Tips for feeding

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emmab
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Tips for feeding

Post by emmab »

I am trying to get some weight on to one of our cats and the vet recommended Royal Canin Gastro. Problem is it is so pallatable our other cat is eating it. No matter what I do our new addition cannot get enough of it as Gemo is eating his food. I am even trying to put small amounts down for Grany so that Gemo doesn't get any but is proving impossible as Grany eats such a small amount at a time It is proving hard work. We are on holiday next week somwill have automatic feeders and cannot think of a way of Grany getting a decent amount of food without Gemo getting the Royal Canin. Gemo has Iams normally but next week with neighbours popping in need to make it as simple as possible for them as they are looking after our chickens too! Do I just have to accept Gemo will be eating the gastro food as well and accept her weight gain? Any tips would be much appreciated but not sure what we can do. I am having to move the food around so much that Grany is getting confused as to what he should be eating. I am also having to shout at Gemo as she just constantly tries to eat his food. She just doesn't learn.
alanc
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by alanc »

The only advice I can give is to get a microchip operated cat feeder for Grany. Even then you may have trouble with Gemo barging in once Grany's microchip has opened the feeder, but at least she would not be able to eat his food at other times. I think they close quite quickly after the designated cat has moved away.
emmab
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by emmab »

Thanks, yes I was aware of those but if they are half as bad as microchip cat flaps the poor lad would starve! My experience with microchip run things is awful. We had a Sureflap cat flap and the cats kept getting shut outside, it was such a worry. Thanks but maybe we may just have to put up with the situation we have,
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MarySkater
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by MarySkater »

I have Surefeed microchip feeders for my two cats, and I haven't had any problems with them. (Well, apart from my new kitten actually standing on the lid when she first tried it! :) She's learned not to do that now.) There's a "training" mode for when your cat is first learning it, but it didn't take long for my cats to get used to them. The feeders need 4 "C" batteries, which is quite expensive, but mine have been going 8 months now without needing replacement batteries.
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Crewella
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by Crewella »

To be honest, I think you're just going to have to accept that the cats won't be eating what they should be whilst you're away, and just concentrate on feeding one up and possibly putting the other on a diet when you get back. It's not ideal, but it's only for a couple of weeks and then you can really concentrate on making sure they eat what's good for them - if necessary feed Grany in another room or stand over him whilst he eats.

As I've said, all of mine have learned not to steal each other's food, but it did take a lot of effort in standing over them at each meal and being absolutely consistent in not allowing the pigs to steal food that's not for them. It's got to the stage now that Daz or Paddington only have to look at another bowl and start walking towards it, I say "NO Dazzy/Paddy that's NOT yours" (in the loud 'voice of doom') and they go back to licking their own bowl clean. As they were learning, the minute their nose went in someone else's bowl I'd whip it away "NO Dazzy/Paddy that's NOT yours". If looks could kill ......... :P
emmab
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by emmab »

Crewella, sounds like me atm. Grany has been on this food for 2-3 weeks now and no matter what I do she still pursues the bowl. I like to leave a little bit down at night for Grany but tbh he never gets any so tonight will just have to lift the RC food up and leave them both with Iams. She has put on a lot fo weight already and yes will have to just bite the bullet and let her eat whatever whilst we are away. Thank you. Your cats at least sound quite well behaved after teaching, although still sounds a full time job!
emmab
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by emmab »

Grany is proving very difficult for feeding, It could be either an underlying problem with his health, Gemo trying to eat his food or something else but I am finding that he grazes so little and does so throughout the day I have to spend so much time giving him food in small doses. I would really struggle to leave him for the day atm. The vet has given him an antibiotic for his tummy to help with any inflammation etc. If we go away on holiday I don't think he would eat very much as he grazes so little throughout the day out neighbour would need to stay here for a while to help with him getting his food. Help! The vet said to give him what he wants but he only eats wet Royal Canin Gastro and felix.
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by Marla »

I'm sorry if I missed this in your posts, but what are Grany's symptoms which indicate tummy problems?

We've had 2 cats with tummy problems and I've never heard of giving an antiobitic for this. I thought that antibiotics can create problems by killing the good bacteria.
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by emmab »

He was tested for fip as he has enlarged lymph nodes in his tummy. A fever which has been pit down to stress in the car as he is fine when he is not in the car. Also he has very high protein levels and a slight amount of fluid in his tummy which was better at the last appointment. It was probably FIP but both aspirations of the lymph nodes came back negative which is good. However the vet thinks he may of had a virus or maybe an underlying problem. Next step is a biopsy of the lymph nodes to investigate further. It is all a mystery. He is 2 years old, a fussy eater and not the most playful of cats but that maybe normal. I have to feed him royal canine gastro as his weight his down to 3kilos. All very worrying but he is eating and well apart from weight loss and diarrhea, hence the vet recommending the long term antibiotic, as in another posting I have made.
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by Marla »

Ah ok, I'd forgotten some of the background.

Our cats have had lots of problems with dry food. Teddy had diarrhoea and weight loss, and as I mentioned the wet version of Royal Canin Gastro cat food really helped him. His stools were still a little too wet (although not diarrhoea) so we've started giving him (only) 1mm of Protexin Prokolin+ Antidiarrhoeal Probiotic Paste every day which has firmed up his stools a little more.

If it were me, before spending money on biopsies, I'd try the wet version of Royal Canin Gastro food to see if it helps. It would need to be introduced very gradually of course.
emmab
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by emmab »

He is on RC gastro wet but is so expensive and eats it but have a 4 kilo sack of dry and he hates it. I bought a small bag and he loved it, now I have ordered a latger bag and won't eat it. He will only eat felix and RC gastro wet. All his treatment apart from the antibiotics are covered under his adoption as he was adopted with these issues. I am not sure how long they will pay for his treatment. Our other cat tries eating his food and she is putting on serious weight. As he grazes I am feeding him 3 times a day atm and am tied indoors a little. If we leave him for a few days he will not eat sufficiently as I cannot leave the RC down as Gemo will eat it. I cannot dream of buying in bulk as I am wasting so much food. I have tried leaving the dried RC down but he just won't eat it.
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by Lilith »

Hi, I can't advise about the antibiotics apart from agreeing with Marla that these can play havoc with the gut's natural flora (although antibiotics once worked wonders on a longstanding stomach infection of mine and the old stomach's gone from strength to strength since with no ill-effects.) A vet once advised me to try to get a cat on antibiotics to eat plain yoghurt as a probiotic and I had an old tomcat who sometimes suffered from diarrohea who would enjoy a bottle of vanilla Actimel. With hindsight I'm not sure of the wisdom of this but he liked it (tastes like melted ice cream which most cats enjoy) and the runs did clear up.

However I realise Grany's faddy.

But just wanted to say good on you for staying with Grany, it's rotten to miss your holiday but i think you're doing the right thing; i once had to do the same with a cat on meds; nobody else could dose her, so that was that. Disappointment but the cat comes first.

Hope Grany improves soon and that some solution's found for his problems :)
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Re: Tips for feeding

Post by emmab »

Funnily enough we couldn't go as my husband was ill! We spent weeks worrying about Grany and then he falls ill! Typical! Grany is a worry but we have adopted him for life and whilst we are struggling a little atm he is worth everything. Cats cannot rule your life but atm he is as the whole food situation is hard going. He cannot afford to lose any more weight. I am so sorry you are all going through similar experiences but what a rewarding thing it is. Thank you
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