Cat Problem

[Yvonne G]

When stray cats start hanging around I "scat" them and chase them away. If they are persistent and continue coming back for a couple weeks, I trap them, take them to the vet to be neutered, then release them back on my property. I now have 6 cats.

So, Charlie showed up here in January. I chased him off. He continued to come back. He hung around in the back yard where none of my cats have established territories. So I decided to start feeding him. Because he seemed so hungry I started out feeding him a full (tuna-sized) can of wet cat food, and placed a full dish of dry food in his little shelter. He came to me during a rain storm, and made his home in one of the tortoise shelters in the back yard. He felt thin, but he's a big cat, so it was hard to tell. He gobbled up the food, and ate the whole dish of dry (this dish would have lasted my cats at least 4 days). I was feeding him a can in the morning and a can in the evening. When I went out the back door he would be waiting on the other side of the chain link fence, at the gate, meowing at me.

Fast forward to current. I am trying to cut back on Charlie's food because he now has an obvious big belly. He's getting so fat that there's always a little smear of poop around his butt, he's too fat to be able to clean himself. I now give him about a quarter can of cat food in the a.m. and a quarter can in the evening, and it now takes him a couple days to empty the dry food dish.

The trouble is Charlie meows at the house. If I'm in the kitchen he meows at the back door. If I'm in my bedroom, he meows at my bedroom window. And these aren't little dainty kitty meows. These are BIG MEOWS!!!!

He's starting to drive me nutso. Well, more nutso than I already am. I'm not going to give in and feed him more. What can I do?

This is Charlie's little shelter:



And this is what greets me when I look out the back door window:

 

[Yvonne G]

I forgot to mention that Mrs. Johnson, the widow lady two doors down from me, died in November. Charlie started showing up in January. It's not too far a stretch to think Charlie used to belong to Mrs. Johnson and it took him a couple months to figure out to come here for my cat's dry food. He's neutered.

 

[dmmj]

Let this Thread be a warning to any male showing up at Yvonne's house you show up uninvited you lose your testicles.

 

[Yvonne G]

Let this Thread be a warning to any male showing up at Yvonne's house you show up uninvited you lose your testicles.

Well, at least I give them two weeks to think about it.

 

[MPRC]

Unfortunately you've just got to ignore him. If you can help it feed him when he's not around so he doesn't think he can boss around the food god. You could try shooting him with a spray bottle if he is being persistent at the door. Most cats only need 1/4 cup of food 2x a day. Larger cats a little more. Tell him if he's going to be a freeloader he gets what he gets.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

He looks much better than when I saw him awhile ago. Such a beautiful cat.

 

[dmmj]

He looks much better than when I saw him awhile ago. Such a beautiful cat.

wait you visited Yvonne's place? Are you sans testicles?

 

[MPRC]

wait you visited Yvonne's place? Are you sans testicles?

I don't think he usually stays for the 2 week waiting period.

 

[Carol S]

He sure is a beautiful cat. Maybe he is meowing because he wants you to come pet him.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

CAT-A-PULT
With tuna for bait.

Seriously though, how about a low calorie food made for fat cats?
He can eat as much and not get fatter.
Otherwise maybe he'll get over it like a spoiled tortoise, or spoiled anything for that matter.

 

[Yvonne G]

Unfortunately you've just got to ignore him. If you can help it feed him when he's not around so he doesn't think he can boss around the food god. You could try shooting him with a spray bottle if he is being persistent at the door. Most cats only need 1/4 cup of food 2x a day. Larger cats a little more. Tell him if he's going to be a freeloader he gets what he gets.

HA! He's always around. There's never a time when he isn't sitting right there outside the door waiting for the food.

 

[Yvonne G]

He sure is a beautiful cat. Maybe he is meowing because he wants you to come pet him.

I thought that too, but after a few strokes he swats at my hand (with claws extended) and moves away. He wants food.

 

[Yvonne G]

CAT-A-PULT
With tuna for bait.

Seriously though, how about a low calorie food made for fat cats?
He can eat as much and not get fatter.
Otherwise maybe he'll get over it like a spoiled tortoise, or spoiled anything for that matter.

That's a good idea. I don't think he spends much time around where my cat's food is, because I always see him in the back. I'll buy some lo-cal stuff. I think he went without food for quite a while after Mrs. Johnson died, and now he thinks he has to eat, eat, eat. Hopefully he'll settle into a routine. Quite often cats don't like the special types of food, so that might be something too.

 

[teresaf]

Using only dry food is better for him. Forces him to chew which slows down his eating and he'll get full with less food. The hard crunchies clean his teeth also.

 

[wellington]

I agree on only dry foods. Much better for them and their teeth. Low cal would be better and maybe try feeding him further away from the house. Other then all the suggestions, your going to have to ignore him and don't feed him when he is demanding it. When he makes noise ignore him. When he shuts up then feed him, but not while he is demanding.

 

[bouaboua]

Well, at least I give them two weeks to think about it.

That's why......I always call first!!

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

wait you visited Yvonne's place? Are you sans testicles?

 

[WithLisa]

Using only dry food is better for him. Forces him to chew which slows down his eating and he'll get full with less food. The hard crunchies clean his teeth also.

I beg to differ. Dry food needs time to swell up in the stomach. A handful of dry food doesn't fill his belly but has the same amount of calories than a whole bowl of wet food.
It's also bad for their teeth (and kidneys), both my cats get dental calculus from it. They just get it as a treat every now and then but I have to clean their teeth afterwards, the dry crumbs are sticking everywhere. Sadly, eating cookies and potato chips doesn't clean my teeth or helps with weight loss either.

All my vets told me to use dry food only on underweight cats.

 

[teresaf]

I beg to differ. Dry food needs time to swell up in the stomach. A handful of dry food doesn't fill his belly but has the same amount of calories than a whole bowl of wet food.
It's also bad for their teeth (and kidneys), both my cats get dental calculus from it. They just get it as a treat every now and then but I have to clean their teeth afterwards, the dry crumbs are sticking everywhere. Sadly, eating cookies and potato chips doesn't clean my teeth or helps with weight loss either.

All my vets told me to use dry food only on underweight cats.

That's crazy. A good quality dry food won't make a fat cat. However, an animal fed on soft food will have rotten teeth in no time.

Things that clean teeth(I'm not saying a spot shine)....Your tongue, your crunchy foods, your tooth pick, your fingernails (ew), your toothbrush, ECT.

 

[teresaf]

That's a good idea. I don't think he spends much time around where my cat's food is, because I always see him in the back. I'll buy some lo-cal stuff. I think he went without food for quite a while after Mrs. Johnson died, and now he thinks he has to eat, eat, eat. Hopefully he'll settle into a routine. Quite often cats don't like the special types of food, so that might be something too.

My daughter just reminded me that tuna and salmon(any fish) is addictive to cats. Try only beef if you continue canned(I use good quality dry and haven't had fat cats) my last cat lived 17years with no vet except nueter.