Should We Just Ignore Feeding Guidelines For Wet Food?

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I didn't see anyone mention this (I'm sorry if I missed it), but for obese cats you need to approach a diet very carefully, and go very very slowly, or you could run the risk of liver troubles.

A bathroom or even a baby scale will help you to see how your furbaby's weight is actually doing, which is your best way to determine what amount of calories is safe for your cat.

Increased exercise will change the caloric intake count landscape for your cat all over again, so a scale and weight log is your best, safest and most reliable tool.

Every cat is different, and the only way for you to figure out what will work is to let your cat, and a super gradual weight loss, tell you .

 

[daftcat75]

I want to keep Krista’s activity level up to make sure her weight gain goes to muscle mass and not just a belly. I hide tuna flakes throughout her environment to keep her exploring and foraging. Keeps her agile too as I’ll hide the flakes on any level and in the hide holes. This would probably work well for weight loss activity too as fish flakes don’t really add up like other treats. It is 6 calories for 1.5 grams but Krista is happy with a flake or two coming under 0.1 g per large flake.

 

[lilbirdie]

Furballsmom yep, I was almost irrationally scared of hepatic lipidosis when I started feeding her fewer calories so I’ve been monitoring her weight religiously. Just checked and she’s lost 1/5 lb in all the time I’ve had her. Progress, I guess.

She has a siamese-like build so the excess fat pools around her tiny frame in these big rolls. My mom said she looked like a reverse bobble head.

 

[Furballsmom]

My mom said she looked like a reverse bobble head.

progress, definitely, that's terrific!! Good on you!!

I hide tuna flakes throughout her environment to keep her exploring and foraging. Keeps her agile too as I’ll hide the flakes on any level and in the hide holes.

What a fun idea - I'm going to start that for my boy, as the one thing in his world that he absolutely !!LOVES!! without question or reserve, is bonito

 

[RajaNMizu]

Mizu loves bonito flakes too! I have to ask, where do you hide them and does it make your place smell fishy?

 

[daftcat75]

Mizu loves bonito flakes too! I have to ask, where do you hide them and does it make your place smell fishy?

The flakes are dried so does it make the apartment smell fishy? Depends who you ask. I don’t think so but Krista can smell them. I don’t get too fancy with hiding them. I just put a flake or two on each level or in the weird levels that require some agility over what she normally exerts or I place them in the hide holes. She’s actually really good at this now and cleans out all the hiding places within an hour of finishing her latest meal. I’m clearly not feeding her enough.

 

[daftcat75]

“Are there flakes up here?”

 

[daftcat75]

Couldn’t upload a video. Here’s a screenshot. She was never interested in this “CatIQ Busy Box” until I put some flakes inside. Then she spent the next half hour nosing it, climbing it, sticking her paw in the holes, trying to work it out. She sticks her face in to see the flake but she’s not sure which hole and what angle to use to get to it. She really gets into this so I would only do this for her when I’m working at home and can end it (get it out for her) if she’s getting too frustrated or got it stuck in a bad spot.

 

[RajaNMizu]

*slaps forehead* I have a puzzle feeder! Why haven't I ever thought of using it with bonito flakes? thanks!

 

[RajaNMizu]

*slaps forehead* I have a puzzle feeder! Why haven't I ever thought of using it with bonito flakes? thanks!

 

[RajaNMizu]

That's strange, why did it post twice? Oh well. Anyway, here's Mizu digging for flakes! She meow'd "thanks"