Im New to This and I Need Advice

I got Gertrude about a year ago from the shelter. Shes probably around 12 years old and shes overweight (weighting at about 15 pounds). When we first got her, she never pooped in her litter box, but she never pooped outside of the litter box room so it wasn't that big of a deal. Then a couple months ago, she started pooping in the family room, still not that big of a deal to my parents because i would just pick it up and flush it. About a month ago, she stopped using the litter box all together. She started peeing behind the couch all the time and in my sisters old bedroom. The smell got so bad, my parents had to rip the carpet out in her room and replace it with hardwood floors, costing them $500. I told me parents we needed to take her to the vet because in my research, every website said the vet was the first thing to do. My dad HATES cats so he was against it. He thought locking her in the laundry/litter box room would be fine, but Gertrude peed on the wall causing her urine to get soaked up into the dry wall. So we moved a litter box/food/water into my parents bathroom and we locked her in there over night and she peed in the litter box no problem. I thought moving a litter box into my room would be fine as it would be away from our other cat. That didn't work and she peed on my carpet so shes back to the bathroom. Now shes not peeing in the litter box in there anymore, she pees on her bed. I finally convinced my parents to take her to the vet where we found out that she was diabetic. They weren't happy and they didn't want to have to spend a bunch of money on the Lantis Insulin, but they bought it anyways. It is still being shipped at the moment so we haven't started her on her medication yet. My parents are getting tired of her peeing everywhere and they've gotton to the end of their rope. They want to take her to the vet to say bye bye forever any day now, they don't care about the medication anymore. I need advice on what to do. Where should I keep her until the medication arrives? What do I do about her food situation? (she only eats dry food, she refuses to eat any type of wet food, even tuna) If she doesn't stop peeing everywhere even when shes on her medication, what do I do? I'm new to this and my parents aren't going to put up with much, they want her gone fast. I could really use all the advice I can get.

 

Welcome!

You've come to the right place.

I'm sorry this is so overwhelming. A diabetic diagnosis is hard enough but having no support in your household just adds to your burden. Many cats who urinated in inappropriate places before being diagnosed go back to their litter boxes once they receive insulin and get the glucose levels under control. Meanwhile, you could put down puppy pee pads to catch as much of the urine as possible. Canned food is best for all kitties, not just the diabetic ones. Making changes to her diet, environment and routines is very upsetting so you need to go slow. Maybe get some Friskies canned and add a spoonful to her dry food. Check out the info about improper elimination and other information at catinfo.org. Search for Tips for Transitioning Dry Food Addicts to Canned Food. It will download a pdf version to your computer. Read as much as you can here, especially the stickies at the top of each forum. Lots of good people here to help you.

 

Hi, @havehope66

Just like you I came to this Forum (Feb 2017) being shocked at my cat girl diagnose and being totally unprepared for such. I made my Ducia diabetic by feeding her dry food for years – it was so convenient for me in terms of cleaning her bowl and not to have the “smells” in the house…

Anyway, I think the posts I am listing below are going to be very helpful to you to get an idea at what you‘ve got to deal with. Please find the time to read thru. Ask any question!

Diabetes in cats (FD)- as opposed to human’s - is not as dreary Dx. Cats are known to go into remission at better rates than humans ( cats remain diabetics but not requiring an insulin dose if eating low carbs wet food or raw).

The care for a diabetic cat at home will include (at a minimum) feeding Low Carbs containing foods, taking tests of Blood Glucose and to administer/ to adjust the insulin dose according to the tests you ‘ve done at home – no need for vet’s visits for a curve or dose determination. You don’t have to be a med professional to care for a diabetic at home. Just a determined cat caregiver.

I think you may want to learn it all rather fast to convince you parents that you are ready to do it and they won't find an excuse to kill Gertrude via unnecessary euthanasia. If the Diabetes is the only health concern with your cat then it is not vet wise expensive but rather a dedication on your part to test, to feed and to administer the dose timely. Lantus, was it what your parent bought, was it not? Well, if so then know that it requires 12 hours apart dosing/ daily.You won't have to go to the vet weekly/ monthly for a curve. I , as many here, do not go at all to the vet.

Try to read the Sticky Notes for which I posted the links – you‘ll see how you do not have to be a med practitioner to provide a home care for your FD kitty! Ask any questions.

If you are ready for the challenge to save Gertrude then you need to start home testing and recording the results for future ref – for the insulin dosing namely. I use one of the cheapest human glucose meters from Walmart – Relion Micro and 16 months later I cannot complain – it does the job!

If it was for my cat I’d get a human glucometer from Walmart (like Relion Micro or Confirm) today (even prior to the ordered insulin arrival) and I’d started transitioning her to the wet canned food entirely ASAP. Try Friskies Classic Pates from Walmart (very economical) or Soulistic Pate and Shreds from Petco. The Tiki Cat canned food is one of the best – the poultry variety esp, but a bit pricey (sold at Petco, or online).

For help on the transition see the blog of the cat food guru Nutritionist, Dr. Lisa Pierson. :Transitioning Feline Dry Food Addicts to Canned Food. Most helpful!

Here are the links I think you should review:

(please do not get discouraged by the shear volume of new info – it is overwhelming for a couple of weeks but then gets very manageable). No one is supposed to to Get it All at once!

THE BASICS FD http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/the-basics-new-to-the-group-start-here.18139/

The insulin dosing methods we used here on this Forum:
Tight Regulation (TR) http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/tight-regulation-shooting-handling-low-numbers.147/
or
Start Low method http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/start-low-go-slow-method-slgs.129446/

About Lantus and how it is different from other insulin that vets got used to:
Glargine Lantus Insulin = cumulative insulin = http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/what-is-the-insulin-depot.150/

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT INFO IS HERE:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/

Whoever receives a dose of insulin is at risk of dying via Hypoglycemia, a fatally low glucose levels caused by insulin /or other reasons. Please print out and keep near by if you going to be using insulin.

Best of luck to your and Gertrude!

 

@Tanya and Ducia

I really like your post. Everything one needs to know and FAST! May I suggest this post be made into a sticky for newbies and especially newbies with financial concerns. Diabetes CAN be managed at a relatively low cost with the right food, insulin and tools.

I also agree with no further need for Vet visits after the initial visit for diagnosis and getting a script for insulin. I have not been back. Do my own spot checks and curves at home. Saves a HUGE amount of money. Of course, many people may prefer routine vet visits and there is certainly nothing wrong with that either.