Conference misery::feline_v1

    How long ago was she checked out by the vet?  I am a little concerned
    about the weight gain -- How much are you feeding her, and does
    she eat it all?  Feline CD (available only from vets, unfortunately)
    is excellent for preventing urological problems and is relatively
    high in calories.
    
    What town do you live in?  Perhaps feliners could suggest a
    good local vet, and you could call the vet's office and ask their
    charge for an office visit.  
    
    
    

    It sounds like you have been feeding your cat this diet for a while,
    and she is just now starting to lose weight.  With that assumption, it
    might be that some health problem has now come up that is causing this
    weight loss.  You mentioned that she is 11 years old.  That is getting
    on in years for a cat.  Does she show any other symptoms?  Is she more
    active than usual, or less active than usual?  Is she drinking more
    than normal?  Is she eating less than normal?  Has anything about her
    habits changed?
    
    The answers to these questions should help you decide whether her
    weight loss is something that needs to be checked by a vet or not. 
    Given the assumption that the weight loss is a recent problem that she
    had not had while on the special diet, I would have to say get her into
    a vet for a checkup.  Weight loss in an older cat can be the first sign
    of some of the age onset illnesses.
    
    Jo

    I'm interested to see the replies in here, I'm having a simillar prob.
    Tabitha (my year old tiger kitty) is starting to loose a couple of
    pounds, which usually isn't much of a problem, but She only weighs
    between 6 & 7 pounds when she's at her "normal" weight.
    
    We got a kitten a couple of months ago. THey get along GREAT. SOmetimes
    I've noticed that Callie (the new baby) is a bit of a haunt, but they 
    DO love each other, clean, sleep, & do all kinds of Kitty Stuff w/ each
    other. Tabitha has been more affectionate than usual over the passed
    week or two, which we LOVE, cuz she's one of those "only when *I* say
    so" kitties. Her appetite is WAY down. She does eat, but not a real
    lot. Maybe 1/2 can of canned & an ounce or so of dry per day!! She's 
    been more active lately & seems like she's feeling more healthy than
    usual, but the weight has me worried.
    
    I'm short on cash (not that I'd use that as an excuse if I thought my
    kids were REALLY sick) and I take them to the doctors everytime they
    meow the wrong way, so I don't know if I'm worried for nothing or not!
    
    It's been warm here, and I've been told that kitties eat less in the
    summer, but should I notice a change in her weight just by picking her
    up? Also, I've moved Tabitha's dish to her FAVORITE spot (above the 
    kitchen sink, in the wide windowsill) because if Callie comes up &
    puts her nose into tabitha's dish while she's eating, Tabitha (what
    a pushover!) just walks away & Callie ends up eating her food! Callie
    CAN get up to where Tabitha is, (they're still eating in the same room)
    but she's less interested if she has to climb up to her dish! I HAVE
    noticed Tabitha eating more, but I dunno if this will help.
    
    I wish the basenoter luch, and would be interested in finding out what
    your experiences are w/ this. Please keep us posted if possible...
    
    Thanks for listening,
    Bonnie

	I don't know if this applies to any of you, but I did have one cat
	(of my current 10) who lost weight and it took about two years before
	I figured out the cause.

	Punkin Head is the world's friendliest orange tabby, originally gotten
	from Pat Murphy as a stray.  He has always been very active and 
	therefore more slender than most of my couch potatoes, but after we
	moved into our current house I noticed that he had lost weight.  At
	least I thought he had -- the vet said he wasn't overly thin, and since
	he was otherwise healthy and playful not to worry.

	Off we went for a second opinion, which included full blood work and
	urinalysis, etc.  Nothing showed up, so that vet also concluded nothing
	was wrong and just to keep an eye on him to be sure he didn't lose
	more.  

	Well, he didn't lose any more weight but I kept insisting he was much
	thinner than he had ever been and it wasn't right.  He was interested
	in his food when I first put it down but it seemed like he'd only eat
	a little before wandering away, no longer hungry.

	To make a long story short, we just had his teeth cleaned due to some
	tartar build=up and two of them basically fell apart during the cleaning
	process.  He is now eating like his old piggy self and he has gained
	back some of the weight, certainly enough to look pretty normal to me!

	Moral of story:  be sure to check the mouth and teeth carefully.  Our
	annual visit always include checking the mouth but the vets hadn't
	noticed anything usual, although I now believe his sore teeth kept him
	from eating.  He ate enough to keep going but was just too uncomfortable
	to eat more than the minimum, and it took two years to figure it out!



