MagiStream

TNHawke wrote:

Lazuli wrote:I was wondering, has anyone had any trouble after feeding their cats 9lives cat food? Mine has been acting weird ever since we started feeding him that, and just recently he began refusing to eat their turkey or beef dishes, only eating the chicken. We are planning on finishing those and then switching back to our old stuff next time we go shopping, but I was curious if anyone else had any problems with that brand.

Any time you change food, it can upset a pet's tummy. If it upsets them enough, they may refuse to eat it anymore. It can also be a sign that something else is very wrong with them physically, and you just happened to notice it at the same time as the food change. Like, with Rosco, I thought it was the temporary change from his usual food, to a cheaper brand that had him barfing. Later found out it was Parvo.

I thought that may have been it, or simply that my cat had gotten picky after eating a more expensive brand for a while, then getting switched to cheaper. I'll see how he does when I feed him his usual stuff again. Thank you!

So, how about some more cat food issues?

I have two cats. One of them had a bladder stone, and thus was given medicated food to resolve it, which he responded too. The other cat was healthy, but he ate the medicated food since there's no way to prevent it and no need to (the vet said it was perfectly safe).

Now they're eating urinary tract health food. It's probably fine, but I'm a bit worried.

They used to be on a dry food only diet, and we let them free feed, which they loved. They'd eat whenever they liked, and seemed very healthy (the one cat was even a bit plump, but he's far more relaxed than the other cat). Now they have just wet food, given in the morning and at night. They like it more, but I'm not sure they're getting enough. They never finish what's on the plate, and I swear they are losing weight, which worries me.

They have tons of energy-they're zipping around like nutcases as I type this. But I don't like the fact that they look so much thinner. Will they keep losing weight? How do I get a cat to eat more at once?

Cats

We have eight pets now, 5 cats and 3 dogs. The cats are nutty and loveable and one of them will only let me scratch his tummy. They used to be totally indoor until the past year when we started letting them poke around outside some, but ever since this random tom decided to hang around our house (and attack a couple of our cats :U) we decided they were going to be indoor only again.

The dogs are always outdoor pets (except in winter, when we bring them inside overnight) and are very lovable. The two older ones we have are brother and sister and won't even go on walks without each other anymore. The female is a gorgeous sandy color with a tail that's white on the bottom and the brother has longer, more wiry hair with black and brown patches. Mutts. Their mother was a rescue who we sadly lost last year due to old age.

We recently got our third dog from a friend because her grandparents didn't like always having to take care of her dog and she didn't have a place for him. We're not all that sure what he is...we were originally told he was an Akita/Blue heeler mix but we suspect there's some pit bull in there too. He's got the prettiest coat pattern, with a black head and a white body with lots of little black spots/patches. He's a ball of endless energy at 7 months. He also likes to hunt the quail and frequently jumps in the greecewood bushes. :B Silly puppy is silly.

And a question for other dog owners: how do we get the dog to stop jumping the fence? We don't have the money to make the fence higher and we're afraid that if he gets out he'll get hit or picked up by the dogcatcher. The only solution I've come up with is to stop him from getting out altogether by putting him a tie line inside the yard but that seems almost cruel to do

I'm going to get a crested gecko over the summer. Currently I have two leopard geckos: Crystal and Bandit. Bandit is 3-4 years and Crystal is 10 months I believe. Crystal just laid her fourth egg two days ago. Leopard geckos lay eggs fertile or infertile in their first year of breeding. I'm so proud of her.

Tekla wrote:And a question for other dog owners: how do we get the dog to stop jumping the fence? We don't have the money to make the fence higher and we're afraid that if he gets out he'll get hit or picked up by the dogcatcher. The only solution I've come up with is to stop him from getting out altogether by putting him a tie line inside the yard but that seems almost cruel to do

Not a dog owner, but the easiest way to keep them from jumping is to add a 45 degree overhang(hanging into the hard) on top of the fence. Dog looks up to jump, there's something above him, he usually won't jump. And even if he tries he won't be able to get over since... it's blocking the way.

Until you an get that added, keep him on the tie-out. If he can walk and run around and get to food/shade/water he's fine.

Synchronized wrote:

Tekla wrote:And a question for other dog owners: how do we get the dog to stop jumping the fence? We don't have the money to make the fence higher and we're afraid that if he gets out he'll get hit or picked up by the dogcatcher. The only solution I've come up with is to stop him from getting out altogether by putting him a tie line inside the yard but that seems almost cruel to do

Not a dog owner, but the easiest way to keep them from jumping is to add a 45 degree overhang(hanging into the hard) on top of the fence. Dog looks up to jump, there's something above him, he usually won't jump. And even if he tries he won't be able to get over since... it's blocking the way.

Until you an get that added, keep him on the tie-out. If he can walk and run around and get to food/shade/water he's fine.

I didn't even think of putting an overhang on the fence. Thanks, I'll see what we can find in that regard. :3

Lazuli wrote:

TNHawke wrote:

Lazuli wrote:I was wondering, has anyone had any trouble after feeding their cats 9lives cat food? Mine has been acting weird ever since we started feeding him that, and just recently he began refusing to eat their turkey or beef dishes, only eating the chicken. We are planning on finishing those and then switching back to our old stuff next time we go shopping, but I was curious if anyone else had any problems with that brand.

