Moxie, Kitty Cat or Carb Loving Stocky Rugby Player?

"Miss Moxie"

I'm a cat guy and I love my cats, twins Max and Moxie. But I have to admit, I have taken their good health for granted. They are indoor cats, never go outside, and I keep their world regulated to my home.

As I wrote in the previous blog post, several friends have lost their pets. This has brought me to the conclusion that I need to be more diligent in their health care. Again I've been very lucky with no health issues (knock on wood) but as they approach their 10th birthday in April, I think it's time, I actively monitor their well being.

"MAX"

Maximus (Max) can be a beast of a cat, a typical tough guy Tom Cat that rules the roost. But when he wants attention and love, he becomes a warm cuddly sweet heart that won't leave you alone until you put out the affection. Once he's had enough, he gives a short meow of a bark and can't get away quick enough. It's sort of like, "GIMME ME LOVE NOW!" then "OVER STIMULATION! RUN AWAY!!!!" LOL He's quite a character.

Moxie on the other hand is the smaller of the two. I have a feeling she was the runt of the litter. They were found by the side of the road, hungry, thirsty and malnourished in the Spring of 2007. After Smokey passed away in May of that year, I decided to wait before I got a another cat. It was just too hard. Well the situation with these two twin terrors presented itself and I couldn't say no. They were just too adorable.

Back to Miss Moxie. Now she's a piece of work. Tiny head, rather large body. She's full of energy in the morning, running up and down the hallway back and forth like a furry NFL pigskin with legs. Yep, she has a lil bit of a weight issue we are working on.

Ever since she got fixed, she developed a bit of a jiggly belly which has grown over the years. She has not become obese, just a lil gut which bounces from side to side when she sprints down the hall. She also developed an odd taste for bread, pasta and basically anything else carb.

For instance, I am longer are able to keep out loaves of bread, muffins, Danish, donuts, or bagels on the kitchen counters. As soon as I turn my back, Moxie will rip open whatever bag it's in and chow down. I came home one evening and she had eaten an entire slice of white bread. On another occasion she had ripped through a bag of dried tortellini and was chowing down on a couple pieces.

"Miss Moxie, Carb Lover"

I was truly perplexed and have resorted to hiding the bread products and pasta. I've got a cat with a carbohydrate craving! This was also a reason to go to the vet. Not to mention, her overall neurotic attitude. Think the old-fashioned 'wiggidy cat' syndrome or it's modern day diagnosis of feline hyperesthesia.

Moxie also tends to eat whatever she can on the floor, sometimes inanimate objects. Luckily, and I've been lucky, she has thrown up everything she's tried to ingest. I also keep my home clear of rubber bands, loose string, and ribbons. She had a feast on the Christmas tree the past couple years.

So we were soon off to the vet as fast as I could, me driving like a nut trying to get a screaming cat in a carrier in the back seat. The veterinarian was awesome with her, I was very pleased. I took Moxie to my vet in Schuylkill Haven, PA. My vet doctor was great with her comforting hands-on approach. I appreciated her humor and compassion and she did her best to put Moxie and I at ease during the exam.

Once there, Moxie was a bit nervous but wasn't as bad as I thought she'd be. Just a bit scared and nervous. No one got scratched or lost a finger. She put up a bit of a fight during her rabies and distemper shots but otherwise was able to be held without freaking the heck out.

We weighed Moxie and discussed her food situation. Moxie was a bit overweight. She should be 12-13 pounds but she's at 14.9 pounds. I just put it out there bluntly, "Moxie is obsessed with bread and pasta!!!" The Vet, without skipping a beat replied, "A girl after my own heart." LOL Soon enough, all the vet assistants and receptionists were asking after Miss Moxie, the cat that loves carbs!

Different remedies were discussed and it was decided that Moxie would be put on a grain free cat food diet with blood work to be done. Apparently, she's developed a taste for carbs and may be trying to supplement a nutritional deficit with the carbs and inanimate objects that she ingests. Thankfully, besides this, she is a pretty healthy cat. I just need to make sure the house is cat proofed from all small objects which could possibly be ingested.

Finally, I just had to know what the doctor thought about her weight. I asked her, "Doctor, give it to me straight ... is Miss Moxie an obese cat?"
"No," she replied. "I wouldn't say obese. I'd say she is stocky."
"Stocky?" I asked. "Stocky like a field hockey player or hockey like a rugby player?"
The Vet laughed and replied, "Stocky like a rugby player."
So there you have it, Miss Moxie is a carb-loving rugby player!