12/31 Ole PMPS 485 Holey Moley!! Neg for K +2 475 +5 353

[Rebekah]

Hello all,
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=110981

I am saddened over Ole's pm reading, especially with his new monitor.

My question is; As I have mentioned before, Ole is very hungry all of the time. I believe that if I allowed him to eat until he was full, he would never stop eating. He would vomit and then just continue eating. Starting about 1.5 hours before his main meals (6am and 6pm), he begins to become very agitated in his desire for food. If I give him an all protein snack, it doesn't matter, he just wants more more more. After 1.5 hrs of increasing fervor, by the time I feed him, he has whipped himself up into a meringue. I have never seen anything like it. He rears up on his rear legs and hops around like a toy poodle, crying away. I have to spoon feed a diluted meal to slow him down. Okay, here is the question; How much is all that stress adding to his high AM and PM readings? Are there any suggestions as to how to remedy this while his numbers are still high? Even after he has finished eating his 4.5 oz meal, breakfast or dinner, he wants more, never being sated. I feel so awful about his dissatisfaction and discomfort, a symptom of his disease.

Thank you,
Rebekah

 

[Suzanne & Cobb(GA)]

Re: 12/31 PMPS 485 Holey Moley!!

Cobb and Ole must be related.

I don't know how much stress that adds to his preshot numbers.

Cobb was doing this same thing until about a week ago. We were (like Chris & China) giving boiled chicken after the +6 to tide him over until shot time. Cobb is still eating too much, but he also has a few pounds to lose and we don't want him to drop too fast.

Cobb was free feeding dry when we started FDMB. He would eat and eat and eat, vomit and return to the food bowl for more. When we first switched, he was eating 3 cans a day. Now he eats 2 cans of Friskies a day - most of his food is at night because he is a pain in the you-know-what if he gets hungry at night. But I know he is manipulating his night food. He gets 1/2 can at his am shot, and a 1/2 can at pm shot. He also gets a can left in a times feeder in two sections for overnight. Right now he's still eating it all, but I've noticed him slowing down. I also really water down his food right now, which seems to slow him down.

As you get to a more optimal dose, you'll notice Ole won't be as ravenous. His body will process the food better.

In one of the top stickies, there's an article about "should you feed your cat what they want while they're unregulated." I think the general consensus is no, but if I have Cobb 1/2 can twice a day, he'd be starving and miserable (as would I). Plus, he'd lose too much weight too quick, and thats not good for his body either.

 

[Rebekah]

Re: 12/31 Ole PMPS 485 Holey Moley!! Neg for K

Thank you Suzanne,

I'm just in a really uncomfortable place right now, as is Ole Cat.

Ole gets 4.5 oz FF 2x a day and then 2 smaller all protein meals at lunch and before bed, but it does not alter his hunger as far as I can tell. Also, when Ole was in remission in Sept and Oct, his hunger did not subside by very much. He weighs about 9 pounds. I am so very concerned about him and his well being.

Thanks for your support and words of comfort.

Breathe
Rebekah

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

Re: 12/31 Ole PMPS 485 Holey Moley!! Neg for K

Is his weight stable on the amount you're feeding him?

i really do sympathize. their hunger mechanism is messed up with FD and they don't know what they are feeling. The post Suzanne is referring to is in the "New to the Group" sticky, near the end, and is called something like "feed kitty all they want?" Maybe there are some ideas in there that would be helpful.

Maybe taking his can of fancy feast and dividing it up so he has some of it at +3 or so. Or even smaller portions but more often. Punkin weighed about 14lbs and I gave him 3 cans of ff per day - one at preshot and 1/2 can at +3. I have a pathetic video of him begging for food. We used to joke that he had a Feed Me Contract. You weren't allowed to change it. This is punkin:

[youtube]Y2OK_nJ4a5o&feature=c4-overview&list=UUH_FWfGYs5Od_jgknJ7BmOw[/youtube]

 

[Rebekah]

Re: 12/31 Ole PMPS 485 Holey Moley!! Neg for K +2 475

Hey all,

Yes, I am familiar with the sticky and I've read a lot of it. It is just so distressing because Ole's discomfort is so evident.

I have been able to stay home through much of the holidays, but alas, come Monday, I will go back to full time work. I live in a small enough town (short commute) that most days I should be able to get home for a lunch and test, but it will not always be possible.

I calculated that Ole is eating over 180 cal/day. I try to reach 180 in his 2 main meals. His protein "between" meals are bonus. He has held 9 lbs for quite some time, he weighed 11 lbs when he was diagnosed and got as light as 7lb 15oz when he was diagnosed with pancretitis. I debate increasing his portions all of the time, he has kept these portions since September. I have added the lunches upon joining FDMB.

Punkin looks like the sweetest little thing. Our pets are always with us as they reach so very deep into our being.

Happy New Years Eve!
Rebekah

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Re: 12/31 Ole PMPS 485 Holey Moley!! Neg for K +2 475

(((Rebekah)))

I'm so sorry that Ole is having a difficult time and I wish there was something that would help. Do you have any freeze dried chicken treats that you can give him in between the food and the boiled chicken breast? I just thought the crunchiness of them might help him and it's low carb. You just have to be sure he doesn't eat them so fast that he gets sick or chokes.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

Re: 12/31 Ole PMPS 485 Holey Moley!! Neg for K +2 475

is 9lbs a better size for him or the 11lbs? that's a pretty big drop in weight.

I wish I had a better answer for you on what to do about his hunger. i wonder if there is a less-calorie dense food so that he could have a larger volume. that might be worth looking at the catinfo.org list to see.