Are you sure Inkblot has actually lost weight, Kevin? He still looks pretty big to me.

That's one tubby cat.

He's big, for sure, but I'm sure your vet has warned you about hepatic lipidosis, which is always something to take into account when you're trying to slim down a cat. Inkblot is probably in no danger of this, but there's much to be said for making sure his weight loss takes place slowly, so what you're doing sounds like a good idea.

...without her eyes boring into the back of his neck

Sheesh, what are they - married?

Maybe you should give Domino 60 percent or so of the can.

No, no, ckelly... As the family values crowd will tell you, a marriage is between a pair of testicles and ovaries, and, um...

give inkblot some space

I experience about the same behavior between two crazy dogs

they each have their own food bowl, and neither is allowed to eat from the other dog's bowl

by giving each pet his own special food bowl, you provide support and encourage for your pet to believe that he is an important part of the family

it's a small thing, but it really helps pets who may not feel confident in their surroundings

Personally I am feeling a bit sorry for Inkblot becuase he was there first, so I go with the food on the table thing. Of course since you have opened the door, you then have to worry about the kitty getting up on the table while you are using it.

He looks like a cat built for stability rather than speed and well in control of his human the way the Catgod intended.

Brian: Yep, he's lost four pounds. That's from an official vet weighing. He still weighs 18 pounds, though.

Dave: The vet says everything is fine. I was a little paranoid about this too.

ET: Oddly, we don't use the table much for eating. In any case, we don't really mind cats being up there when we do. But don't worry: we change the tablecloth when we have company over.

It's a good thing! Imagine the stress Domino's beautiful-but-evil gaze of doom must have caused him. Let poor ol' Inkblot dine in peace, with his dignity intact.

Keep doing what you're doing, essentially letting Inkblot eat in peace.

Sigh. I wish my workstation was surrounded by cats. Instead, it is surrounded by attorneys.

Isn't it amazing the way cats do this just by force of personality, not comparative size or strength?

When I adopted two small kittens some years ago, littermates, one struggled for months with a persistent URI (a cold, basically) and was very noticeably weaker and had much less endurance than the other, but yet he was from the get-go at 8 weeks old obviously the dominant one of the two. Just a glare from him would make the other one stop in his tracks.

Re feeding-- I let these guys free-feed on dry food, supplemented by a "treat" of a small amount of canned food twice a day. Since they noshed when they felt like it, there was no problem with both getting a full meal over the course of the day, but when the dominant cat saw the second-banana cat go over to one of the food bowls to eat, he'd go right over and take over.

So the subordinate guy would back away and go to the other bowl. As soon as he started to crunch the food, the dominant cat would leave his bowl and go over to the other one and displace the subordinate cat. Who would then go back to the first bowl, whereupon the dominant cat would... this would sometimes go on for three or four circuits before one or both gave up.

With the canned food, I'd give them both their portion at the same time, and the subordinate cat just ate very quickly so he was sure to finish before the top cat.

With the dry food circus, it really looked more like a dominance game than anything else, whereas the canned food treat was so desireable, the top cat was more interested in snarfing it up than asserting dominance, so as long as the other cat finished his first, he had no interference from the boss.

I have two cats. They're fed in the basement. They eat out of two identical bowls set a foot apart. Even if both are hungry I can put food in only one bowl and the cat left out just stands there with a "Where's mine?" look in its eyes. No nudging her nose into the other's bowl. It's weird. They've decided which bowl belongs to each and respect that.

Obviously:

Domino is a republican.
Inkblot is a liberal.

on an unrelated kitty note, doesn't the fact that major pet food mfg's in the U.S. importing tainted ingredients from China (i.e. wheat gluten with rat poison and other toxic chemicals) just beg for an investigation?

For example, does it bother anyone besides me that these companies are importing wheat gluten when the US & Canada are known for abundant wheat production? Aren't we the breadbasket to the world? Or is that passe?

My goodness, sir--one word: Ergonomics.

