# Am I feeding my cats enough?



## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

Hello all

I'm 21 and have just moved out of my family home into my own apartment, and adopted two rescue (indoor) cats. I've always grown up with cats, but they've always been outdoor cats, mostly males, who have loved hunting and so had a huge calorie output and subsequently eaten a fair amount of food (never had an overweight cat or anything so I think I have a fairly good gauge of how much to feed an outdoor cat!)

Tony and Cleo, our new rescues, are 1 year and 8 months respectively, fairly large cats and semi-longhaired. We were warned that they will ask for food all day which they do and I am yet to give in to their pleading! At the moment, I split one pouch of food between them at breakfast, and another at dinner. So they get 1 pouch a day each plus a handful of Dreamies here and there during the day. 

Is this enough food for them? They are indoors but they do love playing and run around quite a lot so I'm worried I'm being a bit stingy with them. I am just loathed to let them become overweight and they did not come to us particularly slender!

Any advice appreciated.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

No that is definitely NOT enough. It's starvation rations. 

On pouches - and I'm assuming you are feeding Whiskas or Felix - they need around 4 pouches a day EACH. 1 a day is 1/4 rations. 

On a better quality food like Bozita, Aminonda Carny, Grau etc you would still expect to feed them around 300g of food a day EACH!

Not only that the 8 months old is still a kitten and growing fast - that one should be fed as much as he wants, at a year the other one isnt that far out of kittenhood and could be fed the same.


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

spid said:


> No that is definitely NOT enough. It's starvation rations.
> 
> On pouches - and I'm assuming you are feeding Whiskas or Felix - they need around 4 pouches a day EACH. 1 a day is 1/4 rations.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your advice.

I do struggle to comprehend 4 pouches a day each, though, not least for monetary considerations!

Our 3 family pets are 10, 13, and 14 years old, not a single one has ever had a health problem, and they get 1/1.5 pouches a day each plus a sprinkling of dry food (and are outdoor cats). Granted that they do hunt for their own here and there in the winter, but they are all beautifully healthy, normal sized cats and very very happy.

I should also add that the cats often leave the second half of their nighttime food. They aren't scratching down the doors with hunger. They just follow us to the kitchen and meow a bit until they realise it's not their dinner time!


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

graceholl said:


> Hello all
> 
> I'm 21 and have just moved out of my family home into my own apartment, and adopted two rescue (indoor) cats. I've always grown up with cats, but they've always been outdoor cats, mostly males, who have loved hunting and so had a huge calorie output and subsequently eaten a fair amount of food (never had an overweight cat or anything so I think I have a fairly good gauge of how much to feed an outdoor cat!)
> 
> ...


Poor wee things must be so hungry 

Depending on the type of food you're feeding - supermarket quality, minimum of three pouches per cat per day. Better quality food - ie Bozita, Grau would be slightly less, but nowhere near as little as they're being fed now.

Please give them more to eat and if you want to keep an eye on their weight, cut out the Dreamies, don't feed dry food and look into feeding good quality wet. Oh and keep up with the playtime/exercise


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

dougal22 said:


> Poor wee things must be so hungry
> 
> Depending on the type of food you're feeding - supermarket quality, minimum of three pouches per cat per day. Better quality food - ie Bozita, Grau would be slightly less, but nowhere near as little as they're being fed now.
> 
> Please give them more to eat and if you want to keep an eye on their weight, cut out the Dreamies, don't feed dry food and look into feeding good quality wet. Oh and keep up with the playtime/exercise


I promise you, they aren't hungry! They are more than content. Like I mentioned above, they leave a fair amount behind at night time. And they are fed nibbles during the day when they aren't sleeping on the windowsill 

I think I will ask Cats Protection/the vet for a bit of advice before I start giving them 4 pouches a day as that concerns me a bit based on what my family pets have been fed for the last 10 years without any problems.


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## nicolaa123 (Mar 30, 2012)

One pouch a day, really is not enough! If money is an issue to feed more than this, then that is a worry. Look at changing the food for something better quality as you can feed less of that, which will cut down the cost a bit. Please also get them insured, vet bills can be huge!


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## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

Agree with spid ... At least 4 a day ... I only have my boy on high quality wet and he has 300g plus RC kitten and half a tin of sardines a day at 11 months ..

My outdoor cat , we feed on demand and see gets 400g tin a day plus raw

The girls are fed raw and wet , and I get though 1kg every 2 days 


So you can see it really is not a lot


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

nicolaa123 said:


> One pouch a day, really is not enough! If money is an issue to feed more than this, then that is a worry. Look at changing the food for something better quality as you can feed less of that, which will cut down the cost a bit. Please also get them insured, vet bills can be huge!


They are insured 

I don't mean a money worry in that I can't afford it - more that I am shocked about how much people must spend on pouches if their cats are eating 4 pouches a day!


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## nicolaa123 (Mar 30, 2012)

graceholl said:


> They are insured
> 
> I don't mean a money worry in that I can't afford it - more that I am shocked about how much people must spend on pouches if their cats are eating 4 pouches a day!


It's because the food is not as good as quality with a low meat content and lots of fillers in there. Look at some food threads about all the different foods you can get that are better quality!


