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Post by heartpawprints on Sept 14, 2013 21:00:42 GMT
I took Ruppee to the Vet's this morning for his flea and wormer and mentioned I was concerned about his weight - he's 6.3kg. Even though he's a big cat he's still too big. I've tried him on different diet foods but he goes off them very quickly. She mentioned that Hills have brought out a new food called Metabolism. The idea is that it speeds up the metabolism of fat cats so that even if they are being fed elsewhere (I'm sure Ruppee has another woman) it will still work. Also, it can be used on normal weight cats without reducing their weight which is really good for Georgia who isn't overweight. It's supposed to be highly palatable. I've got a starter pack so I'll let you know how Ruppee gets on. It's just a shame they don't do a version for humans.
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Post by tonib on Sept 14, 2013 22:39:06 GMT
Sorry to hear Ruppee has to go on a diet. Our Penny had to lose 1Kg (from 5 to 4Kg) she was on Hills R/D & it was a success. When we'd got her down (again) I was wondering whether to keep her on it but at a maintenance level but at that point Hills brought out the Metabolic, so we changed to that at the beginning of May this year. She's definitely keeping the weight off and not losing more which is good. She liked it at first & I'm not sure she's so keen on it. It's quite a big kibble & its possible that may be a problem as she doesn't have all her teeth although she can use what she's got & her gums when she wants to! She also seems to get more than she used to with the R/D & she doesn't always finish her daily amount. She has some moist to take her meds but that's taken into account when calculating the amount of Hills. I understand they do a moist but Penny doesn't like the liver based ones - we had to stop the R/D moist as she wouldn't take her meds in it. So I haven't tried this moist. In the US they apparently do treats as well. Hills themselves were very helpful when I queried something - it was done through their website & they rang me back (from Ireland) & were more than happy to discuss the product. Also they said that if Penny didn't get on with it I could return the food whether I was getting through the vets or online. One tip when Penny was first having to lose weight I registered her with the Hill's website & I got a voucher every so often to use against the R/D not sure if they do the same for the Metabolic or even still do it. Still worth looking at their website www.hillspet.comGood luck Ruppee
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Fat Cats
Sept 15, 2013 0:35:02 GMT
via mobile
Post by heartpawprints on Sept 15, 2013 0:35:02 GMT
Tonib thanks for the tip re the website. I think Ruppee needs to loose about a kilo too. Well done to Penny.
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Post by catcalleddog on Sept 15, 2013 8:21:03 GMT
I was always told that, unlike us silly two-legs cats, regulated their own weight so never got fat. I now see this as being as utterly spurious as the belief that black cats are lucky or unlucky!
One the other hand, as with people, a lot is in the genes. Some cats just are more solid - and so long as their 'plumpity' remains comfy and does not inhibit their ability to exercise or enjoy life, I'd be inclined to leave them alone. Are we perhaps projecting our modern-day obsession with youth and body image onto cats. Some people are fatter than others; ditto for cats.
We had a fat ginger cat a few years ago called Leo (visually and physically he is like the character George in my book, though not in character). He was brother to thin slim Max (black and white and wild). Well, Max dies young from kidney failure; Leo lived till over 11.
One of our young cats now - Bumble - is noticeably fatter than we got him as a rescue cat last August - though as they were less than 18 months then I do think he has grown a bit too. He is starting to get a bit solid, and always seems to be eating, demanding food, or probably thinking about it. But is there a problem? I am undecided. Bumble does have a record of going missing, and the worry is if we don't feed him he'll vote with his paws and vamoosh!
Just to add: the cats in all the photos here look perfectly healthy to me, not obese at all. Might those companies set to profit from helping cats to lose weight not be responsible for marketing the idea that many cats need to lose weight? I think it's worth being sceptical here.
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Post by judypops on Sept 15, 2013 10:34:19 GMT
When I was on work experience I was told that cats regulate their own weight, what a load of rubbish. Charlie can eat some food and walk away, just graze throughout the day but Morandi won't leave the bowl until his and Charlie's are empty. Morandi did get a bit pudgy last year so, a mixture of steroids and Mam over feeding but I got him back down to a nice size, I can feel both of their ribs a little but don't see them. Morandi looks huge because he's so fluffy too. Last time I weighed them Morandi was about 6kg and Charlie a bit less. I've also been told that neutered cats and dogs require 33% less food because their metabolism slow down. I've never put it to the test so I can't comment. On weekdays mam feed the boys, they end up getting twice what they should but they haven't gained a gram! Perhaps a more fibrous food would help him stay fuller for longer and not overeat.