In order to stave off having to have the tendons in your wrists sliced up because of carpal tunnel syndrome, please put up a PayPal donation link so we can contribute towards purchasing you a $5 wrist rest pad from your local office supply store. Simply place that pad next to the keyboard and voila! The pain goes away without the need of excessive amounts of liquor.

Don't you think it's teaching your cat bad manners to jump up on the dining room table? And isn't it kind of gross? They do put their feet in their litter box you know. If there is anyplace a cat or dog should not be allowed I would think the dining room table would be it.

Kill and feed Domino to Inkblot. Problem solved.

Some DLC guy ravaged my loving kitty because I didn't vote for Gore.

...his geometrodynamic spacetime warping ability..

My cat was so fat, small kitties orbited around him. When he died, he collapsed into a itty-bitty black hole.

The felinologist in me wonders if this sort of thing similarly affects his abilitity to pee. It certainly does mine.

Hooly criminies, 18 pounds and he's lost 4? One of my kitties is a fatty, and she weighs probably about 11.
My two kitties are mother and daughter, with the daughter being the bossy one. We free feed with dry food, with a quarter can of wet food each, morning and night.
They won't share a bowl, either, and the bossy cat will often end up with her mom's food too. We put bossy's food on the floor and mom's food on the windowsill, so at least she can eat what she wants of it before she scampers off. I think it's pretty common to have to do seperate level feeding like that.

Nice cat. See a recent post on The Carpetbagger Report about what I've been mentioning in comments- the mainstream media's (specifically Time magazine's) ignoring the prosecutor purge scandal.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/10367.html

Let poor Inkblot eat in peace. If you're worried how this will affect his weight, just give him less than half the can.

Sigh. I wish my workstation was surrounded by cats. Instead, it is surrounded by attorneys.
Posted by: ajw93

Oh, you poor dear. My sincerest sympathies. Yet to seek refuge from attorneys here of all places...

Looks like you're within a few pawsbreadths of an 'F1tlbt' error......

Has Domino shed his surplus winter fur yet? That's got to be at least 5 pounds right there.

We have 2 cats- Ron, a bengal; and Watson, a stray from the pound. Ron is elegant and skinny and Watson is a slob that should belong to Overeaters Anonymous. Watson will chase Ron from his food and eat it all. Ron will jump up on the table to eat people food, but Watson, who probably lived too long under a McDonalds dumpster, won't even touch it. To keep Ron from evaporating, we shut him in the bathroom with his cat food. Maybe if food is an issue, you should feed them in separate closed rooms.

Mitzi craves canned food; Buster could care less. She was getting fat, so I put Buster's food on the table. Took her two days before she caught on, got up there, and ate his food. Now I just take it away when he's finished.

It's hard to win with cats.

Has your vet discussed the "Catkins" diet? Cats were made to eat protein, not carbs. Letting Inkblot eat his nice canned food is probably better for him. Turns out dry food is not as good at setting off the satiety sensors. Anyway: If Inkblot gets to eat in peace, and you wipe down your table every now and then, and your vet is happy with Inkblot's progress, then what's not to like? And yes, I am a veterinarian.

this might be a good place to post breaking news about whether dry food is also contaminated.

I used to have the exact same problem with my cats (one of them now belongs to my friend, so its no longer an issue.) What I ended up doing what putting the food in my bedroom and letting the shy cat in to eat. Then I'd check back in a few minutes after he'd ate his fill, then give the bowl to the other to devour the rest. It got to where the cats knew the routine. When I opened the can the "bully" would go run and stand at the outside of my bedroom door. Then my other cat and I would file by, and the bully would wait patiently. It was a funny little system but it worked.

Inkblot is, indeed, a large presence on you lap. My question is whether he's kneading your thighs. My Indy is a devoted WaMo reader, and I have the scars on my thighs to prove it. He is, apparently, a very progessive kitty.

lol,
your making me laugh -

cats are too funny, arent they.

Great thread! I feed my cat as several others do, dry always available and a bit of canned food mornings and when I come in from work. If I stop for a beer, Fancy gets really ticked off!

