Hello!

Hello! I'm new to this forum so I figured I'd introduce myself.
We just got Aidan 2.5 weeks ago. He is a 4 year old tiger gray short hair, 10.8 pounds, and a complete sweetheart. He has been diabetic for somewhere around 6-8 months now and the shelter had a hard time managing his BG, so his levels were typically between 300-500, and he had issues with neuropathy (his legs have very little muscle from walking flat-footed for so long now), poor eyesight, and a lot of lethargy.
He has been with us for 2.5 weeks now and with his new diet (he is currently on 1.95oz of grain-free Nutro wet food and 1.3oz of Sheba wet food twice a day) he has bounced back very quickly. He was getting 3 units of Lantus a day at the shelter, but within the first week we brought him down to 1 unit a day and for the past 3 days now he has had no insulin. He has gained back normal use of his legs (he still needs to build back the muscle to walk properly, but he is running and jumping and has more spring to his walk), has clear eyesight, and acts much more like a 4 year old cat- playful and energetic! He is kind of like a toddler, you expect him to be slow but then he takes off and it's hard to keep up with him!
After we brought him home, we took him in to meet our vet (we have 2 other older kitties right now and one that recently passed) and she suggested that we aim to keep his sugars between 150-200. She said that it's safer for them to run too high than too low. However, my dad has been Type 1 diabetic for 30+ years and we are more than willing to put in time and effort to monitor and control our kitty's BG levels. We have been rigorous in monitoring Aidan's BG levels and adjusting his diet and insulin (much to Aidan's annoyance with all the poking and prodding, although he is incredibly patient), and he has had consistently normal BG. Right now, his 7 day average is 90 and his 14 day average is 99 (but that includes the time he got into the other cat's dry food and spiked to 300+ ).
Anyway, we are hoping he is going into remission, even though it feels too quick, since he hasn't needed insulin for 3 days now. Even if he isn't, we are glad that he is doing so much better and that his personality is able to come through now that he isn't in a constant high BG fog! We love our sassy little man
Sorry for the super long post, we are just very excited to be able to help this wonderful kitty!

 

Welcome Aidan and Kelly!!!

I’m so glad you rescued this guy and it sounds like you are on top of so much already!!! Have you looked at setting up a spreadsheet for him and linking it in your signature so we can all view his numbers? This also helps if you ever have questions.

Other than that it looks like you’re doing well. Have you made it to check out the ISGs? (Insulin Support Groups.) There is one for Lantus.

There are really awesome and supportive people here who have been instrumental in helping save my sugar cat’s life. A wealth of information and support. I am glad Aidan has found a healthy forever home with you.

 

You're doing amazing with him. Diet makes a huge difference.

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome and thank you for adopting Aidan!

So glad to hear you have turned this kitty’s life around.

Sometimes diet change is enough to get them in remission. You may have gotten lucky and he is lucky to have found you! If he stays in normal numbers for 2 weeks or so you are good! Paws crossed!

Even when you are in the clear and if he does not need insulin, still check him weekly for a while and then can probably go to monthly checks, always 2+ hours after eating to get a true number. Once diabetic, there is a chance it could come back, even years later. Hopefully the food change was enough.

Also keep in the back of your mind to watch for if he ever starts drinking more water and peeing more or losing weight, those are good indicators of diabetes coming back.

 

Thank you all for the replies!
We track him using the RVC Pet Diabetes App, which is super easy to use. I know I can export it to a spreadsheet somehow but I haven't looked at how yet, I'll look into it when I get a chance!
Aidan is continuing to do really well! He has not had any insulin since 5/25/19 and his BG is consistently 70 (+/-10)! His neuropathy symptoms have continued to get better too- he is walking/jumping/running around really well and you can see that he would be walking normally if he had the muscle, so we're going to work on building that up more (kitty treadmill, anyone? haha ).
We are definitely going to keep checking him after breakfast and dinner to ensure that he is staying consistent, but we'll also keep an eye out for any new changes (good or bad). We feel really lucky that he has bounced back so quickly- he was in rough shape! We were definitely expecting a more uphill battle, and were more than willing to take it on for this little sweetheart, but he is a tough little guy and everything has been smooth-sailing! He really makes it easy for us, we are so lucky to have found him.
It's kind of funny, I met him the day after my kitty of 10 years, Blossum, passed. She was 13 and had a brain tumor that didn't have symptoms until it was too late. I was at college, so I wasn't there with her in her last day, and she had been my best friend since I was 9 years old. I took the news really hard, and the day after I decided to go to the local shelter for some cat-cuddle therapy. Aidan was the first cat to greet me at the door. He came right up to me and my roommate and said hello, rubbing against our legs. A few days later, my family was visiting and we went back to the shelter, which is when my family (including my diabetic dad) met him and we learned Aidan was also diabetic. My whole family fell in love with him, and I went back to the shelter almost every other day until the end of the semester (I think 8-9 times in total, haha!). Aidan was just the sweetest thing, and became very attached to me, so when my dad came back to help me move out of school we ended up taking him home with us. Since we brought him home and his diabetes has gotten under control, his personality has bloomed and he is sooo much like my Blossum. They share a lot of mannerisms and personality, are/were both very attached to me and my room, and besides color, look very similar. We joke that she is reincarnated in him, since the week she died, he had been to the vet a lot with BG issues. Anyway, he came to us, and especially me, at just the right time and we feel so so lucky to have him in our lives.
Aidan on the left and Blossum on the right

 

@Kelly Hicks , so sorry for the loss of Blossum. Both beautiful kitties, and you have a new journey with Aidan, and it sounds like you have saved his life. Thank you.

 

I think that's the best intro I've ever read. Kelly, you rocketed right past all the blubbering and crying right into the fast lane.
You're going to like it here.