What did your pet(s) do today?

[Chained Daisy]

Originally Posted by Gemme

I just shooed Gracie away from the window. She was nibbling on the blinds. She has a major oral fetish and will chew on anything from wires to metal to plastic to their litter boxes plus toys and bags and paper. Let's not forget the remote, wheels on carts, the ball on the track in the round toy and my phone. About the only thing I haven't seen her chew on is the sofa.

You know there are always lots of chew treats for dogs but I dont think I have ever seen that type of thing for cats, I wonder if there was such a treat if it would keep her happy. One of mine has a thing for paper but only when you are writing on it, she`ll do her best to shred it, we`ve lost homework that way!

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Chained Daisy

You know there are always lots of chew treats for dogs but I dont think I have ever seen that type of thing for cats, I wonder if there was such a treat if it would keep her happy. One of mine has a thing for paper but only when you are writing on it, she`ll do her best to shred it, we`ve lost homework that way!

I doubt it. They continuously cycle through their toys and things that aren't toys that they make into toys like my hair stopper in the shower, Q tips and empty toilet paper rolls so something is constantly being ignored at one point or another.

I did some research and thought she was likely more bored than sick so I started moving their main toys and scratching posts around from time to time and it seemed to help a bit but not entirely.

She also has double claws (not polydactyl...she actually has double claws on some sections of her pads) so maybe that plays into it. She seems to have her paws in her mouth more than Loki does but I'm not sure if it's the oral thing or the oral thing is stemming from the claw thing.....chicken and the egg if you will.

Next time they get a check up, I have a list of things to go over with the vet regarding each of them. Loki has an unhealthy connection to food. I know what it stems from but haven't figured out how to help him combat it. Gracie feeds normally and I thought maybe that over time, she would help him. No such luck. The good news is that his food neurosis hasn't transferred to her.

My children are complicated.

[Chained Daisy]

Originally Posted by Gemme

I doubt it. They continuously cycle through their toys and things that aren't toys that they make into toys like my hair stopper in the shower, Q tips and empty toilet paper rolls so something is constantly being ignored at one point or another.

I did some research and thought she was likely more bored than sick so I started moving their main toys and scratching posts around from time to time and it seemed to help a bit but not entirely.

She also has double claws (not polydactyl...she actually has double claws on some sections of her pads) so maybe that plays into it. She seems to have her paws in her mouth more than Loki does but I'm not sure if it's the oral thing or the oral thing is stemming from the claw thing.....chicken and the egg if you will.

Next time they get a check up, I have a list of things to go over with the vet regarding each of them. Loki has an unhealthy connection to food. I know what it stems from but haven't figured out how to help him combat it. Gracie feeds normally and I thought maybe that over time, she would help him. No such luck. The good news is that his food neurosis hasn't transferred to her.

My children are complicated.

I`ve come the the conclusion that all children are complicated, furry or otherwise, I can rarely stay one step ahead of any of mine !

My two dont cycle with their toys, its more one red hot favourite and after a few days its never looked at again. They too enjoy a Q tip, rolled up bit of paper makes them happy and Ms Cupcake loves a mouse with feathers on....for a limited time anyhow.

The double claws may well play a part, definitely see what the vet has to say it will be interesting to find out. Are your two indoor kitties Gemme ?

My big ginger boy is a gentleman with food and always steps back if Cupcake decides she wants what he has {even though they have exactly the same} despite him being twice the size of her I still make sure he gets his fair share as I think he would happily starve whilst gazing adoringly at her !

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Chained Daisy

I`ve come the the conclusion that all children are complicated, furry or otherwise, I can rarely stay one step ahead of any of mine !

My two dont cycle with their toys, its more one red hot favourite and after a few days its never looked at again. They too enjoy a Q tip, rolled up bit of paper makes them happy and Ms Cupcake loves a mouse with feathers on....for a limited time anyhow.

The double claws may well play a part, definitely see what the vet has to say it will be interesting to find out. Are your two indoor kitties Gemme ?

My big ginger boy is a gentleman with food and always steps back if Cupcake decides she wants what he has {even though they have exactly the same} despite him being twice the size of her I still make sure he gets his fair share as I think he would happily starve whilst gazing adoringly at her !

Yes. I live where I work and have box trucks and semi trucks rolling through here daily not to mention the field next door with coyotes and mean critters. AND...the shelters around here don't like to adopt out cats to outside homes.

