Some kittens at the shelter are food and/or toy protective. I don't know if they grow ot of that or not.

I made it a point when ours were kittens, to pet them after putting down their food bowls, for a few seconds while they started to eat. I wanted them to be used to being touched while eating so I could move them or their bowls if necessary at any time.

With our previous two cats, one would eat her food quickly, while the other's preference would have been to graze, so we're in the habit of trying to keep an eye on the cats while they are eating to make sure they each eat their own "ration." We've always had one of a pair with a little weight issue, so it was important for that reason as well. Of course, we don't always remember to watch them the entire time.....!

I think they eventually learn the drill, and will learn to at least start out eating from his/her own dish. We just pick up the bowl(s) if there is more than a mouthful left and the diner has walked away, and just put it back down if/when they return (and they usually do!). One of our cats inhales her wet food (a new thing for us), while the other will only eat so much of it before walking away. She on the other hand, lives for her crunchies (dry food) and finishes those up much faster than her sister.

I think the submissiveness will subside somewhat as Dustin gets more and more used to his new little sister. He's probably sitting back, trying to get a handle on this new little creature!

sweetchastity ~

I know that cats aren't like dogs (well, some of them act like they are) but I know with dogs, if you want to train them out of food aggression, you don't reward the negative behavior (growling) by petting them. You reward with petting when they behave the way they are supposed to.

I've had cats for 30 years and never had any growl during eating. They have growled at each other and swatted for various reason, though.

How long have Dustin and Muffin been in the family together? You said something about four mouths so are there other kitties? If so, how do they react?

Just asking and sharing thoughts.

Robyn

Dustin needs his own bowl :) Feed them separately if it's easier - keeping one out of the kitchen while the other eats.

With Muffin, feed her from your hands for a few weeks. She'll eat from your hands if she's hungry and it will help her to understand that you're giving her the food.
Put the bowl up high and transfer more to your hands as she eats. Don't pet her while she's eating, just feed her.

Dustin is 3-4 years old, neutered male and he's been with me since August. Muffin is about 5 months old, possibly pregnant female, with worms and was brought home from a garage on a farm which she shared with 2 siblings and 2 dogs. Food came once a day and when it was gone, it was gone. They have only been together since Sunday. They'll sleep on the bed within a few feet of each other and touch noses without any major incidents. Only near food has Muffin hissed a bit and growled deep in her throat at Dustin. Other than that everything has gone well.

They seem interested in each other but unsure of what to make of the other. Dustin has tried grooming her a bit but she's not used to that since the mother had turned aggressive on her kittens and wanted nothing to do with them. But I've noticed Muffin's behaviour changing now that she's in a safe, comfortable environment with food. She still loves attention but doesn't seem starved for it as she was when I first got her. She's becoming more playful and I see her grooming herself.

It is only with food that I'm unsure how to progress. I never thought of the petting as rewarding but more of 'see I'm petting you and the food isn't going away'. Maybe I should just let her be and the behaviour will taper off in time. I plan to have them each have a dish but I want them both in the kitchen since I had her in the bathroom until the vet saw her and didn't move her food dish until the next day. She may also be hungrier than normal since she does have worms and probably has had them most her life.

I assume Muffin is Skat's new name?

I recommend that you feed them portioned meals in separate rooms twice a day. Communal feeding works OK for cats who get along well and don't have issues with food guarding or overeating, but in your situation, it's just going to reinforce a competitive relationship between the two cats both during and between meals. If you take food out of the equation by feeding them separately, then they can concentrate on establishing a relationship without that source of competition.

Feeding separate, portioned meals has great benefits. It allows you to feed the mature cat adult cat food and the youngster kitten food. It allows you to portion meals to maintain proper weight in each cat. Most importantly, it'll give you the best possible diagnostic guide for when one of your cats isn't feeling well. I have 15 cats and feed each one separately, so I know immediately if one misses a meal or just picks at his/her food. I can then check the cat's temp and provide any necessary treatment or a trip to the vet, if required. When I was free-feeding, I missed a number of situations in which cats weren't feeling well just because I couldn't tell who was or wasn't eating at any given time.

