UK Pet Forums Forum banner
21 - 40 of 44 Posts
I stayed on a campsite on a farm once, and they had a fat Labrador that they said they had been trying to diet and couldn't understand why they weren't getting anywhere.

The mystery was solved when we saw him trotting across the campsite with a whole pack of Jammy Dodgers in his gob :Hilarious
Hilarious! I can just picture the scene!
:Hilarious:Hilarious:Hilarious
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
@Burmesemum
Hi,
Did you chop it up? It looks similar in the tray to the Animonda, Lily's Kitchen or Almo Nature trays.
If they might like something softer Almo also does little mousses in tins.
Hi yes it's mushed up on the plate as that's the way they like it. They don't like any mousse type foods but good to hear it looks like a few other foods. I think I can get hold of Lily's Kitchen the easiest so maybe I could try that one first.

I was thinking of just a small amount of food on a separate plate so can I store the rest in a plastic tub in a container and do I need to bring it down to room temperature before I give it to them as can't imagine they will eat it otherwise? Can I gently microwave it or will that cause poisoning if I'm only heating it up a little and not piping hot like you would for humans?
 
Discussion starter · #23 ·
Have you tried hiding a few pieces of home cooked meat in their Sheba? I do that with one of my cats who will not eat good quality cat foods. I chop cooked chicken or turkey into very small pieces and then mix it well into her food. She eats it without noticing the cooked meat. It means she is getting some extra protein which takes longer to digest and keeps her satisfied for longer than her cat food alone.

If you try it start with say two small pieces of chicken, mix well into the Sheba and see if it gets noticed.

EDIT : they would be better with separate dishes when you are trying to diet one of them, otherwise you have no idea how much he is eating and it will be difficult to adjust his portion size. Have you considered microchip feeders for them?
I would love to get them microwave feeders as that would really help but they are so expensive and I would need two of them. I might have a look on ebay.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
Just sitting here in the living room and can hear 'crunch, crunch, crunch' and trying to work out what the noise was.

Had my potatoes boiling in the kitchen and went to check on them and there is Jasper with his head in a bag of dry food! I had a peg on it and haven't used it for a while!

Oscar was crying for food so I put it down and he just walked off (he always does this like he cries for Jasper!) and immediately Jasper is over. So I grabbed him put him in the living room and I've left Oscar in the kitchen to have some food.

Can see I've got my work cut out here lol.
 
I would love to get them microwave feeders as that would really help but they are so expensive and I would need two of them. I might have a look on ebay.
They are "microchipped" feeders, not "microwave", (or was that a typo ? :D) Ebay sometimes has 2nd hand ones for sale. Otherwise cheapest price new is from Amazon usually.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SureFeed-5...537735609&sr=8-1&keywords=surefeed+cat+feeder

They might seem expensive but they're very well made and the mechanism is very reliable. IMO they're an excellent investment and worth every penny. :)

I have lots of spare plastic feeder bowls you could have if you wanted any if you buy the feeders. (Because I switched over to the stainless steel bowls). They are thick, strong plastic, have been used but are in good condition, and still have the seal intact around the edges.

It would be best really to get all the dry food out of the house for good, so the cats can no longer smell it. It has such a strong pervasive smell, they will always want to try and track down the source if it is in the house. :(
 
@Burmesemum
You can let the food sit for a bit before you offer it to them to get room temp. I haven't microwaved Biggle's food but that is an option.
Some brands I buy are fresh, so need refrigeration. I try to take out a little while before offering, though sometimes he will eat right away.
 
Discussion starter · #27 ·
They are "microchipped" feeders, not "microwave", (or was that a typo ? :D) Ebay sometimes has 2nd hand ones for sale. Otherwise cheapest price new is from Amazon usually.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SureFeed-5...537735609&sr=8-1&keywords=surefeed+cat+feeder

They might seem expensive but they're very well made and the mechanism is very reliable. IMO they're an excellent investment and worth every penny. :)

I have lots of spare plastic feeder bowls you could have if you wanted any if you buy the feeders. (Because I switched over to the stainless steel bowls). They are thick, strong plastic, have been used but are in good condition, and still have the seal intact around the edges.

It would be best really to get all the dry food out of the house for good, so the cats can no longer smell it. It has such a strong pervasive smell, they will always want to try and track down the source if it is in the house. :(
Ha ha I typed 'microwave' into the search box on ebay too and wondered why I couldn't find any results! Yes I meant microchip :)

Yes I am sure they are great it's just trying to persuade my hubby that we need them that's the problem lol.

Thanks for the offer of the bowls that's really kind of you and if I can either source some from ebay or talk dh into buying two I'll be in touch :)

I'll put the food in the garage for now. Don't want to totally get shut of it as it's handy for when we are away a couple of days. That's the only time I'll be feeding them dry from now on.
 
They are "microchipped" feeders, not "microwave", (or was that a typo ? :D) Ebay sometimes has 2nd hand ones for sale. Otherwise cheapest price new is from Amazon usually.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SureFeed-5...537735609&sr=8-1&keywords=surefeed+cat+feeder

They might seem expensive but they're very well made and the mechanism is very reliable. IMO they're an excellent investment and worth every penny. :)

I have lots of spare plastic feeder bowls you could have if you wanted any if you buy the feeders. (Because I switched over to the stainless steel bowls). They are thick, strong plastic, have been used but are in good condition, and still have the seal intact around the edges.

It would be best really to get all the dry food out of the house for good, so the cats can no longer smell it. It has such a strong pervasive smell, they will always want to try and track down the source if it is in the house. :(
Can I ask how these work for wet food? It seems to imply on the product page that it stops it drying out, but I can't see how that would work for any length of time? Thanks.
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
Right, I think I might be getting somewhere now!