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

graceholl said:


> Hello all
> 
> I'm 21 and have just moved out of my family home into my own apartment, and adopted two rescue (indoor) cats. I've always grown up with cats, but they've always been outdoor cats, mostly males, who have loved hunting and so had a huge calorie output and subsequently eaten a fair amount of food (never had an overweight cat or anything so I think I have a fairly good gauge of how much to feed an outdoor cat!)
> 
> ...





graceholl said:


> *I promise you, they aren't hungry! *They are more than content. Like I mentioned above, they leave a fair amount behind at night time. And they are fed nibbles during the day when they aren't sleeping on the windowsill
> 
> *I think I will ask Cats Protection/the vet for a bit of advice before I start giving them 4 pouches a day *as that concerns me a bit based on what my family pets have been fed for the last 10 years without any problems.


I assure you, on the amount of food you're feeding, they are hungry. I have genetically naturally slender cats and they all eat more than your large fluffy cats.

Perhaps if you're concerned about feeding more pouches which will have a significant impact on your purse, you could look into feeding better quality wet food. However, even feeing better quality food in the quantity you are feeding now isn't enough.

Please feel free to seek advice from your vet. But one thing I'm certain about, some members on here have more experience than your vet with regards to feline nutrition.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Cats that are outdoor cats and hunt probably supplement their diet by a fair bit - if you feed raw then a full days allowance is only 120g for an average cats - about 1 ands 1/4 mice. 

I expect most people feed dry alongside their wet (although I don't advocate that at all). ANd many people don't realise how small 40g is and feed much more than that. 

It's up to you whether you feed more - but your cats will be hungry, that's why they ask. If mine are hungry they follow me into the kitchen and miaow - if they are not (most of the time) they ignore me and stay where they are.

You must have worried that they weren't getting enough to post on here?

What brand do you feed?


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

spid said:


> Cats that are outdoor cats and hunt probably supplement their diet by a fair bit - if you feed raw then a full days allowance is only 120g for an average cats - about 1 ands 1/4 mice.
> 
> I expect most people feed dry alongside their wet (although I don't advocate that at all). ANd many people don't realise how small 40g is and feed much more than that.
> 
> ...


If I was worried that they were starving I'd have just started feeding them much more, it was more to check really as I haven't had indoor-only cats before. They really are full of energy and very happy and they do get food throughout the day in small handfuls of dry food/Dreamies. We were told by Cats Protection that they were very much overfed beforehand and are quite naughty in asking for food all the time. I have had cats for as long as I remember and never fed them the amounts suggested here (although I appreciate you are all much more read up on it than me or even some vets) so I am just not sure what to do with the conflicting POVs I get! 

I will start feeding them more, though, and look into better quality wet food; does anyone have any recommendations as to where to go for it?


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Pet Supplies, Pet Food, Dog Food, Cat Food and Pet Accessories at Zooplus lots of good brands on there.

See, you now say you are feeding them dry with the dreamies. Dry is food that actually causes cats to put on weight because it is full of carbs and carbs cause cats to lay down fat as they can't metabolise it. Small handfuls actually weigh quite a lot - around 10-20g a go, if not more. A days allowance is about 40g. SO if they are getting 1/4 of their allowance from wet and at least 3 handfuls a day of dry and dreamies then they probably are getting enough calories - it's like eating Maccy Ds all day long but will keep them fuller.

I will post you my missive about food in the next post.


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

Growing kittens should be allowed to eat as much as they want. My cats, ages 14, 1.3 years, and 1.2 years eat 4 meals a day. First thing in the morning, noonish, tea time and bed time. I give them as much as they want at each meal. They are optimum weight, by no means overweight. Cricket the oldest could stand to gain a good half pound being a senior. 

The only time my cats ask for food is when they're hungry. Your cats are telling you they are hungry, that's why they are begging to be fed. Poor things. If you feed a high quality wet diet or preferably a raw diet suited to their species they will not get fat. It's the constant grazing on dry food that causes obesity. 

There's loads of information on feeding a quality diet in the Health and Nutrition section.


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

PS These are the cats.  Hope it reassures everyone that they aren't skin and bones!


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

My missive (I must bore everyone to death with this)

Hello there,

Firstly if you can try to get them off the dry - they will love it - but we like cake but don't eat it all the time! It's full of completely unnecessary carbs that are there to bulk the food out and make it cheaper for the manufacturers to produce. Add to that that cats find it incredibly hard to metabolise you end up paying for them to poop it out. The additives and sugars that are in dry are a contributory factor to feline obesity. 
Also dry is incredibly dehydrating for cats as cats have evolved to get 99% of their fluids from their prey and so have no natural thirst drive. For each 50g of dry they eat they need about 1/2 pint of water to counteract the dehydrating effects. Even with a water fountain most cats find this a hard amount of water to drink. 
Dehydration can lead to kidney problems, UTIs and crystals forming in the bladder. This is especially bad for neutered boys (no idea why neutered) but boys because they have a longer urethral tract and often the crystals get stuck in their willy when they try to pass them and it is incredibly painful. Obviously not all cats will get this - but you have to weigh up the risks and decide to do what is best for you.

The worst wet is better than the best dry. Yes even Whiskas and Felix!

For wet the higher the meat percentage the better. I like to feed anything above 60% but tend to go for 97% or more, watch out for the offal content though.