I really wanted to say that the food contamination issue really does beg for an investigation. Where else is contaminated wheat going? And just why are we buying foreign wheat, as much as we produce?

I am quickly losing confidence in Iam's, which is what we've fed our cats for years. They've been on the weight-control-hairball-prevention dry food, plus occasional fish-flakes-and-sauce wet food as a treat. Well, the wet food's right out til Menu Foods gets its ducks back in a line. But now dry foods could be poison too? Just great. I'd like to find a diet cat food that doesn't feature poison as a main ingredient. Anyone have any suggestions?

Kevin, I think it's great that you put his food dish out of site of Domino. Yes, you want him to lose weight, but depriving him of a filling meal isn't the way to do it. Even as a tubby guy, he deserves to eat his meal in peace.

And thanks, yet again, for the fuzzy cat beds. I bought three and they love them. My older, fat, valium kitty (rescued wild) LOVES the bed and I ended up having to put one on the back of the new couch, to accommodate her desire to perch there.

He'll lose the weight slowly, just as he put it on.

Happy Friday Cat Blogging!

Sigh. I wish my workstation was surrounded by cats. Instead, it is surrounded by attorneys.
Posted by: ajw93

I just hope they're not sprawled across your lap . . .

Even on a diet his geometrodynamic spacetime warping ability is considerable.

Translation: He crushes my nuts.

Kevin,

You have two cats who are heirarchy-oriented. Unfortunately, if you apply the theories described by Bob Altemeyer in his on-line book The Authoritarians one of your cats is a right-wing authoritarian (RWA) follower and the other is a RWA and a (feline) Social Dominator. (John W. Dean also describes these in his excellent book "Conservatives without Conscience.")

Unfortunately you seem to have the makings of a feline social conservative movement there in your home.

I'm sure if you polled your cats they would totally agree that there are different classes of cats, some superior to others. Cats will never accept the liberal idea that all cats are created equal.

So what is a good liberal guy like you doing harboring, feeding, and even publicizing a gaggle of feline social conservatives?

w/r/t/wet food; we use 1 can of Fancy Feast per night for our three cat household, plus 1/2 cup of dry food per cat.

The Spouse decided a few months ago that our cats would be healthier if we switched them to a diet that had a very high protein component, and as little 'by products' and wheat-based filler as possible. We are using Purina Pro Plan dry food. All three of Da Boyz are well and healthy, and the fattest is losing weight, so we seem to have hit a good balance.

2 dogs, 2 cats.

We couldn't get them to stop eating eachothers' food.

So now, we just fill up one big dish of dog food, and they take turns.

Actually, the cats started ignoring it in the evening, and they come 'round in the morning when I wake up to make myself breakfast, and I give them some food at that time, while the lazy dogs are still in bed.

Bad, Kevin - very bad. How will you untrain kitty not to jump up on the table during - oh say - Thanksgiving? And when Miss Thing catches on that there's food up there, both of them will be wandering all over it.

Three cats. Put down a dish for each, and they eat their fill. They finish at about the same time, and casually stroll into other rooms. Within a few minutes, one by one they charge in and eat a little out of each of the other two bowls, ignoring the one s/he started with. Then they finally seem satisfied that no one is getting caviar whilst the others dine on bologna.
Often I find the tortie sitting silently and staring intently at her bowl, apparently thinking that if she concentrates hard enough, food will appear. (She's usually right, I'm a pushover.)

Typical liberal. When will you learn state interventions only create problems, not solve them?

Typical liberal. When will you learn state interventions only create problems, not solve them?
Posted by: Al on March 30, 2007 at 6:17 PM | PERMALINK

That's right. Feral Cats. The only way to go.

I've a cat that dwarfs (had) yours in comparison - close to 22 lbs at one time. Came from outdoors where food as we all know is quite scarce. I've since put him on "Prescription" (name brand) diet wet food and can't begin to tell you the difference heath wise. If you really care and love the animal you'll do the same. So many complications arise and are related to excessive weight - don't let it suffer - 1/2 can every 12 hours and exercise - as for the other one - I feed mine in the bathroom so the fat cat can't woof down her food as well.

