So fustrated with Ignorant people

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Susan Jackson — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:31:09 GMT

[quote user="Tracey Louise"]

[quote user="BengalcatRVN"]

Maybe you can give the pub some of his special diet so they can feed him but you control it, you could have a notice explaining his condition and a treat jar containing dry food of his diet, allowing people to "treat" him (but you know he's getting what he needs) rather than fight people, help them to understand his condition, and ask they help you keep his life a happy health one

[/quote]

This is a great suggestion!

The best compromise by far.

Allowing the contact with the pub, the fuss, the food and the fab home life with you. Sorted! Hes a very lucky cat!

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I've calmed down now. Took a while. I'm really impressed with this idea, think it's good. I'm still not sure. I don't really want him round there.

I've been restricting his movements so he's not there around meal times and I've noticed more signs of possible problems. Taking him in to Vets tomorrow. Looks like blood test time. I'll see what is going on and then have a chat with them.

I may give them some food but I'm a bit worried they're going to give too much to him and I end up increasing how much I spend on food. Plus don't want him getting meaty either.

Thanks for all the support, it's such a comman problem, I knew I wasn't the only one. Even though this won't be the end of it I've had some great feedback and I feel better now. Thank you all.

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Tracey Louise — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:10:23 GMT

[quote user="BengalcatRVN"]

[/quote]

This is a great suggestion!

The best compromise by far.

Allowing the contact with the pub, the fuss, the food and the fab home life with you. Sorted! Hes a very lucky cat!

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Steph Phillips — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:12:04 GMT

Ahhh this reminds me of a client I saw on monday.. came in with his cat for a booster, and I commented on how he looked like a panther (he was huge.. but not fat) and he said he eats like a horse, and they "always put food out for passing cats - just incase they get hungry"!!! - I did mention he shouldn't be feeding other cats incase 1) they don't go home, 2) they could be on a diet 3) could be on medication - he didnt say much apart from "well they keep coming to my house!" .. mmm why is that do you think!!! god.. stupid or what!!!

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

emmRAR — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:22:55 GMT

We had always really battled to keep my cats weight down, but when we moved house our new neighbours started feeding him all sorts of rubbish - he'd wandered through their garden and the wife, who 'wasn't allowed' a cat decided to 'adopt' him, calling him 'her' and telling us what a hard life 'she'd' had because she was so timid... No, he's timid because he knows he shouldn't be in your house!!! He's put on so much weight and we barely see him any more

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:35:07 GMT

We had a similar problem with our old cat when he started with digestive problems. Our elderly neighbor who is home in the day time was feeding him all sorts which really was causing him problems, asking her to stop didn't help because she just couldn't help herself. In the end we just told her what he could and couldn't eat, I even offered to take some food over to her but she insisted on buying her own! It seemed to help him over night. As he got old he liked to spend the day with people, rather than out hunting as he had in his youth but with us being at work he decided to spend the day with Linda and then always came home at night. I think it greatly improved his quality of life, and he continued like that for 2 and a half years. I really hope you can sort something out with the pub and keep you kitty happy and as healthy as can be, and I totally understand how frustrating it is because before we reached an agreement with our neighbor we felt at our wits end!

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

BengalcatRVN — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:31:55 GMT

This is always a tough one, you want to do whats right (correct food, meds etc) but you always want a good quality of life. My own lil man, who I've had since he was concieved (had his mum from 6-8 months old, only kitten in the litter) has renal failure, and is 9yrs old. He has a small kidney and the other is bigger, but has a fat kidney stone in it. I've opted against going to the royal college and surgery, but want to keep him as happy as possible.

He's on fortekor, laurabolin (every 3 weeks) and KD feline, which he is quite enjoying. He's been renal for a year now, has good days and bad days but the good out weigh the bad, and the bad hasn't seen him end up in hospital, so I'm happy while he is still active and keeping his weight up (was 5.5kg, now 3.25-3.5kg)

However, I'm not one to stick to the rules either. He gets the very occasional treat (he shares the small tins of Applaws with his mum about once every 2 weeks) If he times my mood right, he sometimes gets a bit of fresh chicken from the roast, on the 1 sunday a month he gets a slither of salmon, if my partner and I are having scambled eggs + salmon on toast, or a tit bit. I do make them as rare as possible. He sometimes goes out to my partners parents for a chance to sit in the garden, and "mow the lawn" with his harness on (they are both indoor as I can't risk letting them out nr a main road) We seem to have a happy medium at the mo, his kidney levels are stable, and he's running around. I won't stop the titbits, but make sure they are controlled, by me. Even my partner checks before he gives them anything.

