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Post by daylilydude on Nov 20, 2016 17:32:07 GMT -5
They don't judge us; they don't care about our appearance. They know when we're happy and sad. They accept us for who and what we are. What they give back to us is far more than most humans would ever think of giving. Most human relationships come with conditions, opinions and judgments. Not that human relationships aren't good, but what a furkid gives us is immeasurable.
I thought it might be nice to have a thread for pet lovers to discuss how they pamper the critters in their lives (on holidays and otherwise).
How do you pamper the critters in your life?
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Post by september on Nov 20, 2016 18:12:01 GMT -5
In his old age, our cat has taken to sleeping on our pillows at night right along side our faces, or on top of our hair. And we let him. If you move him, he just keeps coming back until you give up.
Hard to get to sleep with extended purring, licking and snores and having to avoid cat breath on the face. He won't be around for too many more years, so he gets a free pass for some stuff.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Nov 22, 2016 11:44:19 GMT -5
We don't let my current cats into the room while we're trying to sleep because the kitten is too amped up at night - we'd get no sleep at all! When she gets older and lazier we'll let the cats sleep in there.
In the meantime, my adult cat has taken to napping on my legs every time I am get on the couch. I end up staying there until my legs are practically numb because I don't want to disturb her when she seems so utterly content.
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Post by bestofour on Nov 25, 2016 20:42:58 GMT -5
Because of allergies our cats live outside but they live in a heated/air conditioned house and can come and go as they please. Our dogs live inside and live the good life too.
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Post by coppice on Dec 2, 2016 15:08:59 GMT -5
I and the Mrs let kats sleep where ever they please. Sometimes that is on out legs. Others not so much. They continue to get half rations of canned food for breakfast (1/2 can chopped up and shared between them). With kibbles on free-feed.
At least once in the afternoon a few katnip treats, doled out singly.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Dec 2, 2016 18:56:22 GMT -5
I adopted a 12 year old cat in January of 2016. She had lived all of her life in an apartment until she came here. I bought her a leash so that she can sit outside on the deck when the weather is good. She loves that. She watches the birds in the feeder but doesn't like squirrels. Gets that from Me. She isn't allowed on the bed, nor table or countertops, but other than that, she is free to roam the house. She gets homemade treats every morning when I get up. Commercially made kitty treats made her sick to her stomach. So instead, I freeze little cubes of meat for her:raw as well as leftover.
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Post by coppice on Mar 31, 2017 4:40:56 GMT -5
The Kat sisters are too plump. Canned rations ran out yesterday. Breakfast today of only kibbles are a disapointment.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 3, 2017 8:30:23 GMT -5
Actually, kibble food is more likely than canned cat food to cause cats to gain weight.
Kibble food always has a lot of carbohydrates - they serve as binders to keep the kibble together. But cats are obligate carnivores whose natural diet has only traces of carbohydrates. So, their bodies do not handle large amounts of carbohydrates well at all. Their insulin shoots through the roof to deal with all of the carbs. In time they develop insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes. "Weight control" kibble is even worse, adding more fiber and carbs to try to bring down the calories per ounce. Instead, the cats get diarrhea from the extra fiber and their diabetes develops faster from the extra carbs.
TLDR: kibble = fat, diabetic cats. Even the best kibble is not as good as canned food.
If you want your cats to lose weight, switch to canned food exclusively. Get grain-free canned food with the fewest carbohydrates possible. The problem is that good canned food is expensive.
Properly formulated raw food is even better than canned food. But it takes time to learn how to make homemade cat food properly (including the right supplements so the cats don't develop nutritional deficiencies). Plus you need freezer space for storage unless you're going to make up cat food every couple of days. There is an initial investment in supplements, freezer containers, an accurate scale, and possibly a meat grinder when you start making homemade raw cat food. But over the long run it is cheaper than canned food, though probably more expensive than kibble unless you can get good quality meat in bulk for super cheap.
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Post by spike on May 16, 2017 16:43:11 GMT -5
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Post by Laura_in_FL on May 17, 2017 9:31:01 GMT -5
Your weirdo second cousin by marriage sleeps on the couch? Seriously, those look like happy pampered members of the family for sure. What are their names?
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Post by spike on May 18, 2017 8:48:38 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL From top to bottom: Baby Cricket, Hershey, Miss Missy And let me tell you about that chair Hershey is sleeping on >,< I paid a fortune for that chair. It is a 'big butt' chair. Not sure what else to call it but it is extra wide. I fell in love with that chair as I thought it would be the most comfortable chair to have plenty of wiggle room to curl up with a snuggly blanket and read. Got it delivered and managed to sit in it one time before the rotten pups took it over. I did try to put my foot down and explain that I was the HUMAN and that it was my chair. They had a good laugh and ignored me. Horrible mutts!
