Wet food for kitties

[Veronica]

After doing some research we switched our kitty food on Saturday. Our kitties have never eaten as much food as the manufacturer says they should. That's part of why I couldn't understand why Tucker would be so fat at such a young age.

Sometimes they seem enthusiastic about the new food. Other times I get the "look".

It could be coincidence, but Tucker seems to already have more energy. He hasn't been into playing with "bug on stick"
http://tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/pets/IMG_0112.jpg
in months, but yesterday and this morning, he was all over it. But he is a cat and it could just be a mood.

We're considering making their food. The canned food is about 4 times as expensive at $4.50 a day if they eat the recommended amount as their dry food. Still that is less than what Thom spends on his lunch. We're a little put off though by having to grind the bones into the food though. Grinding bones... just sounds monstrous.

Veronica

[Becky]

Great pic!

Both of my cats are on a mostly-wet diet. Auric gets Prescription Diet CD, which costs a small fortune, but keeps me from having to mop up cat pee due to his chronic UT issues. Flaser gets Nutro Naturals, which I'm not convinced is the best food, but is a reasonably affordable premium brand. I don't know if either of them have lost weight (and they both need to!) since the dry --> wet switch, but they do seem happier.

I'm intrigued by the idea of making my own, but I have no idea where to start, or how much it would cost compared to canned. As an aside, I wish that I could find bigger cans of wet cat food. It seems so wasteful to use those little "hockey puck" cans.

[Biciclista]

chicken bones are just not that hard. Especially if you have the right kind of grinder. I figure I've made money by now on my grinder, it's a Maverick, cost $99.00.
I buy chicken backs and necks, chicken livers, chicken hearts, even chicken gizzards. I make sure that there is at least a pound of liver and heart in each 5 pounds of mix. Sometimes whole chickens are on sale so I take MY favorite parts for us people (thighs and drumsticks) and depending on the day, sometimes the entire rest of the chicken goes to the cats. Yes, they eat chicken breast, at 99 cents a pound. Compare that to commercial catfood!

If you don't like messing with meat, it's not going to work. I don't mind and my cats sure love it.

ps great kitty picture and it's good that you've figured out BEFORE your cat gets obese that dry diet
isn't going to work for him in the long term.

[wackyjacky1]

This link has great info on feeding your cats: http://catinfo.org/

I switched my male cat to canned food (PetGuard) about a year ago. He had UT problems, as well, and the vet had prescribed C/D for him. Since I made the switch, he's had zero problems. I've been amazed by the changes I've seen in him -- more energy, no dandruff, slightly less cranky (he's a feral cat with a mean disposition :rolleyes: ). The little one, Erin, has been on PetGuard ever since she started eating solid food.

Yes, it's more expensive (PetGuard is about $2.39 for a 14 oz. can) and you lose the convenience of dry food, but it's worth it to see happy, healthy cats.

I've thought about grinding my own, but they seem to be thriving on their current diet, so I think I'll stick with it for now.

eta: Didn't see Mimi's post. I love the idea of buying a chicken, eating the parts you want, and grinding the rest for the kitties. I may have to give the idea more serious consideration.

[Veronica]

That's good to know Mimi. We don't mind messing with the meat. Some recipes have talked about partially cooking it. Cans are convenient, but expensive. Our pet store does carry the larger cans, so at least that's a plus.

Veronica

[Biciclista]

This link has great info on feeding your cats: http://catinfo.org/

I've thought about grinding my own, but they seem to be thriving on their current diet, so I think I'll stick with it for now.

eta: Didn't see Mimi's post. I love the idea of buying a chicken, eating the parts you want, and grinding the rest for the kitties. I may have to give the idea more serious consideration.

that's a great website you sent us to, thanks!

[GLC1968]

That's an awesome pic!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I don't think Nature intended cats to eat dry pellet food. When that's all they get, I suspect it starts causing urinary/kidney problems because they are not getting enough water in their diet.

[ccnyc]

Lots of easy raw recipes for cats @ http://holisticat.com/well-fed/

[Veronica]

That's an awesome pic!

Thanks! It's from about 6 months ago. He's put on weight since then, maybe a pound. He's definitely got a belly and his back is getting pudgy now.

The vet suggested a month on weight reduction dry and if that didn't work, going to wet food. He's been two weeks on weight reduction and his weight hadn't really changed. What really convinced me is that he is NOT a big eater. He should not be fat on what he eats.

