# Cat with eating disorder



## Sky Dancer (Nov 19, 2011)

My kitten, Henry has gotten obese, since our two outdoor cats, Peter and Nicholas have moved indoors.  Henry's sister, Lily, has no problem with the other cats, and no other cat is obese.

He's obviously insecure, he lays his whole body down on top of the food bowl.

How can I help him get over this before he explodes?

I'm thinking of moving him into another room with his own food bowl.


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## The Infidel (Nov 19, 2011)

Sky Dancer said:


> My kitten, Henry has gotten obese, since our two outdoor cats, Peter and Nicholas have moved indoors.  Henry's sister, Lily, has no problem with the other cats, and no other cat is obese.
> 
> He's obviously insecure, he lays his whole body down on top of the food bowl.
> 
> ...



Thats what I was going to suggest.

Have a set din din time for them, and separate them during it.

Obesity can kill them just like it can us.


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## Mr. H. (Nov 19, 2011)

Read the pet food manufacturer's label. Feed the critters, one and all. the minimum. 
You are the master of their domain. 

What is it about "meow" that you don't like?


Here's a test: "MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW  MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW"

Your response?


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## syrenn (Nov 19, 2011)

Sky Dancer said:


> My kitten, Henry has gotten obese, since our two outdoor cats, Peter and Nicholas have moved indoors.  Henry's sister, Lily, has no problem with the other cats, and no other cat is obese.
> 
> He's obviously insecure, he lays his whole body down on top of the food bowl.
> 
> ...





Are they self feeding... as in a bowl of food out all he time? If that is the case you will have to have feeding times and each cat have his or her own food bowl....

If he is laying his whole body over the food ...that is called "food guarding" ...  a natural dominance thing. It is saying... MY FOOD.... keep back. Growling is not uncommon. Watch to make sure he his not chewing off the whiskers of the other cats..... 


How old is he... and has he been to the vet. Was he wormed?


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## Ernie S. (Nov 19, 2011)

Get a large dog.


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## Sky Dancer (Nov 19, 2011)

The Infidel said:


> Sky Dancer said:
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> > My kitten, Henry has gotten obese, since our two outdoor cats, Peter and Nicholas have moved indoors.  Henry's sister, Lily, has no problem with the other cats, and no other cat is obese.
> ...



I've had the cats food on free serve.  You're suggesting a set dinner time.  Hmm.


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## Mr. H. (Nov 19, 2011)

My cat gets three ( count 'em, 3) 1/4 cup scoops in the morning...

"One for you, one for me, and one for the mysterious guest that sneaks up in the night and eats the remainder". I tell my cat every day. 

Read the directions. Stop listening to MEOW. 

Your pet is bored. Bored out of it's ever loving fucking mind. 
It's not hungry. It's bored. And it's your fault and it's your problem.

Entertain the animal. Take it's mind off of the food.


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## Sky Dancer (Nov 19, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestions.  I've heard this referred to as Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome--"As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!"


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## Sky Dancer (Nov 19, 2011)

Here's an odd solution I just read about:

"Snappy became so heavy that she could no longer jump from a chair to the floor without knocking the wind out of her. We tried everything we could think of. Finally, my husband just fed her all she could eat and more. He just stood there and kept putting more down. She ate until she threw up and then she ate more. This went on for several days. Then she just stopped overeating. It took some time but eventually she got back down to a "fighting" weight and she could run and jump again."


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## Mr. H. (Nov 19, 2011)

Buy one of those lazer pointers for $2.95. Cats chase the shit out of that little red dot. Stupid fuckers. 

Hither and yon they doth scamper.


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## Mr. H. (Nov 19, 2011)

MEOW my ass. Don't get me wrong. I really like my cat. 
I just refuse to like it to its own death.


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## Si modo (Nov 20, 2011)

That's a lot of cats.


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## syrenn (Nov 20, 2011)

Si modo said:


> That's a lot of cats.





You can never have to much pussy! 




I have 6


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## Si modo (Nov 20, 2011)

syrenn said:


> Si modo said:
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Wow!

I never had more than two of any beast at a time.

