Food Help....I'm new to this.

So my 15 1/2 year old cat (i've had her for 13 1/2 years...they said she was about 2 when i got her). Has been diagnosed with diabetes this week. Her sugar was 550 and she had lost weight. Otherwise all labs are normal. Started with insulin yesterday and I'm trying to wrap my head around the food. The vet is trying to sell me Purina DM Savory Selects which will come out to be $90/month on cat food. I can't afford this.

My cat has had her teeth out so I feed her mostly canned wet food. She loves friskies, especially the pate style. After doing some reading and looking at the charts provided by this site, I see that most of the pate style foods she likes have a lower carb % than what the vet wants me to give her.

Can I use the Friskies? Help!!!

 

Friskies Pate is fine. It sounds like you’ve been feeding a low carb food, but if you haven’t, be sure to start hometesting before you switch. We highly recommend you hometest regardless of what you feed as it can keep your cat safe since insulin needs can change so easily.

 

I've read that I should add water to even the pate food to help flush ketones out. Is this a good suggestion?

What are the brands of home testing kits that everyone here uses?

Thanks!

 

Adding water is always good! Is he showing ketones now? As for a meter, if you’re in the US, many of us use the Relion Confirm or Micro from Walmart. If you’re not near a walmart, look for any human meter that uses the smallest amount of blood. (.3 microliters) and has reasonably priced test strips. You’ll also need some lancets (26 gauge) and pick up some ketone test strips. Here’s some info on testing. Be sure to ask any questions you have
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

 

Welcome! What kind of insulin and what is the dosage? There are forums devoted to each insulin so when you have questions about dosage and whatnot, you can post there and get feedback and advise.

 

Welcome. Many on here feed fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods. Adding water is helpful.

I use an Alphatrak with both alphatrak and insulinx strips. (Insulinx strips are cheap on amazon at $30 for 100) I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOO on the vet food, no, no, no. Too high carbs - if I can guess, my baby was fed this herself. 20 -31% carbs. Hers was 24% but vet food, wet, is usually in that range.

BUT, if your vet kept your kitty - did they feed her that food? How long did they keep her? My baby was held for 48 hours and fed nothing BUT vet food - they sent me home with it, so I slowly weaned her off onto low carb only. Depending on what your insulin dose is, any food they sent home with you is a blessing until you can start testing - I'm STILL working on it, but I weaned my baby off after 2 days doing 1/2 can, then 1/4, then 1/8, then 0 - a few days at a time.

Both of my guys (even though only 1 is diabetic) are on Friskies and Fancy Feast Pate's exclusively now. With some Special Kitty and 9Lives, now.

I won't lie, $90 can be EASILY gobbled up depending on where you shop. I figured for my 2 cats, 1 diabetic and 1 not but to feed them the same - if I wanted FF (Fancy Feast) only, to feed both of them breakfast, lunch and dinner (not including overnight grazing) it would be $120 plus change a MONTH.

Including overnight feeding of a 5.5 oz can, that's an additional $17-20 bucks a month.

So I'm looking, modestly right now, at $140 a month for cat food for 2 cats - day and night. Not including the treats I need, med supplies, etc. *shakes head* Yeah, do your homework - it's not IMPOSSIBLE but you HAVE to know the numbers, depending on your options. Local or online.

I'm looking at online to try and cut some costs, especially this winter so I don't have to tax my car, etc. Check local, check online - check, check, check! If you need help searching let us know, we'll help you. People have helped me GREATLY and I'm still new! This community is AWESOME. We'll help you!!

If I can do this, and I'm a basket case, YOU can do this!!! If you need help in ANY way, let us know!!