Hello Everyone - I'm here for my cat Tiggy.

my story - I have 2 cat's. Tiggy who is 11 year's old, a male orange Tabby,and just diagnosed with diabetes, and Nala a female who is 4 and is a tortoiseshell, that is what my vet calls her anyway. I got Tiggy 3 years ago, he was my mother's cat, she passed away and I took him in, and he adjusted fairly quickly, it took about a month or so especially when they both came from being in a one cat household their whole lives thus far, but they began to play fight, and run after each other, and they were good...everything was great, then I would say about a month ago I noticed Tiggy was drinking a lot for about a 3 day period, and I was going to call the vet, but then he went back to normal again, he was drinking normal, eating normal and was fine and he lost a pound that month, but I really didn't think anything was wrong anymore, then Sep 30 which I think was a Saturday he started to drink a lot again, and he would eat a lot as well, but was still acting normal, by Monday I noticed his hair became like bristly looking, and he was sleeping a lot more than usual, and not playing at all , and I also took him to the scale, and saw he lost another lb, the vet's office was already closed, so then on Tuesday I called the vet and I told the girl all of his symptoms, and I couldn't get an appointment until Friday...and in this time period he became worse, he no longer wanted to eat..which I was trying everything and anything to make him eat...and I noticed under his eyes started to get more pink...he wasn't active at all, most likely because he had no energy because he was hardly eating...I was feeding him treats like crazy, but even w/ that he would only eat maybe 5 or 6 and then he would leave the rest there....so then on Friday I took him to the vet and I kinda knew what was wrong...I know it was either kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, or diabetes...and I was hoping for hyperthyroidism..because it would be a pill for the rest of his life, which of course would be the easier out of the 3...so I told her everything and she said well we have to do labs to see what it is...and I said okay...and of course it came back as diabetes, and I just started crying like a baby and it was so high, it was at 587, so she told me about ProZinc U-40 and she said don't worry we can fix this, and they also gave him subcutaneous fluid because he was dehydrated ...so then the vet tech came in and showed me how to inject him...she did it once w/ saline and then had me try it...which of course I was still crying and she said don't worry it doesn't hurt him...and yea at that time he was so scared, so he stayed still, and he just left her and then me do it..and she said see it's that simple, and she told me to do it twice a day at 2 on the syringe..and of course they told me they would give me 2 samples of canned food to see if he liked them it was royal canon glycobalance...which I ended up having to pay for anyway, and then I would have to come back next week for them to check him again ...and she also said if you can't afford to feed him this kind, then I could try fancy feast pate so I took him home and I tried to feed him a can of that royal canon and he didn't want it, so I went to the store and bought fancy feast pate, and the one's w/ sauce that were low in carbs with the real chicken, and he would just lap up the juice from it, and then I tried the pate, and he would eat a little, but not much...and they had said if he doesn't eat at all then don't inject him...so since he ate some, I injected him...and it was okay that first day then the second day, I didn't because he didn't eat anything...and as I said before, this was a Friday when this happened so the vet isn't there on Saturday's or Sunday's...so it was Saturday that he ate nothing...I tried everything, so he would eat a couple treats, but that was it...and then Sunday I injected him, because he ate a little each time...and then on Monday I called the office and I said he is hardly eating anything, and he isn't moving around at all, they of course couldn't take him till 4pm, when I called as soon as they opened...I took him down and he was dehydrated again and they did a spot check and his glucose was down a little it was 527 so she said to up him to 4 and I had to feed him with a syringe, which was horrible to do, but the next day, it was like he knew I was going to be doing it again...and he started eating more... by this time I had already ordered through Amazon about $100 worth of different pates from other brands that I found on a list that showed the percentages of protein, carbs, and calories...so I got Pro Plan and Beyond with Gravy which showed low carbs...because what I read it was saying low carbs and high protein and no grains for cat's with diabetes, so I tried that, he actually was eating some of that but mostly licking the juice off the Pro Plan...and then the other he would just lick up all the gravy and I also was adding water to it so he would eat more of it...which he was...so at least he was eating more then he was, but to me it still wasn't enough, because he was sleeping almost all day...he would just get up when I would give him the wet food twice a day...and of course to pee, and of course he was peeing a lot because he was drinking a lot still, and then he would just lay back down and go to sleep...so I also was feeding him treats as well, and I bought dry food also that was low in carbs and high in protein....I think it was Evo and Nature's Valley Raw Boost...and he wasn't touching the Nature's Valley but he started eating the Evo, so I was just happy he was eating more...and he was a dry food cat to begin with and so is my other one, not because I didn't want to feed them wet food...because I tried so many times, and all they would have is the one's w/ a lot of Gravy which of course has a lot of carbs and the only one I found just recently was that one that I mentioned before that includes the gravy, but even w/ that there isn't a lot of gravy in it...and I also got treats that were low carb as well, like the freeze dried chicken, and then turkey... which he doesn't even touch them either, and it said you could soak in water and they would most likely eat it, and I even pulled little pieces off, because he doesn't like big pieces of anything, and still nope. so then of course I had to go back to the vet the next week which was just recently for a spot check ,and he was dehydrated again, so they gave him fluids again, and she said we are going to put him on a total diabetic diet...because his glucose went down again, but not enough, it was now at 427 this time, so they gave me 2 samples one of that glycolbalance again and hills prescription w/d pate, and then the same brand of hard food since he seems to want that more then the wet food...and I said to the vet tech, well I heard that a lot of these prescription diets are higher in carbs then the 10% and under, and she said nothing...and I told her about the high protein , they are not high enough in protein, and she said you have to watch w/ the protein it shouldn't be high protein when they are diabetic...I was like what? Everything I heard was about high protein, and low carbs, and no grains...I don't know....and of course, he didn't really touch those 2 cans they gave me..he is eating pretty good now mostly w/ that prescription hard food, but he is also eating more of the wet food as well, not enough but more then he was.....and now he has energy he isn't sleeping all day long and the bright pink under his eyes is going away, and he started playing a little w/ my other cat...he is still drinking a lot...and I have to take him back to the vet in a week again for a spot check....and w/ these vet's visits it has already cost me $460 in like a 17 day period not including all the food I bought him...so I'm pretty much going insane, and also with the injection , how they say it doesn't hurt...that's a lie...because sometimes he flinches when i inject him or he tries to get away ...and I cry every time I give it to him still...because I feel so bad for hurting him...anyway, I found this place and it has a lot of great information on it and that is why I joined just to ask questions if I need to, and find out a lot more about having a cat that is diabetic, and what I need to do...I'm going w/ my vet's advice for now...but I really want to try what is best for him...sorry so long, but I just wanted to explain everything that has been going on w/ him...I just hope it all get's better, and thank you all for being here for everybody that has to go through all this stuff.

 

Welcome. Post any questions you have in The Main Health Forum. We like questions. And can help you save money on the vet visits by telling you what is necessary and what isn't.

 

Welcome! I’m glad he’s eating a bit better. Yes the wd is too high in carbs, but right now the important thing is for him to eat. Are you home testing? We highly recommend it and will be happy to help you learn how. Come to the Health Forum and ask any questions you have.

 

Welcome!

 

Thank you!

 

Thank you

 

My vet never said anything about testing at all...Thank you for the advice...I will be going there!