I personally feed a mixture of raw, Bozita, Aminonda Carny, and Grau, I have fed Natures Menu and Hi-life in the past, and probably will again. Other good ones are Petnatur, Tiger, Macs etc. These foods are found either at Pet Supplies, Pet Food, Dog Food, Cat Food and Pet Accessories at Zooplus or other german suppliers. Other have ordered from the other suppliers but I haven't had the courage yet. Nature's Menu can be found at [email protected] as can Hi-life.

If you really need to feed dry - look at Orijen, Applaws, and Acana - these are grain free.

As with all good food they may seem more expensive (wet and dry) to begin with, but you feed less and they poop less, AND it's a lot less smelly.

SOme links

HomeVet healthy pets articles, animal health, dog care, cat wellbeing, Dr Feinman VMD Does Dry Food Clean the Teeth? | Little Big Cat
Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition :: healthy cat diet, making cat food, litter box, cat food, cat nutrition, cat urinary tract health
cat nutrition - blog
Feline Urinary Tract Health: Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM :: cat urinary tract health
Kidney Failure in Cats Symptoms and Treatment

and this book is brilliant - written by a vet qualified in feline nutrition SPECIFICALLY and once part of the pet food industry. Over 20 years vet experience too.

Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life: Amazon.co.uk: Elizabeth M. Hodgkins: Books

I suppose it's all about risk.

Many people will quote the old lady down the road who smoked like a chimney, drank a quart of scotch a day, never exercised in her life and lived to be a 100. But they omit to tell you about the 50 others that fell by the wayside along the way. You could do really well with your cat. But . . . and here's the crunch; if it is not it a solely indoor cat fed ONLY that and not supplementing it's diet outside, then you can get lucky, if isn't then the natural food it eats helps it along.

It's a very difficult and potentially contentious subject - pet foods have taken off in the last 25 years - the market is now HUGE and not enough adequate research has been done into the health effects and benefit of all these foods. The research that has been done is rarely independent and never long term. When we had my first cats they ate what was there, there were no dry foods, they hunted to supplement their diet (in fact that's what most cats were kept for - vermin control), there were no kittens or breed specific foods and yet most did well. Obesity and diabetes and kidney failure were rare. And yet all of those are on the rise in our feline population - as it is in humans.

And what is the contributing factor, what has changed for both us and cats? - DIET.

Cats can't digest grains/ carbs - but the makers of Felix and the like use a lot of grains/ cellulose fillers etc in their foods as it is actually cheaper than meat. So the cats struggle to digest it, what they do digest interferes with their biological systems and sometimes causes them to put on weight (as that is the bodies way of dealing with excess carbs), this then interferes with insulin production etc and you end up with diabetic cats (not all, just some). This is why cat poop on that diet stinks - they are getting rid of noxious waste. You pay for them to poop most of the Felix type food back out again and because the body doesn't like it it struggles to process it making it smelly in the process. Cats fed raw have almost odorless poops. Add in the fact that dry is a (imho) major contributing factor in UTIs, crystal forming, and kidney disease and you begin to see a bigger picture.

It's all about risk and minimising it. You can feed supermarket foods (and some are better than others) and your cat could live to be in its 20s, of that there is no doubting - but what if your cat is one of the other 50 that won't get to twenty and is more prone to weight gain, chronic kidney failure etc. You weigh up the risks and how to minimise them, you do your research, and then you make an informed choice. And if after all that you still want to feed Felix etc then do so.


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## Charity (Apr 17, 2013)

If we are talking per cat, I think four pouches is too much. If you look at the guidance on the boxes/packets of whatever food you are giving them, it should tell you what is the correct amount for the size of your cats. One of mine is small and the other quite a large tabby. they are pickers so giving them a sachet each is a waste of time as half ends up in the bin. I feed mainly Encore Pate and on the pack it says maximum three sachets for a large cat per day. I give them half a pouch each for breakfast, sometimes with a few dry biscuits. They have a tin of Encore flakes between them at lunchtime and a pouch each for dinner which also lasts them through the night. Dreamies are just treats aren't they so not really a meal? I would say three pouches a day rather than two for your cats and make sure its grain free, its the grains which usually put weight on cats.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Look at zooplus Wet & Canned Cat Food: Free Delivery on orders £25+ zooplus! for food and if you are concerned about the cost look at the price per kg of some of the excellent quality tinned foods like Animonda Carny and Bozita in comparison to the pouches of Whiskas etc.
Pouches will never be economical


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

graceholl said:


> If I was worried that they were starving I'd have just started feeding them much more, it was more to check really as I haven't had indoor-only cats before. They really are full of energy and very happy and they do get food throughout the day in small handfuls of dry food/Dreamies. We were told by Cats Protection that they were very much overfed beforehand and are quite naughty in asking for food all the time. I have had cats for as long as I remember and never fed them the amounts suggested here (although I appreciate you are all much more read up on it than me or even some vets) so I am just not sure what to do with the conflicting POVs I get!
> 
> I will start feeding them more, though, and look into better quality wet food; does anyone have any recommendations as to where to go for it?


Previously, I would have recommended Zooplus, but their customer service is the pits IMHO.

If you want to improve their diet, you could just skip Zooplus and go for Macs or Om Nom from The Happy Kitty Company. Their customer service is excellent and the food is great quality too.


