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

[ldg]

WTG Mikey! (well, mschauer :lol3: ). I'm really interested to see what happens with this shift to Sheba.

I'm really stuck on what to do with Billy, as you know. I've reduced the amount of red meats in his rotation, but I really didn't want to feed him just chicken and turkey breast. I guess I should put some work in to calories of what I'm feeding him, since he's at a lower volume of food than he should really be eating anyway. I mean - IF that gets his weight down, then doesn't he have to stay on that food to keep it there?

Sorry - didn't mean to derail your thread about Mikey. So happy to hear he's coming out of his room! I'm STILL seeing foster failure all over this one. :lol3:

 

[Willowy]

I thought Sheba isn't a complete diet? Or did they come up with a balanced food since last time I looked?

Glad to hear his weight loss is progressing!

 

[wolcar]

Thanks for the info. .  It's very helpful to watch along as others do this as well.  Plus, I enjoy watching the heavier cats get slimmer :-) Perhaps I'll be a bit more aggressive ( a teensy bit) and closely monitor my fatso. 

While my Ulysses isn't as large as Mickey he does a similar rooted play.  He'll play for 40 minutes but doesn't move much. lol  I did recently catch him on the fridge and since I didn't put him there it means he jumped to the counter then onto the fridge.  It's the little things ;-)

Thanks for the info on the calories.  I can't wait to see Mickey's future progress.

 

[mschauer]

I thought Sheba isn't a complete diet? Or did they come up with a balanced food since last time I looked?

Glad to hear his weight loss is progressing!

Yeah, they have a complete one now. I'm not sure the old, supplemental one is available anymore.

 

[mschauer]

WTG Mikey! (well, mschauer :lol3: ). I'm really interested to see what happens with this shift to Sheba.

I'm really stuck on what to do with Billy, as you know. I've reduced the amount of red meats in his rotation, but I really didn't want to feed him just chicken and turkey breast. I guess I should put some work in to calories of what I'm feeding him, since he's at a lower volume of food than he should really be eating anyway. I mean - IF that gets his weight down, then doesn't he have to stay on that food to keep it there?

Sorry - didn't mean to derail your thread about Mikey. So happy to hear he's coming out of his room! I'm STILL seeing foster failure all over this one. :lol3:

I took a crack at coming up with a lower calorie raw food and found it pretty difficult. The only way I could do it was by adding more water.

 

[ldg]

Yeah, I fgured just feeding breast vs thigh, and reducing the amount of lamb (fattier meats) etc. might help. :dk:

 

[mschauer]

Yeah, I fgured just feeding breast vs thigh, and reducing the amount of lamb (fattier meats) etc. might help.

I analyzed a chicken breast or thigh plus heart and liver recipe and there was only 1 calorie difference when using the breast rather than the thigh.  Both were actually pretty low though, 27 calories/oz vs 28. The chicken/pork recipe I've starting using because the furries decided they don't like chicken is only 28 calories/oz using chicken breast and very lean pork. I'll have to remember that in case the Sheba ends up being too low in calories. I can use the chicken/pork. 

 

[ldg]

Thanks (as always!).

 

[riccadawn]

I've been following this thread as well. I don't have any similar experiences, but find your kitty weight loss journey very interesting! Please keep sharing

Assuming he's not a foster failure, how much weight would they like him to lose before you take him back?

 

[mschauer]

I've been following this thread as well. I don't have any similar experiences, but find your kitty weight loss journey very interesting! Please keep sharing

Assuming he's not a foster failure, how much weight would they like him to lose before you take him back?

That's a very good question! I'm sure he at least has to be able to clean himself to be considered adoptable and that is at least 6 lbs away. I didn't ask what weight they want him at because I knew it would be a long time before he is at that weight whatever it is. I would imagine it isn't a specific number but rather would be left to me to decide whether I think he is at an adoptable weight and then it would be up to the shelter vet to agree or disagree. In addition to being able to clean himself he probably needs to not look too fat. 

 

[mschauer]

Well, the Sheba hasn't worked out very well. Poor Mickey was so hungry even when I increased the amount to what I thought would be 180 calories. He hasn't dropped an excessive amount of weight, only an ounce or 2, but the way he attacks the food when I put it down tells he is very hungry. The manufacturer hasn't responded to my email asking for calorie information so I'm really not sure how many calories he is getting. From now on I'm going to only use foods that have published calorie information. 

For the last couple of days he has been getting 6 oz of Fancy Feast a day for about 190 calories and he seems a lot more comfortable. I'm going to try using the low calorie Weruva products to lower the calories without decreasing the amount of food he gets. Last night I went to a store that I thought carried what I wanted but they had every Weruva product *except* the cans! Today I'll go to a store that I know has what I want.