Oh, no. Loki is no gentleman when it comes to food. He's a bully AND he's twice the size of Gracie. Initially, she took it every time and just walked away. Now, if she's really, really hungry, she's going to finish her food, dammit. lol I'm proud of her that she stands up to him when it matters to her. She also will chase the Hell out of him, to the point that he's crying for me. Not sure if it's because she's whooping his butt or that she's making him exercise so much, though.

They get a mix of wet and dry and when I put the wet food down, I have to start with Loki so he's distracted and Gracie can get a start on her food. He inhales it, so he's done in 1-2 minutes. Seriously. I timed it. She eats like a fucking lady....dainty but messy. I sometimes stick around to verbally chastise Loki when he starts to push in on her personal space as she continues to eat or I'll go sit on the sofa and pat my lap when he starts wandering around so I can get my hands on him for pets while she finishes.

Then I go into the kitchen and check the bowls. 9 times out of 10, Loki's is clean as a whistle. I'll call Gracie over if she has anything left and she'll eat a few more bites and then she's done. Loki gets the leftovers but only when I put the dish on his side of the kitchen. There are rules, but he still pushes the line because he's got a major fixation with food. Dry food too but not nearly as bad as with wet.

He was fine when I got him. He even left food in the bowl. One for his homies, we would say. But then we went to the Reunion and had someone come in and feed him and give him some love. Two things happened. One, she overfed him and there was one day that she didn't show. We knew about it ahead of time and she left him extra food the day before and came in early after but even the local boarders would not have come in on Sunday so chose to have him stay in the house he was most comfortable in. That messed him up. It screwed up his expectations for food and now I think he has a fear of no food.

This was before I got Gracie. I feel that if they were both here, she would have kept him entertained and basically told him to get over himself.

I don't know how to fix this. I free feed dry food and I know he eats more than he should out of both of their bowls but if I take it up when I'm not there, will it make his food anxiety worse? I feel that he would focus on food even more. As it is, any time I walk in the kitchen, he clearly thinks it's food time, even if he's just eaten.

My baby boy has problems. He's so big now, I call him Bubba just as much as I call him Loki.

[TL1]

We are playing fetch right now and I’m making slow motion videos of her. She is so funny in them!

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Gemme

It screwed up his expectations for food and now I think he has a fear of no food.

This was before I got Gracie. I feel that if they were both here, she would have kept him entertained and basically told him to get over himself.

I don't know how to fix this. I free feed dry food and I know he eats more than he should out of both of their bowls but if I take it up when I'm not there, will it make his food anxiety worse? I feel that he would focus on food even more. As it is, any time I walk in the kitchen, he clearly thinks it's food time, even if he's just eaten.

Gemme, I think that it would be actually better to not free feed. I think that not free feeding will decrease his anxiety. He will learn that he gets food every day, once (or twice, whatever you do), per day. He won't feel the need to "plan" for no food by eating extra free food because there will be no free food to "plan with". He will start to realize that when mom wakes up in the morning he gets fed, and when mom gets home (or at a certain time, whatever works with your schedule), he gets fed. If you are home at dinner time set an alarm for the same time every day. His body clock/sunlight clock, will start telling him when food is upcoming.

He will see over time that there is no need to worry. His anxiety will go away.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Gemme, I think that it would be actually better to not free feed. I think that not free feeding will decrease his anxiety. He will learn that he gets food every day, once (or twice, whatever you do), per day. He won't feel the need to "plan" for no food by eating extra free food because there will be no free food to "plan with". He will start to realize that when mom wakes up in the morning he gets fed, and when mom gets home (or at a certain time, whatever works with your schedule), he gets fed. If you are home at dinner time set an alarm for the same time every day. His body clock/sunlight clock, will start telling him when food is upcoming.

He will see over time that there is no need to worry. His anxiety will go away.

Orrrrr...he will grow more anxious because there's no filler food in between the good, wet stuff and he will focus more on the missing food. If he hasn't learned that he will be fed regularly by having food at his disposal 24/7, I'm not sure making food disappear might help that.

This is why I'm torn. I don't want to make his neurosis worse so I feel like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. His focus on food is so intense that he will follow me into the kitchen with the expectation of being fed, even when I just fed them moments before.

