And so it begins... new kitty comes home and her highness is not amused

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ladytimedramon

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The timed feeder I have for Delilah's kibble actually has a camera. I just need to find a better place for it so I can see what's happening.

My problem right now isn't necessarily feeding them as 2 cats, especially since they're eating in separate places. It's getting portion sizes and foods right while staying on a budget. I'd love to get Delilah's weight down and I need to get Fancy's weight up. Before I adopted Fancy I'd noticed that Delilah's tastes seemed to be changing.
 

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Here's a couple short TCS articles that might be helpful:
Is Your Cat Overweight? – TheCatSite Articles
How Much Food Should I Feed My Cat? – TheCatSite Articles

I think the main thing to watch is how many calories each can contains, or each cup of kibble contains. I recently changed my Ruby's food from duck to turkey, and though same brand and same size can, they don't have the same calories per can.

Also, are you sure Delilah needs to lose weight? Sometimes longer haired cats look bigger than they actually are.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Vet said Delilah is 10.5 at her last visit, and said for her frame she should be 9 max. I think she's gone up or held.

When I didn't leave her something midday she pretty much decimated her cat grass (it looked like a cow took a bite out of it), and then there was then 2am wake up hungry meowing.

Over the last couple of weeks before I adopted Fancy, Delilah's tastes seemed to be changing. When I could find a good variety of Sheba, she was happy with about a 5 flavor rotation. With shortages I could only find 1 or 2 flavors. She was not eating it anymore. I had some fancy feast cans leftover from the big freeze (emergency food) so I started mixing that in. And then she was leaving her kibble sit (if she heard it drop before she'd zoom across the apartment to get to it).

I'm thinking of going to one of those clamshell type timed feeder that can hold an ice pack so I can leave wet instead of dry. If she's not wanting the dry I might go all wet now. I just never know how much to give her at one meal. Whole can? Half can? 1/3 can?
 
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ladytimedramon

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Forgot to mention Delilah is a short hair.

Plus nap pics
20211128_122334.jpg

20211128_122246.jpg

You can really see how thin Fancy's limbs are in this pic. Her fur is pretty sparse too.
 

rubysmama

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I'm thinking of going to one of those clamshell type timed feeder that can hold an ice pack so I can leave wet instead of dry. If she's not wanting the dry I might go all wet now. I just never know how much to give her at one meal. Whole can? Half can? 1/3 can?
Is she one who eats everything you give her at once, or will she graze. If she doesn't graze, then dividing her meals out throughout the day would probably work best. I'm home with Ruby, so I give her the first part of her breakfast around 6 AM, part 2 around 9 AM, lunch at noon, part 1 of dinner at 5-ish PM, and parts 2 and 3 of dinner just before I go to bed, in the hopes it will last her all night. So maybe something like that, since you have the timed feeder.

Plus nap pics
Awwww... 2 cuties pies.

You can really see how thin Fancy's limbs are in this pic. Her fur is pretty sparse too.
Poor Fancy. It will be so nice once she gains a bit of weight, and her fur starts to look healthy again.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Is she one who eats everything you give her at once, or will she graze. If she doesn't graze, then dividing her meals out throughout the day would probably work best. I'm home with Ruby, so I give her the first part of her breakfast around 6 AM, part 2 around 9 AM, lunch at noon, part 1 of dinner at 5-ish PM, and parts 2 and 3 of dinner just before I go to bed, in the hopes it will last her all night. So maybe something like that, since you have the timed feeder.
Yeah. Delilah usually isn't a grazer. Sometimes she'll leave and come back to it. Today she hasn't touched the kibble at all. Usually that's what she has at 11, 3 pm and 3am .

I have one of those 5 meal turning feeders but cleaning the little sections is a pain. I went with a kibble drop feeders because of my back.

I've been looking on Amazon cyber Monday deals and seeing the individual timed feeders and thinking of getting 2 of those (1 for each cat) and some extra food compartments to rotate out.

Poor Fancy. It will be so nice once she gains a bit of weight, and her fur starts to look healthy again.
I know. She's a little love bug. I'm going to take her back to the vet when Delilah is due for her vaccines in March and have her rechecked then.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Evening was pretty uneventful. They have a straight line of sight but for the most part Delilah is ignoring Fancy, and Fancy doesn't see enough of Delilah to make an opinion. Fancy came from a house and foster around other cats, while Delilah hasn't seen another cat for what will be 2 years in April.

I'm going to leave Fancy with hall access overnight and see how it goes. Delilah seems to be alternating between her cat tree and the sofa. Fancy has several cat beds to choose from.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Getting ready for the first day at work. Delilah came up to the gate this morning but it was more "where's Mom" than "meet Fancy" (who was asleep in the bathroom).

I'm leaving Fancy a plate of wet and a bowl of dry food, and I changed Delilah's dry to the new one. We'll see how that goes. I'm ordering those new timed feeders. I'll leave on cat relaxation music when I have to go.

Crossing fingers.
 

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Fingers crossed that everything goes well at home, while you're at work. :crossfingers:
:goodluck:
 
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ladytimedramon

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I was afraid of what I'd find when I got home. Mostly what I had was 2 hungry kitties. I accidentally mixed up and gave Delilah's the pate I was giving Fancy, and she let me have it (Fancy didn't care that she got the other food - I've been giving her the pate because of the tummy upset a few days ago).

