If you’ve been following my postings, you know that I am Miss Shirley and I am a chubby cat.  If you missed the first installment of my weight loss adventure, read it here! 

When I first got to my foster home, my fur was greasy.  I wasn’t really taking care of it.  The Shelter cage was so small and it was hard to turn around in it—I am a big girl, you know. And I really wasn’t in the mood. I missed my family. I missed my chair.

My foster mom ignored my dirty fur for a while. I guess she was hoping I would get to it once I was out of cage.  I cleaned my front paws nicely, but I couldn’t twist very well to get the rest of me.  That’s because I’m fat.

So what happened?  I got a bath!!  So degrading!  I was a good kitty, I didn’t show my claws. I did talk a lot. A lot. And it kinda felt good. And it made it easier to clean myself.  I’m mean there wasn’t so much work.  All I had to do was straighten everything. Still I couldn’t quite reach all of me.  I’m thinking I will be able to when I become a thin kitty again.

Once I started cleaning my tummy regularly my bowels started to move more frequently.  They were still kinda tough, but with less inside I was more comfortable and more mobile. Climbing the cat tree wasn’t so hard.

Well, the first week of December was a big week for me.  I really wanted to show off how well I was doing on my diet.  We went to Pinnacle Animal Hospital and Dr. Forgy greeted me like an old friend.

Pictures were taken to show my progress.  I just knew I was doing well.  Dr. Forgy said I wasn’t dehydrated so I wasn’t to worry about my bowels.  As I got more active things would move better. Easy for her to say.  She gave me some hope.

Then I got weighed.  I’d lost only 0.2 pounds.  That’s just over 3 ounces!  I was so disappointed.  Dr. Forgy said, “That’s OK!  It’s just going to take longer.” Longer! I was looking forward to going back to my old life of open feeding and lounging all day.  

How was I going to find a forever home if I didn’t show that I could lose weight? Was I doomed to live in a rescue house forever?

Want a companion to lose weight with?  Adopt Shirley!

Happy New Year Everyone! 

I’m Miss Shirley and I am a chubby kitty.  This is the story of my search for my thin kitty within. I am hoping to find my permanent home and my forever diet buddy, too.

Once upon a time, I was a normal-sized kitty. I’m not a piggy. Sometimes I leave a little food in my bowl.  But I do like to lounge. I guess that was my downfall—no exercise.

When my family surrendered me to the shelter they were warned that some kitties don’t qualify for re-homing.  I guess we were in denial of what could happen to me.  The shelter staff told me I was too fat for their adoption program—even though I was a very friendly girl.  If I didn’t find a rescue group, I would be “put to sleep.”  I knew what that meant. Gulp!

So I talked to every worker and every volunteer.  I greeted them with a chirp and nuzzled against the cage seductively. “Rub my head. Scratch my ears.”  I have a very deep and gravelly voice and I tried to sound as sweet as I could. Some people say I sound like Lauren Bacall or Demi Moore. I say, “Who are they?”

My strategy worked! The St. Francis Rescue people took me to a foster home that San Jose Animal Advocates found. They arranged for my enrollment at Club Chub!  Pinnacle Animal Hospital in San Jose has specialists in weight reduction and I met my doctor.  Doctor Forgy was going to help me get thin so I could find a forever home! I learned that she donated her services to me because I was a rescue girl. I thought it was because of all the talking I did when we met.

First, she checked my blood work. All my enzymes and electrolytes were good. Even more important—my glucose level was good. I’m not diabetic or pre-diabetic!  Hooray!  That improves my chances of weight loss success AND it improves the chance that I will find my forever home.  

Next, she weighed me. I weighed 15.5 pounds. On my frame, that’s fat.  I’m about 30% overweight and that’s morbidly obese. She took photos.  No hiding the truth anymore.

Then, I was given my diet. Hill’s metabolic diet. M/D.  Only ¼ cup, two times per day. The local distributor for Hill’s knew I was a rescue kitty and donated my food! 

That was last November.  Check back here to read more of my story.