knitting is a hereditary disease

The best laid plans …

Posted on 05/08/2008 by Barb | Comments (4)
Filed under : Random Thoughts

I’m taking my long-term cat-care-provider responsibilities v-e-r-y seriously. Very seriously indeed. I’m wanting to be the best long-term cat-care-provider in the whole world! (It really eats into the knitting time, so not much to report on that front.)

So on the recommendation of Alex and Andrea, I decided to stop free-feeding (they’re a bit portly), and serve them Science Diet rather than the “grocery store” cat food delivered with them last week.

Everyone I talked to agreed: Transitioning them over the course of several days to a week is the way to do it, very important.

So after work yesterday I bought me some Science Diet … not too much, though, just in case they don’t like it or it doesn’t agree with the little darlings. And I put together a well-thought-out transition plan.

I divided out the remaining old food.
I combined it with an appropriate ratio of the new food.
I put each day’s allotment in a baggie.
I labeled them: Thurs 1:5 (new:old); Fri 2:4; Sat 3:3, Sun 4:2, Mon 5:1.
Tuesday they’d get all Science Diet.

(You know where this is going, don't you?)

I put all the little baggies in a little brown Starbucks bag.
I closed up the bag of Science Diet.
I set the Starbuck’s bag beside the Science Diet.
I neatened up the counter.
I went and watched American Idol.
Eventually I went to bed.

This morning:

Bo, you’re so busted!

So … I think I have my answer to the question of whether the cats will like Science Diet! But, is it fact or myth that normal, healthy cats will get sick if not carefully transitioned to new food? (If it’s fact, I’ll spare you the photos!)

4 Comments

Hopefully the cats won't feel sick from eating too much of the new food! But if they do... well, it's sort of their own fault.

- said andrea (05/08/2008, 9:43 AM)

They're just fine. Actually, I take the blame myself ... I'm just glad (for them and for us) that they didn't get sick!

- said Barb (05/08/2008, 9:43 AM)

I've changed my cats over to food without going progressively before, haven't had a problem, but most vets you speak to say the transition idea is a good one.

I would imagine if your kitty has a tender/sensitive tummy, the transition would be very necessary.

- said Tracy (05/08/2008, 9:43 AM)

Thanks, Tracy. It didn't seem to bother them, but I'm going ahead with the progression anyway as though the "incident" hadn't happened. I'd feel really bad if they got sick. They're a couple of very nice cats.

- said Barb (05/08/2008, 9:43 AM)