jenlee
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by jenlee on Apr 14, 2010 9:32:02 GMT
Hi, just wondered if anyone had some advice on how to get Honey back into shape. She has been to the cattery for a week - an unfortunate necessity - and come back a real porker! I can understand why but need some tips on how to get her sleek and svelte again - without her crying driving me nuts! Any ideas?
Jen
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Post by Val on Apr 16, 2010 13:01:53 GMT
Keep her off pouches. My vet says show him a fat cat and 90% of the time they will be fed on pouches. Get some Hills Science Plan or Royal Canin 'LIGHT' biscuits and don't feed her anything other than the right amount of biscuits. No little bits of chicken etc. No matter how much she cries, don't give in.
If she plays with toys, make her run around. The weight will eventually drop off.
Its hard but you have to be the strong one.
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Post by cheryl on Apr 17, 2010 21:02:53 GMT
do the pouches have more calories in than tinned food? i'm convinced they have something different in them from tins. my friend had a cat who would only eat the pouches if she gave gave him the same brand but tinned he would not eat it they are so expensive as well
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Post by Chris - Cats Protection on Apr 25, 2010 9:46:49 GMT
I agree with Val here, there is something in Pouches, no one knows what, that seems to be addictive to Cats.
And if you follow the instructions, you would be feeding up to 4 a day ! no way...
One third to one half a tin is sufficient for cats fed on tinned food, with an additional meal of biscuits, so why would we feed 4 pouches?
It shouldnt have more calories, but who can say for certain?
If Honey was only in the cattery a week, then I would think the weight would come back to normal with little effort once she gets back into a routine.
Usually Catteries feed whatever you feed your cat, in order to avoid tummy upsets etc., so if this is the case, her weight gain, may be down to lack of excercise over the time she was there.
Let us know how it goes.
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jenlee
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by jenlee on Apr 25, 2010 13:30:21 GMT
Well it has been a week and Honey is starting to look a little better, unfortunately she has to go back to the cattery for another week whilst we move house - I didn't think she would cope with the stress of the move - she is having a hard time with the packing as it is! Unfortunately Honey is a pouches cat. She was a rescue and that is what she was already eating. She only has 1 1/2 pouches a day though - no way she would eat 4! So how do I ween her off them - she is a very fussy cat - but like you say if I want her to be a fit not fat cat something has got to change! All ideas welcomed - same for moving house - what should i do to help her cope with the new space ( there will be lots ) Thanks Jen
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Post by cheryl on Apr 29, 2010 0:03:09 GMT
when we moved we went from having a tiny 2 bed house to large 3 bed one. we had 2 cats then. we moved with the cats, no cattery. during the actual move i walked to the new place with the 2 cats in baskets, it was only a 10 min walk. i set aside 1 room which the cats would be in while we brought stuff to the new house. no one was allowed in that room, i put in food,water, beds, litter tray, toys and their baskets if they wanted to hide. once it was all quiet i opened the door so they could have a look around. they had the run as in that room top and bottom hallways and front room..it took till about 10pm before 2 little noses came down then settled in the front room. 1 cat was too young to go out the other was kept in for 2 weeks. it went really smoothly but neither was a stressy cat. i couldn't imagine doing it now Molly is not the sort of cat who'd cope well with such change
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Post by Chris - Cats Protection on Apr 29, 2010 12:00:20 GMT
Cheryl's advice is first rate. Its exactly what I did with my lot when I moved 3 years ago..
I think its helpful for the animals to see whats going on and to understand they are part of it, they almost sense that its all new to you too, so settle in along with you.
Re changing food, well, for really fussy cats, there is a product called Exigent, made by Royal Canin, ask your pet shop if they can order a small bag for you to try. I would start by giving her a little of her pouch food, and then in the same dish, add a sprinkling of the Exigent, and see what happens..
Then daily just add a couple more and so on..
Nothing wrong with her still having half a sachet a day and the remainder Exigent..
Val is the expert at this.. she has to do it all the time with the cats who come into our care, and I believe has only ever had one failure..
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Post by Val on Apr 29, 2010 15:24:50 GMT
Yep, I feed all the rescue cats on Royal Canin Exergent 35/30. It is produced specifically for fussy cats. They don't get an option with me though. Sometimes when they first come in, they don't eat for a couple of days, prefering to stick it out for wet food, but in the end they give in and then love the biscuits. I am tough.
Chris is right. I have only had one failure and that cat had been locked in a house and fed by the kids of the neighbourhood with pouches emptied through the letterbox. When I got her she was almost mad and had gone totally feral. I gave in with her and gave her pouches and then ran out of the kennel before I was attacked. I used to hook her litter tray with a broom and pull it out of the kennel. Poor puss. I really felt sorry for her. We had to pass her down to Derby where they had a behaviourist.
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jenlee
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by jenlee on May 3, 2010 20:57:31 GMT
Thanks Ladies! The cattery is the only safe option with our move. We are moving from an upstairs flat to a terraced house and there isn't really anywhere honey could be tucked away safely. However I will give her a safe place when she comes home and make sure that all her usual things are around and she gets plenty of positive attention!
As for food - have ordered some royal canin and will try to move her off the pouches!
Will let you know how we get on!
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jenlee
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by jenlee on May 9, 2010 16:11:12 GMT
Well Honey came home yesterday. The back room was all set up with her food, litter tray, bed etc. There were also a lot of unpacked boxes in one corner! Honey was very skitty at first - she managed to find her way into the boxes and hid there every time someone walked about ( think the wooden floors were a bit too noisy ) However me and the boyf spent time with her and she went to bed and seemed more settled. When we'd finished banging about we let her into the front room with us - boy was she noisy! She spent the night in the back room and then this morning we let her explore. She has been very vocal but since letting her in the bedroom this afternoon she has been curled up fast asleep - success! We are still going to keep her in the back room for the next few days when we are at work so she doesn't get spooked by any odd noises but think she'll be OK, and hopefully the size of the house will help shift those pounds! As for letting her out - we are going to keep her in for as long as we can bear it so she knows where home is! I'll let you know how the food is going..... Jen
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Post by Chris - Cats Protection on May 11, 2010 9:41:59 GMT
Sounds good... Moving house is so stressful, and hopefully something I wont have to do again... Im glad Honey is settling so well, and yes, best to keep her in for around 4 weeks if you can. One good thing about house moves, it allows us to change an animals routine with relative ease, as everything is new. Hope you get all settled in soon.......however if you are like me, there will still be boxes unopened 3 years down the line...hahaha
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