Dylan and Diego
A little less than four years ago, I adopted two cats, Dylan and Diego. It had been awhile since mine and Joe’s cat, Spike, passed away. I was alone in the house after Joe moved out and I wanted to get another for some company. Eventually I decided to get two of them. I was told that two are as easy to care for as one, and I remember Spike being so lonely whenever Joe and I were out of the house and so I figured it was a good idea.
It was suggested to me that I find two that were either siblings or had been raised together. After several weeks of searching, I finally found these two. Dylan and Danny they were called, and they were siblings even though they looked absolutely nothing alike. I drove all the way to Plainview to meet them and fell in love instantly. I wasn’t too crazy about the names, so I actually renamed both of them. Dylan became Diego and Danny became Dylan. I dunno, it just fit better to me.
Dylan and Diego's baby picture
Fat Cats
Joe and I had Spike for sixteen years, and we never had a problem with his weight. Spike was a big tuxedo…Dylan looks a lot like him, actually, though he’s a little on the tubby side as well. Spike was always big, but lean, and so I never really thought about any sort of weight problem with these two until about a year in.
I guess, like people, all animals including cats, have different genetic make-ups that can make them large or small (big-boned, as we people like to say!). Both of my kitties probably come from a long line of big-boned cats. Regardless, I’ve always known that they were both too heavy, but I never worried about it until now.
The trouble started when I first got them. Having there being two of them, I never really know who’s eating the food. I mean, I always worried that one was getting more than the other, and so I always just inadvertently kept the bowl full. Bad idea!
A Weighty Problem
Last fall, both of my cats got fleas, even though they’re not outdoor cats. I later found out that this is not uncommon. Anyway, after a couple of months of battling those pesky creatures, I finally got rid of them using Advantage and soon forgot they ever existed.
Within the past couple of weeks, Diego, the larger and hairier of the two started reacting funny when I would pet him along his back. Once my hand would move towards his tail, his head would raise and he’d start licking the air. I thought I’d found his g-spot, lol. Then I began to notice several scabbies underneath all the fur at the base of his tail. I thought it was related to the flea problem.
I’d been thinking of taking him in to see the vet, but I tried my friend Laura Kim first, who’s close friends with one. I told her about Diego’s problem yesterday and she called with the news this morning. The problem is related to his weight!
The way she explained it to me, cats rid any potential skin problems with their own grooming. It’s why their tongues are so rough. Diego is too big to reach around to that area and so he cannot clean there like he does the rest of his body. The only treatment is a little ointment, which is easy to get, and some weight loss, which is not so much.
Laura Kim’s vet friend said it is a common problem, especially with long-haired cats like Diego. He said I need to ration their intake of food to a half-cup per day, which is not going to be easy. Diego is always hungry and I am way too soft. I guess I need to be strong, hehe. The vet said that this weight problem could lead to other more serious problems with his liver, and so I have no choice. I only wish the two of them could do Pilates with me… Stay tuned!
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