To be a little more thread compliant, Gracie is lounging on the padded bar top stool....she really loves being up higher and it's so comfy, I can't blame her....and Loki is in the middle of the sofa again.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Orrrrr...he will grow more anxious because there's no filler food in between the good, wet stuff and he will focus more on the missing food. If he hasn't learned that he will be fed regularly by having food at his disposal 24/7, I'm not sure making food disappear might help that.

This is why I'm torn. I don't want to make his neurosis worse so I feel like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. His focus on food is so intense that he will follow me into the kitchen with the expectation of being fed, even when I just fed them moments before.

To be a little more thread compliant, Gracie is lounging on the padded bar top stool....she really loves being up higher and it's so comfy, I can't blame her....and Loki is in the middle of the sofa again.

I don't know. If I knew that I was getting some Grandma Utz's potato chips every time the sun hit the window in a certain spot I wouldn't ruminate over the potato chips worrying I wasn't going to get any. I got some yesterday when the sun hit that certain spot on the couch, in fact, that happens every day, so I know my potato chips are coming.

However, I wouldn't think about or notice that sun spot if the potato chips (maybe more bland ones, but still, I like all potato chips) were avaiable in the kitchen. And how do I know if that is going to keep being refilled. The refilling is random.

[Chained Daisy]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Yes. I live where I work and have box trucks and semi trucks rolling through here daily not to mention the field next door with coyotes and mean critters. AND...the shelters around here don't like to adopt out cats to outside homes.

Oh, no. Loki is no gentleman when it comes to food. He's a bully AND he's twice the size of Gracie. Initially, she took it every time and just walked away. Now, if she's really, really hungry, she's going to finish her food, dammit. lol I'm proud of her that she stands up to him when it matters to her. She also will chase the Hell out of him, to the point that he's crying for me. Not sure if it's because she's whooping his butt or that she's making him exercise so much, though.

They get a mix of wet and dry and when I put the wet food down, I have to start with Loki so he's distracted and Gracie can get a start on her food. He inhales it, so he's done in 1-2 minutes. Seriously. I timed it. She eats like a fucking lady....dainty but messy. I sometimes stick around to verbally chastise Loki when he starts to push in on her personal space as she continues to eat or I'll go sit on the sofa and pat my lap when he starts wandering around so I can get my hands on him for pets while she finishes.

Then I go into the kitchen and check the bowls. 9 times out of 10, Loki's is clean as a whistle. I'll call Gracie over if she has anything left and she'll eat a few more bites and then she's done. Loki gets the leftovers but only when I put the dish on his side of the kitchen. There are rules, but he still pushes the line because he's got a major fixation with food. Dry food too but not nearly as bad as with wet.

He was fine when I got him. He even left food in the bowl. One for his homies, we would say. But then we went to the Reunion and had someone come in and feed him and give him some love. Two things happened. One, she overfed him and there was one day that she didn't show. We knew about it ahead of time and she left him extra food the day before and came in early after but even the local boarders would not have come in on Sunday so chose to have him stay in the house he was most comfortable in. That messed him up. It screwed up his expectations for food and now I think he has a fear of no food.

This was before I got Gracie. I feel that if they were both here, she would have kept him entertained and basically told him to get over himself.

I don't know how to fix this. I free feed dry food and I know he eats more than he should out of both of their bowls but if I take it up when I'm not there, will it make his food anxiety worse? I feel that he would focus on food even more. As it is, any time I walk in the kitchen, he clearly thinks it's food time, even if he's just eaten.

My baby boy has problems. He's so big now, I call him Bubba just as much as I call him Loki.

Oh, dont like the sound of coyotes versus Kitties at all. Very different where I am, every other home seems to have a cat and its pretty quiet so you cant walk down a road without being greeted by someones cat. I have fairly new neighbours with 4 cats but they moved from a built up area and she has kept her cats as `indoors cats` still, my big boy goes calling for them to play out and sits on the lawn in hope !

Poor Loki, it does sound like the missed day is etched on his memory. Lets hope as time goes by he will get it in his head that meals will be regular as the norm. My two were both rescues at 6 months and had been left in a house with no food for days on end the shelter told me. My boy used to beg a lot and swiped a paw at food being waved about by the children more than once but eventually that stopped.

I wonder if you could leave him with a timed feeder for his dry food when you are not there, regulate and portion control it for him.

Cats eh ! Gotta love em !