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

spid said:


> Pet Supplies, Pet Food, Dog Food, Cat Food and Pet Accessories at Zooplus lots of good brands on there.
> 
> See, you now say you are feeding them dry with the dreamies. Dry is food that actually causes cats to put on weight because it is full of carbs and carbs cause cats to lay down fat as they can't metabolise it. Small handfuls actually weigh quite a lot - around 10-20g a go, if not more. A days allowance is about 40g. SO if they are getting 1/4 of their allowance from wet and at least 3 handfuls a day of dry and dreamies then they probably are getting enough calories - it's like eating Maccy Ds all day long but will keep them fuller.
> 
> I will post you my missive about food in the next post.


Thanks for that link. I will hunt down something suitable for them!


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

graceholl said:


> Thanks for your advice.
> 
> I do struggle to comprehend 4 pouches a day each, though, not least for monetary consideration


If you don't believe us , what does the pouch/pack say on it re feeding recommendations. If it is Supermarket quality food I think you will find it says the same.


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

buffie said:


> If you don't believe us , what does the pouch/pack say on it re feeding recommendations. If it is Supermarket quality food I think you will find it says the same.


It's not that I don't believe you. It just feels excessive to me given the diets my healthy, happy cats have had over their long lives throughout mine!


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

So say I ordered the Bozita Salmon tins (they are obsessed with fishy flavours and less fussed by meat and poultry), how many tins between the two of them would you guys recommend? They are like I said indoor cats but they are playful and like exploring. 1 yr & 8 months domestic semi-longhairs


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

Your cats are beautiful.  However one can't tell by a picture if they are of optimum weight. If you can feel their spine and/or hips as you run your hand along their back, they are under ideal weight.


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## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

As you have stated your family have older cats.. Not young ones full of energy and growing.. So they will need a lot more than you are giving them .. You must think you are not giving enough otherwise you would not have asked ... Listen to the ppl on here we really do know what we are talking about


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

Toby Tyler said:


> Your cats are beautiful.  However one can't tell by a picture if they are of optimum weight. If you can feel their spine and/or hips as you run your hand along their back, they are under their optimum weight.


You can't.


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## Jonescat (Feb 5, 2012)

I have big indoor fluffies too and they eat about 260g wet on average a day - a bit less in this very hot weather, a bit more in the snow. They would be outraged at one pouch! Yours do look lovely - do you know what weight they are? - it helps to work out how much food to recommend. Have you compared them to body condition chart? It covers more than just weight to give a more holisitic picture:
Cat Body Condition Score Chart

Compare the price per kg of pouches with tins and you will see how much extra you pay for the pouch!


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

Cosmills said:


> As you have stated your family have older cats.. Not young ones full of energy and growing.. So they will need a lot more than you are giving them .. You must think you are not giving enough otherwise you would not have asked ... Listen to the ppl on here we really do know what we are talking about


The cats we have are young but indoor cats.

The family pets are older (but I wouldn't say 'senior' yet) and travel miles every day. So swings and roundabouts in some ways.

I'm not trying to ignore anyone's advice or say I think it's wrong. I'm just surprised at the amount recommended!


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## Jonescat (Feb 5, 2012)

You'll need more Bozita than others as it has a slightly lower meat content and lots of stock. (This can be a good thing). Look at the feeding recs on it and you'll see what I mean. Also if you look at the feeding recs for Animonda Carny you will see that age and eventual size are important when deciding what is right for your cat.


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

graceholl said:


> how many tins between the two of them would you guys recommend?


The eight month old is still a kitten and should be allowed to eat as much as he can. If they were my cats I would not restrict the one year old either.

In any event, the tin will give you the recommended feeding amount based on age and weight.


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

Jonescat said:


> I have big indoor fluffies too and they eat about 260g wet on average a day - a bit less in this very hot weather, a bit more in the snow. They would be outraged at one pouch! Yours do look lovely - do you know what weight they are? - it helps to work out how much food to recommend. Have you compared them to body condition chart? It covers more than just weight to give a more holisitic picture:
> Cat Body Condition Score Chart
> 
> Compare the price per kg of pouches with tins and you will see how much extra you pay for the pouch!


Supermarket pouches are extortionate so I am definitely interested in bulk-buying online!

I would put our two at a 7 on that chart.

This is Ginger (originally called Mischief but 'Ginger' stuck very early on!) who I have had since I was 11 years old, an outdoor cat who lives with my family. He is fed (like the other 2) about a pouch of wet food and 2 small bowls of dry, never been to the vet for anything other than a booster vaccination, and I would put him as a 5 on the Condition Score Chart:

(enjoying Wimbledon this weekend)


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

Toby Tyler said:


> The eight month old is still a kitten and should be allowed to eat as much as he can. If they were my cats I would not restrict the one year old either.
> 
> In any event, the tin will give you the recommended feeding amount based on age and weight.


But how much is 'as much as it can'? Do I continually replenish the bowl when she finishes until she doesn't want to eat anymore? That seems crazy?


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## Charity (Apr 17, 2013)

Graceholl, I think you need to make up your own mind from the information everyone has provided.....each to their own! I recommend Viovet online as they have quite a variety of good quality food and their service is excellent and delivery very quick.


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## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

Charity said:


> Graceholl, I think you need to make up your own mind from the information everyone has provided.....each to their own! I recommend Viovet online as they have quite a variety of good quality food and their service is excellent and delivery very quick.


