Diabetic cat

[Aussie Willy]

My cat has just been diagnosed with diabetes. Poor thing was drinking a lot more water and using his litter tray a lot more. Vet just rang me to tell me so I am going back after work to discuss treatment.

So anyone else with a diabetic kitty and what do you do to manage the problem.

 

[Japanfan]

I have had both a diabetic dog and a diabetic cat.

The diabetic dog, Maia, lived for four years with the condition, and was blind as well. She had a stroke or heart attack at age 14 (legs were paralyzed). We gave her insulin every day, which is not difficult to do, providing that the pet doesn't resist, which Maia didn't. However it was sometimes difficult to regulate her, and there were many times when we thought she was down for the count. She had blood sugar crashes on occasion, which were scary. The solution to that is to get some sugar into the pet immediately - we used syrup.

Maia was a total trooper of a dog! Unfortunately it was more difficult with the diabetic cat, and he didn't live more than six months after diagnosis. It was very hard to give him the shot, as he didn't like it and wouldn't stand still. And a cat might not be as willing as a dog to eat up a bowl of syrup in the case of a blood sugar crash.

I did know someone with a cat who lived for a number of years with diabetes. I don't remember all the details, but do recall that for some reason the women who owned the cat was spending hundreds of dollars at the vet some months.

I relied heavily on a website forum called Pets with Diabetes when caring for Maia. It was literally a life-saver, as there was a time when she wasn't responding to the insulin and just kept getting sicker and thinner. It was a person on the board who suggested we might be using a needle that was calibrated differently from the one the vet used. This turned out to be the case, as we'd got some needles from a person with diabetes. We adjusted the insulin, and Maia started to get better immediately. Even the vet had not considered that calibration might be the issue.

I looked for that website, and didn't get a hit.

But there are lots of resources on the web for dealing with a diabetic pet, and I'm sure there are forums about it, as it is a scary, intimidating situation and people living with it need a lot of support and advise.

Good luck Aussie Willie - there is hope.

 

[AxelAnnie]

So sorry for your Kittie.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Thanks Japanfan - I will check out that website.

Hopefully the vet will have the right advice and puss will be okay.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I relied heavily on a website forum called Pets with Diabetes when caring for Maia.

What Japanfan said, as long as sites reliable and suggested care corresponds to your vet's diagnosis and approval.

https://www.petwellbeing.com/products/cat-diabetes?gclid=CN_wgfm67NYCFYm6wAodYwUPRg

https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/dog-diabetes-symptoms-treatment#1

https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Diabetes-in-Pets.aspx

 

[Aussie Willy]

Thanks for the links

 

[Tinami Amori]

Thanks for the links

But wait for the Vet to diagnose the kitty first, usually Vets give very detailed instructions for animal's SPECIFIC situation.
Good luck! keep us posted.

 

[Allskate]

I'm sorry for you and for your cat. My friend's cat was diagnosed with diabetes. It turns out that the cat's diet was a huge factor. She was able to resolve the cat's situation by changing the cat food. I hope it turns out to be that simple for you.

 

[Japanfan]

But wait for the Vet to diagnose the kitty first, usually Vets give very detailed instructions for animal's SPECIFIC situation.
Good luck! keep us posted.

Aussie Willy posted above that her cat has been diagnosed.

Was your vet not helpful, Aussie Willy?

 

[BittyBug]

Our family dog when I was in college developed diabetes. It was manageable with insulin and a very strict and specific food schedule (type of food, quantity and precise timing). Your vet will be your best source of advice but here is some general info from one of my go to references, Cornell Veterinary College.

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/brochure_diabetes.cfm

 

[Aussie Willy]

Puss has been diagnosed through a blood test so it is confirmed. Thankfully the vet will fit me in after work tonight, give him an insulin shot and discuss treatment going forward. He did suggest that sometimes the diabetes will reverse.

I am wondering about his food. I changed recently to a lite variety of dried food as he was getting a bit heavier, vering towards being overweight (although he has never been a fat cat). I am wondering if there might be some correlation between that and the development of the diabetes.

