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richard
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Fat Pets
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Sep 10 00:59 UTC 2003 |
Interesting story in the paper today, concerning a newly released study by
the National Research Council on obese pets. According to the study, as
many as 1/4th of all cats and dogs in the western world are overweight.
And the problem is particularly acute with cats. The reasons are pretty
clear. Many animals don't get enough exercise, and cats in particular
don't. People want to love and baby their pets, and the popular way of
doing that is to feed them. Feed them food, and more food, and snacks and
treats. Dogs and cats don't know any better, they'll eat whatever is put
in front of them often and won't care about getting fat. But fat pets
live shorter lives and develop medical problems just like humans.
child obesity is a big issue in this country, and pet obesity is related.
people treat their pets like they do their children. they spoil them.
Is your cat fat? Is your dog a widebody? There is a site the survey
suggests, to learn more about proper nutrition for pets--
www.national-academies.org/petdoor Of course one issue is you can always
exercise dogs more. My sister used to take her dog out to the track and
make him run laps with her (which he did happily) But get a fat cat to
exercise? surely you jest! Its a big issue
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| 37 responses total. |
other
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response 1 of 37:
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Sep 10 01:02 UTC 2003 |
It really IS a slow summer in the news business, isn't it?
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cross
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response 2 of 37:
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Sep 10 03:48 UTC 2003 |
This response has been erased.
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other
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response 3 of 37:
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Sep 10 04:26 UTC 2003 |
I think you misemphasized it. National Research Council is the
organization, and they did, commissioned, or reported on a STUDY on obese
pets.
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anderyn
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response 4 of 37:
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Sep 10 13:38 UTC 2003 |
My cat is not obese, but she's nervous and burns off the caliories. My kitten
is just too hyper to gain, yet.
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flem
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response 5 of 37:
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Sep 10 14:30 UTC 2003 |
I've heard that one cause of pet weight gain is that a lot of pet foods are
heavily adulterated with grains as filler. This doesn't do a whole lot
nutritionally, so the pet eats more of it.
On my girlfriend's advice (she knows more about this stuff than I do) I
switched my cat from Purina to Iams a few months ago. She seems to eat less
now; at least, I have to fill the food bowl less often.
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cross
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response 6 of 37:
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Sep 10 17:08 UTC 2003 |
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albaugh
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response 7 of 37:
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Sep 10 18:22 UTC 2003 |
Garfield is having an effect, I see...
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mynxcat
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response 8 of 37:
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Sep 10 19:53 UTC 2003 |
So Purina isn't a good cat-food? I used to use IAMS but stopped after the
story came out on how they treat their research animals. I really don't want
to switch back to them. What would you suggest besides Purina?
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flem
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response 9 of 37:
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Sep 10 20:45 UTC 2003 |
I've heard good things about Science Diet. I guess it's a bit more expensive,
but good in the nutrition department. You have now exhausted my knowledge
of cat food products. :)
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i
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response 10 of 37:
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Sep 11 00:36 UTC 2003 |
My penny-pinching brother has always fed his dogs the (much more expensive)
no-filler canned food. He figures that Rover eating 5 times as much of a
cheapo 4/5-filler food saves no money and means 5 times as much dog do to
clean up in the yard.
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gull
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response 11 of 37:
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Sep 11 03:48 UTC 2003 |
I think part of it is that if you don't overfeed cats, they become convinced
they are starving and will make pests of themselves. They just can't bear
to see an empty food dish.
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russ
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response 12 of 37:
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Sep 11 12:26 UTC 2003 |
Re #11: Very true. That was one of Natasha "the pest"'s
tactics; she'd demand that there be food in her bowl overnight,
even if she had no intention of eating significant amounts of it.
And in the morning it had to be replaced with fresh food.
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slynne
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response 13 of 37:
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Sep 11 14:30 UTC 2003 |
My cat is fat at the moment because she was getting skinny so I
switched her from the "less active" cat food to the "active senior" cat
food. I feed her Iams. Anyhow, she eats the dog food half the time too
and the dogs got switched from "less active" to "active senior" too so
that probably has something to do with it.
Anyhow, my cat cant stand an empty food dish. I always keep it full.
Maybe I dont think it is such a big deal if my animals are fat because
I am fat. Anyhow, all of my guys are healthy and that is what counts.
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scott
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response 14 of 37:
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Sep 11 15:38 UTC 2003 |
I had to feed my two cats separately a couple times a day to prevent them from
eating too much. One was definitely too fat, the other had old-age bowel
problems. Yeah, I had to put up with a lot of between-meal complaining, but
it's all part of parenting I guess.
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micklpkl
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response 15 of 37:
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Sep 11 15:44 UTC 2003 |
I used to think it wasn't such a big deal to have an obese cat, either.
Turns out, that probably decreased my late cat's lifespan by 7-10 years.
(see pets:item42 for some discussion about fatty liver syndrome)
N.B.: I'm not directing these statements at any particular grexer. Just
please be aware of the risks of having an obese geriatric cat.
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edina
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response 16 of 37:
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Sep 11 16:24 UTC 2003 |
I have two cats - sisters. Murphy's weight is fine, Guinness's weight is
high. Part of the problem is I let them graze. Not a good thing. I want
to get a feeder that is set on a timer, to allow X amount of food at certain
times of day, that way if I'm not at home, I don't feel guilty if they aren't
fed. I also make sure they get wet food, as it's good for them as it has lots
of water and protein.
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michaela
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response 17 of 37:
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Sep 11 17:11 UTC 2003 |
I've had good luck with Purina Pro Plan. Cheap cat food always made Gomez
sick, but he's been just fine the past week. It's not too expensive, and he
seems to like it. The main ingredient is chicken, not a corn filler, so it's
much better for him.
He's never been overweight, since he's always been pretty playful, but the
weak tummy was always a concern.
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bru
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response 18 of 37:
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Sep 11 17:14 UTC 2003 |
r
Mittens seeks to have put on quite a bit of wight since we got the kitten.
I don't know if this is because she is less stressed, or because she is
getting less exercise, or what. But she has defenitely put on weight.
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mynxcat
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response 19 of 37:
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Sep 11 17:23 UTC 2003 |
Maybe she's getting into the kitten's food? And what is the kittens name?
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bru
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response 20 of 37:
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Sep 11 17:51 UTC 2003 |
mughi, his name is Mughi. well, if she is, what is he eating? She also seems
to be eating less, not more.
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mynxcat
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response 21 of 37:
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Sep 11 17:57 UTC 2003 |
I don't know what the kitten is eating. Maybe the kitten is getting enough
to eat. And kitten food, I think, will cause adult cats to put on weight. Just
athought.
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anderyn
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response 22 of 37:
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Sep 11 20:12 UTC 2003 |
We haven't been feeding Mughi kitten food, since his previous owners were
feeeding him and his siblings adult food. He seems happy and healthy enough
with what he is eating. I'm just weired out by my petite Mittens getting a
tummy.
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richard
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response 23 of 37:
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Sep 12 01:42 UTC 2003 |
somebody oughta link this to the Pets conf
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tod
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response 24 of 37:
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Sep 12 04:48 UTC 2003 |
This response has been erased.
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