Grandmother is the problem

soka

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
628
Purraise
1
Location
Virginia
Ok, I have a grandmother who refuses to stop feeding all the animals table food. Both of her yorkies are overweight. One is almost 10 pounds the other is around 7. Yorkies should only be around 6 pounds. My cat Miki is probably around 6 or 6 and a half pounds and she's not even a year old yet. I'm worried for all the animals since I know that overweight animals develop a lot of health problems. I try to tell her to stop feeding them table food but she doesn't listen, even when I tell her that she has to at least stop feeding MY cat. If she wants to feed her dogs like that, its her business, but when she's feeding my cat like that, I get kind of pissed off. What should I do?
 

coaster

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 28, 2005
Messages
5,174
Purraise
7
Location
Wisconsin
Pretty hard to tell a grandmother what to do.

Maybe you could put together some information on the health effects of obesity and poor nutrition and then if she'll read it ask her if she's going to leave you enough money in her will to pay for veterinary care for your cat. No, I'm not kidding.....it's not for her to take seriously of course, but it's on a level that might get her to pay attention to your concerns.
 

semiferal

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
1,890
Purraise
9
Location
in my apartment
In general, the risk is not as great for cats as it is for dogs. Cats in general are pretty good at self-regulating their food intake and it's relatively rare for them to become truly obese. Make sure your cat has a very high quality cat food diet (either canned only or both canned and dry) and the cat shouldn't have any problems from the occasional table food treat.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

soka

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
628
Purraise
1
Location
Virginia
Thats the problem, the table food is not occasional. My grandmother slips them all sorts of food every day. Thankfully I've been exersizing Miki and the new kitten is keeping her active. She should shed the extra weight, but I'm still worried for the pups. They watch you eat and beg for food. Its rather annoying. I like the idea of putting together some info on the effects of obesity in dogs. I'll give that a try. Thanks all!
 

courtney_ou

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 19, 2004
Messages
534
Purraise
3
Location
oklahoma
some yorkies are big; my yorkie weighs almost 11lbs and isnt overwieght. im not discrediting the table scrap thing, though...
 

cearbhaill

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 5, 2006
Messages
824
Purraise
6
Location
Podunk USA
Originally Posted by Soka

Thats the problem, the table food is not occasional. My grandmother slips them all sorts of food every day. Thankfully I've been exersizing Miki and the new kitten is keeping her active. She should shed the extra weight, but I'm still worried for the pups. They watch you eat and beg for food. Its rather annoying. I like the idea of putting together some info on the effects of obesity in dogs. I'll give that a try. Thanks all!
A frank talk might help-

"I know you love 'em to death Grandma, but the extra weight is killing them with kindness. I heard a neat phrase online the orher day- Food Is Not Love. Maybe we can try and stop giving them so much extra food and find a new way to show them how much we love them? Maybe we could start playing with them with toys and stuff, instead? Please Grandma? I don't want Miki to get all fat and die prematurely."

Work up a tear or two when you are talking to her.
Grandma's hate tears.
Sobbing is extra credit.
 
Top