This is my father’s cat Clyde. He is named for the Clydesdale horses that also have very large feet.
Clyde has never been a compact economy-sized cat. Yes, he has big bones, long very fluffy hair, and stripes are not really flattering on anyone are they? My father noticed that Clyde’s tabby stripes were becoming wider and stretched farther apart. Clyde no longer fit on most laps but rather spilled over the sides, which must be difficult if you are a lap cat.
The vet confirmed Clyde was overweight and something needed to be done to reduce his risks of obesity-related diseases. Clyde has been on the self-named Clydesdale Cat Diet. You know how it works: weight loss comes from fewer calories going in and more calories being used by activities.
Clyde isn’t happy with his low-cal diet kibble for older cats (but cats never like any changes in their diets or anything else) and loathes the sight of an empty food bowl. He often sits just staring at it with a cranky expression on his face.
His new calorie burning activities include rolling around dramatically and pretending to faint from hunger near his empty food dish.
He also uses extra calories by actively looking cute and begging during meals.
The good news is that the diet seems to be working. Clyde looks as svelte as a fluffy, large-boned, striped cat can look, fits better on most laps, and no longer causes lower back pain when he’s hoisted up for cat hugs.
We loved this video of another not-so-compact striped cat stuck in a diet soda box and wanted to share it with you:
Exercising with your best friend is a great way to relax at the end of a work day. If you and your dog have been inside all day, take the time to reconnect outside.
Go out and get some fresh air and exercise with your dog.
These nice autumn days are the best for taking a walk, chasing a ball and getting a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. You’ll both benefit from exercise and spending time together.
You can read more about autumn exercise ideas for your pets at:
Posted in Birds, Cats, Dogs on 10/27/2009 12:55 pm by cporter
My cat Smokey is getting ready for Halloween. Since he doesn’t tolerate costumes or hats, he’s working on his own “look” for Halloween without any assistance from us:
Hundreds of invisible dog walkers were unleashed on New York City during an event organized by Improv Everywhere, a group that stages random acts of public fun. The excuse for the public mischief was the anniversary celebration of the invisible dog leash. You can see their video at:
Of course, I think a real pet is always better than an invisible one, but this is a fun video of a clever stunt. I’m still laughing about the imaginative improv skills of the dog walkers and the looks on the bystanders’ faces. Enjoy!
Posted in Birds, Cats, Dogs on 10/13/2009 09:09 am by cporter
At PetStress.com, we’re enjoying the great pet photos entered in our first monthly photo contest. You can enter your best pet photos to win a $50 gift certificate. Here’s the link:
The most popular pet photo will win. Vote and invite your friends and family to vote too! Don’t forget to share the contest with friends so they can enter their pet photos.
Enter today; this month’s contest ends on October 31, 2009.
