Can i use that at my next Dr appt? That weight is with poop inside. 
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Tangent - Raw Food Weight Loss Program
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- #42
Maybe....maybe not....Can i use that at my next Dr appt? That weight is with poop inside.
Tangent's pooped overnight and sabotaged my "with poop inside" theory. I weighed him "with poop outside" and he is up 2.5 ounces from yesterday.
So now I'm calling it "water weight".
Back to less food the rest of the week.
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- #43
So I cut Tangent's food from 4.87 oz/day to 4.2 oz/day this last week, calories per day down from 160 to 141.
He weighed-in today the same as last Sunday: 243 ounces (15.2 pounds) We are getting so close to the under-15 pound mark, I can taste it.
Out of curiosity, I weighed him several times during the week. His weight fluctuates quite a bit. He hit his low at 241 ounces (yesterday), a new record low. His high for the week was on Monday at 245.5. That's over 1/4 pound difference through the course of one week.
I'm happy that I can keep his ounces per day over 4 with the new lower-calorie diet. I get worried about him not getting enough grams of protein at 4 ounces, and really don't want to drop below that amount.
He weighed-in today the same as last Sunday: 243 ounces (15.2 pounds) We are getting so close to the under-15 pound mark, I can taste it.
Out of curiosity, I weighed him several times during the week. His weight fluctuates quite a bit. He hit his low at 241 ounces (yesterday), a new record low. His high for the week was on Monday at 245.5. That's over 1/4 pound difference through the course of one week.
I'm happy that I can keep his ounces per day over 4 with the new lower-calorie diet. I get worried about him not getting enough grams of protein at 4 ounces, and really don't want to drop below that amount.
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- #44
Tangent just weighed in at 240.5, a new low. 
Before I get too excited about that, he pooped right after I sifted last night's pee out of the box and he has not eaten breakfast yet this morning. So for this week's weigh-in, he was "running on empty".
Last week I did some random weigh-ins with him. Looks like his weight has a margin of error of about 1.5 ounces on either side of 242.
Random weigh-ins last week:
Sun 243 ("official" weekly weight 7-23)
Tue 241.5
Thur 243.5
Fri 241.5
Sat AM 243.5
Sat PM 241
Today "official" 240.5
I did increase his food to 4.47 oz/day (4.2 oz last week), but kept the calories relatively flat at 144 kcal/day (141 last week).
This week, I have planned a food recipe for him with 32 oz meat/bone/organs for 8 days of food at 4 oz/day. Experimentally, I'm going to mix in 2 cups of prepared Knox unflavored gelatin, which will increase the weight of the batch to approx. 48 oz. He can have 6 ounces a day with the gelatin, but only count as 4 oz of "actual food". The Knox pushes the grams of protein/ounce just over 5g (not counting the gelatin water weight), but adds less than one calorie per ounce of food. I'm hoping this blend will help him feel not so hungry.
Before I get too excited about that, he pooped right after I sifted last night's pee out of the box and he has not eaten breakfast yet this morning. So for this week's weigh-in, he was "running on empty".Last week I did some random weigh-ins with him. Looks like his weight has a margin of error of about 1.5 ounces on either side of 242.
Random weigh-ins last week:
Sun 243 ("official" weekly weight 7-23)
Tue 241.5
Thur 243.5
Fri 241.5
Sat AM 243.5
Sat PM 241
Today "official" 240.5
I did increase his food to 4.47 oz/day (4.2 oz last week), but kept the calories relatively flat at 144 kcal/day (141 last week).
This week, I have planned a food recipe for him with 32 oz meat/bone/organs for 8 days of food at 4 oz/day. Experimentally, I'm going to mix in 2 cups of prepared Knox unflavored gelatin, which will increase the weight of the batch to approx. 48 oz. He can have 6 ounces a day with the gelatin, but only count as 4 oz of "actual food". The Knox pushes the grams of protein/ounce just over 5g (not counting the gelatin water weight), but adds less than one calorie per ounce of food. I'm hoping this blend will help him feel not so hungry.
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- #45
Tangent officially weighed-in under 15 pounds this morning! 
239.5 ounces or 14.96875 pounds.
I cut his calories back to 135 a day on 4 ounces of food average. I worry he's not getting enough grams of protein on such a small amount of food, but the diet is moving in the right direction here instead of see-sawing or plateauing.
I mixed up another batch of chicken breast with gelatin, plus a batch of pork tenderloin without gelatin. I'll keep him at 135 calories this next week.
Anyway, it's been a long time waiting for that breakthrough under 15 pounds.
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- #46
No change in Tangent's weight since last Sunday. 239.5 ounces today on 4 ounces of food at 134 kcal/day average.
