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Post by cindyupnorth on Aug 20, 2019 13:44:55 GMT
So we have 3 outdoor "barn" cats. They come and go as they please. They definitely know when dinner time is though. Two of them are fairly friendly. One not so much, and wants nothing to do with people. We've had them for about 3 yrs. I regularly deworm them. Even with worming, I find they don't gain a lot of wt. This yr they are all 3 esp skinny. Even after worming, etc. I can not catch them to take them in to a vet. I'm trying to get them fattened up for winter. What would you feed them to help them gain a bit more wt? They have a nice area in our garage, with a heat lamp, where they can go in the winter.
I think they are just so active they just burn off any added padding they build up.
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Post by MichyM on Aug 20, 2019 13:49:09 GMT
Chances are that they don’t need to be “fattened” up. Cats are naturally thin. Our pet cats are typically at least a few pounds overweight.
ETA: If you’re really concerned, stop by your local pet shop and ask for calorie dense food.
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Post by librarylady on Aug 20, 2019 13:49:55 GMT
What are they eating now?
Do/will they eat dry cat food?
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Post by Scrappyhappy on Aug 20, 2019 13:52:20 GMT
My grandparents always had cats on their farm that they fed once a day. They were friendly cats and we were able to play with them. All of them were skinny cats. I agree that they are active all day, so they stay leaner.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Aug 20, 2019 17:13:47 GMT
What are they eating now? Do/will they eat dry cat food? They get a cup of dry food in the AM, and then a wet food at night when I get home. I'm gone all day, so I can't feed them more then that. They hunt, and often bring up mice/voles/etc to the house, and then they must eat it, as it disappears. |
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,119 
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Post by iowgirl on Aug 20, 2019 20:01:14 GMT
and then they must eat it, as it disappears. We figured out the dog was waiting for the cat food every morning. As soon as we would put it out in the shed, the dog was sneaking in and eating it before the cats could. LOL Now the cats get fed only when the dog is inside the fenced yard. |
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keithurbanlovinpea
Pearl Clutcher
Flowing with the go...
Posts: 4,254
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on Aug 20, 2019 20:32:30 GMT
I agree with others in that there is no reason to fatten them up. If you are feeding them they'll be fine
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Post by librarylady on Aug 20, 2019 21:14:29 GMT
and then they must eat it, as it disappears. We figured out the dog was waiting for the cat food every morning. As soon as we would put it out in the shed, the dog was sneaking in and eating it before the cats could. LOL Now the cats get fed only when the dog is inside the fenced yard. We fed our cats on the top of the washing machine or chest freezer because the dog could not get to the food.
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Post by questioning on Aug 20, 2019 22:45:51 GMT
Our sweet neighbor thinks she is only feeding the feral cats and a few raccoons.
We and the other neighbors have seen bobcats and coyotes and rats enjoying the spread.
Be sure you put the food where only the cats can dine.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Aug 20, 2019 23:07:38 GMT
OH we are well aware of the where to feed them. In the summer they are up on the deck and get fed, and they have to fend off the magpies. In the winter it's in the garage, and we get skunks. Can skunks jump? I could put the food up on a table, but then that's away from their warm area. No mice or rats, as those darn cats better be doing their job! which I know they are. No dog around anymore
Funny story..unrelated..sort of. We had a dog, Wally. He ended up with food allergies. He lost all the hair around his eyes. Found out he was allergic to corn, so we changed his food up, and he got better. Then one winter he started to lose all his hair again. Here my dh was feeding our horses grain in the winter, which had corn in it, and that little stinker was going out and eating their grain every night!! funny dog. I miss him
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Post by questioning on Aug 20, 2019 23:41:41 GMT
OH we are well aware of the where to feed them. In the summer they are up on the deck and get fed, and they have to fend off the magpies. In the winter it's in the garage, and we get skunks. Can skunks jump? I could put the food up on a table, but then that's away from their warm area. No mice or rats, as those darn cats better be doing their job! which I know they are. No dog around anymore
Funny story..unrelated..sort of. We had a dog, Wally. He ended up with food allergies. He lost all the hair around his eyes. Found out he was allergic to corn, so we changed his food up, and he got better. Then one winter he started to lose all his hair again. Here my dh was feeding our horses grain in the winter, which had corn in it, and that little stinker was going out and eating their grain every night!! funny dog. I miss him
Poor Wally! |
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Post by cindyupnorth on Aug 21, 2019 0:24:04 GMT
Wally was a stinker. He knew he wasn't suppose to be eating the corn. So we had to make sure we fed the horses when he was in the house, and that they ate it all before we let him out. He passed away of something unrelated years and years later.
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