Caring for Cats Newsletter

Vol. 1, No. 13

Table of Contents
Assist Feeding - High Calorie Supplement
Feline Nutrition - "Can vs. Dry" - Dry Food Diet
Pro-Active Cat Care - The Second Opinion
Feline Obesity - Weight Loss in Stages

Assist Feeding - High Calorie Supplement
by Kathy Fatheree

If a cat is able to eat some food on his/her own, additional essential calories can be provided by using a high-calorie supplement. I've tried the standard high calorie thick gels from the pet stores and my cats won't touch them... even the healthy cats don't like them so I'm always keeping a look out for alternate products.

This week I stumbled across an appetite stimulant called "Quick Start." Here is the description:

Indications: The original deluxe animal APPETIZER concentrated high calorie appetizer specifically formulated to stimulate the appetite in large animals while providing stamina and weight gain. Provides 1,800 KCAL per 10 oz. tube (180 KCAL per fl oz.). Safety tube developed for ease of administration and to protect animals from soft palet injuries. For appetite stimulation for calves, colts, cows, horses, dogs and cats.

I read that it actually tastes good.

On the Net:
Quick Start - Deluxe Animal Appetizer

Feline Nutrition - "Can vs. Dry" - Dry Food Diet
by Garry White

Last week we discussed some of the advantages and disadvantages of canned-food diets, and this week we'll look at dry foods. Remember; I'm not taking a position that promotes one or the other as best, because I can find no scientific research to support such a claim. And I'll declare (again) that my research is based on standards-setting resources: Vets, pet food manufacturers, and veterinary colleges.

For a variety of reasons, many pet-parents prefer a dry-food diet for their cat, and there is logic to support it, same as with canned food diets. But as with any chosen direction, there are ups and downs with a dry-food diet.

Click for more information about dry cat food diets.

ProActive Cat Care - The Second Opinion
by Garry White

First of all, please say hello to the legendary Fluffy! Initially, I asked my Angel Lewie if he'd like to be our symbolic article kitty… Doors creaked, the rafters shook, my spaghetti sauce burned; apparently he was declining my generous offer. So we have a real Fluffy now, and isn't she a beauty? She's an Angel, but her parents (Linda and Bill Fischbach) have assured me that she's delighted with her new role as our mascot.

Fluffy

Sooner or later, Doc is going to tell us something we don't want to hear, and the immediate thought will be: "This guy is nuts! Fluffy's not that sick; I'm getting another opinion." It's certainly the right thing to do in some circumstances, but before you tell Fluffy to put her clothes back on and go get in the car, let's have a deeper look at how disastrous (or life-saving) your emotional decision might be.

Oh, one thing before we proceed: The rest of this article was sort of co-written by one of our very own members... Pam Norman. So if you have complaints, or if you find blatant errors, I expect you to lay the blame squarely on Pam, okay? As you know, I rarely make miss takes.

Click HERE to see when, and why --or if-- we should consider a second veterinary opinion...

Feline Obesity - Weight Loss in Stages
by Kathy Fatheree

In today's diet world, we are led to believe that we can lose weight overnight without even really trying. People want instant results. And people want instant results for their cats, too!

To help your cat lose weight, be prepared to be patient. It can take 6 months to a year for a cat to reach ideal weight. Yes! It can take THAT long so don't be in a rush.

Set the 1st goal to be 85% of your cat's current weight. For example, if your cat weighs 18 pounds, multiply 18 by 0.85 and you get 15.3 pounds. That's a loss of 2.7 pounds. Next, determine how long that should take: To protect your cat's health, don't let your cat lose more than 1/2 of a pound per month. So expect that losing those 2.7 pounds will take about 5 and a half to 6 months (2.7 divided by 0.5 = 5.4). That may seem like a long time, but it's certainly worth it!

After your cat reaches the 1st goal weight, set the 2nd goal weight by repeating the step above. Day-by-Day, Month-by-Month and Year-by-Year... you and your cat can be successful by remembering not to rush expectations and by being consistent.

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Disclaimer: Kathy Fatheree is not at all a medical expert. Contents of this web site are a collection of Kathy's assist feeding experiences as well as the experiences of other cat owners who have assist fed their cats. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, Kathy Fatheree or anyone associated with this web site cannot be held responsible for anything that may happen as a result of using the information on this site.