Conference misery::feline_v1

    Both of my daughters cats fit the bill.  Martini weighs in at over
    20 lbs and Star is at least 15.
    
    My largest cat, Lightning, weighed in at 11.8 lbs last year.  She
    might hit the 12 lb range this year on her check-up.
    
    Sandi (Lightning, DejaVu & Thunder's mom) (& Star's Grandmom)
    
    

    Are you sure that they said 12 lbs? That isn't much, particularly for a
    male. Spiro, Nikloas and Alexandra are all well over that and aren't
    the least bit fat. Argus J. Pussycat, Esq., on the other hand tips the
    scales at 22 lbs.
    
    Deb

    I've been trying to call for info -- I've hung up after being on
    hold for 5-10 minutes each time.
    
    Everytime I try to put Portia on a scale she says "Mom, don't you
    know those things lie? Your the one who constantly tell me that
    they are off by 10 lbs." ;')

    Well, I feel better knowing that there are cats out there that weigh 
    in heavier than Amelia (13 lbs).  I've been taking alot of grief 
    from cat show judges, family and friends about her weight.
           
    We have a new term in our house (thanks to a judge) for being
    overweight...we say kitty has "tremendous substance".
    
    One of my favorite jokes about Amelia (please don't tell her) is
    that we're changing her name from Amelia Earhart to Amelia Bartlett
    (as in pear) because when she sits that's what she looks like.
    
    Good luck to anyone who enters their cat.  I couldn't possibly enter
    Amelia, I always feel so guilty making fun of her less than svelte
    figure.
    
    Jan

   I don't live out thataway, so I can't enter my Orpheus, who weighs
   in at 18 pounds, which is about right for a Maine Coon.  His late
   brother, Dog, was a few pounds more.  My brother used to call them
   Goodyear and Goodrich (ie., inner tubes).  Now he just calls Orpheus
   the 'Blimp'.

   Maybe I should try that Science Diet reducing food?  :-)

/Joel

    Well, I called the Fat Cat number and got through to what I assume
    was a marketing service (Fleishmanns?).  They are sending me the
    packet of information.  However, when I mentioned that my cats are
    pushing or are now over 20lbs, she sort of chuckled as though that
    wasn't fat enough and wished me luck.  I should have the info in
    a couple of days.
    
    Mary

    I heard an ad for this contest too.  I'm pretty certain that the
    prize included 1 years worth of light food, not a lifetime supply.
    
    I think I've heard of cats reaching 30+ pounds, so it sounds like
    this notes file's cats aren't fat enough to win.  Of course, we
    may want to win, but the cats are better off if they don't have
    a chance!  ;-)
    
    Have fun,
    Karen, Tristan, Tenzing and Max.

    re: .7  I agree that the cats are better off.
      I must admit I have a bit of trouble with a contest that awards
    a prize to the least healthy cat!  I don't consider obesity to be
    something worth awarding a prize for.  But then again, I'm an 
    ex-heavyweight myself so that may be coloring my views.  
      Nancy DC
    

    Re: .8    I was leery about mentioning something along that lines
    Nancy, but now that you did, I second that.  Not so sure why anyone
    would be glad their cat is so overweight (as opposed to a large
    cat--there's a difference).  Especially if the winner is expect
    to weigh 30+ lbs.  That's awfully fat for a cat.  
    
    (is a heavyweight, still, working on becoming ex, so my views aren't
    colored much--I keep thinking that's like asking me to enter a beauty
    contest in a bikini!)
    
                                                      ---kim

    I think that if the contest is giving away a light formula food
    as the prize, then its a good marketing ploy to bring all the fat
    cats together and show them what they should be eating.
    
    Jo

    Or not eating...how does one put a cat on a diet?  Less food?  (like
    taking away the bowl?)  How does a housebound cat get good exercise?
    
    I try to play with mine (one doesn't know how to play, honest),
    but I don't think either of THEM have a weight problem.  ;)
    
                                                      ---kim

    
    
