ANY ADVICE for Diet for Cat with Diabetes & Pancreatitis, weight goes between 8-10 lbs

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Calicos are Best (GA), Jan 19, 2019.

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  1. Calicos are Best (GA)

    Calicos are Best (GA) Member

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2019
    Hello everyone, I am new to the Feline Diabetes Community! I have a calico kitty who is in need of some advice. I usually find threads on here that are extremely helpful, but I am struggling with my own kitty now. I just created an account today and was hoping to get some sound advice with some of my own questions. I would be so grateful to any input anyone can provide!

    - My cat was diagnosed with diabetes in December of 2016.

    - After reading on the Feline Diabetes site, I found that Classic Fancy Feast was the best diet.

    - My cat only had to be on insulin for 9 days, then went into remission for 10 months!

    - From October 2017 - January 2019 I have been struggling with her diabetes. (for about a year and a half) I would check my cat's blood glucose 1-2 times a day. I would only give insulin as needed. If the number was too low (under around 250s) I would not give insulin. If the number was too high I would give 1 unit.

    - This past October 2018 my cat had to be hospitalized. I changed her diet for 1 month to the Hill's Diet m/d (glucose/weight management) My vet recommended it and I didn't really want to go on a prescription diet, but I didn't know what else to do.

    - At the end of October my cat became very sick. She puked all over the floor. The following 4 days she would not eat, sat up like a meatloaf, became very lethargic, and hid in the house.

    - My cat's diagnosis was pancreatitis. I was so worried that she was going to die. It cost me thousands of dollars I could not afford. I am still paying it off.

    - The doctor at the hospital advised that my cat should be on a prescription diet again. She said that the new diet did NOT cause the pancreatitis.

    - I told my doctor that I would prefer a food that was affordable and prescribed. She suggested a Kitten diet. I went to the stores and found a Kitten diet by Fancy Feast.

    - Since November 2018 I have been feeding my cat, 3 cans of Kitten Fancy Feast. (1 1/2 cans in morning and 1 1/2 cans at night) She would also get 1 unit of insulin in morning and 1 unit at night.

    - I was told by the vet there was no need to check the blood every day. They advised to start doing Blood curves instead. I kind of like knowing the blood curve numbers. It's just that the strips are so expensive!

    - I have done 3 blood curves since my cat came home from the hospital at the end of October. By the 3rd blood curve in the beginning of January the animal hospital Dr. advised my cat did not appear to need insulin at this time.

    - I stopped the insulin as advised on 1/7/19, but was hesitant. I decided to listen to the Doctor.

    - On January 11th I made a 14 hour drive to be with family. My mother is very sick and family needs support at this time. I brought my cat because I can't afford to board her and I don't know anyone who would be able to care for her properly.

    - On January 14th my cat got sick. She took the drive down here well. She ate food and was acting normal for 3 days.

    - Tried to give my cat water and food for 2 days. She did not improve. I took her to my parent's vet on January 16th. They gave her fluids, injections of antibiotic, anti-pain, and anti-nausea. I was sent home with a bag of fluid to try to keep my cat hydrated. The blood work was showing this was a diabetes issue. They didn't have the blood testing kits for pancreatitis. This vet suggest doing a Royal Canin diet called glycobalance.

    - January 17th, my cat did not appear any better. Still not eating, not drinking, and sitting up like a meatloaf again. In the area I am in, there are no animal hospitals open 24/7. I found one 1 hour and 20 mins away. Took and admitted her there.

    - January 18th - my cats is finally eating! Doing better. The hospital has her on a Hill's Diet called ID, which is for Digestive Care. They believe she has a bladder infection due to her diabetes being out of control.

    Planning to pick my kitty up later tonight at the hospital!

    ***** CAN ANYONE SUGGEST ANY FOODS FOR A DIABETIC KITTY WITH DIABETES AND PANCREATITIS? ****

    My cat goes between 8 lbs and 10 lbs. When she is sick she can get down to 8. I have been trying to maintain the 10 lbs.

    ***** WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK OF:
    Hill's Diet ID Digestive Care and Royal Canin Glycobalance? ****

    ***** WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK OF THESE DIETS I HAVE SEEN OTHER SUGGEST:

    Weruva
    Tiki
    Wellness
    Evo
    Life's Abundance "Instinctive Choice" ? *****

    ******** Thank you in Advance for any advice anyone can provide!!!! This community is Amazing and I have been reading threads on here for a couple years now! ******* I am sorry this post is so long! Going to be running errands. I will be checking throughout the day and hoping to hear what you guy say!!!
     
  2. Bellasmom

    Bellasmom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2018
  3. SpotsMom

    SpotsMom Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2018
    I’m not sure what your willingness is to try making it yourself but I’ve had really good luck with FoodFurLife. It’s a powder that you mix in with meat of your choice (raw or cooked). I use chicken for Spot currently and thinking about adding in some pork. I make it in batches to last the week, but some people make it in larger batches and just freeze it.

    Also don’t listen to your vet about home testing. One of the best things you can do for your kitty is to test regularly. I recommend getting a cheap human meter so you don’t have to spend a fortune on strips. There is a ton of help in this forum to get your kitty feeling well again. What kind of numbers were you seeing when the vet said to take her off insulin? If she’s still over 120 without the help of insulin that indicates she may still need some insulin.. although maybe a smaller dose. Have you tested her again since she’s been sick?
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2019
  4. Calicos are Best (GA)

    Calicos are Best (GA) Member

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2019
    Very interesting Spots Mom! So is the FoodFurLife mix just a powder to provide your cat with the essential nutrients they need when you cook your own meat/or use raw meat? I have thought about making my cat Lily food before. I am a little intimidated. I might decide this down the line. Right now I am feeding Lily cans of Kitten Fancy Feast and slowly introducing other wet foods like Weruva and Wellness. I am mixing mostly Kitten Fancy Feast and just adding a small part of the other brands I mix in just to see how it goes.

    I think the biggest mistake I did was listen to the vet as far as monitoring Lily's blood. They told me most people did not check their cat's blood as often as I was doing. After she was hospitalized in October it took me until the end of November to fully adjust to letting go of checking her blood all time. As the doctor insisted not to check, I would go 2 weeks without checking blindly and then do the recommended blood curves the vet requested. I used to have another diabetic cat 12-15 years ago and this was before I even heard of blood meters for pets. My family and I would just listen to the doctor and give the amount of insulin the doctor said twice a day and bring him in for checkups. He lived a long life with diabetes. On the other hand my Lily is much younger, skinnier and much more fragile than he was. She definitely needs closer monitoring.

    I am checking Lily's blood at least twice a day. She is still on an antibiotic the hospital prescribed. The hospital said she had a bladder infection and needed to go back on insulin. She was off of the insulin for 2 weeks before she got sick. Her last blood curve indicated she didn't need any. I wasn't checking her blood for the 2 weeks, which I regret very much. After her last hospitalization on 1/17/19, I will take what the vets say about blood meters with a grain of salt. I have been learning more since joining this site. I just updated a spreadsheet for Lily.

    I use an AlphaTrak 2 Meter. The strips are $1/strip :(. What kind of human meters does everyone else use? I saw an older thread on here where people mentioned the brand ReliOn Micro Blood Glucose Monitor. Those strips are also $1/strip. I just spend $50 on more strips for the AlphaTrak 2. I have had this meter for 2 yrs and it has been reliable. Does not require a lot of blood. I just changed the battery for the first time last week. I only hate the cost of the strips.
     
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