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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2011 12:07:27 GMT -5
It is probably normal but I'm going to ask since I didn't start raw feeding until my other cat, and my dogs didn't start raw until they were full grown. My almost four month old kitten has not had any growth spirts. Is this normal for a kitten? She seems very healthy.
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Post by Sherry on Sept 22, 2011 13:07:28 GMT -5
Are you saying she's still the same size as when you got her, or that she's simply had a steady rate of growth, instead of the sudden spurts?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2011 14:47:39 GMT -5
Steady growth weight and all baby fat gone. Just taller. Weighs the same as last month ( she was smaller then and also fat little kitten belly) she sees vet next wk for more kitten shots. She is eating 6 oz a day. She was eating 2x day but would only eat a max of 4 oz per day. When I tried to move her to once a day feeding she started eating 6 oz a day. Then when i went back to twice a day her food intake went down so i returned to once a day. She dosnt act like she wants more food so im not sure if i should increase her feedings. She only likes to eat at night. Her weight looks good ( can't see or feel ribs).
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Post by Heather on Sept 22, 2011 15:09:42 GMT -5
Kitten, pups, little ones do not have growth spurts on raw. They grow steady, normally, without huge periods of growth. Bones grow at the same rate as muscle and tendon. This is unlike kibbles that causes huge growth spurts where bone often outgrows muscle and surrounding tissue causing pain and other growth issues (pano in dogs where the long bone grows so fast that the bone becomes narrow and the dog suffers arthritic type symptoms except the pain is in the bone, not the joints). It is one thing that I noticed when watching raw fed puppies. Kibble fed counterparts are often noticeably larger, heavier than their raw fed counter parts, especially during the first 6 months (the huge growth period stage for kibble fed furkids). Raw fed pups, are lean, proportionate. They aren't that roly poly fat that kibble pups get. I know we all love that cute fat puppy or kitten for that matter but it's not healthy. That rapid growth does horrible things to their joints , bones and connecting tissue. In the end, when all the growing stops, the furkids are the same size. The raw fed are usually not as heavy but carry much better and more defined muscle and carry a denser bone structure. They lean less toward fat, just like our ferrets. We all know the difference when we pick up a raw fed ferret, even a chubby one, they carry a different weight...more solid. Cats should eat multiple small meals during the day (that's how they're equipped to eat...like ferrets....small prey, not always successful. If she's of good weight, not boney, well muscled I wouldn't be concerned. I know that I was surprised when my pup grew. I had to keep weighing him on a weekly basis because my vet didn't want him to put on more than 7 lbs a week, so for a year we weighed him faithfully every week, he put on his steady 5 to 7 lbs a week for the first 6 months. They were amazed as it's not uncommon for kibble fed pups to put on as much as 14 lbs in a week. At a year he was proportionate but nothing spectacular, weighing in at 145 lbs. At 3 he's now reached his full size, weighs in at 165 lbs and is lean and hard muscled with good bone structure. A very nice looking dog. You will see your kitty will do the same. I found that kittens when raw fed continued to grow both in size and in structure until they were 2 yrs of age instead of 1 when a cat is considered an adult. These are just my observations  ciao |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2011 15:27:50 GMT -5
Heather: thanks for the info. As far as her feedings, when I do once a day, I don't pick up the bowl until the next morning. Since the bowl is empty by morning, should I increase how much I put in at night? Giving her food in the a.m. Is a waist. She only eats a couple of mouthfuls. Then the rest gets waisted. Also, after the middle of November, ( after her spay and declaw (declaw for medical reasons), she will joining out other cat in the rest of the house. We will be getting our other cat checked out because she is never full. If I let her eat as much as she wants she gains to much weight. At one point she was classified as severly over weight. Now she is at a proper weight I'm not sure how to do the feedings once the kitten has free Rome of the house. Don't want older cat (1 yr) to get fat but I want to make sure kitten gets enough food. Any ideas of what I should have the vet test for with the 1yr old cat?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2011 17:59:36 GMT -5
If the other cat has a ravenous appetite, I would definitely get some blood work done. Kitty cats are very prone to hyperthyroidism which makes them SUPER hungry... but usually they are also super skinny and don't gain weight. That being said, it's different for every cat, and a general bloodwork panel + T4 (thyroid) add on is always a good idea. You may also want to consider checking for diabetes.
Actually if you get them to send out something call a "geriatric panel + urine" it will test for all of the above and more and should give you some answers.
The best bet for not overfeeding one / not unfeeding the other is to feed multiple meals throughout the day of smaller raw portions and SEPARATE the cats when feeding so you can monitor who is eating what. Kind of a pain in the butt, but with my two who are not allowed to eat eachother's food becasue of medical conditions, it's the only thing that works.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2011 18:51:27 GMT -5
Carpetsharks37. We can not feed the bigger cat more frequent smaller meals or she literally opens the cubberds, pulls food out, rips packages, and eats the food. At least with one large meal at night, she only serfs the counters. I will talk to her vet about the geriatric panel plus urine.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2011 21:05:58 GMT -5
My cat does that too - solution: put the food somewhere she can't get it. Honestly it sounds like you might just have a little piggy on your hands. Eating more frequent throughout the day helps them stay at a good weight, it keeps their metabolism active, one big meal at night is actually probably causing the weight gain. You say "bag" - is this cat on dry kibble? If that's the case - try wet food instead. The carbs in kibble contributes to weight gain and high quality canned food can help them lose weight  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2011 10:03:51 GMT -5
She is on raw. It is impossible to keep food out of her reach. She opens cabnits, pantry doors that háček a regular door handle. We have even tried a extra tall child's gate that she gets over also. She only messes with those things if she is given more meals but smaller in size. I will find out Tuesday how much the testing will cost
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