Sue's notes to self

Now, you are probably thinking I am going to bemoan the fact that I am supposed to be on a diet. Well, aren’t we all on a diet, always? It’s just that sometimes it is a good diet, sometimes it is a bad diet, sometimes it is a fun diet, and sometimes – usually when trying to lose weight – it is boring, frustrating, miserable, useless diet. I have had my experience of several of the last, and they have generally got me nowhere, at least not long term that is.

However, I am not talking about my diet, although at the moment it is decidedly unsuccessful. No, I am talking about the fact that we have been told that one of our cats also has to go on a diet. The issue is the ‘one’ when we have two. The one that doesn’t need a diet is a grazer, and the one that does is a sneak thief.

Therein lies the problem. She got that way because every time he leaves his half-eaten bowl of food – for later on – she will pop out from under the table and eat his first. No matter that her’s is just next to it, merely a few steps away. His is easy pickings and she can also eat her’s later. So she has got quite rotund, and she never was slim. He is all fluff and it is hard to tell how chunky he really is, other than that a year ago we had real worries because he was losing so much weight. After blood tests, prodding around, stool samples and various visit to the vets he appeared to be over it. More than likely because we kept an eye and she didn’t scoff his food. We should have known.

Now he is fine, but she is still getting fat. He is perfectly capable of hunting out extra protein anyway. (Mind you, we don’t let him eat any that he brings back). She, on the the hand, is so plump that hunting anything is barely an option. She has managed the odd butterfly, moth, spider, fly and dead leaf or feather, and even stuffed toy, brought to us with much pride.

So, how do you put one on a diet and not the other? The answer is – with difficulty. It has been suggested that chip-opening feeders might be the answer, but they are very expensive and not certain to work. She is just as likely to wait till he opens his and push him out of the way. We have settled for less food for both, watching them while they eat and picking his up when he leaves it too soon.

Now every time either of us goes into the kitchen we are followed by not one, but two, pleading pussy cats. He is pleading to have his food put back down where he can reach it (though he could climb on the worktop after all, he does when we don’t want him too, and she can’t – because she is too plump). She is squeaking because she thinks her throat has been cut.

It may be working though. He appears to be learning that it is best to eat it all up at once. She is looking maybe, just maybe, a little slimmer. Time will tell. If I am honest, I am the one most likely to succumb to his pleas for more, because he is my ‘baby boy’, and the one who doesn’t really need to lose weight. The vet said nothing about him, she was too busy making a fuss of him because he is such a charmer (see picture). She, on the other hand, is your standard tuxedo cat, with added ‘catitude’, and in her case, added roundness.

We love them both, and neither will go hungry, but it has made feeding time more of a challenge. What a blessing that they are not overly fussy eaters, though they do have their favourites. He likes the dry food best, and she likes the wet food best. That could have been the easy way out, but it doesn’t work like that. Anyone with a cat will know what I mean! They are, after all, known to be ‘purrverse’, and that is why we love them and will go to great lengths to make sure that they are kept healthy.

Now, having said all that, how do I start on a better diet for me? One that is not boring, frustrating, miserable and useless? Maybe I should learn from their regime? If the food is put out of my reach – which isn’t that high let’s face it – then maybe I will succeed? Now, there’s a thought…..

Sue October 2023