Fat Cats.

Right then! As you know I've been cracking down on everyone's diet since I realised Indigo was more fat than cat, and Lucy was going the same way. We've had a major change in the way the cats are fed and they, the Tonks, at least, are now not free fed at all.


A colleague (Tonkinini Tonkinese) had had a similar issue with one of hers, and she found a novel solution. She'd not put the biscuits down, but at certain times of the day get them out and throw them for the cat to run for. The cat ate less, and got a bit of a workout in the process. Tonks, as many of you know, are the ideal candidates for such shenanigans, with their love of Fetch etc. Genius!


So, feeling like a bit of a prune, we tried biscuit throwing. Indigo cottoned on right away, but Lucy, oh my word, she was appalled! Fled to the top of the hall cat tree and protested with some vigour. And the next day, and the next. It was the fourth day that she suddenly seemed to click that this was OMG FOOD AND A GAME ALL AT ONCE!!!!!, and now she's the most enthusiastic of the lot. Silly Tonk!


So that helped, and the combination of more exercise and not being free fed meant that Indigo lost half a pound and Lucy more or less stayed the same (which I want, I don't want her to lose, just to grow into herself a little, after all she is still a kitten) All well and good.


Then my vet suggested to me that my greedy guts might eat less if I switched them to mostly wet food. Because it's 70-80% water, they can eat a lot more of it for the same calories, and quite often they don't if you see what I mean. I've certainly found this with Lucy and Indigo. So I thought I would try this, and over the past week I have been transitioning the Tonks over to three meals of wet per day. It's a bit more complicated, what with the needs of the other cats and all, but it's going OK.


I've been using Whiskas but now I'm on a mission to find a better quality food. Which, being me, will involve a spreadsheet and lots and lots of nerdy stats and wafflings on this blog. You have been warned!


There are so many to chose from, but I've had to filter them a bit in terms of price... luxury 70g mini-tins/ sachets are all very well for one pampered puss but with my brood, we need catering size, please, and preferably not too expensive! I haven't ruled anything out, but those brands will be tested only if none of these are satisfactory. So, on order are:


Yarrah Organic
Feringa complete
Grau grain- free
Lily's Kitchen
Bozita
Smilla
Animonda


Let the nerdery begin!


A few notes:


1) Sofia is also portly. However, Sofia doesn't eat wet food at all, so I'll have to think on that one. She may just have to stay portly.


2)At some point, Inds will go back into call, and hopefully conceive. There is a (miniscule) chance she may be expecting now. More on that in another post! She will therefore be fed only a tiny bit less than the recommended for her weight. Lucy will be fed for her weight. Neither Tonk is on a diet as such. If and when Indigo does conceive, she will have enough good quality food to grow healthy babies and stay well, don't worry, and Lucy will also have enough to finish her growing!


3)Tonight, and tomorrow morning, the Tonks won't be having cat food at all. They will be having chicken. This is because my bad Lucy snuck into the kitchen earlier and helped herself liberally to the remains of a chicken carcass that I was planning to use for a pie. Lucy!!!!! Ooh, she is a monkey. Well I'm not throwing good meat away, but the boy can't have it now, so cat food it is!!!