#TeamAllie is Svelte & (almost) 7!

That's right, Allie's birthday is this Saturday, Oct 25, (it's her 7th!) and she's all excited about celebrating her big day with a figure she hasn't seen in years.

Allie's taken her Extreme Feline Makeover to heart, eating healthy portions of quality food like Purrfect Bistro grain free canned foods.

(She prefers the paté flavors, personally. Actually Maxwell & Faraday do, too. Which she finds a bit disturbing, as Faraday keeps trying to help himself to her dinner!)

Allie: Quick, Mother. Distract the Brat so I can eat in peace!

She's also a firm believer in the idea that a healthy lifestyle needs to include regular exercise.

Check out the laps she's doing around the monkey grass along the front sidewalk.
Leap...turn...leap...repeat!

When we asked Allie what she wanted for her birthday this Saturday, she asked if we'd host a Kansas City style barbecue on the deck, with a commentathon open all weekend.

So please come back and visit us then!

And in lieu of gifts, she wanted to donate some Merrick Purrfect Bistro cat food to the cats over at Great Plains SPCA in Independence. They're slowly finding their forever homes, but as of a few days ago, their numbers still topped 450 and rising.

We think that's an awfully generous thing for her to do. 

Uh, well most of us do, at any rate.

Help us raise funds for Great Plains SPCA - and tweak Faraday's nose a bit more - this Saturday at Allie's Birthday Bash!

***

FTC Disclosure: 

Our Extreme Feline Makeover series is sponsored by Merrick Pet Care, and we have received both food and a small fee to compensate us for each post. This covers the time it takes to take photos and write our progress reports.
Every sponsored post on A Tonk's Tail will always reflect our honest and unbiased opinions. Merrick Pet Care is not responsible for the content of this article, and Purrfect Bistro flavors are not specifically formulated for weight management.
This effort is part of an overall health and wellness regime for Allie. 

Svelte & looking mighty fine.

Hello there! Allie here, reporting in from high atop the cat tree.

I have news for you - big news!

Well, I suppose technically it would be called "smaller" news, being that this post is all about weight loss and promoting a healthy lifestyle!

That's right: I've been on a months-long journey to a skinnier me: #TeamAllie, working on my Extreme Feline Makeover!

And if I do say so myself, it's been a tasty journey, what with all the delish grain-free canned food my #TeamAllie sponsor, Merrick Purrfect Bistro, has provided.

You could say I've been "eating myself thin!"  *giggle!*

Mother believes strongly in feeding a species-appropriate diet, and for her that means grain-free goodness, with quality ingredients and appropriate portion sizes (I'm right there with her...except maybe on those portions. Let's talk, Mother, 'k?)

Of course, we all know that an important component to a healthy kitty's lifestyle is getting appropriate exercise, and I've been logging plenty of arm reaches by doing spider wand toy reps every day. Pardon my expression - I'm really intent on perfecting my form!

Of course, since I've started down the Road to Svelte, a certain bratty brother has decided he, too, loves taste sensations like Turkey Pate and Beef Wellington.

I've had to hire Maxwell as my very own personal Brinks' Security Guard, so Faraday stays away from my food!

Faraday: yeah, yeah, blah blah blah. 

Let's get down to brass tacks, here, sis. Did you or did you not lose weight this month? 

The scales don't lie!

***drum roll*** 

This month's weigh-in?  12.2 pounds, down more than a half pound in the past 4 weeks!

This glam girl's looking good, and she knows it. Betcha couldn't tell, could you?

Allie: Oh Mother-r-r-r... my driver's license is now wrong. Can I get a new one?

***

FTC Disclosure: 

Our Extreme Feline Makeover series is sponsored by Merrick Pet Care, and we have received both food and a small fee to compensate us for each post. This covers the time it takes to take photos and write our progress reports.
Every sponsored post on A Tonk's Tail will always reflect our honest and unbiased opinions. Merrick Pet Care is not responsible for the content of this article, and Purrfect Bistro flavors are not specifically formulated for weight management.
This effort is part of an overall health and wellness regime for Allie. 

Extreme Makeover Check-In!

You may have heard that Allie is on a diet. She's determined to shed the pounds, and she's doing it in a healthy way.

(Wait. Okay, truth in advertising here: we're determined she'll shed the pounds. Allie kinda thinks free-feeding 24/7 would totally rock, but that's not going to happen.)

Allie's diet regimen includes delicius grain-free entrees from Purrfect Bistro.

She's under the supervision of her veterinarian who has given us a daily calorie intake goal, and she's eating a quality wet, grain-free food: Merrick Purrfect Bistro. In fact, Allie's entire new health-kick is being sponsored by Merrick, and we are very appreciative.
 