I use viovet for Mr D natures menu ... Not many site do it and its the only thing he will eat at the min .. Super service too


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

graceholl said:


> PS These are the cats.  Hope it reassures everyone that they aren't skin and bones!


Your cats look very familiar. I had to double check when you joined. There are obviously some 'look alikes' on the forum


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

graceholl said:


> But how much is 'as much as it can'? Do I continually replenish the bowl when she finishes until she doesn't want to eat anymore? That seems crazy?


Yes, and there's nothing crazy about it.  She is a kitten and will not eat more than her stomach can handle. Would you put a human baby on a diet?

In any event, you seem convinced that what you are feeding is somehow adequate so by all means continue on. You asked, we answered. Do what works best for you.


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## smiler84 (Feb 4, 2012)

my boy is coming up to 2 years old. he gets at least 3 pouches per day, plus a small amount of dry. He also gets treats/meat etc. 1 pouch a day for a growing kitten is nowhere near enough.


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

graceholl said:


> I am just loathed to let them become overweight and they did not come to us particularly slender!


It sounds to me like you are projecting your own feelings about weight onto your poor hungry cats.


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

Toby Tyler said:


> Yes, and there's nothing crazy about it.  She is a kitten and will not eat more than her stomach can handle. *Would you put a human baby on a diet*?
> 
> In any event, you seem convinced that what you are feeding is somehow adequate so by all means continue on. You asked, we answered. Do what works best for you.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

Scary 

.


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

dougal22 said:


> :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> Scary
> 
> .


Yes, and these young cats/kittens are teetering on the brink of obesity at a whopping 7 on the chart just by eating 1/2 pouch of food and a couple of dreamies twice per day 

Poor little mites. Anorexia nervosa by proxy no doubt. Now I really_ have_ seen it all.


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## Cats cats cats (Feb 4, 2011)

Hi  at their age I would also feed as much as they want 

Personally , I free feed dry food ( meaning its down all the time ) and wet food numerous times throughout the day. I never weigh or ration the food, I do believe cats regulate their intake pretty well , ie: they don't just eat and eat and eat just because its there 

If I open a pouch and its gobbled up quickly , I open another and another  I do have 5 cats though 

Any leftovers, just go in the fridge 

I would suggest offering more meals per day and also, more at each meal too. You may find that you're right and your kitties don't want more and if so, no harm done  

You'll probably find though, that they do want more as one pouch per day does sound too little to me .

Hope this helps


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Personally, seeing that the OP is feeding handfuls (albeit small ones) of dry a the same time these cats are probably getting a reasonable amount - Have to say I wouldn't rate them a 7 though, they are fluffy and you have to account for that not being there. I would have said they looked absolutely fine.


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

spid said:


> Personally, seeing that the OP is feeding handfuls (albeit small ones) of dry a the same time these cats are probably getting a reasonable amount - Have to say *I wouldn't rate them a 7 though*, they are fluffy and you have to account for that not being there. I would have said they looked absolutely fine.


I wouldn't 'rate' any cat or kitten based on a photo. There are too many guessing games on forums. Owners and their vet are best placed to score their cats body condition. Photos can be very deceptive.

I do wonder though why the OP posted in the first place as she feels her cats are getting enough to eat based on replies to posts, but the title says different


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## Colette (Jan 2, 2010)

I feed my indoor cats about 200 - 250g per day (each) of fairly good wet (mix of Bozita, AC, smilla, feringa etc).
They also get some extras which may be a small handful of applaws dry, some treats (dreamies etc), whole prey or raw meat, etc.

They're stuck in my little flat, but they are mentla and burn plenty of calories!

I think Spid is right that the dry needs to be taken into account, it would probably exaplin why these cats aren't starving. Atill, better to ditch or at least reduce the dry and increase the amount of decent wet food.

Sorry had to say this though....


> if you feed raw then a full days allowance is only 120g for an average cats - about 1 ands 1/4 mice.


What sort of GM monster mice do you have round your way lol!! :yikes: A normal mouse is only about 30g, the XL ones tend to come out around 40g.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

dougal22 said:


> I wouldn't 'rate' any cat or kitten based on a photo. There are too many guessing games on forums. Owners and their vet are best placed to score their cats body condition. Photos can be very deceptive.
> 
> I do wonder though why the OP posted in the first place as she feels her cats are getting enough to eat based on replies to posts, but the title says different


Maybe not, on the rating, but I have fluffies and I know how they photograph and they don't look obese and that is hard to hide in a photo. Vets get it wrong often too, going only by weight and not body condition, especially in large breeds.


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## Kimbles38 (Jun 9, 2013)

Hi grace

I joined this forum a few weeks ago and got some great advice about what food to feed my kitten.

He was eating felix when he came to me so I continued with that for a little bit.
I was feeding half a pouch 4 times a day but if that half was finished quickly, then he got the second half of the pouch too so he was getting between 2 and 4 pouches per day. For example, I would feed him when I got up, then go and get ready for work, if he had finished the food before I was ready to leave, he got the second half. If he didn't want anymore, he just stopped eating.
I have started changing him onto bozita tins from zooplus (Bozita Canned Food 6 x 410g: Great Deals on Bozita Cat Food at zooplus)
and mixing it in small amounts, gradually increasing until he will eventually be on this alone.
He eats less because it is a better quality food but still will get fed 4 times a day.