I'm allergic to cats - horribly allergic.  Not allergic to anything else but cats.  So, I'm obviously a dog person.  I wish I could like cats, too.


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## syrenn (Nov 20, 2011)

Si modo said:


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I am allergic too....and they aggravate my asthma. But no way in hell am i giving them up....ill just take more drugs.


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## tinydancer (Nov 20, 2011)

I'm dying laughing reading this thread and realizing what sick fuckers I post with.

I'm down to Sonya and Niakawa two rescues. I lost C82 this most amazing soul at the end of August. Rescued her a couple of years ago. A doll. Just a doll. Really miss her.

Now to fat cats. Well that's my Niakawa, my chubbo. I love her so. And she eats no more than Sonya. She's learning that attempting to climb on the top of the curtain rods are not a good idea this year, lol. Jumping jacks are in her future with me this winter. 

I love her to death.


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## tinydancer (Nov 20, 2011)

syrenn said:


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my hubby 2 pumps a month, but he loves them so.


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## Sky Dancer (Nov 20, 2011)

Mr. H. said:


> Buy one of those lazer pointers for $2.95. Cats chase the shit out of that little red dot. Stupid fuckers.
> 
> Hither and yon they doth scamper.



Henry is very mischievous and active.  If there's any unusual sounds in the house, it's usually Henry up to something.

Right now, Peter is on top of the piano, Lily is asleep in the dogs bed, Daisy the dog is asleep in the kitty's bed and Henry is pushing things around the kitchen floor, it sounds like he's moved into my studio now, and is thumping a large sheet of paper I last used for a workshop.

Nicholas, is on top of the dresser, pretending to be bored.


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## Sunshine (Nov 20, 2011)

Sky Dancer said:


> My kitten, Henry has gotten obese, since our two outdoor cats, Peter and Nicholas have moved indoors.  Henry's sister, Lily, has no problem with the other cats, and no other cat is obese.
> 
> He's obviously insecure, he lays his whole body down on top of the food bowl.
> 
> ...



My daughter had a cat that did that.  He ate ALL the food.  The vet told her she had to start feeding the cats separately.  That cat lost about 15 pounds.  But he had also become diabetic, so for the last few years of his life, he got his blood sugar checked and shots of insulin.


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## syrenn (Nov 20, 2011)

tinydancer said:


> syrenn said:
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The doctor says get rid of the cats.....i tell him right the prescriptions.  My heaviest cat topped out at 28 pounds...yes i know he was fat. But he was very  very happy and playfully, he died when he was 17.


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## Sky Dancer (Nov 20, 2011)

Sunshine said:


> Sky Dancer said:
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> > My kitten, Henry has gotten obese, since our two outdoor cats, Peter and Nicholas have moved indoors.  Henry's sister, Lily, has no problem with the other cats, and no other cat is obese.
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I'm picking up all the free food today. I'm going to start feeding the cats separately.


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## Sunshine (Nov 20, 2011)

Sky Dancer said:


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There are some good diet cat foods on the market.  I can't specify any particular one as I don't use them.  Keep your expectations realistic.  A 5 pound loss for a cat is a LOT!  Just give her plenty of time to accomplish the goals.  When I had my last joint replacement, my cat had a nervous breakdown and got a UTI.  I have to feed her special catfood.  She has done OK with the current illness, but she is a little clingy.  I think she sees the writing on the wall.  AND she didn't like having to go to Atlanta with my daughter when I was in the hospital, but she didn't have another breakdown.


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## Defiant1 (Nov 20, 2011)

Put a Chinese take-out menu under the cat's dish.


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## Sunshine (Nov 20, 2011)

Defiant1 said:


> Put a Chinese take-out menu under the cat's dish.



There is a Chinese place in Nashville from which we order when I visit one of my friends there.  Their food went bad when the recession hit.  My friend said last time she ordered the Mognolian Beef, her cat kept eyeing it suspiciously.  That was enough for me!  We now order from elsewhere where they disguise their cat dishes a little better!