Monthly Weigh-in Time

So how is Allie's weight-loss progressing?

Welll-l-l-l...

We've learned a lot in the past 4 weeks.

First, that Allie has her human brother wrapped around her paw, which means we suspect she got generous portions while we were in Texas!

Next, there are two different metabolism types to consider when a cat loses weight.

First, the cats who require maintenance calories. This is based on frame size - and what it takes to maintain an ideal weight for that frame. In Allie's case, 267 calories a day.

I thought that was a LOT -  in fact, I'm sure Allie's been eating less than this. But our vet wanted to begin here to get a baseline.

The result? As of July 1, Allie had gained 6/10 of a pound. Oops.

I did mention two metabolism types. The other: cats whose metabolisms are a bit slower. The ones our vet called (*delicate cough*) obese prone.

Yes, Allie's in that second group. So we switched her to 216 calories a day and may adjust downward, depending on how she does. Our vet ideally would like to see half a pound lost per week.

Hey, we're on track! Since we've been back from Texas, our girl has shed that 6/10 pound she's gained. Go #TeamAllie !!

...foreshadowing...? Allie looks a bit worried.

But wait! 
There's more!

With the inauguration of this new diet, we've taken pains to make sure Allie's meal time isn't crashed by a certain crazypants kitty. Faraday being, well, Faraday - you can understand our concern.

So when a few new flavors of Purrfect Bistro arrived on Saturday for Allie to try, I gave a bit to Faraday as a "stay out of the way" offering.

The Turkey Pate was a huge hit with both of them.
What I did not expect was what happened next:

Maxwell: Dood, whatcha eating?
Faraday: It's WET food, Maxie, so you won't LIKE it. Go 'way.

Is that a shocked look on Faraday's face?

Maxwell:  *nudge*shove*

Wait, maybe we should have said "disgusted."

Maxwell: *munch*nom*

This. Is. EPIC.

(Well,  okay, and a bit funny. Seriously? What a face, Maxie.)

Faraday: That's MY food, Maxie. Back OFF.

Faraday: That's IT. I'm going IN!

Maxwell: Wait....

I have been battling Maxwell's addiction to kibble for two years now. This was completely unexpected. And I'm almost giddy at the thought that FINALLY Max will eat wet food!!!

Allie:  "Should I hire a Brinks truck to guard my stash?"

Uh, yeah, Allie, you might.

______________

FTC Disclosure: Our Extreme Feline Makeover series is sponsored by Merrick Pet Care, and we have received both food and a small fee to compensate us for each post. This covers the time it takes to take photos and write our progress reports. Every sponsored post on A Tonk's Tail will always reflect our honest and unbiased opinions. Merrick Pet Care is not responsible for the content of this article, and Grammy’s Pot Pie is not specifically formulated for weight management. This effort is part of an overall health and wellness regime for Allie. And a totally surprising and unexpected bonus for us: for Maxwell's health and wellness too! SCORE!

Wednesday's Waif: Tinker!

"Hello future forever friend!

My name is Tinker and I am so thankful that you took the time to read a little more about me! I am a female red, brown, white torbie that is declawed on my front paws.

I am a very affectionate and curious lady who has appetite for life! One of the first things you may notice about me is the fact that my hunger for life also goes for food...."

"I am a lady that has a heart as big as my stomach. I will always be there to listen to you, help you when you are feeling down, and a make a good day a GREAT day. My felineality is leader of the band; which means that I do everything in a BIG way!

You will find me leading the parade, not following behind. I am also very affectionate, and I will love snuggling with you. I will always be there right next to you whether we are doing chores around the house, or just having a quite night on the couch.

I will always make sure you know how much you mean to me with my amazing head butts, hand rubs, and my one of kind meows, and purrs! Along with my tons of affection I have to give I also enjoy playtime.

When I play I sometimes forget that I am a larger kitty and if there are small dogs in the home I can be a little to much for them. In my previous home I did live with small dogs and they would sometimes be a little afraid of me when I wanted to play.

I am a large and in charge feline! I came to Wayside because my previous person, who loved me so very much, was a little worried that I was not getting the attention that I deserve, so they did the most kind, brave thing they could and brought me here to Wayside so I could find my new forever home.

I am hoping that home will be with you! I would love to meet you, so please come down. I know that we will go together like cake and ice cream!

Love, Tinker"

Tinker is available at Allie's Alma Mater, and has a very fun and special video made just for her:


Come meet Tinker in the fur, at Wayside Waifs!