This week we've tried an experiment with Inkblot.

Swiftboat wannabees AH & Al are probably making anonymous calls to PETA right now.

My loving kitty was a found stray, who loved to sit in my lap and purr. She ate like a dog. Everything was eaten from the bowl as fast as possible and then she would beg for more. Even was a garbage tipper. We tried filling the bowl with dry food like others do, but she ate the whole thing and then could not move for a couple of days. My poor kitty, I hope she is not hungry now.

I need someone to gaze fiercely at me.

Um... Can I borrow your cat?

What is wrong with this picture?

Nobody is petting Inkblot.

Must pet the kitty, and do it now.

Those how don't stroke the pelt on demand must pay. Don't be suprised to find a hairball on your pillow tonight and it's nothing personal, just the way cat world works. It's merely a cultural thing. The aspects are the same as Bush being indifferent to the people of Mideast and we know where all that has work out.

My problem is one of my dogs, who does exactly the same thing to our cat. He just sits there, ears up, tail wagging expectantly, next to the cat as if to say, "Are you really gonna eat all of that?".

Meanwhile his dog dinner sits in the next plate uneaten. Only after the cat moves away and the K9 vacuum cleaner has mopped up moggy's leftovers does he go to his own food and clean that up as well.

Dog Life Lesson #687: "Food tastes better when eaten off the enemy's plate".

It is a delightful looking existence for all involved!

White House Official Criticizes Pelosi Visit to Syria
Bloomberg - 46 minutes ago
By Laura Litvan and Brendan Murray. March 30 (Bloomberg) -- A White House spokeswoman denounced a plan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit officials in Syria as part of a trip to the Middle East.

I want to hear Bush scream how he's "the decider" and Pelosi NOT?

Because heaven forbid Pelosi step in on Bushie's do-nothing play time, and thus solve issues and/or set goals that little Bushie, in his small, juvenile, visceral hating, loyal Bushie people only world would NEVER dream of doing. Better for little Bushie to dance and laugh to Karl Rove's cheap mimic of a music rapperby the name of MC, and fiddle around endless while Iraq burns.

Pelosi is being pro-active, but Bush is and has always been a doing nothing but name-calling waste of time, Bush prefers to think of ways to be mean-spirited, nasty and otherwise un-productive.

So what is Bush worried about here, that Pelosi (those liberals) might actually accomplish something? That Americans might see how truly worthless Bush really is? Heck, they might even prefer Pelosi for President by June of this year.

Fat cat and such, hey all I've got to say it that I knew a woman who had a fat cat - all 21 pounds of him and he was 23 years old and still pretty damn healthy.

Jasmine die thin, but fat kitties seem to live forever, can be all that bad.

Well Jay, I guess Republican and Whitehouse man of Bush, the senior, Mr. James Baker the Third must be an idiot then, cause Ms. Pelosi is ONLY doing what the Iraqi commission suggest.

As I remember Poppy Bush had a might successful war being a team player and all, while Bushie Jr, spitting on everyone the way he does, thus, is a true isolationist and as such can't do a damn thing, except of course to sit at home and bitch while other people roll up their sleeves and actual do some work.

Work is nothing but a four letter word to little Bushie.

Mr. Jay--

Posting off-topic on the Cat blogging thread is a big no-no around here.

Moderator, please delete his comments. I refuse to comment in a partisan manner on these types of threads because I have class and style; Mr. Jay is deformed and clueless and his remarks are tasteless and banal.

Jay - I always voted for Republican Presidents until Bush jr came along.

Bushie junior is actually a liberal.

He liberally spend taxpayer money

He liberally broke laws, and liberally lied and liberally made up shit.

Bush is no conservative, never has been, never will be. That's a fact in issue bub.