          Well I hope that the prize is a lighter food and not an incentive
    for the fat cats to stay fat.  I mentioned it somewhere before but
    my in-laws who we rent from and live right next door went and adopted
    Tippy-Toes from Nashua Humane a while back.  She had been the cat
    of someone whom was very close to the shelter and she was to be
    the shelter cat.  You see Tippy-toes was a FAT cat and no one showed
    any interest in her.  My in-laws took sympathy on this little butter
    ball (I'm so proud of them) and took her home.  Now I've never been
    around a real fat cat but I hate to say it but she was not a very
    beautiful thing to behold.  She just didn't look right.  Her previous
    owner from what we can gather fed her human food to the extreme.
    She really is a beautiful small calico under all that lard and I
    believe she weighed in at 27.  Even when they got her down to 22
    she looked enourmous due to her bone structure.  Her tail and legs
    didn't look like they belonged on her.  She could not clean herself
    whatsoever so it became a daily routine for them to clean her
    themselves. I can imagine how poor Tippy-Toes self esteem must have
    felt.  So what they did was put her on normal Iams.  At first she
    did not want it at all but when she saw it was the only food to
    eat she loves it.  They give her just a little tuna at supper time
    but that's it.  He's built her some toys and gotten her fresh catnip.
    
             I'm happy to say that Tippy-Toes is at 15 to 17 lbs now
    and the beautiful cat that she is is finally coming out.  And o
    yes her purrsonality has changed drastically :^).  
    
             It's very sad to see a fat cat who is suffering physically
    and emotionally.  I hope that contest pushes losing the weight and
    isn't on the other hand trying to glorify very obese cats.  
    
                                                                   
                                kim_who_might_start_eating_only_Iams_soon!!!!!!

Folks,

   Many years ago I saw a David Susskind (sp?) show in which he interviewed
   some cat lovers (including his own daughter) who had brought their cats
   along with them.  One of these cats was a cross between a South American
   wild cat and a European domestic.  It was as gentle as any domestic cat
   and was HUGE.  It sat on the woman's lap and EASILY (ie., without even
   stretching) put its front paws on her shoulder and licked her ear.  The
   cat must have been over 2 feet long from head to rump and easily over
   45 pounds.

   Does anyone know anything about this breed?  It was huge, healthy, and 
   happy.

/Joel

    I just don't understand my cats.  I've been reading and agree, FAT
    cats just aren't a pretty sight, and I have 2 (although one of them
    is very solid, the other a mush-ball).
    
    At the Copley Plaza cat show the other day, I picked up some samples of
    canned cat food called (I think) Premium.  On the lable it says a full
    grown cat should receive 10oz of canned food per day.  Between my three
    cats, I feed them 2 cans per day plus dry food (so they don't wake me
    at night).  The vet said last year that I am not over feeding them.
    Still, Barney continues to gain weight and must be over 20lbs now...
    last year he weighed in at 19.6lbs.
    
    In note 2197, the writer mentioned a vet that firsts recommends CD or
    Science Diet, and then 9-Lives, Friskees, or Kal Kan (in that order).
    I feed my boys 9-Lives canned food.  I've gotten the nutrition listing
    on all 9-Lives food a couple of years ago from the 9-Lives people and
    it's really not that bad.  Even my own vet agreed.  My boys ABSOLUTELY
    hate the Reduction Diet food by S/D.
    
    I am at a lost for Barney and his weight problem.  I'm not over feeding
    him and he seems happy and somewhat healthy.  He's had his bouts of FUS
    in the past, but whenever I try to get him to lose weight, the FUS
    comes back, although I think this may be just coincidence.  Gonezo, on
    the other hand, is a very solid 18.6lbs.  He could definitely stand to
    lose a pound or two, but he doesn't look "bad".  As for Benjamin, he
    eats the same stuff the others do, *plus* cookies, crakers, popcorn,
    and his favorite, mice and he continues to maintain his 10lb figure.
                                       
    I think in the Spring I'll send Barney off to a Kitty Fat Farm so he
    can slim down a bit.  :)  
    
    I definitely DON'T want him getting as large as the cats competing in
    the Fat Cat contest.
    
    Mary
    
    

    re: promoting weight loss - You may be right Jo.  I hope so.
    
    re: .14 - How overweight is he?  and is he still hungry after you've
    fed him.
      This is very rare - but hypothyroidism in animals does happen.
    My parents' dog is one case.  If you really aren't overfeeding him
    and he's still gaining weight then perhaps a bloodtest is in order.
    The vet may laugh at you and tell you that that's what most overweight
    humans think is the problem, but its probably worth asking anyway.
    BTW- I think its something like 1% of overweight humans who have
    hypothyroidism.
      Oh - I'm sorry - for those of you who haven't heard the word before-
    This is a condition in which the thyroid gland isn't producing enough
    of the hormone that regulates metabolism (hypo means low, hyper
    means high) so that the animal's metabolism is too low, hence s/he
    doesn't burn as many calories as s/he should and gets fat.  There
    are other effects that make it worth correcting the condition, but
    off hand I can't recall them.
      Nancy

    re: .15
    Nancy - I go to the vet today and will find out just how much Barney
    weighs.  Yes, he is always hungry.  The other cats seem to walk away
    when they've had enough and Barney just gobbles up what they don't eat. 
    Whenever he comes in from outside the first thing he goes for is the
    food dish.  He is not a big dry food eater.
    