I pur Delilah's plate on the floor and a little closer towards Fancy. She looked up a few times but neither seemed overly concerned.

Delilah did walk towards the gate but stopped when she saw me looking.

Fancy is pretty settled in. She's been walking and climbing all over me. And after I snuggled some with Fancy, then went to snuggle Delilah, Delilah didn't seem to react to Fancy's scent. So that seems to be a good sign.

If it looks this good by Saturday, maybe I can try putting Fancy into the kitty play pen (zip top) and see how they interact.
 

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Sorry I was MIA yesterday. It sounds pretty good at your house! No one is hissing like a dragon in heat, and they're eating in sight of each other, with only a glance or two!
 
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ladytimedramon

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I'm trying to get them closer. I got Delilah's bowl nearly up to my recliner. She seems to be more jumpy about me moving than about Fancy. She came up to the gate, but more when Fancy's not there. She sees me then walks away. "There's where Mom is."

I tried to move my timed feeder cam so could get an idea of what was happening but couldn't find my extension cord (darned apartment doesn't have enough plugs)
 

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Sounds like yesterday went well, except for the food mix up. But really seems like your introductions are proceeding well. :catlove:
 
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ladytimedramon

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Well, SOMEONE is feeling her oats tonight.

I got home and fed both of them. Then I was sitting eating and heard some noise from Fancy's side of the gate. She was having kitty crazies and running around. Then she hunched up in a mini loaf position and was creeping around. When I went to go on her side of the gate she positioned herself to try to sneak out. I caught her before she could, then opened the bedroom so she had more space to move around. The way she's acting she definitely is feeling better and has more energy, hopefully from eating better.

Fast forward a couple of hours later. I'd taken the food bowls to wash them out and give her fresh kibble. I'm opening the gate and she's cat loafing against the gate. I gently nudged her with the gate. Next thing I know she darts between my legs and out the gate. Thankfully I didn't drop the bowls (they're ceramic). Also thankfully, she must have been overwhelmed and didn't know where to go so I was able to grab her before she got far. Delilah was just sitting in her cat tree watching.

I'm hoping this weekend I can start getting them together.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Sneaky little things, aren't they?
They definitely are.

Fancy slipped through again this morning. I caught her about 6 feet from Delilah's cat tree. Delilah hissed and meowed but didn't move from the tree. I hope that's a good sign.
 

rubysmama

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Sounds like Fancy is quite the slippery little fur ball. :runningcat:

And, yes, a bit of hissing is normal, just Delilah saying "stay back". Not sure about the meowing though. But the fact that she didn't move from the tree, and just hissed/meowed, rather than chasing Fancy, or crouching in fear, seems good.
 
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ladytimedramon

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That she is! She also snuck into my bedroom when I was going in and out. I didn't even see her. I looked all over the bathroom and any hiding spot in the area. I went into the bedroom before tearing the whole apartment apart and there she was, on the floor at the foot of my bed trying to blend in with the laundry.

When Delilah hissed and meowed, she was giving me the same judgemental look she gives me when she's slightly annoyed when she doesn't get fed when she wants; or I come home too late (in her opinion).

I am managing to get Delilah's plate closer to the gate. I estimate they're about 4 to 5 feet apart. Good thing Delilah is food motivated.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Well, got a little revelation... today I left my bedroom open for Fancy. She found a treat bag that I had for Delilah.

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She decimated the bag (there is a bowl of the new kibble not far). This tells me that 1, she has food issues and 2, I need to lock down the kitchen before I let her loose.
 
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ladytimedramon

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I'm getting myself mentally and physically prepared for the actual introductions this weekend. Fancy is looking better and it'll be 2 weeks she's in the apartment. She's ready to get loose. Delilah goes up to the gate but when I look to see where Fancy is, Delilah walks away like "just looking". I can give Delilah "finger wiggle scritches" (I hold my hand down while I'm sitting in the recliner, Delilah comes up and "walks under" my hand to get scritched - we've been doing that since I adopted her) while she watches Fancy. Delilah's tail is high and only the top is moving. I made sure both girls had their Revolution this morning.

I plan on feeding Fancy in the bathroom still (even with the timed feeders that are due today). I'm not really worried about Delilah getting into Fancy's food (except kibble, but I'm fazing that out) if I keep giving Fancy pate. I'd be more worried about Fancy getting into Delilah's food. I know at the shelter, the lady in charge said Delilah was pushed away from the wet food by the big bully cats - since Delilah's been on her own I don't know if she's going to become food aggressive. Fancy has shown she will tear into a bag so extra kibble and treats need to be out of reach.

I went back over the guide, but the part I'm looking for isn't really explained. Do I just let Fancy out of the gate? Would I be better off putting her on a harness? Or in a carrier? And if I let Fancy and Delilah have visitations, should I put Fancy back in her "area" at night and when I'm at work, or at this point let's see how it goes?

One last thing - I had made Fancy an appointment at a groomer. There is a little matting in a spot, and some of her white fur looks off color. The appointment is the 18th. Would I be possibly ruining all progress if I take Fancy to the groomer?
 
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