Unless Repugs can find their way home again NOBODY is ever vote Repug for Prezinut as long as Bushie jr is icon for what is Repug.

A big cat detained briefly in a poodle parlour, sharpening her claws on the velvet. (on Margaret Thatcher in the House of Lords)
- Matthew Parris

Kevin,

I heard on the news an hour ago that the petfood recall had been expanded to include a particular dry, prescription cat food. The story did not identify the brand but I thought you might want to know.

Kevin,

Back on topic, please continue to feed Inkblot separately (no matter where). If not you're running the risk of not one, but two overweight cats. BTW, my Squirt is about 21 pounds and quite healthy. Now, if she just wasn't so spoiled!

So Kevin, does Inkblot get to sit between you and Marian or at the head of the table?

Here's a weight loss suggestion for your cat--find a possum that will eat some of his food at night.

It works for my cat. :)

Take note, liberals--

I call in the moderator and Mr. Jay's cranky rants are blasted into oblivion.

Those interns know where their bread is buttered. They know better than to cross a regular and a major contributor like myself.

Yes, indeed.

I do so enjoy the Friday Cat blogging threads. That's a very healthy cat and long life to all of the kitties out there, regardless of their political affiliation. [All cats are conservatives--there is nothing liberal about an animal that can tear its prey to pieces and stash bits of it for a midnight snack.]

I love Inkblot!

"So: is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

Of course, Kevin, it's a good thing! Inkblot needs to eat!!! Let him eat his half-can peacefully and in his customary leisurely manner. Sheesh...I need to tell you this?

Extradite Rumsfeld>"2 dogs, 2 cats...So now, we just fill up one big dish of dog food, and they take turns."

Don't feed your cats much dog food! Dog food has a lot of veggies in it, and cats are specialized carnivores. They won't absorb enough vitamins, and need far more protein than dogs - they can wind up with strange deficiency diseases. A friend's cat eventually went blind that way.

thanks Kevin, that's a cute pic. Glad things are ok on the feline front.

If a cat that's supposed to be losing weight voluntarily lets another cat finish part, I'd say let it happen. I wish I had someone staring at the back of my neck when I should stop eating.

Domino, resting in serene regal pose, observes all before her.

Too bad there are no ceramic Domino statues with that pose. People could place them around the home.

InkBlot too, but that's a lot of clay.

I have two cats. boys. Tiger teases Fluff. but, fluff is the pig and always pushes Tiger away with his wanting to inhale the soft food. We've taken to getting Tiger treats (fluff doesn't care for them) so he doesn't feel upset. I have put their food on the counter when our dog, Tia, decides their food looks better than hers. Ah, pets. they are like little kids.

Here's a weight loss suggestion for your cat--find a possum that will eat some of his food at night.

It works for my cat. :)
Posted by: mikeel

Raccoons are even better at this. Makes a ghastly mess in the water bowl, however. Call animal control for humane removal - disease vectors are involved here, folks.

Hill's Science Diet, specifically the weight loss line, is now implicated in the contamination with Chinese wheat gluten.

When a raccoon comes in through the kitty door and cleans out the cat food feeder, the cats suddenly become very affectionate to me.
Are liberal cats the same way?

Heh. I lived in an apt. with a bit of woods behind, filled with raccoons, woodchucks, and feral cats. Being on the ground floor, I screened in my patio to keep them out and my cats in.

I was sitting in the back with a feral kitten in my lap, trying to acclimate it, and a raccoon wanders over. "Whatcha got there, mate?". He climbs into my lap checking out the kitten while I'm sitting there frozen: on my last visit to the vet was a prominent poster warning of rabies, with a big ol' picture of, yep, a raccoon. I just gently nudged him off my lap and went back inside.

Oh, and my three cats were all polite feeders, all dry food (I tried them on wet, but two didn't care for it and the other, the male, had URI and so was on the low-mineral food). Kept the bowl filled and never had a weight issue; go figure.

Seems a bit like being in the fast lane when someone much faster than you comes up behind you..

Thank you moderator.