Wet food for kitties

[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?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Is this what happens when Kitty gets too much dry food?

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

(just kidding!!!!!)

[rocknrollgirl]

Is this what happens when Kitty gets too much dry food?

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!!!

[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.

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.