Veronica

[jesvetmed]

Veronica: I like to use a mixture of dry and canned (for the cost). That way I can spend a little less, and still get high quality diet. I just add water to the mixture, and they drink it up. They'd never drink that much water by itself. Throw in some canned food and they are THRILLED.

With Urinary Crystals, the more water the better. That is a HUGE benefit. The more water flowing through the system, the less likely crystals will form and make chunks.

One piece of advice -- if your kitty had crystals before in his urine, always get routine checks on the PH of the urine -- have your vet test his urine in about 1-2 months after the new diet. If the PH is too high or low, crystals can form, and can block his urethra. Then you and he are in big trouble.

BTW: Your kitty looks EXACTLY like mine! Especially in the body markings.

[Veronica]

Tucker hasn't had any health issues yet. He's only 18 moths old. :p When he went in for his yearly check up, the vet expressed some concern about his weight. We knew he had been porking out and had been monitoring how much he ate for a month or so before appointment.

I just want to keep him healthy. Sometimes I wonder if boy kitties just have more issues. Tilda was a very healthy kitty right up until the week she died. She was 18 years old and ate Fancy Feast and whipped cream.

Bozo was only 13 and his last six weeks were traumatic for everyone. He had kidney and liver problems. He was getting subcutaneous fluid from us and all sorts of medicines. Getting his blood checked every week. Poor guy. I want to do whatever I can to keep that from happening to Tucker.

Veronica

[Biciclista]

no, although boy kitties have more urinary problems, they do not have more problems with diet and obesity. We lost Grizz, a wonderful female cat from complications from a dry cat food diet. If i knew then what i knew now, she might have lived a lot longer. She /we struggled with her weight all of her life and then her kidneys gave out.
:(

[tantrumbean]

Mine is on dry Iams and has been for most of his life (although he has had some other premium brands at various points), he is absolutely fine on it, but I keep an eye on him to make sure he drinks enough. Never had any problems and his teeth (even according to the vet) are a lot better than they would be if he was on wet food - he is 8 now, well, he will be on Wednesday:) . Fortunately he actually prefers dry and it is a lot more pleasant in warm weather...


Here is Eric guarding my good old mountain bike aka the commuter ;):

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l21/punkypossum/Random/009.jpg

[short cut sally]

My cat is too fussy. He is a dry cat food only, he gets urinary blend from the vet. I've tried giving him canned food, of all brands, flavors, but not to his likeing. He tries to bury them like the contents in his litter pan. It's really kinda funny, he tries taking the throw rug, papers on the floor, or anything and pushing it over the food dish. He was originally a stray kitty, wouldn't think he would have such high tastes and standards, but apparently he does.
By the way V, beautiful cat....mines a tux kitty too.

[Aint Doody]

My kitty just likes to eat---period. He can be sound asleep in front of the television in the basement, but if I open the refrigerator door he magically appears. I have appreciated the info on the wet vs. dry food. Thanks, y'all.

[7rider]

Is this what happens when Kitty gets too much dry food? :confused::D;)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Is this what happens when Kitty gets too much dry food? :confused::D;)

If that's a dead kitten....then yes.

(just kidding!!!!!)

[rocknrollgirl]

Is this what happens when Kitty gets too much dry food? :confused::D;)

That is the cutest thing ever!!!!

[RolliePollie]

OMG, that kitten picture is too cute!!!

Feeding is quite a dilemma at my house because my two cats are polar opposites when it comes to food. One is finicky and underweight while the other will eat anything and is overweight. I would be totally willing to make fresh food for them if I thought there was any chance the skinny cat would eat it! But she turns up her nose at wet food, meat, and fish!

The best solution I've come up with it to free-feed dry food because the skinny kitty will actually eat it. But then of course my fat kitty overeats. I tried having feeding times twice a day but my skinny cat wouldn't feel like eating at those times and I didn't want her to starve, so I felt like I had to put the dry food back out again.

My vet suggested adding canned pumpking to my fat cat's diet to fill her up and to prevent furballs. So she gets 2-3 Tbsp. a day (she loves it!) and she's lost about 2 pounds in the last year. And her furball problem is a lot better too. My skinny cat gets Nutrical (high calorie molasses-y stuff which for some reason she'll actually eat) several times a week and she's put on about 1/4 lb., which is quite a bit when you only weigh 6-1/2 pounds.