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## Amelia (Nov 20, 2011)

We had a cat who was bulemic as a kitten, and scared of everything, and then obese as an adult and died too young.  I wish I'd pampered him more because he was just so sweet but so scared ... but I was a new cat owner and didn't know what he needed.

Our two largest cats now are supposed to be large.  They're truly huge.  When they were about 4 they tipped the scales at 18 pounds, which the vet commented on, but which she said was perfectly fine for them.  

But then they got up to 22 or 23 pounds and couldn't clean themselves well.  They spent a few years at that weight before we took it seriously enough.

But now they're back down to 18 pounds.   At age 12, 18 pounds is a little more flab than it was at age 4, and they still have a little bit of trouble getting to their nether regions, but it's a great improvement.



What did we do?  We moved from wet food twice a day and dry food self feeding to:

wet food at most once a day - we have three cats in all and they split a 5.5 oz.   They eat in separate rooms to make sure everyone gets as much as he wants from his own plate.  The most aggressive eater is fed in the foyer where we can close the door.  

Then small portions of the brands of dry food they most prefer - a couple of times a day.

And for overnight a little bit of a "healthy" brand which they don't like.  So if they are really really really hungry, they'll eat it, but they won't eat it just for fun.


... and we did try to hug and play with them a little more than we had been.







p.s.

Some days they don't get wet food at all.  Took a bit to stop them from begging for it everyday ... but now they're pretty good sports about their more limited diets.

Some days they do get a little extra treat.  They love sliced deli meats ......


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## Luissa (Nov 20, 2011)

My cat has a continuous feeder, where her food is always available and she is a small cat. Weirdest thing I ever seen. She doesn't like people food either, only McDonalds french fries and chocolate chip cookies, and she even eats them in moderation. I guess she is a good lady, and manages her weight. Plus she is just crazy.


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## tinydancer (Nov 20, 2011)

syrenn said:


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You must be a good soul. My pyewacket and yes that was really his name passed at 20. And he didn't want to go even then. I never seen a beast want to live more. Just an old orange and white, but he was my guy and I know he's going to be the cheerleader when I cross rainbow bridge.


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## syrenn (Nov 20, 2011)

tinydancer said:


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I love my boys. .....and  I foster kittens too.   


The crazy thing, right now i am dealing with one who does not want to eat. He has been very ill the last month, so the eating is a challenge. He has developed a food aversion as every time he did eat he threw up. Hopefully the surgery has corrected the problem.  So now i lay with him and try and get him to lick baby food off of my fingers. Little steps, and i hope he recovers.


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## Sky Dancer (Nov 21, 2011)

It warms my soul to hear about people taking care of their kitties.


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## Quantum Windbag (Nov 21, 2011)

syrenn said:


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7


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## syrenn (Nov 21, 2011)

Quantum Windbag said:


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## Ropey (Nov 21, 2011)

Quantum Windbag said:


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## syrenn (Nov 21, 2011)

Ropey said:


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Ya bastard!


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## syrenn (Nov 21, 2011)

I tell ya...

QW... come on over and you can make the count 8! 

And since you chimed in too ropey..... you can show up too and make the count 9 

There is always room for more pussy.


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## Ropey (Nov 21, 2011)

syrenn said:


> I tell ya...
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> QW... come on over and you can make the count 8!
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> And since you chimed in too ropey..... you can show up too and make the count 9



et tu Syrenn, et tu?


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## Sky Dancer (Nov 22, 2011)

The kids are playining in my office.  I can hear books flying and papers being smashed on.


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## Kooshdakhaa (Nov 27, 2011)

Sky Dancer said:


> The Infidel said:
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I have always free-fed my cats dry food.  They eat when they want to.  Then at dinner they get to share a can of Fancy Feast.  I have six cats, one is obese.  Five are just fine.  I took the fat one to the vet and discussed it with my vet.  He said some cats get along quite well when they are overweight, but they are more at risk for diabetes.  I haven't changed how I feed them.  He would be miserable to be confined to a room while put on a diet.  

Based on the fact that five cats are fine and only one is obese, it is obviously not my feeding method that is the problem.  This cat has a unique problem.  I actually don't see him eating that much, he's not constantly at the food bowls.  