Oh, and that low moaning sound is growling.

Laurie

Thank you, Laurie. Right on target.

Cats do not live in "packs" and have no alpha status. That is not to say some are not more dominant than others, but they do not have a dog society. And cat owners do not establish dominance over a cat, unless you don't want them to love you.

Ah, ok thanks elly_nj, I thought they had a pack structure like dogs and that I had to get in on it. I'll just let them be cats now :)

Laurie how do you manage to feed all 15 cats separately? I guess I'm old school thinking a bowl has to always be out and full. The moist food won't be a problem because Dustin seems to like licking the juices and that's it, so Muffin will wolf down the rest of the moist portion afterward. Do you keep all bowls out of sight and set them out at specific times, like I would set them up at opposite ends of the apartment to be sure Dustin and Muffin (yes, Skat is cute for a boy but I like Muffin for her) aren't getting into each other's food? Dustin is used to picking his food all day long so I'm not sure how he'll do if I try to get him to eat when I want him to. Both cats are over their ideal weight though she has worms and is likely pregnant. Dustin's just pudgy and I need to help lean him down but I'm not sure how to get him to eat a whole portion at a time. I'm afraid he'll eat just a little bit and then walk away and I take the dish away and he gets hungry later and I won't know because I lost my universal translator in the move (man I wish I had one!). If he's used to eating whenever he likes all day should I get him used to a routine of the food being out at certain times gradually?

The cats in my family were always free-fed up until July '07. The cats with whom I grew up never overate and always maintained healthy weights, but my current crew is a bunch of little gluttons. In spring of '07, my largest boy, Noddy (26.45 lbs at the time) had a diabetes scare. That was finally enough to make me bite the bullet and abolish the all-day buffet in lieu of portioned, scheduled meals. Noddy was not my only morbidly obese cat, and it was waaaaay past time for me to be doing something about it.

Since all of my cats had been raised to be grazers, I had no idea how or if they'd adjust to only being fed a few times a day. I started out with three meals - two dry and one canned. The cats really didn't care for canned food at that time, so they didn't eat much at that meal. I'd give them 15-30 mins to eat at each meal, then any leftovers would get picked up and put away until the next meal. Within a week or so, they had all figured out that they had to eat when the food was offered, because it wasn't going to sit there indefinitely like they were used to.

After the first couple of weeks, it was clear that the new system was not promoting the weight loss I wanted, so I reduced their portions and switched the meals to one dry and two canned daily. A week or so later, I cut out the midday meal and went down to dry a.m. and canned p.m.. They stayed on that schedule for a little over a year before I switched the canned meal to raw prey model a month or so ago. Noddy is now a lean 16.3 lbs, and the others have all lost significant weight, as well.

Meals involve a bit of a kitty roundup. My house is not large, so feeding requires some sequestering in separate rooms and some direct supervision. For instance, at breakfast, Footsie eats on the top basement stair, Phantom in the guest bedroom, Annabelle in the guest bathroom, Siliman in the master bedroom, Roxie in the master bathroom, and Lamie in the utility room - all behind closed doors. Billy gets fed wherever he is, as long as it's a place where I can supervise (usually the livingroom couch). Feather, Weasel, and sometimes BooBoo eat under my supervision in the diningroom/kitchen so that I can prevent them from invading each others' bowls or going into the livingroom to bother Billy. When they are finished, I take bowls into my office for the remaining five cats (sometimes six if BooBoo decides to eat in the office, instead) and sit and supervise them while they eat.

When the office crew is done, I pick up bowls and release everyone from their dining areas. The actual eating part goes very quickly since all except Noddy only get 1/8 c. of Evo dry for breakfast. Noddy gets an extra tbs of Evo.