I hope that helps. 
The guys on here are really knowledgable and do know what they are talking about.


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## nicolaa123 (Mar 30, 2012)

Oh heck I looked at that condition chart, my boy is definatly a 3


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

Colette said:


> Sorry had to say this though....
> 
> What sort of GM monster mice do you have round your way lol!! :yikes: A normal mouse is only about 30g, the XL ones tend to come out around 40g.


_Special_ mice that are sneaking into the cat food when she isn't looking


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Colette said:


> Sorry had to say this though....
> 
> What sort of GM monster mice do you have round your way lol!! :yikes: A normal mouse is only about 30g, the XL ones tend to come out around 40g.


I was guessing - seeing the rabbit that got caught by Presto though - and he ate most of, it wouldn't surprise me if cats did catch enough to sustain them.


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## Grace_Lily (Nov 28, 2010)

Your cats are gorgeous! Well done for rescuing too 

I do agree that 1 pouch a day is too little. My youngest is coming up for 10 months and is on about 3 meals a day, only recently weened down from 4 because she was starting to refuse food. At their ages you could get away with unlimited feeding - most cats won't over eat, although one of mine will! You would just have to monitor them and see. I also source my food from zooplus, mainly bozita and smilla. Pouches are very expensive, I buy the 400-410g tins and just pop a re-usable lid on to keep them fresh.


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## Iheartcats (Aug 25, 2011)

Those felix pounches are such a waste of money. They just aren't satisfying at all. My cats were eating me out of house and home when we used them. They'd have two each at breakfast, two each at lunch and two each for dinner.

Like the others said they need more to eat. I err on the side of over feeding mine but they are active outdoor cats so burn it off easily.


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## Iheartcats (Aug 25, 2011)

If I fed my cats only 1 pouch a day they would do this:

America&#39;s Cutest Pet: The Hungry Kitten : Video : Animal Planet


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## ljs85 (Jun 2, 2012)

Iheartcats said:


> If I fed my cats only 1 pouch a day they would do this:
> 
> America's Cutest Pet: The Hungry Kitten : Video : Animal Planet


:laugh: that video is sssooo cute!!!!


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

nicolaa123 said:


> Oh heck I looked at that condition chart, my boy is definatly a 3


And I know that you would do anything to get him on the plus side of 5 :thumbsup:


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## ljs85 (Jun 2, 2012)

I'm afraid if I feed my three anything like the amount you feed yours then my cats would be like this

cat demanding food - YouTube

I've a 14week old kitten and he gets fed as much as he wants (so do the other two). Good quality food means they want less of it anyway :thumbsup:


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## loubyfrog (Feb 29, 2012)

Why didn't you just read the food box to read the recommended feeding guide for your cats.


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## nicolaa123 (Mar 30, 2012)

Toby Tyler said:


> And I know that you would do anything to get him on the plus side of 5 :thumbsup:


Oh indeed I would!


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

Toby Tyler said:


> It sounds to me like you are projecting your own feelings about weight onto your poor hungry cats.





Toby Tyler said:


> Yes, and these young cats/kittens are teetering on the brink of obesity at a whopping 7 on the chart just by eating 1/2 pouch of food and a couple of dreamies twice per day
> 
> Poor little mites. Anorexia nervosa by proxy no doubt. Now I really_ have_ seen it all.


Well I don't really think that first comment is either necessary or justifies a response but I will say that I have struggled with my own weight problems for a long time and wouldn't want to see an animal having health problems like I have. I also know, just as it is for me, it is difficult to get an obese cat to a normal weight again. I think what you said was pretty rude actually. If I fed my cats the way I fed myself they'd be huge. As they are now they are perfectly happy and healthy and having spoken to Cats Protection (where they were rescued from) this evening I have been told the way I feed them is fine, possibly to add in one extra pouch between them at lunch time. My family's pets have been fed this way for years and like I've mentioned they are extremely happy, healthy, well-loved pets who believe me are not starving, hungry or suffering from "anorexia nervosa by proxy."

Secondly I wasn't suggesting the cats have been underfed because they are obese or need to lose a significant amount of weight. I came to ask merely because I know there is a difference in the way cats should be fed with regards to being outdoor/indoor. I have now had some advice from some more polite members of the forum and am looking into getting wet food with higher meat contents and I will be following the directions on the packaging as to how much to feed them. Rest assured the kitties have not been 'starving' or anything like that and are very happy, playful and naughty cats as they should be. 

EDIT Also not 1/2 pouch. 1/2 pouch each twice a day.


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

loubyfrog said:


> Why didn't you just read the food box to read the recommended feeding guide for your cats.


Silly you  Because it says to feed them way too much. They only put those scientific guidelines on there in order to sell more cat food.


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## loubyfrog (Feb 29, 2012)

Sorry if this sounds harsh but this whole thread smells as fishy Grimsby Docks!!


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

loubyfrog said:


> Sorry if this sounds harsh but this whole thread smells as fishy Grimsby Docks!!


Shall I just ask for it to be deleted?


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

loubyfrog said:


> Sorry if this sounds harsh but this whole thread smells as fishy Grimsby Docks!!


