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  1. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Hello. I am new to posting on a message board and new to having a cat diagnosed with diabetes. Zoe is a very skittish cat and this has not been an easy transition. She is 6 1/2 yrs old. She started drinking a lot of water and the box started having large pee clumps. I didn't act right away and I regret it. I am not sure how long she was acting this way--maybe a month. She ended up with a UTI and the diagnosis of diabetes. She stayed at the vet for 2 nights while they did the glucose curve. I started the testing on the 12th of this month. She has never been a kitty you could just pick up. She wants to be loved but runs if she thinks you are going to pick her up. Trying to catch her to test her and give her insulin is like a circus or nightmare when I am trying to get out the door to work in the morning. My furniture is all askew from having to move it to get her out of a corner or under or behind something. It is getting easier but will never be as simple as picking her up and doing what is needed. I have to chase her around and corner her or if she does come to me, I have to grab her. I hate it. She is not regulated yet after about 2 weeks because it is so hard to be exactly 12 hrs apart in dosing. She is still in the 300-400 range. She started off on 3 units Vetsulin but is now up to 4.5 units. Her last bg was 362 tonight. I have not noticed any problems though. I was scared going up on her insulin. I know I am doing it wrong, feeding her first and then checking bg and giving insulin, but her appetite was so poor I was scared to give it without knowing she had eaten or if she would eat. I cannot catch her and test bg then catch her after eating for her shot. She will have none of that. Usually it is eat and catch for both bg and shot shortly after. She like many cats was a kibble eater and a half can of fancy feast gravy lovers daily. Carb city. She also loves and was given Temptations treats daily. I have, much to her dislike, gotten her off dry and on ff pate though I am not sure who hates it more--me or her. And I have done the open three different kinds of food only to throw it away after a turned up nose at it. I give a few treats occasionally because I have a 2nd cat that is more insulted over the new diet and tiny and does not need to loose weight. Any advise would be appreciated!!! This has been such a shock and so expensive. I initially spent $1000 on vet bills and now to find the test strips/syringes and insulin may run me $100-175 month. Help!!!!
     
  2. Sharon14

    Sharon14 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2015
    Hi Sybil, welcome! Sorry you are having so much trouble. One thing that may help is some desensitization. Try to catch Zoe several times a day and take her to the test or shoot site but don’t do anything but pet her and give her a treat. Sing softly while you do this, because it sounds like you are stressed and it may relax you. When you are stressed your cat can sense that and she’ll be more stressed, so you need to try to relax too. Come to the Main health forum and post and we can help you more. Let us know what insulin and meter you’re using, we may be able to help with some money saving tips in that department too.
     
    Laura bb likes this.
  3. Paigeworthy

    Paigeworthy Member

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Morning Sybil. I'm new to all this as well, and very scared. Sending you and your Zoe lots of love.
     
    Laura bb likes this.
  4. Laura bb

    Laura bb Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2018
    I am still new myself. Welcome! This website has really helped me with educating myself, and answering questions. Posting on the main forum really helped ease my tension about this new process of having a diabetic kitty.
     
    Paigeworthy likes this.
  5. majandra

    majandra Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2018
    Welcome :)
     
  6. Coco’s Momma

    Coco’s Momma Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2018
    Welcome, Sybil and Zoe. Just a few months ago I was new to this and overwhelmed. The forum has been an invaluable resource for me. I wouldn't venture to give medical advice/opinions. My only advice would be take a deep breath - you've come to a great place for help.
     
  7. Olive & Paula

    Olive & Paula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2015
  8. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Thank you all for your welcomes! I am so grateful to have this forum. I am an RN and understand the repercussions of unregulated blood sugars which is probably why I am super stressed out. I will move to the Main Health Forum to post more. Thanks!
     
  9. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2016
    3 units is too much for a newly diagnosed cat. The recommended starting dose is 1 unit twice a day.
     
  10. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2018
    Thank you for your reply. By reading the board I would agree that seems higher than recommended. They did keep her for two days and run glucose curves on her. She had been high a week and a high the week before with like 1000 in her urine but she had a UTI and we were hoping it was stress reaction and would normalize after treating the UTI. It failed to be the case because she was still right at 500 when I took her back (blood) so he said it was definitely diabetes and they kept her. I was in shock and glad they did. Never the less, the 3 u didnt really touch her and she has been bumped up to now 4.5 u and still the lowest I have gotten her is 362. This morning it was 419 and I got that before any food. I will fax the numbers back to the vet, and I am sure they will go up again. I wonder if we should not try another insulin brand. Thankfully(!) she does not appear to be symptomatic as some cats because she still runs and jumps. But I am concerned.
     
    JanetNJ likes this.
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