Weight Gain

[buiza]

I took Rainbow to the doctor a few weeks ago mainly because I just didn't think she was acting like herself. He checked her over very well and said that she appeared to be in very good health. There is only one thing that is bothering me. Rainbow has never been a very big cat but at the vet visit I realized that she had gained a little more than five pounds in less than six months. She weighed 13.75 pounds at this last visit. I can't help but worry because she has pretty much mantained a steady weight since becoming an adult. He told me not to worry unless she gained more in a short period and we would do some tests.
Should I wait and see or should I go ahead and request the tests now even though she looks and acts like she feels fine?

I just don't want to make the mistake of putting something off that would be better taken care of now. Does anyone have advice for me. I try so hard not to take her to the vet except for her six month check-ups because she gets so upset she is not the same for a week and they all treat her like she is a baby but she still hates them and me for taking her.

[ferJenna]

Did you have her blood checked? How old is she? I would have her glucose looked at to make sure it's not the beginning of diabetes, amongst other things.

Other possibilities include a change in food? Is she maybe getting into some other food source you're not aware of? Try backing down on the amount of food she's getting. If she's free fed, go to feeding her twice a day, or three times a day. That way you can measure the amount she's actually eating.

[That_girl]

What brand and type (adult, senior, kitten etc) of food are you feeding?

[special]

I recommend go ahead with the the bloodwork now. A urinalysis should be done too, as that is the best way to check for diabetes.

Finding something wrong sooner rather than later is always better and peace of mind has no price. Five pounds in six months sounds incredible ( I wonder if she was weighed on a different scale this time. )

I understand this will cause stress for Rainbow but knowing is better, IMO. and if you find out all is well, you can form a plan of action to help her get back to a healthier weight. And if all is not well you have caught it early.

[buiza]

I recommend go ahead with the the bloodwork now. A urinalysis should be done too, as that is the best way to check for diabetes.

Finding something wrong sooner rather than later is always better and peace of mind has no price. Five pounds in six months sounds incredible ( I wonder if she was weighed on a different scale this time. )

I understand this will cause stress for Rainbow but knowing is better, IMO. and if you find out all is well, you can form a plan of action to help her get back to a healthier weight. And if all is not well you have caught it early.

Seeing that diabetes has been mentioned a couple of times just makes me worry more and convinces me that I am not imagining the things I mentioned. I have noticed that she seems to constantly want water and keeps me busy making sure that her bowl is fresh and full. I believe that is a symtom of diabetes isn't it?

There is no doubt that she has had the weight gain because just her appearance and how it felt when I forced her to let me pick her up alerted me to this. The weight gain is the one thing that I am sure of and one of the things I worry about the most.

You have no idea how much stress this is going to cause both of us. I don't plan to discuss this with her and she will find out when she feels her little butt being lowered into her carrier. I just hate to upset her like this but I will make her an appointment Monday for a full check-up blood work and all.

[buiza]

What brand and type (adult, senior, kitten etc) of food are you feeding?

Rainbow eats two different types of food. I give her Science Diet Adult Formula wet food, and she eats Iams Digestive Care dry food. That is one of the things that worried me because her food has not changed nor does she seem to be eating more but she has had this weight gain. She is very picky about her food and I think she would like some of the less expensive brands more but I want her to get everything she needs to be healthy. Do you think I should be trying to get her to eat a higher quality food? She is 8.5 years old and I don't know how easy it would be to change her diet at this time but am willing to try.

I just hope the test will come up negative and I will find that she is just becoming a full figured girl like me her Mom.

Thanks for any help. I think everyone knows this silly girl is the love of my life so if you have advice it will be more than welcome.

[That_girl]

I think her food sounds fine, but you may want to cut back as ferjenna suggested. Getting her blood work done is a good idea, just to be sure.

[special]

Rainbow eats two different types of food. I give her Science Diet Adult Formula wet food, and she eats Iams Digestive Care dry food. That is one of the things that worried me because her food has not changed nor does she seem to be eating more but she has had this weight gain. She is very picky about her food and I think she would like some of the less expensive brands more but I want her to get everything she needs to be healthy. Do you think I should be trying to get her to eat a higher quality food? She is 8.5 years old and I don't know how easy it would be to change her diet at this time but am willing to try.

I just hope the test will come up negative and I will find that she is just becoming a full figured girl like me her Mom.

Thanks for any help. I think everyone knows this silly girl is the love of my life so if you have advice it will be more than welcome.

be sure to mention the excessive drinking to your vet, if you haven't already, when scheduling the blood work and other tests.

The earlier an illness is caught, the better able to treat it. Hopefully there won't be any problems, but if there are, you will then know what you are dealing with and be able to cope and help her have the healthy happy life you want for her..

[buiza]

I think her food sounds fine, but you may want to cut back as ferjenna suggested. Getting her blood work done is a good idea, just to be sure.