The evening meal takes quite a bit longer because the prep time for raw food is longer and it takes more time for them to eat raw meat and bones than kibble.

With two cats, feeding separately will be a piece of cake. Just feed one in your bathroom or bedroom with the door shut, and the other in the kitchen. It won't take more than a few minutes for them to finish each meal, once they get the hang of the new feeding schedule.

Laurie

Again: Thank you, Laurie. You always explain the Why's and then the best How to's!

One of my cats, now 17 years old, came from a litter of 6, and also there were 3 other cats in the house where I got him, so 9 cats all together. I got him at 5 months old. He wasn't feral or a barn cat; he was born in a house and treated very well with plenty of food. However, because he was in a house with 9 cats, he must have felt from birth that he had to compete for his place at the food bowl (even though there was plenty of food for all the cats), and compete for his place on the owner's bed. To this day, 17 years later, he cannot abide eating with another cat near by (I have two others). He must eat alone. He gets along great with my other two cats; they sleep together and play and groom each other. But he will not eat with them whatsoever. Also, for the first year I had him, he would fight any other cat who wanted to get on the bed with me, and drive them off. He finally outgrew the bed thing, but still needs to eat by himself. Since none of my cats has a weight problem - they are VERY active, even my 17-year-old (for a 17-year-old anyway) - I always just free feed. That way my cat who needs to eat alone can do so whenever he wants, but the bowls of food are in the kitchen, I don't use separate rooms. My cat eats there when he's alone. It's not been a big deal all these many years, it's just his quirk. So my advice to you is to relax about it, and just leave the food out without worrying so much about the kitten growling. Either the kitten will outgrow it, or your two cats will work out between them an arrangement.

Also, perhaps your cats won't have any weight problem once they start playing together and running around.

Thank you all for the advice! I think I was being a mother hen again, lol.

Thank you Laurie for painting a picture to me of how the feeding arrangement is set up! While I have always been a cat person our family has always had dogs so I needed a picture of a multi-cat home.

My parents have issues with their weight and their feeding habits influenced how they fed their dogs which resulted in the male Sheppard being overweight (and now the female is as well) and it impeded his ability to fully heal from a torn ligament. I want to avoid weight issues with my cats and know its easier to start now and prevent weight gain rather than dealing with it after (I believe in being proactive in health issues).

I wonder if you wouldn't mind taking a look at this site that my new vet gave to my mom while discussing her 10 year old sheppard's ear problems. The vet gave my mom some sound advice (during my cats' visit, we both love this vet!) regarding diet for her female (the male has sadly been put to rest). She said that a lot of issues pets have with table food is all the extras put into food, such as spices and such. She stressed that homemade food should have only 2 ingredients with supplements and be measured out (she gave my mom a cup for her dog!). She also gave me a cup and clear instructions on how to feed my cats. 1/2 cup Iams Indoor dry and 1/2 can Iams regular canned per day and 2-4 pieces of snacks, Medi-Treats (though she advised that cats don't need snacks) per day per cat. Iams was a suggestion of a good brand but she said that whatever brand I choose that I should buy both the dry and moist food from them.

I really like how this vet has put thought into what a healthy diet for pets is and offers honest advice, saying they sell food but it would be more expensive than home cooked. My mom is retired and quite willing to cook for her baby and I would consider the same when I can financially manage it provided its explained and easy to follow. So if you or any other poster would give some feedback on this site I would really appreciate it!

One thing I do like about what I see is that they offer not only their supplement but another option as well.

'You will be provided with two ways of adding the necessary vitamins and minerals to this recipe - either a combination of human supplements available at a variety of drugstores OR the patent pending all-in-one supplement, Balance IT feline'

I'm sorry but I completely disagree with limiting your kittens' food. I think that is just terrible. Having had 5 kittens during my lifetime, I know that kittens eat a lot, and need to eat a lot. First of all, a kitten is growing, and is very active, and needs a lot of food for that. Secondly, you say your cat has worms. The parasites, until they are eradicated, are eating your kitten's food, so it's not getting enough regardless. And here you want to limit your kitten's food further!!!! OMG Stop!

