It really makes sense to me, since you put it that way. If you think about
it, it is the same as being ravenous at lunch when you've had nothing but
a donut for breakfast, as opposed to being normally hungry if you've
had eggs.

This has to be a big part of Buddha's problem. Her first human
was older and expressed his affection mostly by feeding her dry
treats. She adores this man and anything associated with him
because he raised her from a tiny kitten. Buddha equates food
with love. She was five years old when he handed her over to
us because he began to travel. By that time she was really
overweight. Since my husband and I have had her we have
introduced daily play times and other "non-edible" rewards.
We were on the right track with her until the heart and thyroid
problems came up. Now I think this canned diet is what will
turn us around again. She is just now 10, so is not terribly old
but not young either.

I haven't but I will. Thanks.

This is a good analogy.  My previous cats were all free-fed on dry cat food.
At the time, I thought that was what was best for them because I had
accepted the theory that dry food would be better for their teeth and gums.
Of course, cats do not chew -- as you have discussed elsewhere -- so the
whole theory started with a false premise, and someone else pointed out that
humans do not expect eating hard food to clean our own teeth.  My cats that
ate dry food did graze all day, as you described.  Now, my cats eat Wellness
canned exclusively (except for a very *small* amount of Wellness dry every
few days as a treat), and they have adjusted very well to the twice-a-day
feedings.  They are on a 12-hour schedule, and they are always ready for
their meal -- but they do not gorge themselves, and they do not beg for food
between meals.  They do not necessarily polish off the whole portion at one
time, though.  They will often eat some, leave for a short time, return and
eat some more, etc. -- but over a *much* shorter period of time than in
their dry-food days.  Both cats had their annual physical exams last week,
and they came through it with flying colors.  TED even commented on their
beautiful coats and once again mentioned that Holly no longer has any
dandruff (a change that came almost immediately after the change in diet
from dry food -- and a change that is particularly obvious on her because
she is a solid black cat).

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly:      >'o'<
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

Joe, you know, you just reminded me of why I fed my RB
cat dry SD--because she had awful flatulance and runny
poo if she ate any canned at all! And yet, both of my current
girls showed no change at all "litterbox wise" when I introduced
canned food. It is odd. If these cats where like Gnarly was there
is know way I could feed them canned. It must have something
to do with the gut flora of individual cats? Maybe?