When I wrote about Rainbow's weight gain I forgot to mention that she has to be the laziest cat on earth. I think she might sleep around the clock if I let her but when I wake her up to play she acts like a nut. That is what makes me thinks she just likes to sleep and it isn't because she feels bad.

If you were to walk in and see her, you would think you were looking at a calico rock, a very pretty rock though.

[buiza]

When I wrote about Rainbow's weight gain I forgot to mention that she has to be the laziest cat on earth. I think she might sleep around the clock if I let her but when I wake her up to play she acts like a nut. That is what makes me thinks she just likes to sleep and it isn't because she feels bad.

If you were to walk in and see her, you would think you were looking at a calico rock, a very pretty rock though.
__________________

Well Miss Rainbow's test results are in, she got the whole works. When the phone rang and I realized that it was Dr. B I can't explain to you what happened to me. It was like my world fell to the ground because I knew it had to be something really bad.

He said he could tell how worried I was when he did the tests so instead of making me wait until next week for her next appointment he wanted to call and let me know what the results were.

The diagnosis is that I have a fat, very lazy cat that needs to eat less and play more! I have to cut back on her food intake but not a lot he wants me to try her on a lower calorie wet food, and try to wake her up and make her play with these two boxes of toys I have purchased for her. I can't tell you how happy I was, so much so that I did a big no no around here. I picked her up to hug and kiss her and she bit me on the lip! I didn't care, she is healthy and that is what matters to me. I looked like a turtle all day where she bit my lip, at least that is what my husband said I looked like.

[special]

Oh that is such a relief, thanks for the update.

Now to get her moving!

If you want some advice on that....be patient. It will take her some time to get into playing again, and it may take time to figure out even what she likes best to play with.

An example is....normally I play with my cats every night. We have Nightly Games around the same time and they know it and look forward to it. When I turn off the computer and get on the floor, they swarm around me.

however sometimes I am on a working spree where I am just too tired to want to play. If several days go by and I don't play, they get lazy. When I start the Games up again, they look at me like I'm nuts. Are you kidding, mom? We'd rather lay around and watch you sleep.

So I have to be persistent and keep at them with the Games I know they like, until they get interested again.

Once you get Rainbow moving you can add extra activity, such as making her jump up on things to chase her string on a stick, or if you have stairs, make her chase things up and down the stairs. I wouldn't try that just at first though.

But if you do the Games at about the same times every day, (morning and night?) it will become part of her routine and she will start to enjoy it as special bonding time.

Do let us know how it goes!

[special]

PS my cats are wondeefrul game inventors and will be happy to share their favorites, if you want some ideas.

[uwllv88]

I was holding my breath as I was reading what the Dr. was going to say - I was sure it was bad. Thank you for making me sigh with relief!! I'm happy she's good. One of my cats loves to play hide n seek, I chase her and she hides (with her butt hanging out from under the table that I pretend I don't see). Then I find her and she runs and hides somewhere else. Toys most all cats like are "The bird" and what's the name of that silly thing with cardboard on the end that flies around on a wire, I can't think of it. When I do I'll post it. :confused: Again, so happy for you and Rainbow.

[ferJenna]

YAY! So happy to hear everything is fine :)

[notaregift]

that's great news! i'm happy that all is well. :)

[buiza]

I was holding my breath as I was reading what the Dr. was going to say - I was sure it was bad. Thank you for making me sigh with relief!! I'm happy she's good. One of my cats loves to play hide n seek, I chase her and she hides (with her butt hanging out from under the table that I pretend I don't see). Then I find her and she runs and hides somewhere else. Toys most all cats like are "The bird" and what's the name of that silly thing with cardboard on the end that flies around on a wire, I can't think of it. When I do I'll post it. :confused: Again, so happy for you and Rainbow.

I would like to use this one message to respond to everyone that expressed so much concern and hope when I was waiting for Rainbow's test results to come in. I have been a cat person all my life but it seems I learn something new all the time from people like the ones on this board.

I think we got off to a pretty good start this morning. About 5AM I walked out on my back deck and there just sitting in my back yard was a little fox. I was so excited because that is one of the few visitors I haven't had. I wanted Rainbow to see him so bad so I slipped in the house thinking it would run and got her to come to the window, he was still there and she went bonkers! She was jumping up and down on the stereo banging on the window and the fox just sat and looked at her.

She went back to sleep after he left and I got out a pair of shoes to put new strings in them. She heard me, saw the string and jerked it out of my hand and was off and running, I can't remember her running in a while. I remembered some of the advice I had gotten from the board so I made a game out of it. She was jumping so high she looked like a fat little helicopter.

I would like to tell you that we kept playing but I am not young and just came out of a cast a couple of weeks ago so she will have to take it easy on me. I just wish you could all see her right now, she has her 13.75 pound self stuffed into a size 6 shoe box and she is sound asleep-----again. All you can see is rolls of fat hanging over the sides of the box. I guess this will be another piece of my home decor until she tires of it.