[bmccasland]

My vet suggested adding canned pumpking to my fat cat's diet to fill her up and to prevent furballs. So she gets 2-3 Tbsp. a day (she loves it!) and she's lost about 2 pounds in the last year. And her furball problem is a lot better too. My skinny cat gets Nutrical (high calorie molasses-y stuff which for some reason she'll actually eat) several times a week and she's put on about 1/4 lb., which is quite a bit when you only weigh 6-1/2 pounds.

I have a fat cat / skinny cat problem too, and when I get back from vacation, I'll have to try the canned pumpkin for fat Herald. Where did you get the Nutrical? Meanwhile the kitties will board at the vet, so fatty's diet will be monitored, and Bonnie will get all the food she wants (+ her thyroid pills 2x/day). Two more work days, then camping! No electronic means of communication for a week!!!! They won't be able to find me!!! :D

[IvonaDestroi]

Is kitty allowed outside? Mine are indoor/outdoor kitties and both are in good health, despite their horrible diets. They refuse to eat anything other then friskies cans (patte only of course) and either meow mix or cat chow. I've tried every food at the pet store. No interest in anything healthy at all, but they'll scarf down that stuff like nobody's bussiness.

The vet is always very impressed with molotov's general condition, he's got great muscle mass and is well toned and healthy. He loves going outside and will sit around the windows and doors and howl all day if you don't let him out for more then two days in a row.

Excersise is very important too, not just diet. I've seen him out and about, he's always on some fence or rooftop or abandoned building chasing bugs and taking cat naps in the sun.

The other kitty, Vader, didn't have the best kittenhood before I got him. He had grown up locked in a bedroom in a house over-run with multiple dogs, and he had very little coordination (couldn't even make it onto the windowsill) and was pretty jumpy. Now that he goes outside, his motor skills have improved immensly.

I live in an urban neighborhood, although we do have a big back yard, and both cats have been just fine running around outside all day. I call them every night at 8pm and they come running to the door to devour their nightly can of food. They have dry available all day.

He'll probably hang out near your door for a couple days before exploring, but I've never seen an indoor cat that was as happy and healthy as an outdoor one.

Maybe try letting him get a little fresh air. It's just a suggestion. If you do make sure you get the extra vaccinations-the FIV shot is not standard but it's important if they're out.

[Eden]

Too many cars, too many raccoons, and too many kitty eating coyotes around here.....(and way too many lost cat posters) mine are strictly indoor.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yep, lots of wide open country spaces around here, but regardless...our kitties would likely get a few weeks' worth of healthy country 'fresh air' followed by either getting killed by a loose dog or hit by a car. Lots of our neighbors let their cats out, but they never last more than a year or so before getting killed one way or another.

[bmccasland]

So last night I was doing a chicken & asparagus stir-fry for dinner and Bonnie was in her usual spot on the kitchen counter (the part she's allowed on left of the stove, food prep is on the right) complaining about all that is wrong with the world. So I thought I'd see what she'd do with a piece of raw chicken breast. She sniffed it, and proceed to eat her kibble, went back to the chicken, and ate more kibble. What can I say? A 16 yr old cat is set in her ways.


And I just crack up every time I see the photo of the kitten face planted into the plate of kibble!

[Tuckervill]

That's exactly where my cat sits, to the left of the stove, beside the Casper cookie jar. :)

Karen

[tantrumbean]

Mine goes mad if I don't let him out, he gets really bad cabin fever and actually turns quite agressive, including attacking my legs, etc. If he's had his time outside he's the sweetest cat in the world!

[Veronica]

Cassie and Tucker don't get on the counter. When we first got them we had to give them eye drops. We did it on the counter as it was the right height. I think they see the counter as an evil place.

Cassie does use it to get to the top of the refrigerator. She's a little alien and she's trying to get closer to her people. :D

Cassie and Tucker are strictly indoor kitties. We have several regular feral cats that we have had neutered and we feed. I don't want them fraternizing too much. It does happen and for that reason Cassie and Tucker get all the shots.

We also have coyotes, raccoons, cars and people. My last indoor kitty lived to be 18. I hope these two make it at least that long.

Veronica

[Tuckervill]

Brilliant kitty training for keeping them off the counter! Wish had thought of that.

