Introducing Lily

[iemanja]

Thanks to everyone who suggested names and thank you to my fellow Minnesotan Ocelot II for suggesting Lily as a name.

She's been a sweet cat, though on the naughty side. She loves to cuddle and be pet, and she already caught a mouse!
She also loves to knock things off tables, especially the remote control, and today she got my glasses! Twice she has busted into the big bag of cat food, but I just got an airtight container that I hope will keep her out. Her foster mom let her free feed because she's food insecure, but she was eating an enormous amount. I don't want her to get severely overweight, so I've been feeding her on a schedule, which doesn't make her happy. If anyone has suggestions for any of the above, I'd love to hear them.

[Diamond_Dog]

1. Very handsome kitty. Reminds me of George McGovern's KC.

[MIButterfly]

2. Hi Lily!

What a beautiful cat who's sure to keep you on your toes! I'm sure you wouldn't have it any other way. I know I wouldn't.

I love her distinctive stripes. She looks like she's contemplating her next move in that photo. Here's to a long, happy life of togetherness for the two of you!

[iemanja]

3. Thank you so much!

[JMCKUSICK]

4. Congratulations Iemanja,

Do you have other cats? Other pets? If not, let he acclimate and then maybe leave a small bowl of dry after she eats and goes for a nap. She may learn to trust good to be there.
She's gorgeous and may you build many special memories together.

[iemanja]

5. No other pets.

Thank you for the well wishes.

[Polly Hennessey]

6. Looks like Lily is in charge. That's a 'take no prisoners' look.

She is distinctively gorgeous.

[AllaN01Bear]

7. le purrrfect.

[catrose]

8. My vet told me to feed only wet food.

Cats could eat as much as they want and not get overweight. In over 25 years of fostering, he was wrong only once. Leo really bulked up eating 5 6oz cans a day. He came to me malnourished and I cut back a can or 2 before he ballooned up badly.

[iemanja]

10. Wet food? Really

She has some, but it's not her everyday food.

[catrose]

13. That's what he recommended. Didn't matter what brand.

Dry food they'll eat like we eat popcorn. No Stop button, especially if they have gone hungry, like my Leo. They figure they better eat as much as possible before it goes away again.

[Warpy]

17. I fed my last 2 on kibble because trying them on wet food gave them the runs

and diarrhea in 2 long haired cats is extremely unpleasant, especially for the cats.

One cat was a breed notorious for dental problems. He needed 2 dentals, 7 years apart, when the average was every 3 years. The other one never needed any dental work.

The wet food/dry food debate will never be solved because it likely depends on the cat. Both are formulated to provide all the nutrition cats need and the cats seem to like both kinds.

[Joinfortmill]

9. Beautiful cat.

[littlemissmartypants]

11. She's so beautiful, iemanja! 😻😻😻

[iemanja]

12. Thank you!

[sprinkleeninow]

14. "Many Years In Health And Happiness" 🫶

[Ziggysmom]

15. She looks like my Sophia a bit. Lily is a real sweet looking doll.

Sophie was a wild feral and my husband turned her into a snuggly, gentle angel. The shelter tried to talk us into a different kitty, but we knew she deserved a chance, and she kept pawing us, no claws, as if she was asking for help. It was like night and day, once she left the shelter.

[iemanja]

16. How sweet!

They do look alike. Lily was born on the street as well, but I don’t think she developed true feral qualities.

[brer cat]

18. Lily is lovely, iemanja. With her posed so nicely

on her throne, I have no doubt who is in charge!

[radical noodle]

19. A puzzle feeder for cats might slow down her eating

and you could leave food out more often that way. It's difficult to take a cat from free feeding to meals. When I got my last rescue, he was starved all the time and I had always just free fed my cats. Initially he gained a few pounds but he eventually evened out when he finally realized it was always there. After a while, he was only going to the food bowl occasionally and ate smaller portions when there.

Lily is lovely.

[iemanja]

20. That's an interesting solution.

Thanks.

[radical noodle]

21. Hope it helps

Keep us posted on her progress with you.

[iemanja]

22. I just ordered one.

I will keep you posted.

[Ocelot II]

23. You picked Lily! I'm so pleased!

She looks like a real sweetie. My new cats are also on a schedule, no free feeding, but they are doing OK. I've been giving them the amounts prescribed but not all at once, so they have something to look forward to a few times a day. They are a couple of 14-lb. chonks who should lose some weight but they are also just big. Exercise might be helpful - give her toys and play with her.

Lily!

[iemanja]

24. I saw your gray cats

They are lovely! I love your phrase "the cat distribution system."

I ordered a puzzle feeder, as radical noodle suggested. I'm hoping that enables her to spend more time eating and thereby eat less, while I can leave some extra out.

She just seems like a Lily, so that was a great suggestion!

[Ocelot II]

25. I didn't invent the Cat Distribution System - it really is a thing.

https://www.kinship.com/cat-lifestyle/cat-distribution-system

It refers specifically to the appearance of strays that need homes and you take them in, but I count the work of shelters, where I got my two, as another cog in the greater wheel that powers the CDS. In this case the CDS directed me to the shelter and the choice the cats and I made of each other.

Puzzle feeders are a good idea. They make the cat work for their food and keep them from gorging a lot at once. But sometimes a really smart cat can defeat them. I bought a feeder that was like one of those clown dolls with the weighted base that would pop up after it's knocked down, so you put kibble inside it and the cat has to figure out how to knock the toy over sideways so the food would come out a hole on one side, a little at a time. My cat figured out that he could get all the food out at once if he pushed the toy over, held it down and rolled it until all the kibble fell out the hole at once.

[iemanja]

26. I've gotten cats that way

They often seem to choose you rather than the other way around.

Cats are smart. I can see Lily solving the puzzle quickly, but I'll try anyway.

[QED]

27. Congratulations!

May you and Lily have a very loving life together.

[iemanja]

28. Thank you very much!