	Jan

    I think that her problem is the food.  She was on Lite Science Diet
    until 3 months ago.  The lite because of the magnesium and ash content
    being less than the other.  3 months ago I went to this new vet (who
    since passed away, Dr. Molinari) This vet really new his business so I
    did what he said about putting her on the Pro-Plan Urological rather 
    than Science Diet she was still having problems on Science Diet I 
    readily changed.  But the amount of time passing along with the new
    food is about right for a weight loss to start showing up. But she has
    not had a problems with the urinary tract difficulty since she's been
    on it.
    
    My other problem with her every time she has a urinary infection is
    that she forgets what a cat box is for.  For the past several months
    she has again forgotten what its for again and is using the rug in my dining
    room.  She won't use the box for anything now!  I thought that might be
    the new cat litter which I think is called CLEAN STEP, some sort of
    pellet formula from the grocery store.  I am going to go back to clay
    this weekend to see what happens.
    
    Maybe the weight lose and the cat litter all are in common.  Who knows,
    I'm just guessing.
    
    She does not have worms which would also account for a weight lose.
    
    
    
    I am unaware that Science Diet makes a urological food.  I will try to
    get some at another vets since I haven't seen it in any stores if it
    does indeed exist.  I still would like to know if there is a supplement like
    oatmeal or potatoes or somehting that would add weight to her with out 
    creating the urological problem.
    
    She is eating 1/2 can of food a day.  It's always been that amount,
    unless it was some food that was not good for her and she will eat far
    too much of that.
    
    Teeth used to be a problem.  She had bad breath for years and then one
    day the vet noticed all her teeth being bad so we took all the backs
    out and saved the fronts.  She certainly was happier with that.  I felt
    the back were bad because of the pressure used in giving her medication
    so I am forwarning on that as well.
    
    Sorry this is so lengthy.
    

    Weight loss and change in habits concerning the litter pan can be signs
    of some age onset illnesses.  I still think that having her checked out
    by a vet would be in order before another change in diet.
    
    Science Diet does make a food for urinary tract problems.  It is called
    C/D and it is available from your vet.  Since it is a prescription diet
    food, it is not available at feed or pet stores.
    
    Good luck to you,
    
    Jo

    It's common for a cat with a urinary tract problem to go elsewhere than
    the litter box.  In fact, it's a common warning sign of such an
    infection.  Once the infection has cleared up, you then have to
    get the cat used to the litter box again -- treat the carpet with one
    of the special enzyume products that removes the smell of teh
    urine completely (Nature's Miracle, for example -- these are availabel
    in pet stores) or the smell will reattract the cat to the same area
    again.
    
      Also, a type of litter that the cat doesn't like
    can cause it to avoid the box.
    

    re: .7 - I agree.  If she's not using her box then she's most likely
    got another infection.  As soon as she starts doing that you should
    get her to a vet.  
    
    What happens is that it hurts for the cat to urinate and they begin
    to associate that pain with the box.  So they try another place, and
    it hurts there too so they try someplace else.  Its important for you
    to relieve the pain before that association of litterbox and pain
    becomes too strong.  Otherwise you'll end up with a cat that never
    uses the box.
    
    I have never heard of the Proplan FUS diet but am VERY familiar with
    Hills C/D and its excellent (not just my opinion).  I'd suggest a trip
    to the vet ASAP and perhaps switching to the C/D.  You'll have to buy
    it at a vet's anyway.
      Good luck
      Nancy DC (who's had more than her share of urinary track problems and
    winces in sympathy with all these poor kitties!)
    

    Bought C/D, doesn't say anything about FUS on the can however, but I
    told the assitant what I wanted to do.  I am weaning her off the
    Proplan and into the C/D.  I also noticed it had 1% more protein than
    the Proplan so maybe she will gain a little weight.
    
    It costs $1.58 or something like that at Northboro.  God, that's $.75 a
    day!  She eats only 1/2 can a day.  Try explaining that to a husband.
    
    Thanks for your help
    

    Re: God, that's $.75 a day!  She eats only 1/2 can a day.  Try
    explaining that to a husband
    
    
    How much does it cost to feed your husband a day? :-)
    

    Since the C/D is higher in calorie than other foods, your cat should
    gain weight on it.  Also, you may find that you don't need to feed
    her as much as the other kind of food, so that can may last three days
    rather than just two.
    
    You might also consider the C/D dry.  It might prove more economical
    for you.  Also, you aren't paying for all that moisture as you are in
    the canned foods (canned foods are about 78% moisture).
    
    Jo

    If you use the CD dry, be extra sure to provide ample fresh water,
    as it seems to increase thirst.
    

    re: cost - Hey!  How much does it cost you when you have to go
    to the vet?  If feeding better food keeps the vet visits down -
    and not just from FUS but because her overall health is better -
    then how much is that worth?  
    