I did a couple of unscheduled weigh-ins. Friday, he hit a new low of 237 ounces, but had bounced back up by today. Both of the other weigh-ins were at 239.5, so nothing higher than that this week.
We're still on a decent, if slow, track.
I did a couple of unscheduled weigh-ins. Friday, he hit a new low of 237 ounces, but had bounced back up by today. Both of the other weigh-ins were at 239.5, so nothing higher than that this week.
We're still on a decent, if slow, track.
Has he had his thyroid levels checked?
You love him and I'm sure every time you make his food you tell yourself c'mon, I know you need more than that, then the weight doesn't change and sometimes you tear up or other times you might make light and tell him how stubborn he his...
Or at least I would.
You love him and I'm sure every time you make his food you tell yourself c'mon, I know you need more than that, then the weight doesn't change and sometimes you tear up or other times you might make light and tell him how stubborn he his...
Or at least I would.
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- #48
I haven't had his thyroid tested. I'd like for him to lose 1/2 pound per month, but no tears over him losing 1/2 pound in 5 months. Perhaps I should stop letting him have an infrequent All You Can Eat Buffet to reward him for a tiny weight drop.
It does seem like his weight is moving again with changing him to skinless chicken breasts (from skin-on thighs), pork top loin (from butt roast) and beef eye-of-round (from brisket). All those changes were recent, as was adding unflavored gelatin to his chicken breast mixes. I've been able to increase the protein grams a little, while lower the calories per ounce.
I'll give him a few more weeks with these changes and hope he doesn't plateau again.
It does seem like his weight is moving again with changing him to skinless chicken breasts (from skin-on thighs), pork top loin (from butt roast) and beef eye-of-round (from brisket). All those changes were recent, as was adding unflavored gelatin to his chicken breast mixes. I've been able to increase the protein grams a little, while lower the calories per ounce.
I'll give him a few more weeks with these changes and hope he doesn't plateau again.
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- #49
Tangent got two weigh-ins this morning with two different results, so we're officially going with the lower weight for the week. 
After pee and poop, he weighed in at 237 ounces, or 2.5 ounces less than last week (he was flat at 239.5 ounces after breakfast but before pee and poop).
So that is "officially" a new Sunday low. He averaged 4.06 ounces of food per day and 131 kcal/day (a 3 kcal/day reduction).
14.81 pounds.
He "unofficially" was back up at 15 pounds a couple times during the week 
, so if he can stay below that the rest of the month (and...well...forever), I'll be content with the results.
After pee and poop, he weighed in at 237 ounces, or 2.5 ounces less than last week (he was flat at 239.5 ounces after breakfast but before pee and poop).
So that is "officially" a new Sunday low. He averaged 4.06 ounces of food per day and 131 kcal/day (a 3 kcal/day reduction).
14.81 pounds.
He "unofficially" was back up at 15 pounds a couple times during the week , so if he can stay below that the rest of the month (and...well...forever), I'll be content with the results.- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #50
Perhaps I have found the "magic" combination of protein/fat/calories to get Tangent's weight moving.
He officially weighed 235.5 ounces (14.72 pounds) this morning after his breakfast, a loss of 1.5 ounces this week.
His avg kcal/day were 128 (another drop of 3 kcals/day). He ate chicken breast mix with gelatin for 5 days, a pork mix 1 day, and a beef mix yesterday. Average meals 4.06 ounces (same as last week), 1.69% of body weight.
During unscheduled weigh-ins though the week, his weight did not see-saw like normal, but slowly declined. His low weight was 235 ounces on Friday. He did not weigh more than last Sunday's weight on any of the unofficial weigh ins.
On July 30th, I started adding 16oz of prepared unflavored gelatin to 32 oz of boneless skinless chicken breast mix (included hearts/gizzards/bones/liver/kidney). I didn't count the water weight from the gelatin in how much "food" he ate per day (6oz with gelatin = 4oz food). A batch of "jello meals" is 8 days of food.
I was thinking of discontinuing the gelatin since I thought it might only be helping my psychology to "look like" he was getting larger portions of food. However, over the last month he has made more progress than the string of previous months so I ordered a 24oz tub of grass-fed beef gelatin (instead of the expensive little Knox packets). He also begs for food a lot less.
We'll carry on with the "Jello food" 5-6 days/week and plan to set his calories around 130.
Very optimistic that everything is clicking now.
He officially weighed 235.5 ounces (14.72 pounds) this morning after his breakfast, a loss of 1.5 ounces this week.
His avg kcal/day were 128 (another drop of 3 kcals/day). He ate chicken breast mix with gelatin for 5 days, a pork mix 1 day, and a beef mix yesterday. Average meals 4.06 ounces (same as last week), 1.69% of body weight.
During unscheduled weigh-ins though the week, his weight did not see-saw like normal, but slowly declined. His low weight was 235 ounces on Friday. He did not weigh more than last Sunday's weight on any of the unofficial weigh ins.
