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

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mschauer

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It's the grilled, not the pate. They only get that once a week. The classic is too high in phosphorus (the FF pate anyway) so that got discounted off the bat. That's my numero uno priority for the community cat food. Most of the grilled (if not all) are in the 22-25 cal/oz range.
Ah. That illustrates a point I made earlier, not all foods have the same energy density. When planning a cats diet we can't just use food weight (x oz per day). We have to determine the calorie content. 
 
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kittycort

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Wow. This is so sad. How can a person let a cat get that big? The poor thing.

Im glad you have him. I hope you keep him. I know, youre a foster, but hey, I still hope you do so he doesnt have to move again. This is,why Im not a very good foster.

I would be cautious still with cutting him back so many cals. With him still veing apprehensive about a new home and obese, he sounds like he isnt using a lot of energy. When he wanders and plays more, he mughtelose more weight.

To make him comfortable, try interactive play...like playing with feather wands or puzzle toys. Also, once its safe to keep him with the other cats, help encourage play and know he will feel a lot more at home when he gets to know his new family. Right now everything is so foreign and he likely feels he does not belong.

I know you are using online dietary advice, but make sure to see a vet in person as well, especially when you are talking about a kitty with serious potential health issye and obesity.

Best of luck to you and him. Im so glad someone cares for him. Whoever let him get this large shoyld be in jail.
 
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mschauer

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@KittyCort- You're a little late to the game. LOL Mickey was with me for a year and has been in his new home for over a year and a half. He is down to around 14 lbs now.
 

kittycort

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Oh..oops. lol

It said it was a new post!

But Im glad to hear his weight is down and hopefully hes in a good home.

Nothing like a little blast from the past, right?:)
 

catlover100

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Wow. This is so sad. How can a person let a cat get that big? The poor thing.

Im glad you have him. I hope you keep him. I know, youre a foster, but hey, I still hope you do so he doesnt have to move again. This is,why Im not a very good foster.

I would be cautious still with cutting him back so many cals. With him still veing apprehensive about a new home and obese, he sounds like he isnt using a lot of energy. When he wanders and plays more, he mughtelose more weight.

To make him comfortable, try interactive play...like playing with feather wands or puzzle toys. Also, once its safe to keep him with the other cats, help encourage play and know he will feel a lot more at home when he gets to know his new family. Right now everything is so foreign and he likely feels he does not belong.

I know you are using online dietary advice, but make sure to see a vet in person as well, especially when you are talking about a kitty with serious potential health issye and obesity.

Best of luck to you and him. Im so glad someone cares for him. Whoever let him get this large shoyld be in jail.
People need to understand there can be several factors why a cat gets so obese as mine is but he has lost several pounds this past year. I was going through depression after getting divorced after 30 years of marriage. I really sometimes don't understand how it happened and why I didn't 'see' it. I don't feel as guilty about it now because he is losing faster now. But believe me I have gone through terrible guilt that I have put his life and health in danger. I think I was going through so much shock that I really didn't see it happening.

Maybe many of you find that hard to believe. But unless you have had your whole life turned upside down than a person can't possibly understand why I didn't realize it was going on.

I just have to be thankful that he hasn't gotten sick  that I know of and is losing at a good rate now. 

So remember when someone has an obese cat don't jump to conclusions that they are bad owners. That person could be living through hell and No, I wasn't going to give up my cats during that time. I could keep care of them and I needed them desperately!!

I have started taking pictures of him because I would like to tell his weight loss story and what happened to me that caused it to happen. 
 
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donutte

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Maple just looked at me today (before getting their evening canned meal) as if to say, "WHY are you doing this to me???" She'd finished off all the dry food I gave her. Sigh, sorry girlie, I know it doesn't make sense now, but doing this for you!
 

catlover100

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Maple just looked at me today (before getting their evening canned meal) as if to say, "WHY are you doing this to me???" She'd finished off all the dry food I gave her. Sigh, sorry girlie, I know it doesn't make sense now, but doing this for you!
I know what you mean. Hadrian is crying at me more because I have already started to reduce his food. Down from about 3 3oz cans to 1 1/2 cans and 1/4 cup dry. Its around 230 calories. 
 

kittycort

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People need to understand there can be several factors why a cat gets so obese as mine is but he has lost several pounds this past year. I was going through depression after getting divorced after 30 years of marriage. I really sometimes don't understand how it happened and why I didn't 'see' it. I don't feel as guilty about it now because he is losing faster now. But believe me I have gone through terrible guilt that I have put his life and health in danger. I think I was going through so much shock that I really didn't see it happening.

Maybe many of you find that hard to believe. But unless you have had your whole life turned upside down than a person can't possibly understand why I didn't realize it was going on.

I just have to be thankful that he hasn't gotten sick  that I know of and is losing at a good rate now. 

So remember when someone has an obese cat don't jump to conclusions that they are bad owners. That person could be living through hell and No, I wasn't going to give up my cats during that time. I could keep care of them and I needed them desperately!!

I have started taking pictures of him because I would like to tell his weight loss story and what happened to me that caused it to happen. 
Oh believe me, I KNOW. I lost my husband as suddenly as it gets nearly three years ago. I miss him so much every day.
 
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mschauer

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Good news! I visited Charlie, Susan and Mickey and they told me Mickey is down to 13 1/5 lbs!



The interesting thing is they haven't reduced his calories at all. They just started feeding him 4 times a day. They did it because he was acting so hungry between meals when they were feeding him 3 times a day. We think being fed more often is making him feel better and so he is more active. 
 

zed xyzed

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Good news! I visited Charlie, Susan and Mickey and they told me Mickey is down to 13 1/5 lbs!



The interesting thing is they haven't reduced his calories at all. They just started feeding him 4 times a day. They did it because he was acting so hungry between meals when they were feeding him 3 times a day. We think being fed more often is making him feel better and so he is more active. 
that is amazing !!! Any way you can post a few before and after pics?
 

donutte

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That is such great news about Mickey! Woohoo! What is his goal weight?

I did get Maple on the scale last Wednesday - 17 lbs 3 oz. I was sure she was 25 lbs, she's such a big kitty! I weighed my kittens just to make sure it wasn't completely off. I knew they were in the 9-9-1/2 lbs range. And one of them was 9 and the other 9-1/2 on the dot!
 
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mschauer

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that is amazing !!! Any way you can post a few before and after pics?
There are lots of pictures in this thread of him as he was losing weight. I would have taken a picture of him at his current weight but I didn't know he had lost more weight since I had last seen him so I didn't take a camera. I could have a taken a picture with my phone but I get much better results with a point and shoot. I'll try to get over to their house again soon and get a new picture of him.
 
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mschauer

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There are pictures sprinkled throughout the thread that show his progress. Post #593 has some good ones.

Bear in mind this is an old thread. Mickey has been in his forever home for almost 4 years now.
 
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doomsdave

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Thanks for the response!

I have a fat cat who's about 17 pounds which is what your former cat reduced down to. My vet indicated that it's a bit risky to reduce him since he's not colossally overweight.

Der Baron von Komfy.

IMG_2351.JPG
 
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mschauer

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He is still doing great. His weight has gotten stuck at around 14 lbs but his vet is OK with that. He may not be trim but he is certainly at a much healthier weight than he was.
 
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