    re: one of my earlier entries to this note (don't know the #)
    I got my entry in yesterday for the Fat Cat contest.  It is being
    sponsored by Tender Vittles LITE.  Here's what it said:
    [reprinted without permission]
    "Whether a tubby Tabby or a pleasingly plump Persion, if your "Fat Cat"
    lives the indulgent life - and has the well-rounded personality to
    prove it - enter the Tender Vittles Lite Fat Cat Contest.
    "You and your full-figured feline could win $5000 cash!
    "Any adult cat (12+ lbs.) can enter.
    "Selected pets and their owners will compete in te Tender Vittles LIte
    Fat Cat Contest, hosted by Jake "Body by Jake" Steinfeld, Hollywood's
    fitness king.
    "Regional preliminaries will be held in Los Angeles (April 4),
    Cleveland (April 7) and Atlanta (April 11).  Winners will receive $1000
    and a free trip to New York for te Nation Finals on Friday, April 14.
    "If you can't participate in the regional contest, you and your "Fat
    Cat" can still compete.  One mail-in entrant will go directly to the
    National Finals.
    "For more information, see offial contest rules."
    
    To enter, complete and mail an official entry form or a 3x5 card with
    your name, address, home and business phone, breed of cat, age, and
    weight.  You must also send in a completion (20 words or less) to the
    following sentence:  "My cat should win the Tender Vittles Lite Fat Cat
    Contest because...".  Please enclose a photo.  Entries must be
    postmarked no later than March 24.  You may enter as often as you wish.
    Address to send your entry to:
    Tender Vittles Lite Fat Cat Contest
    c/o Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.
    P.O. Box 8797
    St. Louis, MO  63102
    
    Good luck to any of our fat feline friends who enter!  I think I'll
    skip this one.
    
    Mary
    

    Speaking of "fat cats", our SPCA here (Annapolis, MD) has gotten
    a cat that they call a "victim" of "cupboard love". This poor cat
    is huge, and weighs 32 pounds! The poor baby can barely move! Whoever
    decides to adopt him has to put him on a strict diet, with exercise!
    Poor baby! I guess he has a very difficult time moving, and can't
    walk for any length of time without huffing and puffing!
    
    Sounds like me when I gain weight!
    

    re .16  The poor kitty!  A friend of mine has a spotted former tomcat
    named "Bonzo", who weighs in at 27 lbs.  Bonzo has a hormone promblem,
    and doesn't really eat all that much; Tom's other cat (Twiddle) weighs
    only 4 lbs.  Bonzo is pretty funny, though.  One time we were helping
    Tom do some work outside, and we spotted Bonzo laying in the back yard,
    panting like crazy, puff...puff...puff.  About ten feet in front of him
    was a big fat rabbit, which he had apaprently chased out of Tom's
    vegetable garden, also panting like crazy, puff...puff...puff!  Bonzo
    can't actually move fast enough to catch anything himself.  Twiddle,
    though, is real good at catching field mice, which she does not eat but
    brings home to Bonzo.  If Tom catches her with one, he takes it and
    tosses it up onto the roof, where Bonzo won't get it - if you help Tom
    work on his radio towers (which is what we were doing), you can see
    that his roof is covered with little mouse corpses!

    e: .18
    Your friend ought to talk to the vet about a remedy for Bonzo. 
    What you described sounds alot like Hypothyroidism, which my
    parents' dog has.  It is manageable with medication.  It is
    very unhealthy for the cat to be so overweight.  Also, the imbalance
    itself can causes problems aside from those caused by such obesity.
      Nancy DC
    

    I'll mention it to Tom next time I see him.  Bonzo is a pretty healthy
    beast, as far as I can tell - he is at least as old as my two cats
    (ten), but he sure looks like a meatloaf!

    Well, Mindy seemed very healthy too, except that she was 40 lbs
    overweight on 1 cup of meal per day and so hungry that she'd
    chew up the cushions on the couch or the wooden legs on the kitchen
    chairs.
      Probably worth checking....
       Nancy DC
    

    And I thought my Big Beef might be in the running, but at a puny
    18 pounds ...
    
    
    Ken