    My previous vet, who's opinion I value highly, felt that C/D was the
    BEST food on the market and advised me to feed it to all my cats
    (at that time all four of them).  You might look into purchasing
    the canned food by the case.  You would probably save some money
    and the cases of 24 cans would last you about 2 months.
      Nancy

    Thanks for the replies.  As far as dry is concerned, no teeth to eat it
    with except the front, so... As far as how much it costs to feed my
    husband....good point, I've been thinking about it and ways to lower
    the cost.
    
    Thanks all again
    
    

    I have two kitties who have almost no back teeth. One has none from
    the fangs back, the other is hit and miss. BOTH, eat dried food. It
    takes them a little longer to gum it but that doesn't stop them. We
    feed IAMS dry and wet food is Friskies.
    
    Don't discount the dry food if the cat wants it. They will find a way.
    
    Barbara & her 3M's

    An update to basenote.  C/D caused vomiting, same as last year.  So, I
    took her off of it.
    
    Friday night I went to Pet Sense in Worcester Webster Sq.  Spoke with
    Dennis.  Vomiting to C/D suggest an allergy to the food since that's
    the only time she vomits, (it's not fur balls).  He put her on a lamb
    and rice diet and then gave me a dry called Max Cat to supplement.  Max
    Cat has a very low ash and magnesium count.  She loves both and is not
    vomiting anymore.  
    
    Pet Sense has become a nice, clean and very large store.  Dennis is
    excellent and I was glad to see him still there.  He has a PHd in
    something to do with animals and I always did trust what he said when I
    went there a couple of years ago.  This time I just explained the
    problem and did what he said.  
    
    We'll see but so far so good.  I'm looking for a weight gain and will
    probably get it with the Max Cat dry as a supplement.
    
    She just swallows the dry food, no chewing, doesn't bother her a bit.
    
    Thanks
    

    re: Not using C/D   You MUST let your vet know if you've switched
    your cat's diet.  C/D contains a urine acidifier that is NOT in
    other cat foods.  If you vet has prescribed a diet of C/D and your
    cat can not tolerate it then the acidifier must be provided in 
    another form.  It does come in capsule form and you can open
    the capsule and mix it with the food that your cat does tolerate.
      Nancy DC

    Oh - FWIW  Old Mother Hubbard canned is lower in ash and magnesium
    than C/D and it produces an acidic urine.  Again tho, be sure your
    vet knows what you are doing.
    

    Re: .17 - where can you purchase the acidifier in capsule form?
    
    I currently feed my two seven month old kittens various supermarket
    brand cat foods (Whiskas, Friskies, 9-Lives).  They are both scheduled
    to be neutered on Friday, and I have heard that FUS is common in
    neutered male cats.  In another note, someone stated that they gave
    their cats a Vitamin C tablet/supplement every day which made the cats'
    urine more acidic.  Has anyone else heard of this?  Do you just use the
    Vitamin C tablets that you can purchase at the drugstore or health food
    store?
    
    Ever since I first got my kittens, they have had upper respiratory
    infections off and on.  (Lately, mostly a lot of watery eyes.)  The vet
    said that sometimes cats will grow out of this as they get older and
    build up their immune system.  I was wondering if maybe the Vitamin C
    tablets would help with this also.
    
    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    
    Debbie

    re: .19
    
    Ask your vet what to do.  In general be careful about do-it-yourself
    medicine for cats, as some people medicine is lethal to cats.  Also
    dosages have to be adjusted for the differences in body weights.
    

    If you are concerned about an acidic urine my recommendation is to
    feed them Old Mother Hubbard Canned which will naturally produce
    an acidic urine - and a premium dry that is low in both ash and
    magnesium.  This type of food is far better for them, in general,
    than the grocery store varieties.  
    
    I feed Bob Old Mother Hubbard and a urinalysis verified that his
    urine had a nice low pH.  In fact, the vet suggested that it might
    be too low ;^).
      Nancy
    

    Well, C/D didn't do it, Pro_plan-she lost weight on, which I've already
    stated.  The other one from Pet SEnse in Worcester started causing
    probelms so for 6 cans it's been Old Mother Hubbard Low Ash, as
    suggested and Max Cat dry which is very low ash and magnesium.  
    
    We have no vomiting and we seem to be brighter.  My husband picked her
    up for the first time in a couple of days and exclaimed, "WOW she's a
    lot heavier!"  
    
    She loves the Max-Cat, I mixed it with the C/D dry and she picked out
    the Max-Cat and left the C/D.  Even with no teeth she just swallows it
    whole.
    
    I thank all of you for the help and suggestions.  I hope this is the
    end of the story.
    
    Thanks