One of my kitties was trained early not to get on the counter, so he gets on the kitchen table instead. I don't blame him, because it is the gathering point of the house though we hardly ever eat there, and it's the only place to get away from the crazy dogs on the floor. This is the kitty who was an indoor cat at first, and then we moved here and installed the doggie door, and he started going out. Used to stay outside ALL the time, but now he stays IN all the time, and only goes out to do his business (I keep the litter box clean, but he likes it outside better).

I have an acre lot, all fenced, so I don't worry about other dogs. Of course, the cats can leave the yard, and one of them does, but that one seems very savvy about cars and such. He should be, since he stumbled into the yard half-starved, as an adult already.

karen

[Biciclista]

OMG, that kitten picture is too cute!!!

Feeding is quite a dilemma at my house because my two cats are polar opposites when it comes to food. One is finicky and underweight while the other will eat anything and is overweight. I would be totally willing to make fresh food for them if I thought there was any chance the skinny cat would eat it! But she turns up her nose at wet food, meat, and fish!


I think if you picked the food up after 30 minutes and fed them 2x a day it wouldn't take skinny cat too long to figure out that he'd better eat while it's down there.
Now, if skinny cat is really old, this probably won't work> I also assume you are not expecting them to eat together out of the same bowl.

If you continue feeding the way I suggested, also put skinny cat in room with door shut with her food. if you'd even do that for 10 minutes it gives her a head start without fat cat running her off.

IMHO free feeding for an obese cat is a quick death sentence.

[RolliePollie]

I have a fat cat / skinny cat problem too, and when I get back from vacation, I'll have to try the canned pumpkin for fat Herald. Where did you get the Nutrical? Meanwhile the kitties will board at the vet, so fatty's diet will be monitored, and Bonnie will get all the food she wants (+ her thyroid pills 2x/day). Two more work days, then camping! No electronic means of communication for a week!!!! They won't be able to find me!!! :D

I found Nutri-cal at a local feed store but I'm sure you can get it online too. She actually likes Laxatone better (kitty laxative made by the same company) and sometimes I have to give her a little lick of that to convince her she likes the Nutri-cal too!

Mimi - I tried several different scenarios to convince my skinny kitty to eat at specific feeding times, but I guess she's just more stubborn than most because nothing worked. I really think this is a cat who only eats the bare minimum to survive. She has just never been interested in eating. The looks she gives me when I try to get her to eat are really pretty funny. She looks at me like I'm totally nuts!

[Biciclista]

Mimi - I tried several different scenarios to convince my skinny kitty to eat at specific feeding times, but I guess she's just more stubborn than most because nothing worked. I really think this is a cat who only eats the bare minimum to survive. She has just never been interested in eating. The looks she gives me when I try to get her to eat are really pretty funny. She looks at me like I'm totally nuts!

how long did you try?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Whenever my cats get a change in diet (like from pellets to canned, or from regular to organic, changes like that in my pursuit to keep them healthy), they absolutely refuse to touch the new stuff at all. But after 3 or 4 days of literally starving, they always seem to miraculously change their minds. It takes will power on my part to 'allow' them the time to reconsider their preferences. :cool:
The last change a few months ago from dry pellets to canned wet food was the most difficult. It took several days and they were adamant about not eating canned food. But....hunger won out in the end, and now they dont' even care much for pellets at all and they just love the canned food that they despised before!
Funny what actual hunger will do for an appetite.

I have several friends with grossly obese cats who tell me their cats 'hardly eat anything' and they can't imagine why they are so fat. Then I see that they have GIGANTIC bowls brimming with pellets set out and they admit that the bowls are out and available 24 hours a day....but that their cats "really don't eat that much"!
Of course the cats are always waddling about like grotesque walruses during this discussion and can barely even clean or groom themselves anymore they are so fat. :( :confused:
Putting out 24-hour-a-day bowls of pellets is a recipe for obese cats.

Underweight elderly cats are a different problem altogether though.

[Tuckervill]

My cats have always been free feeders, and are not fat. My son has 3 cats who get fed twice a day and they are all as big as houses. The only difference is that mine go outside. I think it all just depends, you know?

Karen

[GLC1968]

My cats have always been free feeders, and are not fat. My son has 3 cats who get fed twice a day and they are all as big as houses. The only difference is that mine go outside. I think it all just depends, you know?