Just as some people are fat, I guess this cat is just going to be fat.  He is very powerful and still runs around and plays and is perfectly capable of jumping up on things, etc.  Considering the stray cats I feed outside who are trying to survive in sometimes below zero weather, I guess my fat cat doesn't have such a bad life.


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## Kooshdakhaa (Nov 27, 2011)

Mr. H. said:


> My cat gets three ( count 'em, 3) 1/4 cup scoops in the morning...
> 
> "One for you, one for me, and one for the mysterious guest that sneaks up in the night and eats the remainder". I tell my cat every day.
> 
> ...



You're just making that up.  You don't know if her cat is bored or not.  And how do you explain why some of the cats are not fat?  

Cats are pretty good at entertaining themselves, especially in multi-cat households.  I really don't think that's the problem.


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## Kooshdakhaa (Nov 27, 2011)

Amelia said:


> We had a cat who was bulemic as a kitten, and scared of everything, and then obese as an adult and died too young.  I wish I'd pampered him more because he was just so sweet but so scared ... but I was a new cat owner and didn't know what he needed.
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> Our two largest cats now are supposed to be large.  They're truly huge.  When they were about 4 they tipped the scales at 18 pounds, which the vet commented on, but which she said was perfectly fine for them.
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Wet cat food has less calories than dry cat food.  Same is true for dog food.

So, you don't really need to restrict their wet food that much.  

My vet says he was really surprised when he learned this in vet school.  I checked it out on the Internet, and he is right.


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## koshergrl (Dec 8, 2011)

Cats aren't supposed to be able to eat whenever they want. They're carnivores, and when they're hungry, they hunt for whatever they can find. Soemtimes that means a lot of hunting and not a lot of food. Soemtimes it means no food at all...

Don't free serve cats. or dogs. It's unnatural, it leads to all sorts of nasty problems. There's the weight, but they also get tooth problems and skin problems because their bodies are not meant to be crunching that shit all day and night. 

I feed my dogs 2 times a day, with a few snacks in between. I feed cats the same, morning and night. They can get their own snacks. And I only give them what they'll eat. If they don't finish it, I pick it up and they don't get any more until the next meal time. Cats are supposed to be lithe and nimble, and they aren't supposed to have full stomachs all the time. It's not good for their stomachs, their bowels, their livers, kidneys or their bladders.


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## Sunshine (Dec 8, 2011)

Kooshdakhaa said:


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I leave food out for my cat all the time and she doesn't over eat.  She doesn't even eat when anyone is in the room where her food is and if you go in there while she is eating, she leaves.  She had a nervous breakdown when I had my last joing replacement and so she has to be on prescription cat food.  Leaving it out means she doesn't wake me in the mornings and I can leave her here a day or two without having to board her.


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## Dante (Mar 12, 2013)

Amelia said:


> We had a cat who was bulemic as a kitten, and scared of everything, and then obese as an adult and died too young.  I wish I'd pampered him more because he was just so sweet but so scared ... but I was a new cat owner and didn't know what he needed.
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> Our two largest cats now are supposed to be large.  They're truly huge.  When they were about 4 they tipped the scales at 18 pounds, which the vet commented on, but which she said was perfectly fine for them.
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and people who have obese pets are horrible people


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## Ernie S. (Mar 12, 2013)

What IS your fixation with Amelia about boy? You really should seek help.


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## tinydancer (Mar 12, 2013)

I know my shit. I'm looking at Niakawa and going..."we are jogging when the freaking snow clears"

Sonya and Niakawa eat the same. I can't figure it out. 

Niakawa is just packing it on.


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## koshergrl (Mar 12, 2013)

Generally animal behavior disorders are a direct reflection of their owners.

Just sayin.


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## earlycuyler (Mar 12, 2013)

Mr. H. said:


> Read the pet food manufacturer's label. Feed the critters, one and all. the minimum.
> You are the master of their domain.
> 
> What is it about "meow" that you don't like?
> ...


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## Dante (Mar 12, 2013)

pay back is a mutha isn't it?


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