There was once a time when Andrew the cat had to gaze longingly at the midnight snack trays. They were, plain and simple, up too high for him to reach. But a little motivation can work wonders.
Weight loss programs are very hard in any kind of a group setting for cats. If you don’t put down enough food for everybody, somebody won’t get enough to eat. And if you try and limit how long the food is down, you’ll learn quickly how fast a determined cat can scarf down some chow.
The upshot is that there are a few pudgy cats at Best Friends among the majority who choose to stay slim. Some like Andrew, however, become so overweight that they have to be culled from the general population and placed in special conditions in hopes of tightening up the belt line a little.
When Andrew used to live in a normal play area with other cats, food was everywhere. Back in the day, he made sure to gobble up everything he laid eyes on. He also had a highly developed knack for energy conservation. This guy could make a sack of potatoes look active! Even on walks, Andrew did all he could to resist movement, planting his hind end in the sand at every turn. No doubt, he was a good candidate for the biggest loser club over at Cat Headquarters.
There, much to Andrew’s dismay, the food bowls were up high. Oh the treachery! He had his portions for the day and all, but he couldn’t reach the snack bowls set out for the more agile cats. That’s about the time when Andrew decided there was at least one sport at which he would excel: the high jump!
In the beginning, he had to rely on stepping stools of sorts. He’d bounce off the furniture if anybody left a table or chair near the counters. And if a warm lap happened to be nearby? Ol’ Andrew had no qualms jumping up into that lap and then springing away to the food bowl just as the unsuspecting person would reach down to give him a pet. Hey, nothing wrong with a good scratch behind the ears, but nobody has ever doubted Andrew’s true first love.
Well, looks like all he needed was some proper incentive. After months of focused effort and a few lost pounds, Andrew can now jump straight up onto the counters! He has earned the extra snack now and again (there still isn’t a limitless supply of food up there). And how does Andrew feel about his accomplishments?
Animal behavior specialist Sherry Woodard dropped in at Cat Headquarters not long ago and happened to see Andrew there. Maybe it was a trick of the light or something, but Sherry glanced down at him and said, "Andrew, it doesn’t seem like you’re losing any weight."
His honest-to-goodness response? A wide-mouthed hiss! You’d have to know what a marshmallow he is normally to appreciate how out of character that response was. Maybe he was afraid they’d put the snacks even higher if they thought he wasn’t slimming down? Either way, congrats Andrew! Looking good.
Story by David Dickson
Photo by Gary Kalpakoff
Though obtaining snacks is one of Andrew’s goals, his true ambition is a home to call his own. He is available for adoption.
