ExAFO 0 #1 April 30, 2007 How fat is too fat for a housecat? Neko's getting pudgy, but I'm not sure if that's necessarily a bad thing...Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #2 April 30, 2007 Quote How fat is too fat for a housecat? Neko's getting pudgy, but I'm not sure if that's necessarily a bad thing... I have seen a friend's housecat that weighed 23-24 lbs... hurt my damn back just picking the fucker up. Your veterinarian can make that determination for you."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyputsi 0 #3 April 30, 2007 When his belly is dragging the ground he may be too fat.Skymama's #2 stalker - Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ExAFO 0 #4 April 30, 2007 Quote I have seen a friend's housecat that weighed 23-24 lbs... hurt my damn back just picking the fucker up. Would a feline that large constitute a "Domicile Lion"?Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #5 April 30, 2007 Quote Quote I have seen a friend's housecat that weighed 23-24 lbs... hurt my damn back just picking the fucker up. Would a feline that large constitute a "Domicile Lion"? Probably not, but he'd sure as hell scare the shit out of a bobcat! "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,406 #6 April 30, 2007 QuoteHow fat is too fat for a housecat? Neko's getting pudgy, but I'm not sure if that's necessarily a bad thing... This from the same guy who posted:Quote I duct-taped Neko's butthole shut. No more litterbox.Tongue"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #7 April 30, 2007 Quote Quote How fat is too fat for a housecat? Neko's getting pudgy, but I'm not sure if that's necessarily a bad thing... This from the same guy who posted: Quote I duct-taped Neko's butthole shut. No more litterbox.Tongue . . . let the monkey pull out the cork.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #8 April 30, 2007 Meezers tend to grow tall first, and then out. Most cats do this...she's less than a year, right? Spayed? So if it's getting kinda bad (you can't feel ribs when you press on her side), maybe get a vet to give her a look at. Most of the time, the weight will stabilize about 1 -1.5 years old. I wouldn't worry about it too terribly much unless it becomes significant. I have a rescue I'm desperately trying to get some weight on. She's having a hard time...belly full of worms and no appetite...so it's a bit of a battle. She'll come round eventually, and get her weight up to a good size (she's a big cat, but weighs about 7 pounds...bones easily palpable, and protruding hips and joints. Poor girl. She should be about 10-12 pounds). Don't worry about it too much right now. Are you free feeding? If so, how much per day? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ExAFO 0 #9 April 30, 2007 PM sent. Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kturnau 0 #10 April 30, 2007 We have two cats, a male and a female that are each less than a year old. The male is about 14 or 15 pounds and was starting to get a bit of a belly so had to take some action. We were feeding him too much and he didn't know how to stop eating so he just kept getting bigger and bigger. Some cats will self regulate their food intake if you are lucky and you can leave food out for them all the time. Other cats, like our male, need to go by the recommended amounts listed on the back of your cat food bag. We give ours about 3/4- 1 cup of dry food a day of the "Healthly Weight" stuff and it seemed to have stopped his growing belly! FALLATIO #13 PELT HEAD #20 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #11 April 30, 2007 I think the standard is you should be able to feel the ribs, but not see them. Seriously! That sounds really thin, but overweight really isn't a good thing for a cat. Most of the vets I've seen really harp on that, too. Two of my cats meet that standard now, but the third is borderline chubby and I know I'll get scolded when I take him in for his check up! He just loves to eat, and he always has. He's only borderline right now, but when he's older and less active, I know I'll have a problem with him. I'd ask your vet about diet- what you should be feeding and how often. I don't think I could ever switch mine to regular "meals" with no free feeding in between, but some experts swear by that. My vet said young adult cats should be on a "Catkins" diet- high in protein and low in carbs. Cute, huh? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sharimcm 0 #12 April 30, 2007 My cat went from from an unhealthy 4.5 pounds to 3.5 pounds after she was spayed. She has since gained all of her weight back and then some. The thing is, she is growing out and not up. I'm afraid she'll get fatter and have some health problems associated with her weight. She plays quite a bit, but she gets winded and will have to stop to pant... BTW, this isn't my first cat, but it is the first cat I've had that was born and spent the first year of her life on a construction site. There's another cat on the jobsite that I would love to take home as well, but she won't get near a human... I just want to save her life as well. "I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #13 April 30, 2007 Oh my gosh! 3.5 pounds???? My Spike weighs at least 18 pounds! My smallest cat weighs around 9 pounds, and I think she's tiny! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sharimcm 0 #14 April 30, 2007 Quote Oh my gosh! 3.5 pounds???? My Spike weighs at least 18 pounds! My smallest cat weighs around 9 pounds, and I think she's tiny! My cat that passed away from cancer was 17 pounds. The vet said she wasn't fat, just a "big" cat. But, my little BugButt is probably 5 or so pounds now. My vet said her growth was stunted because she was whoring herself out at 6 months old and got herself pregnant on her first heat cycle. He said she won't get much bigger than she was when she adopted me as her mommy. She's still pretty tiny, just getting a gut on her. "I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #15 April 30, 2007 Spike's also a big cat, but I can't really kid myself too much- he's borderline fat! I got him from a friend of mine and I've seen pictures from when he was just a week or so old. He had a gut then! There were only 3 in his litter, so he ate whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to. And he still loves to eat! Your kitty is just the opposite- she's still getting over being a stray. She remembers being hungry, so when she sees food, she eats it. She probably stresses out when her bowl is empty, too. And least your little girl has an excuse! Spike's just a pig! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 635 #16 April 30, 2007 you can't make sweet and sour chicken from a skinny cat! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sharimcm 0 #17 April 30, 2007 Quote Your kitty is just the opposite- she's still getting over being a stray. She remembers being hungry, so when she sees food, she eats it. She probably stresses out when her bowl is empty, too. And least your little girl has an excuse! Spike's just a pig! When her bowl is empty, she will start to smack it around. If that doesn't get my attention, she will start pushing it until it ends up at my feet. It's kind of cute, but annoying at the same time. And, I do think eventually she will grow out of the eating what she sees, or at least I'm hoping. When I feed her, the first thing she does is sticks at least one paw in her dish staking claim to it. Once she realizes there is no other competition, she may stop her bad habits. I've had her for about four months, and she's been a great housecat so far. "I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ExAFO 0 #18 April 30, 2007 Mmmmm...Boobs in PVC.... Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #19 April 30, 2007 QuoteThere's another cat on the jobsite that I would love to take home as well, but she won't get near a human... I just want to save her life as well. Yes she will, but you have to earn it. If you want her to come in with you, you'll have some hard work (mostly patience) and some harder work (getting her to trust you and see you as "safe"). If you really want to, I'll be more than happy to help...there are ways and ways and ways to earn their trust, and then they'll let you save their life too. Especially if she's not spayed and is having kittens; you'll be saving lots of lives that way. Let me know, and I'll help however I can. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ExAFO 0 #20 April 30, 2007 Random fact: I read somewhere that "Kitten" is a corruption of the Old English word "Catling."Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cloudseeker2001 0 #21 April 30, 2007 Quote Quote Your kitty is just the opposite- she's still getting over being a stray. She remembers being hungry, so when she sees food, she eats it. She probably stresses out when her bowl is empty, too. And least your little girl has an excuse! Spike's just a pig! When her bowl is empty, she will start to smack it around. If that doesn't get my attention, she will start pushing it until it ends up at my feet. It's kind of cute, but annoying at the same time. And, I do think eventually she will grow out of the eating what she sees, or at least I'm hoping. When I feed her, the first thing she does is sticks at least one paw in her dish staking claim to it. Once she realizes there is no other competition, she may stop her bad habits. I've had her for about four months, and she's been a great housecat so far. When my cats bowl is empty, she will sit in the middle of the room and scream at me unitl I fill it for her! "Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance, others mean and rueful of the western dream" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sharimcm 0 #22 April 30, 2007 Quote If you want her to come in with you, you'll have some hard work (mostly patience) and some harder work (getting her to trust you and see you as "safe"). Me and another guy have been feeding her at the jobsite, but she still is quite hesitant to eat it. I tried showing her I wasn't a threat by sitting there, not moving with my arm extended out to her. She wouldn't budge. The jobsite is closing in about two weeks, so I don't have much time. She is not spayed, and the kitty I have is one of her kittens. Taking a seriously feral cat in to my home is probably not the best idea, especially with my cat now that I have somewhat domesticated. I feel really bad for her... My mom says I was always the kid who brought the strays home... I still do. "I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willard 0 #23 May 1, 2007 When I was a teenager and still living at home we had a Manx cat that weighed 28-30 lbs in the winter, a couple pounds less in the summer months. He was in great shape, never even chubby. If you notice your cat rolling to his food dish instead of walking you may want to think about cutting back on his food rations. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #24 May 1, 2007 Me too. And I've done it in less than two weeks...LOL. Try this. You and your buddy decide who's going to be the trust getter. Don't feed her for a day (really hard to do, but this is how it works). Then get a paper (NOT plastic) plate and fill it full of squished sardines (stinks. That's why it works). Put the plate on a stinky shirt of whomever is going to be the trust getter (and I mean stinky...) and put this about 1 arms length away from you. Turn your back on the plate. Read something out loud but very softly. DON'T LOOK AT THE PLATE! Stay there for about 20 minutes. Just relaxed, sitting there in the sun, NOT LOOKING at the plate. NOT REACHING FOR THE CAT. Just sit there. Leave the plate on the stinky shirt. Leave it there, over night if need be, until the food is gone. The next day, repeat the whole thing. Once she eats with you there (AND YOUR BACK IS TO HER!), start bringing the plate closer. DON'T REACH FOR HER! Eventually the plate should be near to your arm. She will have learned to associate your smell with that of "food" (stinky sardines), and food is good; thus you are good. When it's time to touch her, gently, with palm up (opposite of the dog touch), extend your hand towards her. If possible, scratch between her ears, gently in circles. If possible, scratch her chin. When she scrunches up her face (on either of these), she's enjoying your touch. And then, leave it there for that day. The next day, again, food on the shirt on the plate. And let her come to you. Scratch her while she's eating if she'll let you. Again this associates you with food, good feelings, and generally "safety." You should eventually be able to pick her up. When you can, and do it GENTLY!!!, wear long sleeves. Put her into a dark, closed container, and let her wig out for a bit. She'll eventually calm down. Take her to the vet's and get her spayed immediately (and wormed, nails clipped, and deflea'd). When she comes out, love on her and cuddle her a lot!!!. You will be "safe" and you'll "feel good" to her, especially if you are giving her meds to deal with the pain (if you need help, lemme know...). Once she's home, put her, and the carrier, and YOU into the bathroom. Open the carrier, let her out (lift her, if possible), and let her find a spot to hide in. Scratch on her a bit, and reassure her (again, soft voice) a lot. Once she settles down leave the room, leaving (yes, again) a stinky shirt. SHUT THE DOOR behind you. And make sure you shut the potty lid. OVer the next few hours, leave her be. As long as you don't hear panic (i.e. something is really, really wrong...), leave her be. When you come in after a bit, stand at the door (while it's closed) and talk to her. After a few moments of this, she will have adjusted to your voice, and you can go in. Spend some time with her, loving on her, and just being with her. If she doesn't want you to touch her, that's all right. Just talk out loud, and have your body position at 90 degrees from her. She should stay in there a few days, if possible. By then, she will have adjusted to being inside, hearing/seeing/smelling you, having food brought to her (by you), and will associate you with good stuff. Carry her around the house, give her the tour, and then put her back into the bathroom. Do this a few times over the next three-four hours, and she'll accustom herself to the layout of the house. Then let her out. SHE WILL HIDE. She might hide for days. But she will eventually stop hiding and come out. And then the real fun - the gentling of her - will begin. I'll give you help however you need it; she deserves a home, love, and care from someone who will provide her lots and lots of love and safety. BTW, the other way, what I call the emergency way, is to buy a humane raccoon trap. Don't feed for a few days, and then set the trap out. She will be so hungry that she will enter the trap, trigger the trap, and then she'll be enclosed. Immediately drop a blanket over the trap, so she's in the dark. Proceed as above. Shari, if there's anything I know, I know that "feral" cats can be brought round. They become lovers like you wouldn't believe...and often, bringing them into a house with other cats is better than a house with just humans. They have "role models" as it were...and will get into the program much more quickly. Let me know how I can help. If you were near, I'd give you the trap I've used in emergencies...but you should be able to find one at Petco or something like that. Good luck, you can do this, and I'll give you all the support and encouragement I possibly can. Ciels Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stitch 0 #25 May 1, 2007 It would probably be prime time to marinate and lightlly roast him. "No cookies for you"- GFD "I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65 Don't be a "Racer Hater" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