Karen


Ours is the same way. He is free fed (dry food) and has pretty much always been indoor/outdoor (4 years). He's very svelte, very active, and very healthy.

When we first moved here, he was confined to our apartment (for 4 months) and he did gain quite a bit of weight. He was getting what we called the 'beer belly'. After a few months at the new house, he was back to fighting weight. He also drinks a TON of water, but only because we allow him to do so from a dripping bathroom sink. When we used to go out of town, we'd confine him to the house and set up a water fountain. He drinks from that if he can't get us to turn on the water but he'd rather exercise his power over us if he can. He often will sit and meow at the dog door so that we'll hold it open for him. I draw the line at that. :rolleyes:

http://www.tranquilitysystems.com/gallery/files/4-kitty.JPG

[Aint Doody]

My Petey is in/out door and is a bit overweight but not obese. The problem is that our neighbors leave their cat food outside. All the kitties in the neighborhood join them for "snacks" at will. I just hate it because it also brings in skunks, possums, and raccoons at night.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My cats have always been free feeders, and are not fat. My son has 3 cats who get fed twice a day and they are all as big as houses. The only difference is that mine go outside. I think it all just depends, you know?

Karen

Yes it does depend, there are many variables. And some cats do seem to be more prone to getting fat than others!

GLC- your cat looks just like my Lydia! :eek:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3349532341_b3f5182b2e.jpg

[GLC1968]

Lisa - they look like siblings!

Lydia doesn't seem to have that 'holier than thou' look that our cat ALWAYS has on his face. I swear that most of the time ours looks like he'd kill us in our sleep if he could. :p

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa - they look like siblings!
Lydia doesn't seem to have that 'holier than thou' look that our cat ALWAYS has on his face.

Oh yes she does!- we call it her "Buddha face"- very wise and all knowing- meditative and 'holy'. She puts it on regularly. :p

And lydia's color is a bit milkier thanit looks in that photo- her color really matches your kitty perfectly. Does yours have a slight rosy tinge to his belly fur like Lydia? Our Lydia has a brick colored nose- we call it her "Kool-Stop nose pad" :p :D
http://www.bikeparts360.com/images/b/7254.jpg

[tantrumbean]

Lisa - they look like siblings!

Lydia doesn't seem to have that 'holier than thou' look that our cat ALWAYS has on his face. I swear that most of the time ours looks like he'd kill us in our sleep if he could. :p


GLC, I think I've found you another family member - just a bit more white on Eric than yours!

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l21/punkypossum/Eric2R.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh they are all so cute!!! There is something about velvety grey kitties and their little *****-willow toes... :p

[Biciclista]

http://www.sersale.org/cats/aggie1.jpg

Aggie is jealous

[tantrumbean]

AWWWW! She's gorgeous!!! :)

[GLC1968]

Our cat (his name is actually Kitty, original, no?) does have a rosy tinge to his belly! I never really noticed his nose color, but I'll definitely look tonight. ;)

Mimi - your kitty looks exactly like our neighbors cat - his name is Rocky. He's a lover...and so incredibly gorgeous.

I'm generally a dog person, but there is a special place in my heart for grey kitties.

Funny story. As I mentioned earlier, we have a dog door. One night, we were rudely awoken by both of our dogs barking like mad in the house. It was clear that there was something there and not just random 'I hear coyotes' barking. We both jump up and follow the smart dog to what she's trying to show us. There's a cat curled up on my husband's desk chair. We glanced at it, told the dogs to get over it and started to go back to bed (we thought it was our cat). Then the cat lifts his head and opens his gorgeous emerald green eyes. We about had a heart attack!

The funny thing is, only the day before did our neighbor mention to my husband that she'd lost a cat a few months ago. She described this same cat to my husband and almost started crying thinking that it had been taken by the coyotes. Had she not told him that, we would have chased this cat out of our house! Instead, we closed the office door and left him there until morning. Then my husband took him next door and made our neighbors day! Now we see him around all the time (though luckily, not IN our house anymore!).

[Biciclista]

The funny thing is, only the day before did our neighbor mention to my husband that she'd lost a cat a few months ago. She described this same cat to my husband and almost started crying thinking that it had been taken by the coyotes. Had she not told him that, we would have chased this cat out of our house! Instead, we closed the office door and left him there until morning. Then my husband took him next door and made our neighbors day! Now we see him around all the time (though luckily, not IN our house anymore!).
GLC thanks for the great story. I hear about too many cats disappearing because of coyotes. I like an occasional happy ending too.