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Post by tonib on Sept 15, 2013 17:11:38 GMT
catcalleddog, Penny is only a small cat, when we got her from the rescue at 8 years old at 3.6Kg At the time both of were working & all 3 of our cats (Roman was already incumbent & Osiris came with Penny) were fed on the floor & their food was left down. All of them had free access through a catflap while were at work but I think it was mainly used by the 2 boys. Penny's weight gradually crept up, without us recognising it, & a year & a half later she weighed 5.1Kg!!!! We realised that we couldn't see much daylight under her stomach & rear view her legs weren't well defined at the top half. What we hadn't realised until I retired that year & was at home more was that she was finishing everyone else's food as well as her's. could be that with us out at work & the boys out she felt bored, although there were plenty of toys & climbers around, also I think she was starting to be a bit arthritic whch would have made her think twice about some exercise. Again not something we saw much of. We got the weight off with the Hills R/D & feeding the boys on the worktop. Then wth the arthritis recognised we tried the Hills J/D when she'd lost the weight - back it went on again, which turns out to be a possible effect of the J/D although it did help the arthritis! - so back on the R/D. We have to watch her weight but so far so good on the Metabolic. Now her legs her much more defined but that pouch of fat in front of the hind legs still swings from side to side when she runs but is no longer full of fat. thinking about it that was one of the first symptoms of her weight gain.
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Post by heartpawprints on Sept 15, 2013 19:18:43 GMT
Some cats as some humans have the tendency to put on weight too easily to the point of obesity. Irrespective of corporate agendas the fact remains that being overweight for both species, feline and human, has real impact on the health of the individual. I certainly will try new foods to reduce the risks associated with being overweight for Ruppee. I think everyone will agree with me that when you take a cat on you make the tacit agreement with it to safeguard its health to the best of your ability.
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Post by lotsofcats on Sept 16, 2013 8:33:09 GMT
I am really interested in the Hills Metabolism that you are trying for Ruppee. Out of my 7 cats 3 are overweight and it is the 3 that were originally strays or feral. I think I will do what Toni did with Penny and register with the Hill's website. I really must make an effort to get my 3 puddings to lose weight.
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Post by tonib on Sept 16, 2013 14:46:55 GMT
lotsofcats & heartpawprints I've had a look at the Hills website & it doesn't seem to have the weight management progress part any more (it was in 2009 to 2010 that I was getting the vouchers first for R/D & then the J/D for the arthritis) - however there are vouchers to be obtained if you register for their newsletters & there may be other options. It was also through their newsletter that I found out about the Metabolic. Good luck to you both & your cats.
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Post by catcalleddog on Sept 20, 2013 7:06:13 GMT
Judipops - I was told the same thing: cats regulate their own weight; dogs cat get fat if you let them (and feed them titbits etc).
The evidence seems to disprove this.
Though one wonders what people are calling 'fat'. There are obese cats, and I suspect that is caused by a thyroid issue or similar.
But a well-padded cat of perfect plumpity is NOT 'fat'.
(By the way, I hope you all like my new word 'plumpity' - I made it up for my book! The main character George has the plumpity only to be expected from a wise and mature tomcat!
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Post by tonib on Sept 20, 2013 10:28:34 GMT
catcalleddog I'm afraid to say that our Penny was definitely overweight and it was affecting her as she was getting a strain on her joints leading to arthritis. She definitely improved with the weight loss but still, unfortunately, has arthritis. This summer has been really good for her & she's been much more energetic/wanting to go out, but this last week she's finding some jumping a bit of a strain again - the change in weather I think is to blame & this morning I found she'd moved to the bed to in front of the radiator, which was on for the first time before we got up. so think its time for the heat pad over night on cool nights. She's not doing too bad at 14, but I do wonder if we'd registered the weight gain earlier whether she would have the arthritis now. We got her from a rescue (although she came from a good home, with Osiris, due to her owner going into care) and was slim so we weren't to concerned about the weight gain at first as she was probably just on the under side of normal. Of course we really should have registered that her weight had gone to far the other way. We got her at 3.6Kg & the vet reckons that 4Kg is probably her maximum ideal weight & she reached 5Kg. Now really is overweight by 25%!!
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Post by lotsofcats on Sept 20, 2013 11:05:21 GMT
Judipops - I was told the same thing: cats regulate their own weight; dogs cat get fat if you let them (and feed them titbits etc). The evidence seems to disprove this. Though one wonders what people are calling 'fat'. There are obese cats, and I suspect that is caused by a thyroid issue or similar. But a well-padded cat of perfect plumpity is NOT 'fat'. (By the way, I hope you all like my new word 'plumpity' - I made it up for my book! The main character George has the plumpity only to be expected from a wise and mature tomcat! Love the word 'plumpity' - I shall use that from now on.
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Post by heartpawprints on Sept 22, 2013 19:14:32 GMT
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Post by tonib on Sept 22, 2013 22:07:12 GMT
Interesting article, not sure I agree 100% with it. It's just one potential explanation but then the food has to be made available as well.
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Post by catcalleddog on Oct 19, 2013 15:14:41 GMT
Yes, lotsofcats - I loved the word 'plumpity' when I invented it (which I think I did...)
I liked it so much I use it 3 times (I think) in my book A Cat Called Dog (which is mentioned under BOOKS in Your Cat for November).
I do make up words occasionally. Why not too? Might even get a dictionary mention one day eh?
And it make a change from the recent common habit of people tending to put '-ness' at the end of all nouns like that (as George Bush did a lot).
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