Mickey, my 27 lbs foster and his journey back to a healthy weight

[mschauer]

Oooh, I didn't know there was a picture forum. I'm going to have to investigate that forum. I may have been missing out here!

Oh you're definitely missing out! People over there would *love* to see pictures of your boys looking extra fluffly! 

There are always lots of pictures of other people's kitties looking extra fluffy also! 

 

[mschauer]

That is really great about  Mickeys  weight loss and becoming more mobile and going around carrying a toy and asking for more play!   Good job to you both!

Thanks! I'm really happy with his progress. This week has been especially great because his energy level has really exploded! He was even trying to chase one of my cats! It wasn't a fair chase though, Coco is a furry little rocket. Poor Mickey didn't have a chance! 

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Thanks! I'm really happy with his progress. This week has been especially great because his energy level has really exploded! He was even trying to chase one of my cats! It wasn't a fair chase though, Coco is a furry little rocket. Poor Mickey didn't have a chance! 

No, but it's a great new way for him to get his exercise

 

[wolcar]

Thanks! I'm really happy with his progress. This week has been especially great because his energy level has really exploded! He was even trying to chase one of my cats! It wasn't a fair chase though, Coco is a furry little rocket. Poor Mickey didn't have a chance! 

He he.  Poor Mickey but I'm happy he's trying to chase Coco.

 

[kittylover23]

for Mickey!!!!! Aww, mschauer you are such a dedicated meowmy!!! for you!!!

 

[mschauer]

Update - week 14

Mickey weighted in at 23:9 (lbsz) on Saturday. That's 3 oz down from the previous week. I would have been very happy to see 4 oz but I'm going to stop whining about him not losing as much as I want him to and just be happy that he is consistently losing.  

He still gets about 145 calories a day. He is up to 2 oz of raw a day. It's 2 weeks now that he had been some raw. He seems to be handling it better than last time. Before he was fine with eating some raw for 1 1/2 weeks and then would start throwing it up soon after eating. It's been a little over 2 weeks and he hasn't thrown up. 

What he is currently getting:

morning: 1/2 oz raw chicken + 1 oz Weruva/byNature mixed

lunch:     1 1/2 oz by Nature

dinner:    1/2 oz raw chicken + 1 oz Weruva/by Nature mixed

midnight: 1 oz raw chicken

The raw he is getting is either Darwin's Natural or Primal.

I don't think there is anything new in the behavior department. He is still pretty active and playful. 

 

[ldg]

Ooooo, wonderful news in general! : clap: And yes, slow but steady still achieves the goal!

 

[wolcar]

This is fantastic. I'm glad he's still losing a 'decent' amount of weight each week.  He's gotta be feeling friskier with each ounce lost.

 

[carolina]

Awesome! way to go! so.... Are we due for a picture yet, how long are you going to make us suffer? :lol3:

 

[mschauer]

Awesome! way to go!

so.... Are we due for a picture yet, how long are you going to make us suffer?

I know, I can't wait to see how the new side by side picture looks! Hopefully in 2 weeks he'll be close to 23 lbs. I'll post a new picture then regardless of how much he weights!

 

[mschauer]

Update: week 15

Mickey weighted in at 23:6 (lbsz) yesterday for a 15 week loss of 23:8. That's only 3 oz for the last week. Sigh. OK, I said I wouldn't whine so I won't. 

He is still getting the same diet as the previous week and about 145 calories a day. He seems to be getting more hungry between meals. I'm thinking about giving him a 'diet vacation' for a week.  I would up his calorie intake to hopefully a maintenance level so he wouldn't gain weight but I wouldn't expect him to loss either. 

I saw him grooming his chest this last week. I think that's new. Also, I see him lying his side or stomach. Before he only seemed to be comfortable lying on his back. It's also easier to get him to run after a toy rather than playing by staying rooted in one spot. Baby steps! 

  

 

[catspaw66]

Update: week 15

Mickey weighted in at 23:6 (lbsz) yesterday for a 15 week loss of 23:8. That's only 3 oz for the last week. Sigh. OK, I said I wouldn't whine so I won't. 

Am I reading this wrong?  That would make him starting at almost 47 pounds.  

 

[ldg]

Update: week 15

Mickey weighted in at 23:6 (lbsz) yesterday for a 15 week loss of 23:8. That's only 3 oz for the last week. Sigh. OK, I said I wouldn't whine so I won't. :happy2:

Am I reading this wrong?  That would make him starting at almost 47 pounds.  