I don't want to give him only the Weruva because I really think they are too low in fat. I think combining it with something else to up the fat is the better way to go. If I mix a can of FF with a can of Weruva 7 oz of it and it will only be 170 calories of what should be a high protein, moderate fat food. I bet he'll like that!

The by Nature 95% meat products I ordered on-line should be here tommorrow. They claim only 20 kcals/oz. If that is true and given the ingredients, it should be high in lean animal protein. I'm suspicious though because of its relatively low price. I emailed them early last week asking for the as fed nutritional analysis and haven't heard back. I called them today and the customer service gal said she would check into why I haven't received a response. I also asked her to check if that 20 kcals/oz is correct. If it is, it will be a higher quality alternative to the FF. Even if it is 25 kcals/oz, which is the calculated value based on the guranteed analysis, it would still be a good alternative to the FF.

On the non-food front, after weeks of having to cajole him to leave "his" room, he now wants out all the time! When I'm not home I have to leave him in his room so he has access to his food. When I'm home though I let him out and he lets me know when he wants to go back in, usually to eat. Unfortunately when he is out he doesn't get all that much more exercise on his own. Mostly he just plops down in the middle of the living room floor. It is easier to play with him when he is out though. And he does like to climb up and lay on the back of the sofa when I'm laying on it watching TV.

 

[ldg]

I'm sorry that didn't work out. Poor hungry Mickey!

Hope they get back to you.

 

[wolcar]

Climbing up the sofa has to be exercise for him :-)  Sounds like he's doing well. 

Does he play or interact with your other cats?

 

[mschauer]

I'm sorry that didn't work out. Poor hungry Mickey!

Hope they get back to you.

It might turn out to be a good thing. I'm thinking now that what I will do is mix a can of Weruva with a can of by Nature. Even if the by Nature is the higher 25 kcal/oz, the result will be a food low enough in calories that 170 calories will be 7.5 oz. And it will be better quality food. 

 

[mschauer]

Climbing up the sofa has to be exercise for him :-)  Sounds like he's doing well. 

Does he play or interact with your other cats?

Yeah he does put quite a bit of effort into that climb! 

He pretty much ignores my cats. Any playing requires me.

 

[ldg]

It might turn out to be a good thing. I'm thinking now that what I will do is mix a can of Weruva with a can of by Nature. Even if the by Nature is the higher 25 kcal/oz, the result will be a food low enough in calories that 170 calories will be 7.5 oz. And it will be better quality food. 

Good point! :lol3:

 

[tx_kat]

He is playful but he likes to play while rooted in one spot and preferably while on his back! In other words he manages to not move very much while he plays!

I've been following Mickey's progress with great interest.  Our Angel wasn't/isn't as big as Mickey, but she has lost 2 pounds in the past 2 months (17.8 pounds down to 15/8 pounds) since we switched her and all of our cats from all dry to all canned.  A couple of months ago, her main exercise was walking from her spot under the dining room table to her food bowl 10 feet away.  One month ago, she started playing with the teaser toy while laying down or laying on her back.  A couple of days ago, she shocked me when she ran back and forth across the living room chasing the streamer teaser toy - for almost 5 minutes! 

Have you noticed any change in his coat condition with the change in his diet and/or since he started losing weight?

 

[kittylover23]

I just wanted to say, I'm following this thread as well.

that you are able to get his weight down, and

for your amazing efforts!

 

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by TX_Kat  

I've been following Mickey's progress with great interest.  Our Angel wasn't/isn't as big as Mickey, but she has lost 2 pounds in the past 2 months (17.8 pounds down to 15/8 pounds) since we switched her and all of our cats from all dry to all canned.  A couple of months ago, her main exercise was walking from her spot under the dining room table to her food bowl 10 feet away.  One month ago, she started playing with the teaser toy while laying down or laying on her back.  A couple of days ago, she shocked me when she ran back and forth across the living room chasing the streamer teaser toy - for almost 5 minutes! 

Nice job with Angel. It's amazing how much of a difference just switching to an all wet diet can make!

Have you noticed any change in his coat condition with the change in his diet and/or since he started losing weight?

Well yes and no. From the start he has had a very thick, very soft coat. He is really quite a handsome dude! 

The exception was on his back which was kinda greasy feeling. I attributed that to him not being able to groom himself there. Since I have been brushing him frequently the fur on his back doesn't feel quite so greasy. I think it is because of my brushing though, not the food change. Now that I'm thinking of it, I've been using pet wipes to keep his hinder regions clean. Maybe I can use them on him all over to clean his fur since he isn't able to do a proper job of it. I'll have to give that a try!

 

[mschauer]

I just wanted to say, I'm following this thread as well.

that you are able to get his weight down, and

for your amazing efforts!

Thanks!