 

[floridaice]

Our cat Barclay was diabetic -- diagnosed when he was around 13 and lived almost 5 more years. We fed him a diabetic formula cat food from our Vet and gave him two insulin shots a day. He did very well until he developed cancer at age 17, lived just a couple months shy of his 18th birthday. We tried to be as consistent with his shot times as possible and kind of cheated by giving him a little of his favorite (non diabetic formula) wet foot before each shot to be sure he had eaten.

One thing we have always credited with his long life was his ability to communicate. We got him when he was 6 weeks old, so by age 13 we knew what certain meows meant. He did have did have occasional episodes of blood sugar imbalance but he had a specific meow to let us know something was wrong. Hopefully Puss will let you know when he needs you.

Also liked the educational information from Cornell Vet school posted by @BittyBug -- great info.

 

[BittyBug]

I am wondering about his food. I changed recently to a lite variety of dried food as he was getting a bit heavier, vering towards being overweight (although he has never been a fat cat). I am wondering if there might be some correlation between that and the development of the diabetes.

If the food is high in carbohydrates it's possible, but if that was a contributing factor, then it may also be possible that changing his diet (which your vet will almost surely indicate) may mitigate the issue. Here's hoping that your kitty will get well soon.

 

[Japanfan]

I am wondering about his food. I changed recently to a lite variety of dried food as he was getting a bit heavier, vering towards being overweight (although he has never been a fat cat). I am wondering if there might be some correlation between that and the development of the diabetes.

Diet can make a difference, and as posted above, can treat one form of diabetes.

And being overweight definitely contributes to diabetes. My dog had become obese prior to being diagnosed. She was up to 100 pounds, which is far too much for a female lab shepherd cross, at least 20 pounds over, possible 30. And I didn't even notice, so besotted with her was I - and felt terrible about that, because it was neglectful on my part, if not intentional.

 

[MacMadame]

I'm sorry for you and for your cat. My friend's cat was diagnosed with diabetes. It turns out that the cat's diet was a huge factor. She was able to resolve the cat's situation by changing the cat food. I hope it turns out to be that simple for you.

I've read that a lot about cats. Switching from dry to canned or homemade has helped a ton of cats over at TheCatSite.com. That's another resource to try for advice and support.

 

[Allskate]

I am wondering about his food. I changed recently to a lite variety of dried food as he was getting a bit heavier, vering towards being overweight (although he has never been a fat cat). I am wondering if there might be some correlation between that and the development of the diabetes.

I've read that a lot about cats. Switching from dry to canned or homemade has helped a ton of cats over at TheCatSite.com.

Yep. The grains in dry food are not good for the cat's blood sugar. My friend was giving her cat food with grains and cranberries?! It's important to cut out the carbs. The cat just needs meat. That may or may not completely resolve the problem, but it definitely should help.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Thanks everyone for the advice and support.

Just got back from the vet. We agreed on trying him on Hills Glucose food to see if that would. Can do a combination of wet and dry, although mainly dry. Will do another urine sample in 3 weeks to check that everything is okay. Although I have done a drug testing course for work so I should be able to get the drug test from the chemist and monitor it myself as well.

The vet did also say that a change of diet can also lead to a change in cat's insulin levels.

Hopefully this will be okay. I have just feed him the Hills and he seems to like it.

ETA - just to add - we are trying to reduce the amount of carbohydrate in his diet and up the protein. So that is the point behind the type of food he is going to have.

 

[Japanfan]

Yep. The grains in dry food are not good for the cat's blood sugar. My friend was giving her cat food with grains and cranberries?! It's important to cut out the carbs. The cat just needs meat. That may or may not completely resolve the problem, but it definitely should help.

Who puts grain in cat food?

Cats are what's known as 'obligate carnivores'.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

Most cheap car food has grain in it, and even some of the expensive stuff. This is why Finley's food is so expensive.

My sister's cat Frankie has diabetes and has for at least five years. Her schedule revolves around his shots and she calls him "car payment" because the price of the insulin is the same as what a new car payment would be, and her car is ten years old. Frankie is happy and adorable.

 

[SmallFairy]

Hope it all turns out well for your cat @Aussie Willy ! From one cat lover to another

 

[Winnipeg]

I have a diabetic cat who is doing well with daily shots. I had a previous cat who lived a great life until 15 with diabetes. He just needed a shot twice/day as per the vet instruction.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Puss seems to be good at the moment. He is a bit more subdue than usual but appears okay.