I am feeding them separately which is a complete and utter pain but at least I know now what Jappy is eating.

I am feeding him four 85g trays of Sheba (will try some of the food recommended to me soon) per day. One in the morning, lunch, tea and supper.

Think that's possibly still too much but I'm going to give it a couple of weeks and if there is no improvement maybe cut it down to 3 half trays and go from there!

He is not a happy boy though! The look on his face when I stop him from entering the kitchen when Oscar is eating!
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
No he doesn't have any treats apart from when he gets a brush which is about once a week now that he has stopped dropping his hairs so much and that's just a tiny amount.

He's a big cat, much bigger than his brother. Chunky with a large face type cat but he is definitely overweight too. I agree though does seem a lot!

I'm going to give it a couple of weeks and in the meantime going to order some Animonda and see if I can transfer them onto that although don't hold out much hope they are both incredibly fussy.

After two weeks if he is the same I'll reduce it again. I don't want to reduce his food dramatically for now as I worry it could make him ill or depressed :/. He's quite a sensitive little soul bless him.

Oh forgot to add that although I am feeding Oscar separately he still feeds with Jasper from his food but not huge amounts.
 
No he doesn't have any treats apart from when he gets a brush which is about once a week now that he has stopped dropping his hairs so much and that's just a tiny amount.

He's a big cat, much bigger than his brother. Chunky with a large face type cat but he is definitely overweight too. I agree though does seem a lot!

I'm going to give it a couple of weeks and in the meantime going to order some Animonda and see if I can transfer them onto that although don't hold out much hope they are both incredibly fussy.

After two weeks if he is the same I'll reduce it again. I don't want to reduce his food dramatically for now as I worry it could make him ill or depressed :/. He's quite a sensitive little soul bless him.
You are right to reduce very gradually hun. You will see results but I would say it would take the best part of a year to get him trimmed down. xxx
 
Discussion starter · #33 ·
You are right to reduce very gradually hun. You will see results but I would say it would take the best part of a year to get him trimmed down. xxx
Wow that's such a long time isn't it! I've noticed that since I've taken the dry away and reduced his food he is more frisky.

I'll weigh him tonight and then weigh him again in a couple of weeks to see if he has lost anything.
 
Wow that's such a long time isn't it! I've noticed that since I've taken the dry away and reduced his food he is more frisky.

I'll weigh him tonight and then weigh him again in a couple of weeks to see if he has lost anything.
Cats shouldn't lose weight at the same speed as humans so don't worry about how long it takes. How much does he weigh atm?xxx
 
Discussion starter · #35 ·
Cats shouldn't lose weight at the same speed as humans so don't worry about how long it takes. How much does he weigh atm?xxx
Not sure haven't weighed him yet but he is very heavy. I've just come back from Cyprus and know I've put a bit of weight on that's why I'm reluctant to step of the scales to weight him lol. Will get son to do it for me!
 
Isn't that an 85g pack - that's not enough for the day surely?
Depends how you look at it. One 100g tray of Waitrose cat food has not far off the same amount calories in it as an entire days worth of chicken. I expect Sheba would be similar.

It's problematic especially if you have an indoor less active cat, the feeding guidelines are based on active cats who need a huge amount more food.

The guidelines on the food I have says 4 or 5 trays a day for the size of my cat. He wouldn't be able to walk if I fed him that much.

Blk is entirely food orientated. He does much better being fed little and often because he doesn't feel so ignored or hard done by. I work out what he needs per day and if that has to be broken into 6 tiny meals or more so be it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ali71 and Soozi
Discussion starter · #37 ·
Hi there, on with a little update :)

Fat Jasper is looking a lot slimmer I am happy to report. I am so pleased the advice I read on here about not being drastic with the diet because I was wondering for a while if anything was actually happening and I can now see the difference!

He is looking more slender and has much more energy than he had. Will try and post an update picture :)

I'm not reducing his food any more yet as not sure if he will keep losing weight or will plateau. I am so happy that he has lost weight though and although he is a greedy little boy I am so relieved we have his weight under control and supervision.

It's lovely to see him running around a little more and not just sitting like a blob all the time!
 
Well done you, good on you for persevering, it can be difficult to get them to lose weight. Lovely to get an update, would be great to have a pic, even if it's not showing Jasper off to his best in his latest slimline trim, we just like to see pics on here. Maybe you'll have to get the thread title changed to 'Not so fat Jaser'
 
Discussion starter · #39 ·
Well done you, good on you for persevering, it can be difficult to get them to lose weight. Lovely to get an update, would be great to have a pic, even if it's not showing Jasper off to his best in his latest slimline trim, we just like to see pics on here. Maybe you'll have to get the thread title changed to 'Not so fat Jaser'
Thank you! I will try and get a pic :)

It's been no bother for me in fact it's been brilliant taking action and not just accepting the situation (although I imagine it might feel like a huge bother to some people) to restrict Jasper's diet.

I've eventually now got into a nice little routine (and so have the cats) of feeding my other cat Oscar early in the morning and then Jasper and Oscar a little later. I feed four times a day now (breakfast, lunch, evening meal and bedtime meal) feeding my other cat Oscar in between whenever he is hungry as he does not over eat like Jasper does and he is a grazer.

At first Jasper tried all kinds of tricks when he knew Oscar was getting fed. Jamming himself in-between two posts on our large cat tree in the kitchen and clinging on for dear life with his claws. It used to make me laugh so much :). When that didn't work he would smuggle himself under a hole in the skirting board in the kitchen so he could 'sneak out' and eat with Oscar ha ha.

I didn't realise at first but then caught on to his cunning plan.

Now he has accepted the situation and I have to say he is so much happier and doesn't follow me about everywhere begging for food but I know that he will always be a cat that is totally food orientated.
 
21 - 40 of 44 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top