You say your kitten is 5 months old, fresh off a farm where she didn't get enough food, and possibly pregnant, is "over her ideal weight". Are you delusional? How in any rational universe would that be possible?

I had a friend who was overly concerned about her cat's weight. Her cat was not overweight, but she was worried her cat COULD MAYBE, POSSIBLY, IN SOME FUTURE TIME, GET OVERWEIGHT. Basically, she limited her cat's food so that her cat was constantly hungry. Her cat was young and active. Have YOU ever been constantly hungry? Her cat would rush to the food bowl with its meager 1/2 cup serving and gulp it down, always looking for more. And meowing a lot. I yelled at my friend about this, but she was obsessed that her cat might gain weight. I ended up pretty much severing our friendship, as I couldn't bear to go over to her house and see her ever-hungry SLENDER cat. All the weight worries were in my friend's mind, not visible on the cat at all. A result of neuroses, not valid weight issues. Sweetchastity, are you doing the same thing? Please don't use your mom's dog's experience, or your own feelings about weight to muddle your impressions of what a young kitten should be eating.

Feed them as much as the want. Especially given their young ages. If the two of them are young and active, there will be no weight problem. Feed them as much as they want!

I completely agree that growing kittens, like Muffin, need to be fed an appropriate amount of high quality food to insure proper growth. If Muffin is pregnant, her nutritional needs are even more critical and must be properly met. I do not, however, equate that with necessarily offering food free choice. It is quite easy to provide proper and adequate nutrition without leaving food out 24/7.

Dustin most certainly does not need constant access to food, esp. if he has a tendency to overeat and hold too much weight. Some cats can maintain proper condition on free-feeding, and some can't. Those who can't certainly aren't being done any favors by being allowed to get fat.

Lest there be any misconceptions about switching free-feeders to scheduled, portioned meals, let me assure you that my cats do NOT follow me around begging for food all day. They know when they get fed, and they eat enthusiastically at those times. I have no doubt that they'd eat anytime I put food out for them, but that is not in their best interest. I have already most likely permanently damaged the pancreases of a number of my cats by allowing them to spend years of their lives overweight. They are and always will be at increased risk of developing diabetes and other weight-related maladies, regardless of the fact that most of them are now at healthy weights. "Eating all they want" is NOT a recipe for good health in cats with a tendency to overeat.

Of course if a feline caretaker is suffering from anorexia and is incapable of accurately assessing proper weight in their cats, then there might be a problem with withholding adequate nutrition from the animals and starving them, but I'm certain that is NOT what we're dealing with here. Sweetchastity's vet would no doubt be saying something if her cats arrived at the vet's office in emaciated condition, so I think we can put that issue to rest.

As far as feeding homecooked meals is concerned, I'm unfamiliar with that practice so cannot speak to its potential risks or benefits. The only thing I know about cooking meat is that it tends to cook out some of the essential nutrients that then must be supplemented back into the food after cooking.

That's why I have chosen the Raw Prey Model diet as the basis for my cats' evening meal. The guidelines of this diet call for raw, uncooked meat and bones at an approximate proportion of 80% muscle meat, 10% bone (never, EVER feed cooked bones to any animal - raw only), 5% liver, and 5% other secreting organ. These percentages are based on the approximate proportions of these elements in the bodies of prey animals. These proportions are not exact and allow for considerable adjustment based on the cat's (or dog's) individual responses. Also, the proportions do not have to be met at every meal, but rather should be achieved over the course of a week or longer. In other words, if more bone is fed one day, then more muscle meat should be fed the next to level things out. The only supplement I add to this diet is fish oil for omega 3 fatty acids. I do, however, utilize as many different types of meat and organs as possible (chicken, turkey, pork, beef, venison, mutton, etc.) to fill in any nutritional deficits that a particular meat may present. Also, cats can be infuriatingly finicky. They can refuse one type of meat and hope for something more to their liking at the next meal.

