Sassy cats – Hazel’s turn

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Hazel: Save me! They’re killing me!

Yesterday Hazel went to the vet for her annual checkup and shots. It wasn’t pretty.

Getting her into the carrier takes major deception similar to a CIA mission. She’s a cat. She senses things and I ooze insecurity. I considered false identification and camouflage but she’s smarter than that. She can smell fear.

It has to be the first appointment so I can snatch her as soon as I put food down.

When she sees food, her guard goes down. It’s like cat porn. Any other time she would be under the sofa, bed, whatever, if she even suspects (she always does) that there is a vet trip in her future.

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At her largest many years ago.

 

Then there is the weight and how I would explain that to the vet. My feeble attempts to get her to lose weight have been futile. She steals food. She can’t jump but somehow gets to the food. She’s 12 so I worry about senior cat issues too.

She passed with flying colors with some caveats. There is stiffness, maybe arthritis, in her joints. She moves cautiously (except when stealing food). The vet gave some pills for that.

We discussed weight loss strategies. Hazel is not the problem. She will eat any food she can get her hands on. Normally that would mean limiting her access.

Gracie (the youngest) is the issue. The little diva likes to dance around, check the chipmunks and otherwise not eat in a timely fashion. (I swear I saw her do the entire Nutcracker Suite on her tiptoes rather than eat.) This requires me to stand guard and then remove the food.

Sometimes I have better things to do. Like my blog. Or go to the bathroom. Lickety split, Hazel is at the bowl doing the neighborly thing of cleaning up any remaining chow so the dish can go in the dishwasher (such a thoughtful cat).

We left the vet covered in fur. Serious fur. Hazel sheds when she’s nervous. Any talk of diet makes her nervous.

I love hope. It’s what makes me think this time will work!

Here she is in her thinner days.

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You can see she’s not jowly here.

 

 

 

60 thoughts on “Sassy cats – Hazel’s turn”

  2. I sympathize. We have a 15 year old cat. Sophie is overweight. Not by a ton, but a few pounds. The vet actually gave up with the lectures, when after a month of restricting her food, she had gained a 1/2 pound, lol. At this point, she’s a senior citizen, and if the worst that happens is that she’s a little too fluffy, so be it.

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    • I have that attitude too except I’d really like her to lose just a few for her own health. She should be a 10 lb. cat and she’s hovering around 16. That’s pretty overweight. She had a setback this week but I’ll post about it on Friday.

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  3. Hazel has definitely “slimmed down,” so your efforts have been rewarded. I think it’s amazing that she sheds so heavily when stressed, but it’s a clue! She’s a stress eater, no doubt!

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    • She got sick from either the shots or the new arthritis med and didn’t eat for a day. Lost a half pound. Now that’s a way to jump start a diet! Kind of like getting a colonoscopy.

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  5. Now that sweet Pharoah has left the earthly plane for cat heaven I don’t have the same food issues anymore. Both Freddie and Frankie are finicky eaters…. they like to eat a little and save some for later… this was not possible when P was around as any leftovers would be gone in a second. So if I wasn’t paying attention I would have to put out more food for the Fs… and then P would be back for dessert. Life is much easier now! At the same time, I do miss P being around to clean up food the two Fs refuse to eat. Maybe you could send Hazel over from time to time…

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  6. It seems you spend a majority of your day being the food police Kate. But what else can you do? Cats are smart critters and Hazel seems to be one of the smartest when it come to getting her chow…~Elle

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    • My failure demonstrates how difficult it is. It takes a lot of human interaction. It’s usually by day 3 that the hunger sets in and it gets painful for all involved. She is happy but her arthritis would be better with less weight. She’s gained a pound and a half since Gracie joined us in January. A lot for an already overweight cat.

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  18. We actually have private dining rooms (two of our bathrooms) for the two cats who steal everyone else’s food. 4 feeding locations total for five cats. The things we have to do for the felines!!

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    • We have 4 locations for 4 cats. I’ve been trying to get Gracie (the troublemaker) to eat on the counter where Morgan eats. Hazel can’t get there. It would solve all my problems but she’s not having it. The vet suggested closing Gracie in a room with her food to eat and then removing it. We’ll try it and see how it goes. Howling cats behind closed doors. Oy vay! I have also removed the freestanding (but up high) dry food for Mollie overnight. It’s a very hard jump but Hazel can occasionally do it. She mostly misses and has put huge scratches in the cabinet. Now on top of everything, she’s refusing any food with the crushed pill in it. She never refuses food. I’m going to try with a different flavor food today and maybe a little less.

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  20. Hazel, I understand. I do. I can’t get rid of my extra pounds. I want to but it’s comfort food season. I am glad you passed with flying colors with the exception of some stiffness. I will be supporting you and cheering you on your weight loss strategies!

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    • Nuts! It’s just nuts! We did great a few years back. Then Morgan came and during the initial time before I got Morgan eating up high, Hazel put on a pound. Still good though. Gracie has done us all in. In many ways!

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  22. She has some beautiful markings Kate. Wish I had some ideas to help but so long as she’s in good health otherwise…….. you can only do what you can.
    Maggie was always on the scrounge from MSM, who thought we didn’t notice the titbits that fell on the floor or hovered over Maggie’s nose. She’s never overeaten or bolted her food though, even with other dogs in the house, so having just the one, we can leave her dinner down all day. Her weight has always ranged between 14.3 to 15.3 kg so well within the parameters for her size, breed and age.

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    • You are so lucky. The food thing is a huge trauma here. Not only Hazel’s weight gain but the finicky-ness. One day they love something. I buy a case. Then they never want it again.

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      • Oh yeah, been there with Maggie in the beginning and we spent a fortune on variety that ended up being given to the dog charity. She liked the dried meaty chunks, chicken only mind (sigh), but that’s what she gets…….. plus a few titbits if I’m cooking chicken or pork and her scrambled egg for breakfast again as I can crush up the glucosomine or any other medication in it. ‘Fickle bitch’ 😀 😀

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        • They didn’t prescribe glucosamine (which surprised me) but another over the counter with is similar. Alas, Hazel says it’s not tasty and she thinks everything is tasty. I saw her eat a piece of blanket fuzz.

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              • Wow. $45. Mine we £1.99 so about a three bucks. Can you crush them in something she does like? Or disguise them in something else? Maggie loves cheese so I microwaved a piece for a few seconds until it was all quishy then mixed the pill in with it, The sticky lump didn’t even touch the sides! Result!!

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                • My cats don’t eat anything but cat food and real chicken. No cheese. I’m trying a different flavor. I think the problem is that the pills themselves are flavored and it “clashes” with the food. They are big pills too. I have to cut in half so it’s hard to disguise. $3 I wouldn’t sweat at all. $45, she damn well better take them!

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