Good thing I have done first aid training because when talking to the vet most of the stuff was related and I understood it.

 

[Karina1974]

Puss has been diagnosed through a blood test so it is confirmed. Thankfully the vet will fit me in after work tonight, give him an insulin shot and discuss treatment going forward. He did suggest that sometimes the diabetes will reverse.

I am wondering about his food. I changed recently to a lite variety of dried food as he was getting a bit heavier, vering towards being overweight (although he has never been a fat cat). I am wondering if there might be some correlation between that and the development of the diabetes.

Get rid of the dry food and transition to a species-appropriate diet. Dry food with its high carb content plays a huge role in the most common feline ailments. Cats have no need for carbs in their diet.

GET RID of the Hill's!!!!! That food is garbage. Cats DO NOT need corn and wheat gluten, Brewer's rice, and powdered cellulose in their food. They need MEAT protein, moderate fat, less than 10% carbs, and high moisture content in order to thrive. Yes, chicken may be first in the list of ingredients, but that is on a wet-matter basis; in a dry-matter basis the meat drops down the list past the grain/plant ingredients.

Here are two sources on species-appropriate diets for felines, and for caring for diabetic cats:

http://Catinfo.org - this is my personal Bible on feline nutrition.

http://www.yourdiabeticcat.com/

Both sites are written by vets who actually understand feline biology and nutrition, which you cannot say about the majority of vets out there, unfortunately.

 

[Karina1974]

Who puts grain in cat food?

Cats are what's known as 'obligate carnivores'.

Hill's for one. Corn and wheat gluten, Brewer's rice, powdered cellulose.... WTF????? Not one bit species-appropriate.

 

[Karina1974]

Yep. The grains in dry food are not good for the cat's blood sugar. My friend was giving her cat food with grains and cranberries?! It's important to cut out the carbs. The cat just needs meat. That may or may not completely resolve the problem, but it definitely should help.

It's not as simple as feeding "just meat." The diet must be balanced properly. The calcium to phosphorus ratio is very important, for example. If meat is more than 15% of the diet you MUST balance it. That's one reason why so many vets are against home-made diets, because some people think they can just toss some meat in a bowl and be done with it. But a properly balanced home-made diet, or commercial raw like Rad Cat or State of Nature, which is what I feed, trumps the likes of Hill's, Purina, Iam's, etc. Their science is completely wrong because they keep insisting that you can use plant-based proteins in cat food, and you CAN'T. Not if you want your cat to attain optimal health. The fact that they make DRY foods for an animal with such a low thirst drive (cats on "wet" only diets consume double the dietary water content that cats on mainly dry diets do), that is prone to kidney and urinary tract issues, shows just how far off the mark they are.

 

[twinsissv]

My Sasha is sending her most fervent kitty wishes that Puss will beat this thing and live a long and happy life with you filled with much catnip rolling (Puss...not you!).

 

[Aussie Willy]

My Sasha is sending her most fervent kitty wishes that Puss will beat this thing and live a long and happy life with you filled with much catnip rolling (Puss...not you!).

Why thank you. Puss thanks you for the wishes.

I will have a look at those other resources and work out some way to make his diet better.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Just an update on Puss.

I have cut out the dry food altogether and giving him a combination of tinned food and raw meat. He is eating everything so not going hungry and doesn't appear to be losing any weight. Also today the water dish was fuller than what it has been. He is still a bit more subdue than what he is normally (not as vocal) but is still pretty affectionate and no problem jumping up on things.

I will need to get the stuff to do the glucose test and see how that is going.

 

[CarolineL]

My daughter's cat was diagnosed with diabetes and she was able to successfully able to get it to reverse after about a year of treatment. She put him on a high protein wet food diet and insulin injections that gradually were reduced as his blood tests were more and more positive. Weight loss seemed to be a huge asset to the regression as well

 

[Aussie Willy]

Puss is better today. Eating all his food and and drinking less water too. Hasn't lost any weight as well. And he is a bit more like his normal self.