If you spend time researching raw and cooked meals for pets, you will find endless information on an endless variety of diets. Some are cooked, some are raw, some are just meat and bones, some include vegetables and/or grains, some are based on a single meat type, some advocate variety. It can be overwhelming trying to decide what you believe is best for your own animals. That's the challenge, and good luck!

As far as feeding commercial food is concerned, I firmly believe that low-carb, high protein is the way to go for healthy cats, eliminating as many grains from the foods as possible. I suspect that if you read the labels of Iams foods, they will be packed with useless grain fillers that do absolutely NOTHING nutritionally for cats. Also, canned food is much better for them than dry. I see no value or need to purchase canned and dry from the same brand, unless it's the best food available. If you want to feed commercial foods, you might want to consider Innova Evo and Wellnes Core. Be forewarned, though, that both Evo and Core (dry) are VERY calorie-dense and must be strictly portioned or your cats can become obese very quickly. Remember that my cats get only 1/8 c. of Evo dry in the morning in addition to their raw meat and bones meal at night.

Laurie

I am following up on my earlier post since this thread has drifted from its original topic to one about what is the appropriate amount of food. As I mentioned earlier, none of my cats has a weight problem, and they all free feed. They seem to be able to self-regulate. My senior cat now eats much less than he used to since he sleeps much more. Also I notice that they all eat more in winter, presumably because it takes more energy to keep warm (due to my budget, I keep my house rather cool). I have a 6-month old kitten who eats non-stop, and he's slender - I don't know where the food goes, but he is also non-stop active, leaping jumping running whirlwind the way kittens do. I also have another kitten, who is almost adult, she's finished growing, and I notice her eating has lately gone from huge amounts to more normal amounts for an adult cat. Like I said, they seem to self-regulate. I agree with LaurieF that certain cats, just like certain people, tend to become overweight, while others don't. But for cats, it would be unusual if at 2 years old they would be overweight.

Where I am concerned is that I don't know how the OP can tell this early in either of her cats' lives, whether they will be the type to get overweight. Although Dustin is a bit older, he is still young at 2, and the OP has described that he was alone until this kitten. His sedentary ways may be over with the new arrival, or maybe not. With increased activity, any extra weight may just come off with no change in food. But it is IMHO premature to limit food before knowing whether the increased activity of a playmate will streamline Dustin.

Also, I am uneasy about whether Dustin is overweight or not. I too was taken aback by the diagnosis of Muffin the kitten as being overweight. Could that be possible in a 5-month old pregnant wormy rescue cat? It does not seem possible, and if a rash conclusion were drawn for Muffin, what can we say about the OP's conclusion that Dustin is overweight?

The amounts of 1/2 cup dry and 1/2 cup wet food would be small and inadequate for my 2 active cats, and would be about right for my senior cat. My 2 young cats remind me of teenage boys - you know, who can eat 2 cheeseburgers, fries, apple pie, and 3 glasses of milk? I do feed my young cats significantly more than 1/2 cup dry and 1/2 cup wet each. Yet two of my cats are normal weight, and one is a little on the slender side (still growing). I think the OP should be careful not to underfeed her cats, and to make sure she is not over-thinking and over-worrying this issue, and not rushing into a restricted calorie diet for her young cats.

Correction to my previous message - I just realized Dustin is 3-4, not 2. Nevertheless, I stand by my recommendation to wait and see what the increased activity level does for Dustin.

akchicago, I wonder how you define "normal weight". You say that one of your cats is a little on the slender side, but any vet will tell you that slender is the ideal, healthy condition of a cat. Adult cats should have a definite waist behind the rib cage, and their ribs should be easily felt (but NOT visible) under light pressure along the cat's side.