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Saltflower
Pro Member
Posts: 336
Joined: July 2017
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Post by Saltflower on Jul 29, 2017 21:36:08 GMT -5
My rabbits are pampered with organic produce and purified water. The cats with Halo brand food and purified water.
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Post by spike on Aug 26, 2017 20:02:39 GMT -5
In honor of National Dog Day our 3 furry masters each received 2 squeaky dog toys and a chew bone. They are so horribly spoiled they should be embarrassed.
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Post by daylilydude on Aug 26, 2017 20:11:32 GMT -5
Mine ain't embarrassed... I think they wanted more than the raw hide bones and new beds that they got... worse than my kids...
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Post by september on Aug 26, 2017 22:38:39 GMT -5
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Post by spike on Nov 4, 2017 16:33:10 GMT -5
The groomers came today and made the pups beautiful. The girls were not interested in photos but my side kick posed for me. He never gets very far from me and keeps me in sight!
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Post by daylilydude on Nov 4, 2017 19:59:15 GMT -5
spike, he is a cutie... what breed are your dogs?
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Post by spike on Nov 4, 2017 21:15:49 GMT -5
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Post by bestofour on Nov 6, 2017 8:57:37 GMT -5
coppice, I've never been sure how much to feed our cats. Our vet has told us to feed them what they'll eat so in the hot months we give them 1/2 a can mixed with kibble morning and night and in the cold months they each get a whole can morning and night. They live outside and I think it keeps them from being over weight but when it's feeding time they're always at the back door so I'm constantly concerned if we're feeding them correctly. Our mastiff is a self feeder which is wonderful. Our miniature dachshund would eat until she explodes if we let her so we have to monitor her intake.
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Dec 17, 2017 12:51:11 GMT -5
Waldo get's to sleep on the spot on the bed directly below the heater vent.
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Post by brownrexx on Dec 17, 2017 13:17:33 GMT -5
Our 3 cats have a heated throw that they sleep on. It's like an electric blanket only smaller. It not only keeps our kittles happy and warm but it keeps a lot of fur off of our furniture so it's a win-win.
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Post by Gianna on Dec 17, 2017 13:55:38 GMT -5
Properly formulated raw food is even better than canned food. But it takes time to learn how to make homemade cat food properly (including the right supplements so the cats don't develop nutritional deficiencies). Plus you need freezer space for storage unless you're going to make up cat food every couple of days. There is an initial investment in supplements, freezer containers, an accurate scale, and possibly a meat grinder when you start making homemade raw cat food. But over the long run it is cheaper than canned food, though probably more expensive than kibble unless you can get good quality meat in bulk for super cheap. I've made cat food from real food before, but haven't been successful in getting them to eat it. What I make would have to be better than commercial - but it does no good if they won't give it a try. Do you have an easy link to something you think might work? There are so many suggestions out there.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 18, 2017 10:24:55 GMT -5
I really like this website: feline-nutrition.org/ It can take some cats, especially older cats that are set in their ways, a long time to transition to a new kind of food. Patience is key. What kind of food do your cats eat now? Kibble or commercial canned food? A mix? If they are on kibble: 1. Quit leaving kibble out. Put kibble out for thirty minutes, twice a day. This is to get them used to eating only at regular mealtimes, and also to make sure they are actually hungry when they eat (no boredom snacking). 2. Once they're used to mealtimes, start putting out a bit of commercial canned food alongside the kibble. They need to get used to the texture - cats that have been fed exclusively on kibble may not like the texture of canned food at first, and some may not even recognize canned food as food. 3. Once they start eating the canned food, start slowly putting out more canned food and less kibble until they are fully converted to canned food. If they are fully on canned food already, start here: 4. Start putting a little of the raw food out next to the commercial canned food, to get them used to the sight and smell of it. Once they show some interest in the raw food (or once a week has passed with no interest): 5. Try mixing a tiny bit of raw food in with their commercial canned food. Once they accept that, slowly increase the proportion of raw food to canned food until you can eliminate the commercial food. 6. You might need some bribes during this process to get the cats to start eating the raw food. Commercial cat foods (both kibble and canned) have strong flavors and scents added to make the food more palatable. Fresh raw meat has a more subtle scent and flavor. As a result, commercial food can smell and taste more appealing to a cat. By mixing in or sprinkling on strongly-scented, highly appealing treats you can sometimes get the cats to try the raw food. A sprinkle of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese ("crack for cats"), juice from a can of water-packed tuna or salmon, bonito flakes, brewer's yeast (not baking yeast), a tiny bit of organic catnip, or crushed dehydrated cat treats are good bribes to try. Once they have adapted to the raw diet, you can phase out the bribes. The key during this process is that the cats have to set the pace of their transition. Here's a link with more detail, tips, and tricks for transitioning your cats' diets: feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/how-to-transition-your-cat-to-a-raw-diet. Also, it's not healthy for cats to go more than 24 hours with no food ( feline-nutrition.org/health/avoiding-hepatic-lipidosis-in-your-cat) so you can't just take a "eat it or go hungry" approach.