Anyway, back to you and the pub visits. I have a spare "do not feed me, I'm on a special diet" tag for the collar, and I think you can get collars with it printed on. Maybe you can give the pub some of his special diet so they can feed him but you control it, you could have a notice explaining his condition and a treat jar containing dry food of his diet, allowing people to "treat" him (but you know he's getting what he needs) rather than fight people, help them to understand his condition, and ask they help you keep his life a happy health one. You'll get people who won't listen, but hopefully most people will.

good luck and much love to your cat from my two babies xx

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Susan Jackson — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:17:35 GMT

[quote user="Kim Blowing"]People do just love to feed animals don't they! My dog is on k/d for slight renal issues but my next door neighbour still insists on giving her treats! Drives me mad! It's hard because she let's the dogs out for me in the daytime when I'm at work but still. I leave her pieces of carrot to give her which my dog loves but neighbour still feels the need to give her dog treats. Ahhhh!

[/quote]

I feel for you. My mum does the same, anything I say she does the opposite. That's mothers for you!

I forgot to tell you that last week they fed him so much he was in agony and it caused him to have diarrohea. Had to stop arthritis meds so then in more agony (yes I know about metacam and kidney disease before you ask, have discussed pro, cons etc). Had to watch him lying on the bed at home grumbling away. Was worried he'd get pancreatitis and he didn't eat for full 24hrs.

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Susan Jackson — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:56:58 GMT

No tried the collar thing, looses most of them, he's chipped so I'm happy with that. Have tried it in the past with collar and tag, but I find it doesn't stop people.

As far as giving tibbits the occasional is fine but honestly I fetched him one day and there was this big dog sized bowl of cat food. I know it was cat food and the pub don't own a cat. They have a dog which my cat has pleasure in attacking if she goes near him. She's the sweetest staffie and my cats a git to her. You think that would be enough.

Like I said haven't minded the tibits but feeding him full bowls of food, that out of order! And he's an affectionate cat so you can do more for him by just giving him attention you don't need to feed him! I have no problem going to the pub each day to collect him, it's the feeding especially as I have asked them not to do it. I just find it rude and irritating as well as detrimental to my cats wellbeing.

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Kim Buckley — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:56:05 GMT

People do just love to feed animals don't they! My dog is on k/d for slight renal issues but my next door neighbour still insists on giving her treats! Drives me mad! It's hard because she let's the dogs out for me in the daytime when I'm at work but still. I leave her pieces of carrot to give her which my dog loves but neighbour still feels the need to give her dog treats. Ahhhh!

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

LoveCat — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:50:50 GMT

[quote user="Princess Ophelia Hermione MacBeth"]Might not improve quantity of life but might be an important part of his quality of life? [/quote]

I totally agree - it must be lovely for him to be able to pop over to the pub where there are loads of people willing to give him loads of attention. I ust really don't understand why people always feel the need to feed everything!

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

LoveCat — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:47:46 GMT

Hi Susan, I can really sympathise with you. I had a very similar problem with an elderly couple who's garden backs onto mine. My tabby cat was only 3 years old when it started and one day I just looked at him and thought 'jeez, you're massive'. And I realised that all I ever saw him do was sleep in his chair. I thought that when he went out he was getting exercise but after a little bit of research I discovered this couple who said he came down their garden and into their cat flap and ate their cats food and then finished off what was in their dogs bowl too! And of course they said 'and he's always starving, really cries he does'. I gave them the usual lecture and tried to point out how fat he had become and explained the risks of diabetes, joint problems etc, I too lied and told them they were making him sick and that I was having to fit the bill at the vets. Anyway, they never listened so in the end I resorted to buying a microchip cat flap and fitting it on my door backwards so that my other cats could get out but it kept him in! Once I got the weight off I was able to start letting him out again bit by bit. Sadly for the couple their cat passed away a short while ago and they got a new one - thank goodness the new one HATES Mowgli so he does not seem to go round there anymore! It makes me really angry that people take it upon themselves to feed a cat which is clearly owned.

With regards to your cat though, I realise that he is getting on a bit and that you want him to enjoy his life but would it be possible to restrict his outside access at all, or at least control when he can go out? That way you could ensure that he only goes out after you have fed him and he may feel less inclined to eat the rubbish at the pub. Also, I found with Mowgli that after shutting him in for a couple of weeks it had got him out of the routine of getting out and going straight over to my neighbours house. He seemed to appreciate just being out in the fresh air a bit more!! I really hope that these people will listen when you explain to them the difference in the diet you are feeding yourcat and why he needs it. If only people would realise it is possible to be friendly to a cat and give it affection without having to feed them all the time.

The best of luck to you and I hope your kitty cat stays happy and healthy for a long time to come. xx

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Louise B — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:25:10 GMT

Just a thought... perhaps your cat sees visiting the pub, getting titbits there, etc as an enriching part of his life. Visiting the pub for fussing and food may be one of the highlights of his daily routine. Might not improve quantity of life but might be an important part of his quality of life? If he was mine I'll let him to be honest.

Re: So fustrated with Ignorant people

Sal the 1st — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:49:02 GMT

if he wears a collar have you tried using one of the discs which says do not feed