On July 30th, I started adding 16oz of prepared unflavored gelatin to 32 oz of boneless skinless chicken breast mix (included hearts/gizzards/bones/liver/kidney). I didn't count the water weight from the gelatin in how much "food" he ate per day (6oz with gelatin = 4oz food). A batch of "jello meals" is 8 days of food.
I was thinking of discontinuing the gelatin since I thought it might only be helping my psychology to "look like" he was getting larger portions of food. However, over the last month he has made more progress than the string of previous months so I ordered a 24oz tub of grass-fed beef gelatin (instead of the expensive little Knox packets). He also begs for food a lot less.
We'll carry on with the "Jello food" 5-6 days/week and plan to set his calories around 130.
Very optimistic that everything is clicking now.
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- #51
Tangent lost a little too much weight last week (never thought I'd be writing that after the last year's records... 
).
He weighed 231 oz (14.44 lbs) this morning, a loss of 4.5 ounces. He ate chicken breast mix with gelatin 5 days, and a pork top loin mix (without "jello") 2 days. Avg kcals/day were 130, 2 calories more per day than last week. 3.89 oz/day avg in food weight and 1.65% of body weight was slightly less food per day than the previous week, even with more calories.
Since he has had largish swings in weight over a short period before (usually in the wrong direction), I'm going to keep him at 130 calories per day through Wednesday morning. If he is still losing too fast, then I'll get more calories into him from Wednesday evening through Saturday.
).He weighed 231 oz (14.44 lbs) this morning, a loss of 4.5 ounces. He ate chicken breast mix with gelatin 5 days, and a pork top loin mix (without "jello") 2 days. Avg kcals/day were 130, 2 calories more per day than last week. 3.89 oz/day avg in food weight and 1.65% of body weight was slightly less food per day than the previous week, even with more calories.
Since he has had largish swings in weight over a short period before (usually in the wrong direction), I'm going to keep him at 130 calories per day through Wednesday morning. If he is still losing too fast, then I'll get more calories into him from Wednesday evening through Saturday.
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- #52
Tangent weighed 227 ounces this morning (14.19 lbs), another 4 ounce drop in weight. That's a half pound in two weeks.
His weekly calorie data is a little messed up because he got into the bedroom and ate some or all of Farrell's high-calorie breakfast last Sunday. I'm showing him at 133 calories a day, but he ate up to 97 extra calories this week depending on how much of the kitten's breakfast he ate.
I reweighed him a couple hours after last week's "official" weigh in and he had gained 2.5 ounces in a few hours...so I think he got two breakfasts that day. Unintended all-you-can-eat buffet.
It seems like he's losing too fast now, maybe because I'm not used to solid weight losses every week. His weight is still highly variable day to day (and hour to hour). Yesterday he weighed 231, no change from last week.
Sooooo.....I'm keeping him on 130-135 calories a day for one more week.
His weekly calorie data is a little messed up because he got into the bedroom and ate some or all of Farrell's high-calorie breakfast last Sunday. I'm showing him at 133 calories a day, but he ate up to 97 extra calories this week depending on how much of the kitten's breakfast he ate.
I reweighed him a couple hours after last week's "official" weigh in and he had gained 2.5 ounces in a few hours...so I think he got two breakfasts that day. Unintended all-you-can-eat buffet.
It seems like he's losing too fast now, maybe because I'm not used to solid weight losses every week. His weight is still highly variable day to day (and hour to hour). Yesterday he weighed 231, no change from last week.
Sooooo.....I'm keeping him on 130-135 calories a day for one more week.
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- #54
Farrell eats in the master bathroom with the bedroom door closed...and she grazes...and she chooses not to eat breakfast a lot of days. I didn't see Tangent slip through the closed door...I went in later and he was sleeping rather contentedly on the floor and all of Farrell's food was gone. 
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- #55
Tangent reversed last week's progress and gained a little back this week.
He weighed in at 230.5 (14.4 lbs), a gain of 3.5 ounces. I held his food and calories steady at 4 ounces of food, 133 kcals/day.
He's had a couple of good weight-loss weeks before today so I'm going to keep him on the same amount of food and calories for this next week and hope he hasn't hit another plateau.
He weighed in at 230.5 (14.4 lbs), a gain of 3.5 ounces. I held his food and calories steady at 4 ounces of food, 133 kcals/day.
He's had a couple of good weight-loss weeks before today so I'm going to keep him on the same amount of food and calories for this next week and hope he hasn't hit another plateau.
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- #56
I missed the Sunday update report yesterday, but did Tangent's official weigh-in.
He weighed in at 228.5 oz (14.28 lbs), a loss of 2 ounces. So we're going in the right direction once again.
