Overweight Cat

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richalisoviejo

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Well here is the story. I was never a cat person. 11 years ago when I crossed the border of Mexico walked to my car in the parking lot, this little 5-week-old kitten came walking up to me. Very skinny and sickly looking. I had a lady friend with four cats so I thought I’d take him home and hopefully she could help find a home for him.

Well he was pretty sick, bloody diarrhea so I took him into the vet, he had some bacterial infection and I had to medicate him 4 times a day for 7 days, after that I got attached to him. He’s now 11 years old and weighs 18lbs. Every time he has a vet visit the vet gets on my case about him being overweight. But try taking his food away from him and he won’t shut his mouth for hours. To this day I believe this cat remembers starving as a kitten. His food bowl can’t even be half full, it has to be completely full at all times.

Here is the little heifer, his name is Lincoln.

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sendie

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I don't have any words of advice for dieting kitties, but what a handsome fellow!
 

richalisoviejo

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sendie said:
I don't have any words of advice for dieting kitties, but what a handsome fellow!

Thanks, he's a big one too. I’ve tried taking his food dish away several times but that doesn’t work. Once I hid his dry food on top of the ridge, within half an hour he was able to find it and there he was on top of the fridge eating :rolleyes:
 

Candy

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Your cat looks so content. He was very lucky to find you. I loved your story most people would not have helped him. I myself am not a cat lover, but would not want to see any animal starve that's why I now have 4 cats and ones hanging around hoping that I'll feed it too. I hate when people don't fix their animals before they put them outside (sorry off subject). Anyway he looks very, very happy. Oh yeah welcome to the forum your sucata is adorable too. :D Candy
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Lincoln is a beautiful kitty. Big Bubba has been on a diet for almost a year now and has lost several pounds but he seems to have leveled off now so maybe 21 pounds is where he's gonna stay...
 

richalisoviejo

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maggie3fan said:
Lincoln is a beautiful kitty. Big Bubba has been on a diet for almost a year now and has lost several pounds but he seems to have leveled off now so maybe 21 pounds is where he's gonna stay...

How did you put him on a diet? I’ve tried everything, changing his diet. Taking food way from him, nothing has worked. My vet has warned me he could have problems with diabetes and other problems if I don't take some weight off him. Is there such thing as kitty liposuction suction? :shy:
 

Yvonne G

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richalisoviejo said:
How did you put him on a diet? I’ve tried everything, changing his diet. Taking food way from him, nothing has worked. My vet has warned me he could have problems with diabetes and other problems if I don't take some weight off him. Is there such thing as kitty liposuction suction? :shy:

Maggie's not ignoring you...she's a little under the weather. I don't know the full story about Bubba, but he was getting sick so she took him to the vet and they put him on a diet. She had to buy the kind of food the vet sells and only put out a certain quantity every day. It hasn't been an easy task, because Bubba is a real picky eater and doesn't like most of the kinds of food that's good for him. And if they won't eat at all that's not good either.

Yvonne
 

Laura

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Kitty diet food. R/D and W/D are two .. I have a fat cat as well. His breakfast was litterally 20 kibbles with a spoonfull of can food. dinner the same.. that was the only way to get him to lose weight. HE snuck food thoughtout the day from the others, i had him onthe diet foods for a long time. His feces would be so dry.. so I have him on limited amounts of Senior cat food.
Diabetes is a big concern as is liver issues. If he ever gets sick and stops eating.. his body cant handle the fat and his liver starting shutting down. Best to try harder to get the weight off him. those other two illnesses are not good.
Its hard. We tend to over feed everything. Slowly make a change.. he might adjust. Find something he likes to eat.. mine like veggies.. he isnt picky.
 

richalisoviejo

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Thanks Laura, I’ll try anything about now. I was warned from the vet about Diabetes. He is a very picky cat. He knows what he wants and when I try to change his food he is loud as all heck. Won’t shut up for hours. But I have to consider his health, he can scream all day, Ill be at work. :)
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Yvonne did tell you exactly right. Bubba is on Hill's Science diet MD. It's expensive but it works. He is only allowed a certain amount a day. And yes, the screaming for food does get old after a while, but I was able to tune it out. He is diabetic and I had to give him daily injections for a few years. He was 32 pounds when we started this diet and a few days ago he was at the Vets getting the mats shaved off of him and now is is 21 pounds. Because of the possibility of organ failure they can only lose a certain amount at a time. So to lose this 11 pounds he's been dieting for 6 years. I was able to stop the insulin injections at 25 pounds and we haven't had to give any insulin since then. So looking back I can say that it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be...Big Bubba may have a different opinion on that...Bubba hates to have his picture taken so he won't ever look at the camera...but here is Bubba and Lil Roxie, this is how she naps on the couch...pretty kittie isn't she!!!

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Yvonne G

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I just love Roxie. She's the prettiest little thing!

Bubs really does give you that "look" when you're trying to snap his pic, huh. He can't be bothered.

Y
 
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