Any time you change food, it can upset a pet's tummy. If it upsets them enough, they may refuse to eat it anymore. It can also be a sign that something else is very wrong with them physically, and you just happened to notice it at the same time as the food change. Like, with Rosco, I thought it was the temporary change from his usual food, to a cheaper brand that had him barfing. Later found out it was Parvo.

I thought that may have been it, or simply that my cat had gotten picky after eating a more expensive brand for a while, then getting switched to cheaper. I'll see how he does when I feed him his usual stuff again. Thank you!

To build on what TNHawke said, you could try introducing the new food over a couple of weeks by mixing old and new then gradually working the old completely out of the picture. This usually causes fewer troubles with foods causing stomach upset.

Raneth wrote:So, how about some more cat food issues?

I have two cats. One of them had a bladder stone, and thus was given medicated food to resolve it, which he responded too. The other cat was healthy, but he ate the medicated food since there's no way to prevent it and no need to (the vet said it was perfectly safe).

Now they're eating urinary tract health food. It's probably fine, but I'm a bit worried.

They used to be on a dry food only diet, and we let them free feed, which they loved. They'd eat whenever they liked, and seemed very healthy (the one cat was even a bit plump, but he's far more relaxed than the other cat). Now they have just wet food, given in the morning and at night. They like it more, but I'm not sure they're getting enough. They never finish what's on the plate, and I swear they are losing weight, which worries me.

They have tons of energy-they're zipping around like nutcases as I type this. But I don't like the fact that they look so much thinner. Will they keep losing weight? How do I get a cat to eat more at once?

Dry foods, for cats at least, are high in carbohydrates. When feeding wet food, sometimes we give them more than we think we are if we've switched them over from one to the other. With the lack of carbs in their diet, it's very possible they could be losing weight and may continue until they reach a weight more suited to their current food. With fewer carbs, it also takes less for them to decide they aren't hungry so if they are leaving some, that might be the cause. There's not really anything I've found that is a surefire way of getting a cat to eat more if they aren't hungry. If you're worried they've lost too much weight, you might put a call into your vet and see what he thinks as well.

Raneth wrote:So, how about some more cat food issues?

I have two cats. One of them had a bladder stone, and thus was given medicated food to resolve it, which he responded too. The other cat was healthy, but he ate the medicated food since there's no way to prevent it and no need to (the vet said it was perfectly safe).

Now they're eating urinary tract health food. It's probably fine, but I'm a bit worried.

They used to be on a dry food only diet, and we let them free feed, which they loved. They'd eat whenever they liked, and seemed very healthy (the one cat was even a bit plump, but he's far more relaxed than the other cat). Now they have just wet food, given in the morning and at night. They like it more, but I'm not sure they're getting enough. They never finish what's on the plate, and I swear they are losing weight, which worries me.

They have tons of energy-they're zipping around like nutcases as I type this. But I don't like the fact that they look so much thinner. Will they keep losing weight? How do I get a cat to eat more at once?

If kitty was plump, weight loss is good for them, just like it is for humans. Are they still visiting the vet? Do they ever go outside? If so, they could have worms, or, if there are mice in the house they catch and eat, they could have worms.
Mostly though, going from free feeding to measured amounts, should make them lose weight. Canned food adds much needed moisture, since cats are descended from desert felines, they often don't drink enough water, which can lead to bladder and kidney issues, such as stones and infections. Another way to get them to drink more is to use a pet fountain, they really like the moving water, especially if it's filtered so there's no hair floating in it and stuff.
I had a cat who was prone to bladder infections and I had him on a urinary tract dry food for a couple of years and used a fountain until it wore out and started leaking all the water out. After a few years on the UT food, he was able to go back to normal chow and never had another problem with it. He got some canned food every day as a treat, but mostly had just kibble.

Tekla wrote:And a question for other dog owners: how do we get the dog to stop jumping the fence? We don't have the money to make the fence higher and we're afraid that if he gets out he'll get hit or picked up by the dogcatcher. The only solution I've come up with is to stop him from getting out altogether by putting him a tie line inside the yard but that seems almost cruel to do

There is nothing cruel to keeping him on a tie out if he won't stay in the yard. Cruel is not keeping him safely contained. However, keeping on a tie out 24/7 is no good. But outside time is good and necessary, if he's kept indoors most of the time.
Is he fixed? An unneutered male is MUCH more likely to go wandering, as they seek out unspayed females and to make rounds of their territory. Does he get lots of exercise? A good brisk walk, some fetch or keep away? Brain games? A very true adage is "A tired dog is a good dog" Wear him out and he won't have the energy to go wandering.

TNHawke wrote:Is he fixed? An unneutered male is MUCH more likely to go wandering, as they seek out unspayed females and to make rounds of their territory. Does he get lots of exercise? A good brisk walk, some fetch or keep away? Brain games? A very true adage is "A tired dog is a good dog" Wear him out and he won't have the energy to go wandering.

Unless you have an idiot male like I do, who is neutered and STILL tries to get out of the yard to go wandering.

On the topic of getting out, I've finally got enough chicken wire to be able to get the fence fixed to where they'll at least have a hard time getting out. When I get money, I'm having a new fence built that either has cement base or is inset in the ground where they CAN'T get out no matter what.

Sometimes, the habit is built before they get fixed. We've had cats who sprayed after getting fixed simply because they thought they should.
What breed is the wanderer? I know hounds, with the really good noses have a bad tendency of wandering, simply because they follow their nose. I hope the chicken wire works!