Unfortunately, overweight companion animals are so commonplace in American households that we often don't recognize healthy weight when we see it. A very reputable vet once told me that a dog is at ideal weight when your neighbor complains that you don't feed him/her enough (he also expanded that statement to include cats). We need to train our eyes to see slender animals as healthy, rather than surrendering to the compulsion to feed them as much as they want until they are carrying more weight than is good for them.

There is one element to the weight loss diet on which I have had my cats for more than a year that I didn't mention in my previous posts, and it is an important one. Before I began the diet, I purchased a digital baby scale so that I could track all of the cats' weights. I have weighed each cat every two weeks since 7/07 and tracked them in a spreadsheet on my computer. I have used the weigh-ins to make ongoing adjustments to each cat's food portions, when necessary, to work toward safely achieving their target weights. If a cat loses too much weight over a two week period, I increase the food portion a little. If there is no or insignificant weight loss, I reduce the portion a little. Now that most of my cats are at their target weights, I continue the weigh-ins to maintain their healthy weights.

I recommend that anyone who is working on weight loss in their cat or who is changing the diet in any way start weighing your cat regularly so that you can keep an eye on what's happening.

Laurie

Laurief - in answer to your question, all 3 of my cats have a defined waistline and a defined abdominal tuck, but not too much. My 6-mo. old kitten is 6 lbs. My 9-mo-old kitten is 7.25 pounds, and my 17-year-old cat is 11 pounds, a weight he as been at since he was 1 year old without change for the last 16 years (he's a taller, broader type than my other two cats). The last time I took my senior cat to the vet for a check-up, the vet was impressed and pleased that he had not lost any weight, given that most cats his age do. Yes, you should be able to detect your cat's ribs. However, according to my vet, if the ribs feel like pencils under your fingers, you are feeling them TOO much and the cat is too thin. Also, when you view the cat from the side, if the hip bones appear to jut, then the cat is too thin.

Attached is a link to a nice chart and explanation of judging whether a cat's weight is appropriate.

I am hoping the OP can come back with more explanation on how a 5-month old rescue kitten with parasites can be deemed overweight, and needs restricted food. Did the vet actually say that?

We won't know for sure if Muffin is pregnant until she goes in to be spayed in a week. The worms are definite and the vet mentioned that she would eat more as a result of them. I have not attempted to change their diet, except to include some moist food and cut down on snacks, because I know that cats have sensitive stomachs. I would hate a complete sudden change in my diet and I would never do that to any creature.

It broke my heart to see how hungry the kittens were in the garage with the one day feeding. I don't want her to ever worry about food so I would introduce changes gradually and with much thought. Posting here is part of the process by seeing what posters have to say about the things the vet had to say to me. So don't worry about my babies going hungry or an abnormal sense of weight in me as I am very objective and always seek guidance since I do not have the experience to take gambles with my pet's health.

What I really like about this vet is her willingness to discuss diet and what a healthy lifestyle will be for our pets. My parents swore when they got their male German Sheppard that all they would ever feed him would be meat. I would come to see them feed him anything from jujubes to coffee to milk and bread and even a bit of liquor. This dog loved to eat and would eat almost anything and my parents were like new parents and spoiled their pets. Misty managed to keep her weight leveled but Jessie grew up to 140 lbs at his heaviest. Now Misty is almost 90 lbs and it is easy to see she is heavier than her norm (due to a less active lifestyle). I know that its easier to manage weight before it skyrockets out of control and I know cats can put on weight after being neutered so I want to be prepared and deal with an ounce of prevention rather than a pound of cure. Dustin has put on weight and I want to get a handle on that but the kitten is growing and not healthy so I won't make drastic changes for either of them. But by discussing things here I am getting an idea of how my household would run with a food schedule and how to lay out their food so I can monitor their eating habits for any change that may indicate illness (ironically as a nurse we were told any changes in eating, drinking or eliminating from a person's norm could be the first signs of illness).

So not to worry, neither of my furbabies will go hungry. Any change I make will be gradual so they don't become distressed in anyway.

