From: kilroy@netcom.com (Jeffrey S. Shulman)
Subject: Weight problem
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 05:42:56 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Summary: How to deal with fat cat?
Keywords: weight, over weight, fat

Laura J. Shulman, Sunnyvale, California

FAX phone: 408/245-1891 *(24-hrs a day, 7 days a week)*

Tuesday evening, 25th August 1992

      My husband, Jeff, and I have four (4) indoor cats [claws intact]. One 
of them, Fizzie, a neutered male, one-and-three-quarters years old, has been 
gaining weight slowly (but steadily) over the last four, five months. Jeff 
and I have always followed the policy of "free-feeding," leaving dry food out 
at all times, and have done so with satisfactory results. The other three 
cats keep their weight pretty near perfect by free-feeding. From the day we 
acquired them, our cats know that food is available to them at all times. 
Fizzie, when a kitten, was always an extremely playful cat; he still is, but 
has gotten sluggish P pulling that extra weight around ain't easy. Two of the 
other cats (Tigger & Rosie) are also playful (Tigger is a "play-aholic"); the 
fourth (Goldie) never was and never will be.

      About three months ago, because of Fizzie's weight gain, I stopped 
free-feeding all four cats and went to specified mealtimes, three times a day 
(once in the morning, once around 3pm, and once late evening) whereby the 
food bowls stayed out for an hour at each mealtime. In between meals, as any 
of the four got hungry, they'd come and find me wherever I was in the house 
and bug the hell out of me to feed them, one by one, never all as a group; 
this went on... and on... and on... and on what seemed ad infinitum. All four 
became perpetually grumpy; not only that, Fizzie's, Tigger's and Rosie's 
playing came to an utter standstill. After a week or so, I gave it up and 
returned to free-feeding - for these reasons: 1) one or another of the four 
cats was always literally nagging me to feed him (that is, each cat wanted to 
be fed six or more times a day, and did not hesitate to tell me I was 
neglecting him/her); and 2) Fizzie's, Rosie's & Tigger's personalities 
changed overnight from permanently cheery to permanently morose. After I 
resumed free-feeding, they became their playful selves again.

      I haven't the foggiest idea where I have gone wrong.

      What do I do regarding the cats' coming around with their constant 
"nagging" to be fed? They make me feel so guilty, like I am torturing and 
depriving them, and am no longer on their side in the struggle of life?  I 
feel like an ogre. From their point-of-view, I get the feeling they feel I 
have broken a psychological contract with them, that I have reneged on a 
covenant. They make me quite miserable because I perceive that they no longer 
know what to expect from me, what the deal is. From the cats' point of view, 
food is no longer available at all times; therefore: 1) this human (me) is 
screwing up, and 2) this human is trying to starve "us". I cannot read minds, 
but I am good at reading body language of cats, and this is what they have 
communicated to me, or something like it, in no uncertain terms.

      One person's advise was instead of free-feeding, put down four 
individual bowls of dry food twice a day at 6-9am & again 12 hours later; 
keep food available for only 15 minutes each meal, and that's it, period the 
end. Throw a shoe at any cat that begs for a meal in between these two meals; 
they'll get the message. Maybe this IS the way to go, but I need more 
information about the process, more meat on the bones, so to speak. I need 
the benefit of other people's experience so I'll have the confidence not to 
cringe when four pairs of eyes look at me saying "traitor".

      Fizzie is fast gaining the status of FAT PIG. I have to do something 
about his weight fairly soon - it cannot wait much longer. I have read 
several books about cats, and addresses this problem of diets and multiple 
cats.

      I really need help - BAD. What insights, tales, anecdotes do you have?

Laura Shulman

P.S. Kindly reply via electronic mail or FAX... thanks.

#####  FAX phone: 408/245-1891 *(24-hrs a day, 7 days a week)*  #####

-- 
Jeff Shulman
kilroy@netcom.com
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats