Does anyone here have a diabetic cat?

[Love My Zons]

Today I got an email from my Mother that the blood work came back for her 10 yr old Ragdoll that she is diabetic. She was showing the signs of water intake and large pees in her litter box.

I believe they said she will need shots everyday. My Mother is a bit worried and I hope she will be able to give her the insulin. She is currently back at the Vet so they can monitor and re-check her and adjust for the correct amount she is going to need.

I am not sure if they are going to be syringes, or if you can stick her easily or if there have been advances in medicine with administering the insulin these days.

Any info you have I can relay to Mom so she can be more at ease with this. I do not live nearby- hopefully her place sells so she will be nearby to me and I can give her the shots 2x a day if I have to.

Thanks!

 

[Teasha]

I know someone who has a cat that is diabetic and she gives shots twice a day.

 

[itzmered]

We had a dog that was diabetic and had to give him a shot once a day. This was 25 years ago so I am sure there have been some advances since then or at least I hope there have been

 

[Ziggymon]

I have had two diabetic cats. Giving insulin injections is super easy - the needles are so small and fine that, after the first couple of days, I was able to give injections without the cat even noticing. I also monitored blood sugar using one of those little instruments that humans use to monitor their blood sugar. Cats have a vein that runs along the edge of their ears - it's very easy to get a drop of blood for the test there.

When I had a diabetic cat, I joined this forum: FDMB - The Feline Diabetes Message Board • Index page I learned a lot on there - there are changes you can make to diet that really help - in fact, after a number of months, my second diabetic cat's diabetes was entirely controlled by the change in diet, and he no longer required insulin.

 

[Feather Mom]

I have a diabetic cat also. I give him an insulin injection twice a day. As already said, the needle is very tiny, and it's not hard to do. I also check glucose myself with a human glucose monitor. Having used to work as a veterinary technician, I just draw the blood from a front leg, but the vet did tell me about the ear ••••• way too.

 

[Love My Zons]

Very interesting info thanks so much. My Mother has researched it a bit and she even read that sometimes it can reverse. With that being said I did ask her to ask her Vet about switching her cat to a grain free food so there are less carbs that turn to sugar. I haven't heard back on his thoughts about that.

Thanks for the link to that site I will share with her so she can talk to others about it.

 

[Ziggymon]

The main thing is that your mother should be reassured that this is something she can manage. I'm by nature terribly squeamish about sticking needles into living beings, and after the first couple of times, the insulin needle was so very easy. Since then, I've given all kinds of different injections, subcu fluids for cats in renal failure, etc. I have to still steel myself when I have to use a larger needle, but those insulin needles - easy as pie.

As for dietary change - IMO and IME, it's very important, no matter what her vet may think. (So many vets are still not very well versed in nutrition and its effects.) I think grain is responsible for much/most of the incidences of feline diabetes.

Good luck to your mom and the kitty.

 

[Love My Zons]

Thank you Ziggymom for the uplift on this making it seem easier. I too believe that the Vets are not well rounded with nutrition esp with all the holistic foods out there. I am willing to bet a grain free food would be better.

 

[rocabird]

I currently have 2 diabetic cats and have owned another before these 2. All were adopted as diabetic (2 were Ragdolls actually). The 2 I have now are diet controlled, 1 came off insulin after being on it for at least 5 years.

Most cats are type 2 diabetes which there is a chance especially if caught early that it can be controlled by diet alone (just like in people). Dry food even no grain (even the vet diabetic diet) contains a lot carbohydrates so getting them off the "kiity crack" is the first step to diet controlled. There are people that do raw, but many do canned (checking ingredients for no grains, veggies or fruit), including me. The Feline Diabetic Message Board is a great resource for information and support. I also recommend Dr. Lisa's website for information on diet-Feline Diabetes by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM :: cat diabetes, cat sugar diabetes


One example of what a dry no grain food can do to blood glucose. When I adopted Poughkeepsie, the vet checked his BG before he flew to me. I was about 340. 14 hours later it was 120. I gave him a spoonful of no grain dry since I was transitioning him that night. 12 hours later his BG was elevated at 220 so he got insulin. The only other time he has gotten insulin here was again after a spoonful of the no grain dry. Hate to imagine what his BG would be if I gave him the full serving of dry.