Laurie thanks for your input! I myself wondered about Iams when she suggested it. I have been selecting canned food with no meat-by-products and low in carbs trying to find ones Dustin liked (I haven't gone out for canned food since I got Muffin last weekend as I have some in stock). I am still feeding Dustin the same brand dry food he was eating at the shelter/pet store because I want to settle him on moist food before I look into healthier dry food. I've been on the fence about switching to completely moist food but will continue with dry until I am sure.

The vet said that both cats weighed in above what would be the norm but with worms and (most likely) being pregnant, she never said that Muffin was overweight (sorry if I implied it). Dustin has his frisky moods and I was happy to bring a kitten home that would enjoy playing with him and increase his activity level. He may even out with his weight but I have to be aware and prepared and I feel I'm doing that by speaking with, not only the vet, but the posters here who have more life-experience with cats than I (though I have always been a cat-person!). Rest assured I will do what is best for my pets with consideration for their feelings as well as their health. No one will go hungry in my home! I made that promise to Muffin when I brought her home, just as I promised Dustin he'd always have a comfortable home (he was at the shelter/pet store for over a month in that tiny cage). I want my pets to be healthy AND happy!

*wow, we did kinda get a bit derailed*

Beginnings of a new friendship

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They look SO cute together--yay!!!!!

I think you are taking a good approach re: their weight, feeding, etc. Many cats can and do put on weight quickly (always the first/older cat of a pair in my case), and it is very difficult to trim them down, so monitoring their weight and food from the beginning is a good idea. Now, when I say monitoring, I mean watching and tracking (which is exactly what you're doing). You'll know, or your vet will let you know when to cut back or restrict calories.

As I'd mentioned, we've always had one (out of two) with some weight issues, so free choice feeding is not an option in our household (while it might be elsewhere). We feed once a day, in the late-afternoon, early-evening. I know twice a day would be ideal, but morning feedings just aren't going to happen here--our cats would do the hungry dance at the first sign of light! We used to feed a measured amount of dry only (EVO), but have recently added wet food (EVO 95% chicken and turkey) and cut back a lot on the dry in an attempt to trim the one cat down.

Our chubby girl eats her wet food slowly (sucking out the juices, I think!), so we pick up her bowl a few times over the course of a 1/2 hour or so to prevent our smaller cat from inhaling it. Eventually she eats most of her wet food (I've been adding some water to it half-way through to make it more soupy for her since she appears to like the liquid). I think she's starting to realize that she can't have her "crunchies" until she eats most of her wet food. I'll then add their dry food, and whatever's left of the wet food (very little if any at that point) gets eaten up with that.

You'll find out what type of food, how much, which feeding schedule works best for you and the kitties--it's all trial and error, and there is no one right way to do it. You seem to have really good handle on things and you're doing a great job taking care of those two balls of orange fluff! :-)

Oh, those two are PERFECT together! Just look at how completely comfortable they are with each other already. You found Dustin the ideal companion. I love it when they click like that. Very special.

I'm surprised that your vet didn't take care of the worms before surgery. Why is she holding off on deworming Muffin? Or did I misunderstand that?

Laurie

As much as I love Dustin I get the feeling he would prefer other feline companionship over human. He doesn't like to be picked up, held or wants affection from me except when he wakes up, usually around 5-7 am, lol. So seeing him reach out to Muffin really makes me happy.

The vet has given Muffin half of a tablet of Milbemax for her worms and has packed the other one in an envelope with instructions when to give the second dose, since she feels there are worms at different stages of development and that a second dose 2 weeks after the first will eliminate any worms who survived the first dose. Because of the likelihood of pregnancy we decided to get her spayed right away so she'll be spayed a little over a week after her first dose of the deworming medication.

She also gave me a Health Record pamphlet with notes from our visit so I can review what was done. I really like that as it makes it easier to see at a quick glance what's been done so far and what needs doing and when. My mother's vet does not provide her with such information and she's often left with many questions after her visit.