[Tuckervill]

That's hilarious, about the strange cat.

I'm also cracking up about the cat who can't be bothered to open the dog door! lol. My black cat sits inside the dog door and waits for the dogs to open it and then slaps them on the nose. As a result, the dogs quite frequently can't tell if the cat is there so they'll sit outside and whine until we go in the kitchen and tell them it's okay to come in. Might as well not even have the dog door!

Karen

[Veronica]

Kitties have been on their new food for just about two weeks now. They seem to really like it. Both of them are more playful and have more energy. They are urinating a lot, but don't seem to be drinking much straight water anymore.

Their box doesn't seem anymore stinky than before. Cassie's weight has stayed the same. Tucker is down 10 ounces.

I'm glad we switched.

Veronica

[tulip]

Great news on Tucker's slenderizing. I see alot of overweight cats, more than I used to, it seems. I don't have a cat anymore since I'm allergic to them. But my dear Fudge came into my live when I was 10 and left when I was 31. That's a long span!. She was an indoor/outdoor kitty who lived in very urban Cambridge Mass for her first two years, and then moved to the country with me, where she had a quiet dirt road to roll around in the dust. She got very basic dry food from Southern States, but supplemented it with her own hunting. Her last few years she got 9 Lives or something like that. It's been a while since she's been gone. I get happy every time I think of her. Thanks for the photos, everyone.

[Norse]

We have been making the switch with our cats too. One is younger, overweight and addicted to kitty kibble. Well, at least she was. The other is older and a lifelong runt and too skinny. We started the switch about 3 weeks ago. The older kitty is not taking to the raw very well and we just started over with her feeding her as much quality canned as she wants. At least she eats that. She has never been a big kibble eater.

With the younger, overweight cat, we are cautiously optimistic that we may have success on our hands. We started her at about 10% raw/90% canned and a very small amount of kibble 2X/day. She is now eating about 80-90% raw mixed with canned and she maybe eats about a tablespoon of kibble - still feeding her 2x/day. She has lost about 10 ounces. Hopefully in another week she will be on an all raw food diet.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I suspected that our older kitty (now 20) was having trouble crunching the dry kibble with her older teeth and jaws...hence she was always way too thin even though she had unlimited dry kibble. Another good reason for us to have switched to wet/canned food.

[skinimini]

After a stressful day at work, I was so happy to find this thread. What a mood lifter to read all of these stories about our kitties! I've always had cats and dogs, but it's something about those crazy cats, that lights up my life. Nick, who passed away last summer at 19, is in kitty heaven and George--all white, pink nose, a green eyes--loves asparagus peels, haricots verts (not regular green beans) and edamame pods! Even though I feed him a combination of dry and wet, he likes to supplement with fresh meat (moles and chipmunks). Horrifying! He also loves to curl up on the doggie bed with Zoe the schnauzer. That's him on the avatar eyeing a wayward tree frog.

[Norse]

Your white kitty reminds me of our formerly kibble loving kitty, Athena. She is all white, except her tail, which is gray and black tiger-striped.

8933

The skinny kitty, Isis, is pictured here on the left with my precious boy Boo-Boo who we lost last August at the age of 19. He'll always be my baby boy. And Isis will always be a runt.

8934

[skinimini]

Norse, your kitties are beautiful! What an unusual tail on Athena-she does look a little like my George. I'll have to upload some better pictures.

Last evening, as I was preparing dinner, I heard the most horrible cat noises coming from outside. I went out onto the driveway and there is George, facing down Cutie Pie (big orange tabby from next door), both yowling as loud as possible, but both unwilling to turn tail and run. It may not have been the smartest thing to do, but I intervened anyway. Sent Cutie Pie packing. Cutie Pie outweighs George by a few hefty pounds, so I'm sure eventually George would have gotten the worse end of the deal. Both neutered males too! I guess those territorial instincts are too strong.

[invsblwmn]

We used to have issues with the not drinking enough problem too. I bought a drinkwell platinum for the kitties and now one for the doggies at around $30. My electric bill hasn't gone up, but the water bill has gone down. Also I have a lot more time because I can move away from the sink without being attacked by the cat to turn it on!