I thought it smelt rather familiar


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

loubyfrog said:


> Sorry if this sounds harsh but this whole thread smells as fishy Grimsby Docks!!


I'm glad it's not just me with a bad smell under my nose 



graceholl said:


> Shall I just ask for it to be deleted?


Why deleted?


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## loubyfrog (Feb 29, 2012)

graceholl said:


> Shall I just ask for it to be deleted?


How do you know you have to ask for a thread to be deleted?????


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

loubyfrog said:


> How do you know you have to ask for a thread to be deleted?????


Because I post on a number of forums that use the same server as this one (under the same username, too, so feel free to find me there to disprove your theory that I'm a 'troll').


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## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

Toby Tyler said:


> I thought it smelt rather familiar


Nothing wrong with Grimsby docks lol ... But you are right


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

graceholl said:


> Well I don't really think that first comment is either necessary or justifies a response but I will say that I have struggled with my own weight problems for a long time and wouldn't want to see an animal having health problems like I have. I also know, just as it is for me, it is difficult to get an obese cat to a normal weight again. I think what you said was pretty rude actually. If I fed my cats the way I fed myself they'd be huge. As they are now they are perfectly happy and healthy *and having spoken to Cats Protection (where they were rescued from) this evening I have been told the way I feed them is fine, possibly to add in one extra pouch between them at lunch time. *My family's pets have been fed this way for years and like I've mentioned they are extremely happy, healthy, well-loved pets who believe me are not starving, hungry or suffering from "anorexia nervosa by proxy."
> 
> Secondly I wasn't suggesting the cats have been underfed because they are obese or need to lose a significant amount of weight. I came to ask merely because I know there is a difference in the way cats should be fed with regards to being outdoor/indoor. I have now had some advice from some more polite members of the forum and am looking into getting wet food with higher meat contents and I will be following the directions on the packaging as to how much to feed them. Rest assured the kitties have not been 'starving' or anything like that and are very happy, playful and naughty cats as they should be.
> 
> EDIT *Also not 1/2 pouch. 1/2 pouch each twice a day*.


Firstly, you never said what dry you were feeding your cats, just Dreamies by name, which is not dry food, but treats and should be fed as such.

So, with regards to my previous advice about feeding your kittens more, this is based on you feeding them one pouch each per day spread over two meals. Now, if the CP is advocating that kittens are fed a half a pouch, which can be around 42.5g to 50g depending on the brand, three times a day, a max of 150g, that's not enough and I would question the CP's judgement.

I still can't grasp why you came on here asking 'am I feeding my cats enough?', you get replies that you're clearly not happy with, that contradict your feeding rules and then ask the CP for advice. Why not just contact the CP first 

All very odd.


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

dougal22 said:


> Firstly, you never said what dry you were feeding your cats, just Dreamies by name, which is not dry food, but treats and should be fed as such.
> 
> So, with regards to my previous advice about feeding your kittens more, this is based on you feeding them one pouch each per day spread over two meals. Now, if the CP is advocating that kittens are fed a half a pouch, which can be around 42.5g to 50g depending on the brand, three times a day, a max of 150g, that's not enough and I would question the CP's judgement.
> 
> ...


I made the mistake of using 'Dreamies' as an umbrella term for giving them both Dreamies occasionally and handfuls of dry food in their bowls during the day. I have cleared that up over the course of the thread, though.

BIB - It wasn't that I wasn't happy with the answers offered, I was surprised and concerned that what I was feeding them seemed to be so radically different - and indeed radically less - to the replies on here. I then e-mailed Cats Protection this afternoon to explain what I was feeding them and that I had received advice on here that suggested I was severely underfeeding the cats for clarification and they suggested that the wet-dry mix was absolutely fine and if they did seem hungry to add in one extra pouch in the middle of the day. So I think I will do that and also switch to the wet food tins from some of the higher quality brands offered by the members of this forum.

I don't think there is need for suggestion that I am a troll or that this is just one of many accounts I have to pester members on here. With all due respect I have better things to be doing  I may not be the only one to come here asking what is seen to be a stupid question, but trust me I'm the only one at this IP address!


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

graceholl said:


> I made the mistake of using 'Dreamies' as an umbrella term for giving them both Dreamies occasionally and handfuls of dry food in their bowls during the day. I have cleared that up over the course of the thread, though.
> 
> BIB - It wasn't that I wasn't happy with the answers offered, I was surprised and concerned that what I was feeding them seemed to be so radically different - and indeed radically less - to the replies on here. I then e-mailed Cats Protection this afternoon to explain what I was feeding them and that I had received advice on here that suggested I was severely underfeeding the cats for clarification and they suggested that the wet-dry mix was absolutely fine and if they did seem hungry to add in one extra pouch in the middle of the day. So I think I will do that and also switch to the wet food tins from some of the higher quality brands offered by the members of this forum.
> 
> I don't think there is need for suggestion that I am a troll or that this is just one of many accounts I have to pester members on here. With all due respect I have better things to be doing  I may not be the only one to come here asking what is seen to be a stupid question, but trust me I'm the only one at this IP address!


What dry and wet brands are you feeding?

With regards to you being a troll, it does seem odd that you ask a question but don't appear to want to take on board the advice given. There are so many returning members on here, returning members who really don't have anything else in their lives, who bear grudges for one reason or another, so anything slightly whiffy comes across as another post from a returning member. There are two sides to the coin. If you're serious about changing the way you feed your cats, then there's plenty of information on here to help you make informed choices.

