Slimmin’ Down for Summer
Posted at 11:47 am July 27, 2007 by Kelly Murphy
We’ve reached that time of year where Ms. Pallas’s cat is losing her winter fat and shedding out her long coat. This time, however, she did it in record time. Usually come March, I start to see her appetite decline and the weight start to come off. Then you add to that another bit of a stubborn streak (see Kelly’s blog, A Stubborn Streak). You see, apparently house cats aren’t the only ones that hold a grudge when you put them into a crate and take them to visit the vets for their annual vaccinations!
Our Pallas’s cat, Mom, does the same thing. For a few weeks she wasn’t shifting well and therefore not getting a full meal. So the weight came off a little quicker than usual!
Once the trust was back and shifting became routine again, we decided to address her dietary needs. Instead of cutting her calories, we needed to increase them. A change in the type of cat chow offered seemed to do the trick. Within a couple of weeks she had put on enough weight to put her between her target range for this time of year. I’m happy to report that she seems right back on the ball, shifting regularly, eagerly awaiting her meal, and enjoying her sessions with the keeper. Well, at least she doesn’t stay hidden in her box just giving me the evil eye!
Enrichment still presents a bit of a challenge for me. Ever since my one success (see Kelly’s blog, Gimme an “A” for Enrichment!), I have had nothing. I even tried the suggestion of a paper sack made by one of our blog readers, Joy. Now granted, I don’t know what she did overnight, but while I was watching she just sat there watching me back. I personally think that’s half the fun for her. I’m not giving up, though, so keep those ideas coming if you have any good ones.
Kelly Murphy is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
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July 27th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
My two in-door cats love chasing the beam from a laser pointer. In fact, it’s the only reliable way to get my chubby girl to play with anything for more than a few seconds. (My slender girl is younger and wants to play all the time!!) And I’ve found that if you shine the pointer on other toys–using a horizontal, back-and-forth, prey-scurring-along kind of motion–it gets the kitties to interact with those toys as well. They think it’s the best thing ever!! Hope this help!!
July 27th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Someone once gave me a bubble-blower whose liquid was catnip-scented. Perhaps once Mom gets over reacting to the bubbles bursting, she might play with them!
July 28th, 2007 at 7:52 am
I’m pleased you tried my suggestion, and just as perplexed and frustrated as you that Mom didn’t go for it. It sounds to me as though *you* are her enrichment, while she’s watching you watching her. .oO(Oh great, the human wants me to entertain her. Let’s have a staring contest instead.) That is how my cat reacted any time I got out the camera and pointed it at him. I had to be sneaky if I wanted to photograph him in any cute behaviors, because the moment he saw the camera he would sit straight up and stare balefully at me. I like the suggestion from Amy (#1) about the laser pointer. In the days before laser pointers, we accomplished a similar thing with yarn tied to a toy the cat didn’t show interest in; we pulled gently on the yarn with uneven jerking motions at random time intervals, rather like manipulating a fishing lure. Now that I am a mother myself, I realize that my mother viewed that as enrichment for us children as much as for the cat.
July 29th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Golly, Mom sounds like a tough sell! Now if I were a Pallas Cat, what would I like? A small object that looks, smells, and sounds like a Pika, that I could hunt, capture, and break open to find food inside! There must be some inventors out there who could make a Pika Lure for Mom!!
July 30th, 2007 at 8:26 am
I have had eight cats over my many, many years. The one thing that I found none of them could resist is an open carton or box. It must be totally open. (Suitcases are great also, unfortunately:-). They must instantly jump into it and dare you to make them get out. It maybe something of interest to “Mom”.
July 30th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Kelly, have you tried a little catnip in a burlap bag my two surley love it, and they will roll around and get the look like they are in la la land. My old cat that passed acted like she was on drugs. Also I have a mouse that is touch activated and it’s eyes light up and it laughs, when it starts to move the fun starts,but I think Joy is right you are the enrichment item. Next week I have the pleasure of getting my two in their crate for their visit to the vet, I will be prying them from the hiding spot and listening to their loud protest all the way in the car,but you see my two are harness and leash trained but all bets are off when we get to Dr Adlers office. Good luck with mom
August 5th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Mine love the little wrap arounds from the plastic milk cartons because they curl around their paws. They also go nuts for cable ties and you can put a string on the end of it to drag it around.
September 24th, 2007 at 11:46 am
My cat loves to watch the movement of light through prisms. The rainbows they cast on the floor make perfect chase toys. We also play with tissue paper. He likes the crinkly sound of it.