cigalechanta

Henry Beard who wrote Poetry for cats and French for cats has written a new book that I bought on the way home from work.
Under the name of Henri de la Barbe,
"French Cats Don't get Fat,the secrets of la cuisine féline."....."The sensationnel French diet that will turn even the pudgiest pate de divan(couch potato) into a chic, café kitty."

Underhill

I don't know how French cats stay thin given the marvelous kitty foods available in the supermarkets in France. We always bring some home for our own pride: rabbit pâté is a special favorite.

cigalechanta

well, buy the book, lots of tips for the American and Brit kitty

StCirq

If this author really translates "pate de divan" as "couch potato," I'm not sure he deserves much credibility. Maybe a few laughs but if he can't distinguish between pasta (or pâté - who knows which he was thinking?) and potatoes one has to wonder

I would bet that the average French feline does have a better diet than its American counterpart, though. Doesn't that hold true for us humans?

There's a cat in my neighborhood that's just appeared recently -it may be a stray, but I'm not sure. It shows up in my front yard every evening around dusk looking as though it needs a handout. It's so incredibly fat, though, that I've resisted so far, even though I'm a sucker for stray animals (allergic to cats so I can't take them in, but I'll feed them). Honestly, this cat, if it is a stray, is so fat it NEEDS to be on the streets for a few weeks.

cigalechanta

It was MY error in typing, he write: patate de divan. This book is all tongue in cheek as are the recipes here,
Moles mariniere, shrewfflé etc.

Scarlett

Funny, Mimi! shrewfflé ~

cmt

My little American indoor cat stays quite slender and lightweight by leaping to the top of bookcases and back down and stalking imaginary invisible birds on the ceiling and chasing bottle caps and cellophane and toy mice under and over tables and beds and chairs. It's amazing how much exercise she manages to get in a small house. Her breath stays sweet eating crunchy dry food. She even tries to taste a bit of boring bland dry dog food. I think she knows the dog is my special favorite, so assumes that dog food must be something very very good, if I give it to my dog.

cigalechanta

Very good, Carol, It also suggest to cats to run around like crazy for about thirty seconds. To obtain the maximum benefit, this movement should be done in no particular direction and for no apparent reason.
Gee, my new dog must think he's a cat. He does that every day.
Scarlett, other recipes, Ratatouille,
Vole au vent, mouse au chocolat.

Scarlett

Any cat of mine would love mouse au chocolat LOL

alya

Well, we live in MA so our cats slim down in the Summer and fatten up in the Winter.

We have a bird feeder that sticks to our kitchen window but has a mirrored back so the birds can't see into the room.

It drives the cats crazy, they jump up and down but can't catch the bird - who is totally ignorant that there's a cat stalking it. When the snow starts and the cats refuse to go outside it's really the only exercise they get.

BTW our dogs love it too. We call it the 'Cat TV'!

PrincessOfPenguins

Perhaps French cats stay slim by chain smoking?

cocofromdijon

My parents in law's black cat is not slim, she's got a big belly and she is not pregnant! no generalization please ;-)

maybe she should start smoking..

MissPrism

StCirq

I suspect that your hungry Stray is a
Six Dinner Sid

Six Dinner Sid is a children's book by Inga Moore

"Sid is a cat who is addicted to having six meals a day and glories in this lifestyle. Manipulative, persuasive and a charmer he has wrapped everybody round his little paw - each owner believes that Sid belongs to them only . . . until the day he is found out!"

Voyager2006

The best exercise for any cat (or dog) is for them to weave back and forth between their owner's legs as the owner stands at the top of a stairway...gets the owner's complete attention every time.

PatrickLondon

"Six Dinner Sid" - perfect. We have one on the estate where I live, only he's called Oscar:
http://www.patrickwallace.me.uk/bbq2/pages/IMG_0286.htm

MissPrism

Yes, Oscar looks like a cat who has the humans where he wants them.

You can see his Venetian relation at http://sylvia.photoblog.me.uk/p15472780.html

zippo

Cats may fake slimness by stretching themselves out until they are able to slide under a door.After their plate is filled they resume their normal dimensions.

PatrickLondon

Slide under doors? Sounds like too much work. Most cats simply hypnotise their humans into opening doors for them.

LLindaC

The laser light is better than a treadmill for cats. My 15 pounder has trimmed quite a bit thanks to that. Of course, he gets carried away at times and runs into walls.

KidsToLondon

and French cats can actually find some LAPS to sit upon in France. Here in the US, laps seem to have disappeared. ;-)