Hi!

My name is Amber and about an hour ago I learned that my 10 year old girl, Echo, is diabetic. I took her to the vet as she has been drinking and urinating a lot more frequently lately. I had hoped it would be nothing, but feared diabetes. I thought I was prepared for the answer but then when the vet started talking to me about starting her on insulin and the huge commitment and all of it, I had to keep myself from bursting into tears. Echo is the sweetest, most lovable girl and she hardly leaves my side. For her to have this disease made me feel like I let her down as an owner. I am just very overwhelmed with all of this. I don't have the most normal schedule and I have two cats so keeping her on a twice daily feeding and insulin schedule is going to be very difficult. I guess I'm just here looking for some support from anyone who felt overwhelmed at the start of their diabetic cat journey. Thanks and nice to meet you all.

 

Hi and welcome! I think everyone feels overwhelmed in the beginning. It will get better.

By the way, you do not have to feed her just twice a day. The AAHA guidelines say it is ideal to feed them four times a day (using an auto-feeder, if needed), and if they are underweight, free-feeding is okay.

Please ask any questions you have on the main health forum. You will get a lot of advice and support here.

 

Thank you. I have done a little research but was mainly going off of what my vet told me. And my girl is far from underweight!

 

Welcome from me too.

You haven't let her down at all. Any more than I let Ty down. Diabetes happens.

Anyway. A grizzle is good. I had a little one today myself .

 

It is so so overwhelming at first. I think I cried on and off literally for 24 hours when I heard the news. I'm sorry for the diagnosis. The good news is is super treatable, and cats can live long healthy lives with it. My cat is a very happy girl. The syringes are so thin they often don't even feel them. Once you've given a few shots they aren't a big deal, and there's a large community of support here! I'm glad you found this place right away.

You don't have to feed twice a day. Yes you want to feed just before shot time but it's perfectly fine to feed in between, just not 2 hours prior to the preshot test (we can teach you that too.... It's easy and will keep your cat much safer and be cheaper then frequent vet trips.). Get all your cats in the same low carb wet diet. Most of us feed fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods. No perscription food necessary.

If you have any questions please write on the main health forum where more eyes will see it. Welcome.

 

Welcome!!

You are off with a good start, having arrived here, take a big breath we all felt pretty much like you when we got the diagnose and tried to arrange our schedules to their shooting times (feeding times are not so complicated since it doesn't have to be so exact) , but once you establish a routine it gets better.

Also is easier if you change both cats to the new diet, the healthy cat will also benefit from a low carb diet and it will help you not to worry if your diabetic cat eats something he shouldn't.

Let us know what insulin are you considering to be able to help you better and as Janet said ask as many questions as you need in the main health forum.