As you will see from an earlier post in this thread, a new member has made changes to her cats diet after taking on board advice from members on here


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

dougal22 said:


> I still can't grasp why you came on here asking 'am I feeding my cats enough?


Somehow I can't get this image out of my mind....

my- barbie - doll - cat -cats-kitten-kitty-pic-picture-funny-lolcat-cute-fun ...


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## loubyfrog (Feb 29, 2012)

Cosmills said:


> Nothing wrong with Grimsby docks lol ... But you are right


Nothing wrong with Grimsby Docks at all and i just LURVE cleethorpes,Was there last week and going again next week....Great beach to walk my dog


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

Toby Tyler said:


> Somehow I can't get this image out of my mind....
> 
> my- barbie - doll - cat -cats-kitten-kitty-pic-picture-funny-lolcat-cute-fun ...


You've lost me 

Either:

A) you're cuckoo
B) i've lost the plot and need to go to bed

No replies needed :lol:


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

Toby Tyler said:


> Somehow I can't get this image out of my mind....
> 
> my- barbie - doll - cat -cats-kitten-kitty-pic-picture-funny-lolcat-cute-fun ...


Hilarious. I did show you photos of my happy, healthy cats so you can have a look back at those if you like - might help you along the way to getting that one out of your mind.



dougal22 said:


> What dry and wet brands are you feeding?
> 
> With regards to you being a troll, it does seem odd that you ask a question but don't appear to want to take on board the advice given. There are so many returning members on here, returning members who really don't have anything else in their lives, who bear grudges for one reason or another, so anything slightly whiffy comes across as another post from a returning member. There are two sides to the coin. If you're serious about changing the way you feed your cats, then there's plenty of information on here to help you make informed choices.
> 
> As you will see from an earlier post in this thread, a new member has made changes to her cats diet after taking on board advice from members on here


I assure you I'm not a returning member and probably won't be after today's experience either 

As I said, it's not that I didn't want to take on board the advice, but it seemed extreme to me so I questioned it. But you guys are the experts, and I have taken on board advice especially in regards to the higher quality foods and increasing the quantities as they are still young. I will continue to browse the threads for more advice re: food etc, but think I will be on my way now!

Thanks to those that were genuinely helpful and good luck to you and all of your kitties


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## nicolaa123 (Mar 30, 2012)

graceholl said:


> I made the mistake of using 'Dreamies' as an umbrella term for giving them both Dreamies occasionally and handfuls of dry food in their bowls during the day. I have cleared that up over the course of the thread, though.
> 
> BIB - It wasn't that I wasn't happy with the answers offered, I was surprised and concerned that what I was feeding them seemed to be so radically different - and indeed radically less - to the replies on here. I then e-mailed Cats Protection this afternoon to explain what I was feeding them and that I had received advice on here that suggested I was severely underfeeding the cats for clarification and they suggested that the wet-dry mix was absolutely fine and if they did seem hungry to add in one extra pouch in the middle of the day. So I think I will do that and also switch to the wet food tins from some of the higher quality brands offered by the members of this forum.
> 
> *I don't think there is need for suggestion that I am a troll or that this is just one of many accounts I have to pester members on here*. With all due respect I have better things to be doing  I may not be the only one to come here asking what is seen to be a stupid question, but trust me I'm the only one at this IP address!


I hope not as there are a few members (including me) on here with cats struggling to maintain there weight let alone put on despite feeding them enough to keep a small horse happy!!

Thing is there are a few differing things in your posts that make others suspicious. Eg, you say you spoke with cpl this evening, then it's you emailed them this afternoon. Dry no dry etc. if your post is real (hope it is otherwise just cruel) look in health section for food threads will really help you to choose a "better" food..


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## Toby Tyler (Feb 17, 2013)

dougal22 said:


> With regards to you being a troll, it does seem odd that you ask a question but don't appear to want to take on board the advice given. There are so many returning members on here, returning members who really don't have anything else in their lives, who bear grudges for one reason or another,
> 
> As you will see from an earlier post in this thread, a new member has made changes to her cats diet after taking on board advice from members on here


:sneaky2: And for some odd reason they _always_ seem to single out one or two members who* have *posted sound advice to quote and refer to as being rude and unhelpful. :confused5: :Yawn:

Next....


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

nicolaa123 said:


> I hope not as there are a few members (including me) on here with cats struggling to maintain there weight let alone put on despite feeding them enough to keep a small horse happy!!
> 
> Thing is there are a few differing things in your posts that make others suspicious. Eg, you say you spoke with cpl this evening, then it's you emailed them this afternoon. Dry no dry etc. if your post is real (hope it is otherwise just cruel) look in health section for food threads will really help you to choose a "better" food..


Gosh you guys don't miss a trick.

I sent the e-mail at 17.01, so late afternoon, early evening, whatever you want to call it.


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## graceholl (Jun 27, 2013)

Toby Tyler said:


> :sneaky2: And for some odd reason they _always_ seem to single out one or two members who* have *posted sound advice to quote and refer to as being rude and unhelpful. :confused5: :Yawn:
> 
> Next....


I wasn't referring to that poster.


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