I kept him steady at 4 ounces of food and 130 kcals/day. We're continuing on this week with no changes in quantity or calories.
He weighed in at 228.5 oz (14.28 lbs), a loss of 2 ounces. So we're going in the right direction once again.
I kept him steady at 4 ounces of food and 130 kcals/day. We're continuing on this week with no changes in quantity or calories.
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- #57
Tangent weighed 227.5 ounces yesterday evening, an ounce down from the previous week. His diet is on a good track now. On an "unofficial" weigh in on Thursday morning, he weighed 224 oz or exactly 14 pounds! I'm keeping him on 4 ounces of food and around 130-135 kcals/day. This week his average caloric intake was 134.
He's looking really great. He has a clearly defined waist now and his primordial pouch is just really saggy skin instead of jiggly "fat sacks". He has maintained muscle tone on the back of his head and down his spine. The only place he appears to be carrying the excess weight now is the fat layer over his ribs. He looks too thick around his rib cage.
I think if he can get to 13.5 pounds, we may stop and I'll try maintaining him between 13.5 and 14 pounds. He should probably weigh 13 pounds, but at his age it may be ok to let him keep a little bit of extra fat. Will reevaluate when we cross that road.
He's looking really great. He has a clearly defined waist now and his primordial pouch is just really saggy skin instead of jiggly "fat sacks". He has maintained muscle tone on the back of his head and down his spine. The only place he appears to be carrying the excess weight now is the fat layer over his ribs. He looks too thick around his rib cage.
I think if he can get to 13.5 pounds, we may stop and I'll try maintaining him between 13.5 and 14 pounds. He should probably weigh 13 pounds, but at his age it may be ok to let him keep a little bit of extra fat. Will reevaluate when we cross that road.
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- #58
Tangent weighed in at 222 ounces (13.87 pounds) this morning before breakfast. That's a new low.
We seem to be really making progress since I switched his recipes to very lean meats and started adding gelatin for extra protein and help him feel more satisfied from the additional water.
This morning I realized that I've spent 13 months researching how to help a cat slowly lose weight, but almost nothing on a weight maintenance diet once the diet goal is reached. I have a blurry idea that I should be able to increase his calories without him gaining the weight back, which would make Tangent very happy. It's nice to be so close to his goal that I'm starting to think about the next phase. It's a good day.
We seem to be really making progress since I switched his recipes to very lean meats and started adding gelatin for extra protein and help him feel more satisfied from the additional water.
This morning I realized that I've spent 13 months researching how to help a cat slowly lose weight, but almost nothing on a weight maintenance diet once the diet goal is reached. I have a blurry idea that I should be able to increase his calories without him gaining the weight back, which would make Tangent very happy. It's nice to be so close to his goal that I'm starting to think about the next phase. It's a good day.
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- #59
220 ounces today...13.75 pounds. Another low. 
That's a 2 ounce loss over 7 days.
I haven't changed much the last few weeks. 4 ounces per day of very low-fat recipes, averaging between 130-135 kcals per day. We're going to stick with what's working for another week.
Tangent is much more alert and a little more active compared to a year ago at this time.
That's a 2 ounce loss over 7 days.I haven't changed much the last few weeks. 4 ounces per day of very low-fat recipes, averaging between 130-135 kcals per day. We're going to stick with what's working for another week.
Tangent is much more alert and a little more active compared to a year ago at this time.
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- #60
Tangent lost 3.5 ounces to 216.5 (13.53 lbs). That seems too fast, but yesterday he weighed 221.5 so I could easily have been reporting a gain instead of a loss. I've been surprised by how much his weight can swing in just a day, but it's apparently normal for him.
I was feeling his body condition this morning before weigh-in and he does seem a little boney in a few places I hadn't noticed before. His ribs still appear to have too much of a fat pad, but I can feel his ribs through the skin. He has a lot of extra skin now. I'm not sure at his age if the elasticity will rebound and tighten up his skin to match his new svelte figure.
Anyway, I think 13.5 pounds is good for him. I'm going to keep him on the same amount of food for the next week, since he can gain or lose 1/4 pound overnight. If he drops below 13.5 pounds this next week, we'll go into maintenance mode and see if he can eat a little more food without weight gain.
I was feeling his body condition this morning before weigh-in and he does seem a little boney in a few places I hadn't noticed before. His ribs still appear to have too much of a fat pad, but I can feel his ribs through the skin. He has a lot of extra skin now. I'm not sure at his age if the elasticity will rebound and tighten up his skin to match his new svelte figure.
Anyway, I think 13.5 pounds is good for him. I'm going to keep him on the same amount of food for the next week, since he can gain or lose 1/4 pound overnight. If he drops below 13.5 pounds this next week, we'll go into maintenance mode and see if he can eat a little more food without weight gain.