It's a typo. His starting weight is in the first post. Mikey started at 26 pounds, 14 ounces. The 15 week weight loss is 3:8, the "2" in front of that is in error. His 15-week weight loss is 3 pounds, 8 ounces.

 

[catspaw66]

That's what I figured.  I just wanted to clear it up for some of the new people on here.  I saw a 41 pound cat that is the same color as Mickey on the news.

 

[ldg]

Update: week 15

Mickey weighted in at 23:6 (lbsz) yesterday for a 15 week loss of 23:8. That's only 3 oz for the last week. Sigh. OK, I said I wouldn't whine so I won't. :happy2:

He is still getting the same diet as the previous week and about 145 calories a day. He seems to be getting more hungry between meals. I'm thinking about giving him a 'diet vacation' for a week.  I would up his calorie intake to hopefully a maintenance level so he wouldn't gain weight but I wouldn't expect him to loss either. 

I saw him grooming his chest this last week. I think that's new. Also, I see him lying his side or stomach. Before he only seemed to be comfortable lying on his back. It's also easier to get him to run after a toy rather than playing by staying rooted in one spot. Baby steps!    

:lol3: YES! Baby steps!

I wonder why he's getting hungrier between meals? :scratch: If his activity level was up such that he was burning more calories, wouldn't we see a greater rate of weight loss this week?

Medora - what about trying the meal size switch-up, like we're doing with Billy - while targeting his maintenance calories while on the "diet vacation?"

We don't have a scale here, as you know, but Billy was standing there yesterday, and he has a "real" waist now! He was last weighed on Sep 5, so I want to wait this two weeks - we won't weigh him again until the week of October 8. But I'm pretty sure he's still losing weight. (We did switch him up from salmon oil to krill oil after his weigh-in, and based on Carolina's Bugsy, it may up the rate of loss.... :cross: ).

 

[mschauer]

Update: week 15

Mickey weighted in at 23:6 (lbsz) yesterday for a 15 week loss of 23:8. That's only 3 oz for the last week. Sigh. OK, I said I wouldn't whine so I won't. 

Am I reading this wrong?  That would make him starting at almost 47 pounds.  

 It's been a *loong* weekend and I'm very tired! Should be 3:8.

That's what I figured.  I just wanted to clear it up for some of the new people on here.  I saw a 41 pound cat that is the same color as Mickey on the news.

I saw a picture of her. She didn't look like 41 lbs to me but it can be hard to tell in a picture. I didn't think Mickey looked as big as is he from the picture I first saw of him. Poor kitty. 

 

[mschauer]

YES! Baby steps!

I wonder why he's getting hungrier between meals?

If his activity level was up such that he was burning more calories, wouldn't we see a greater rate of weight loss this week?

Medora - what about trying the meal size switch-up, like we're doing with Billy - while targeting his maintenance calories while on the "diet vacation?"

We don't have a scale here, as you know, but Billy was standing there yesterday, and he has a "real" waist now! He was last weighed on Sep 5, so I want to wait this two weeks - we won't weigh him again until the week of October 8. But I'm pretty sure he's still losing weight. (We did switch him up from salmon oil to krill oil after his weigh-in, and based on Carolina's Bugsy, it may up the rate of loss....

).

I was thinking about trying the meal size switching thing. I didn't think about doing it during his "diet vacation" but that would be a good time to try it. I'll figure out how to do the meals and maybe start doing that.

 

[ldg]

I don't know if you remember, and I have NO idea if it would be similar for Mickey or not. But when Billy gets the small meals, he doesn't run around trying to eat from the other kitty's bowls. It's like... he's stunned or something. :lol3: He just sits there and cleans. :dk: He doesn't beg for food between meals, either. He DOES let me know when it's time for the next meal though, and is impatient while I fix it. :lol3:

 

[wolcar]

I still think it's great that he's still losing even if it's at such a slow rate. Maybe the diet vacation or the switching of the size of the meals will work. Worth a try as it seemed to work for Billy and a few others.

I think it's great he's grooming his chest now. Small steps.  Same with the play.  I guess he hasn't hit the mark for a picture or a video yet?

Do most fat cats lie on their back like that? I'm wondering if that's why my Ulysses does that all the time; although, he's been doing it since he was a wee little thing before he was tubby. lol

I hope the diet break does the trick next week!!!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well I think the continued "baby steps" are great! 

And, I think the diet vacation, or a swtich up like Laurie is doing might be just what he needs to he doesn't plateau.

Keep up the great work!!!!!