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Post by Gianna on Dec 18, 2017 19:55:22 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL, Thank you so much for the detailed information. I will check out the websites as well. I currently give them both canned and kibble. Kibble is out 24/7. Canned is morning and evening, and whenever anyone (DB) is seriously demanding. I'd rather he eat canned than dry. Neither cat is overweight. Devil Boy prefers wet, Missy-Miss (Siamese) only eats wet on occasion. At first, never. Thanks for the hints about weaning away from commercial foods. I had concluded they did something to the flavors to stop cats from eating human food (meat). As for flavor lures, DB loves cream, cream cheese, and regular cheese. Never thought about Parmesan, and I'm sure there are more he'd love. The Siamese will be more difficult. And I've got new catnip plants growing outside. Thank you again for the information. I suspect any transition is going to happen after the holidays.
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Post by paquebot on Dec 19, 2017 0:44:33 GMT -5
Had coonhounds for many years. Only pampering they got was sometimes letting them sleep in the house if it were below 0ºF. Didn't really need it in their insulated doghouses. Cats have always been inside and somewhat pampered. Present one is about 13 years old and still thinks that she's a kitten. She's a real wuss for cold and often sleeps curled up behind my legs and under the covers. That's only during the winter. Wife says no more when tghis one is gone. I say we need a kitten to learn all that the old one knows!
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by brownrexx on Dec 19, 2017 9:21:11 GMT -5
Properly formulated raw food is even better than canned food I am not an expert and I have done zero research on this subject but I wonder why you would think that raw food is better? I would be concerned with feeding my cats raw meat from the supermarket for the same reason that I am always fussy to make sure our meat is properly cooked. Raw meat can be contaminated with bacteria and I do not want to risk making my cats sick from it. Yes, cats eat raw meat when they are in the wild but outdoor cats are also full of parasites, and only live an average of 2 years. My cats eat a combination of kibble and wet food and all of my cats have lived healthy long lives and none are overweight. I buy Royal Canin or Science Diet - not supermarket brands. Since my cats do not go outdoors, too much wet food can cause tartar to build up on their teeth and cause sore gums so crunchy kibble is good for their teeth according to my vet.
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Post by Gianna on Dec 19, 2017 13:33:49 GMT -5
I've checked out the feline nutrition site, and while interesting, I know that is not going to happen here. I believe commercial food is most likely not the best they can get. I'll only rarely eat commercially prepared human food myself. And cat food? how much more suspect is that? But my cats are healthy and lean and are active. With the exception of one, previous have lived into their mid to late teens. I however want to make some changes to their eating because I think it can be better. Years ago, with previous cats that were getting plump, I realized I needed to simply move where I fed them. (Never in the kitchen). Their bowl had been where they simply often walked past, so ate cuz it was there. When I moved it to a place they had to go to - because they actually were hungry - the incidental eating stopped. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with these kits yet. I want to limit their intake of dry food (carbs) and encourage wet. And perhaps do some experimenting with the wet they get. It will be a work in progress.
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Post by paquebot on Dec 19, 2017 15:15:38 GMT -5
My cat no longer cares for most of the canned foods. Despite having few teeth left other than fangs, she prefers just about any dry food that she can swallow. Main exception is ground venison. I swear that she would eat a pound if given a chance.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by paquebot on Dec 19, 2017 15:22:06 GMT -5
My car no longer likes most canned food. Despite having only her fangs left, she prefers any dry food that she can swallow without chewing. Exception is ground venison. I swear that she could eat a pound if given a chance.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by brownrexx on Dec 19, 2017 16:13:00 GMT -5
That's interesting about location Gianna, my cats get their wet food in the kitchen twice a day but the readily available dry food is in the laundry room so like you said, they have to make a special trip there to eat it. It is not on the way to anywhere else. I had never thought about that.
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