. Anything to give him the understanding that the cat carrier doesn't = terror.

If you aren't sure what vet to go to, look in the phone book and call and ask how much an "office visit" is. This usually ranges from 25-55$ depending on where you live. This office visit will probably include a physical. As far as shots go, most rabies and distemper shots are yearly shots. It is best that you get a baseline physical examination and take care of the shots while he is early in your care. That way, you don't have to wonder whether or not his shots are up to date.

As far as food goes, putting him on a senior food is probably the best idea. Senior foods don't only give better joint support, but they are usually less caloric as well. I wouldn't recommend putting him on light food until a vet tells you that he needs to be on a diet. Just make sure that when you are switching foods you do it gradually...75% old food and 25% new food for 4 days...then 50% old and 50% old...for 4 days...then 25% old and 75% new for 3 days...then completely converted.

And one more note on the vet check, bring a fecal sample with you and have them do a smear to make sure that he doesn't have any type of worm in his intestinal system. It only costs about $5-$10 and the treatment is really cheap. He could easily get worms just from sniffing and licking the bottom of a shoe or a soiled part of a rug...

Good luck with your cat...I also have adopted two adult male cats and they are seriously the light of my life. Welcome to thecatsite !

Originally posted by mzjazz2u
Have you had him to the vet yet? They will be able to help you with what food is best for your new adoptee! Do you know how old the cat is?

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I haven't brought him to the vet yet as this is the first time I've had a pet, and I think he's around eight years ago because when I moved into this house seven years ago he was a kitty.

Thanks for the pointer guys, I really appreciate this as I'm new to this whole cat thing, but I don't want Simon to suffer because of my lack of experience. He's poor enough that he got abandoned.

Again, thanks!

If the owner abandoned him it is reasonable to think that he did not get good quality care. Please take him to the vet for a routine checkup and while you are there, talk to the vet about the right eating program. Unlike us, putting cats on crash diets can be a really bad thing, they need the weight to come off gradually and slowly. Honestly, the best thing you can do, is put him in a carrier and take him to a vet.

You can go to www.meowhoo.com and look under health and then veterinarians, you should find one near you there.

Originally posted by hissy
If the owner abandoned him it is reasonable to think that he did not get good quality care. Please take him to the vet for a routine checkup and while you are there, talk to the vet about the right eating program. Unlike us, putting cats on crash diets can be a really bad thing, they need the weight to come off gradually and slowly. Honestly, the best thing you can do, is put him in a carrier and take him to a vet.

You can go to www.meowhoo.com and look under health and then veterinarians, you should find one near you there.

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The previous owner was a good guy, and took good care of Simon, I could tell. But I think he left without Simon was because Simon did not want to leave.

I'll still bring him to the vet when I have time. I'm not in a hurry to have Simon to lose weight so he is still eating plenty of food.