Jack needs to gain weight

Hey ProZincs, right now I have Jackson eating fancy feast 3oz cans of wet food. Before doses, I give him 1.5 cans and for the most part, he eats it all. Get close to 8-10 hours later and he is ravenous. I read up on the Health FAQs and it said that diabetic cats aren't truly hungry or in need of food it's just the brain's way of analyzing the glucose data BUT he needs to gain weight -- do you all think I'm feeding him enough? eeeepppp I have 500 questions for the vet but Sundays be Sundays you know.

 

Hi Sabrina, and welcome!

Hunger can be a way of analyzing BG (blood glucose), but that really depends on what kind of numbers they are getting. It sounds like Jackson was losing weight in the lead up to his diagnosis? If that's the case, then he really is hungry, and you should keep feeding him. A cat who is not yet regulated on insulin can't use the nutrients from the food effectively, so they are honestly ravenous.

Some vets say to only feed twice/day. That's really old school, and not what is currently recommended. Several meals throughout the day are ideal, or if you're at work during the day, leaving food out or using a timed feeder so the cat can eat during the day. If he's hungry at +8, feed him. The one caveat though is that you want to remove food in the two hours before the next shot (assuming you're home testing) so that the BG test is accurate and not just the result of a recent meal. So between +10 and +12, no food.

The vets are closed, but we aren't. Anything else we can help with?

 

I'm crying -- thank you so much. I knew in my heart he needed to eat more, he used to be 15lbs and very healthy. I'll keep him off food 2 hours before for accurate reading for sure!

 

I'm so sorry you've been carrying that worry! Please don't hesitate to ask any questions your have, or run anything by us. Vets try really hard, but they don't have a lot of training in feline diabetes - mostly they learn about dogs, and it's quite different between the two.

This whole thing can be so overwhelming and scary at first, but you're going to be an expert in no time! (and we are here to help!)

 

It has been an interesting week that is for sure but I've been so comforted by this forum <3 thank you

 

Hey, Djamila I posted this question in my other thread but if you're still available..

"I'm feeling a little... guilty about sticking him so many times for testing. Ugghhh he doesn't like me all up on his ears in the first place and now I'm poking little holes everywhere.
I move around and try not to hit the same place twice but am I hurting him? I see that some of you check multiple times a day between doses haha am I being silly? Please tell me."

 

As with most things around here, it depends on the cat. Sam, my diabetic, kind of hates being tested. We've been at this long enough that he cooperates, and every once in awhile will jump up on the counter where I test him at random times and sit like he wants a test just because he knows he gets a treat afterwards.

A lot of folks around here say they can't feel it, but I think it depends on the cat. Sam definitely feels it, but again, he is used to it now and I wouldn't say it hurts him, but it bugs him. My other cat (non-diabetic) honestly doesn't feel it. I've tested him (just out of curiosity a few times) and he stays asleep. Just kind of opens an eye a little to see why I'm touching his ear, but absolutely no response to the poke at all.

You're not being silly to worry about that. If it bugs him, you'll probably go for less testing (I aim for four most days, though some days I do three, and other days I do five) while some people will test every few hours. I always get a test before the shot to make sure it's safe to give the full dose, and then I try to get a test during his typical nadir if I can, and if not, then some other random time. The mid-cycle tests tell you if the dose is doing what it's supposed to do.

It probably is bothering Jack right now because it's new and he may be feeling a little funny as his numbers come down. But you aren't really hurting him, just bugging him. And he'll get used to it soon. Just make sure after a poke that you give him a treat if he's food motivated or snuggles and chin scratches if he's attention motivated. That way he associates the fraction of a second of discomfort with tons of things he loves.

Sam was semi-feral when we started all of this, and I thought he would kill me before he'd let me test him. Turns out this whole process has made him a really sweet kitty and made him more loving and affectionate than I would have ever imagined. It's hard at first, but it gets so so so much better with time.

 

I AM SO BLESSED THANK YOU DJAMILA

 

I was told when I first got here that it's not really pain they feel, but pressure as they have fewer nerve endings in the ear tip. My Gypsy definitely felt it...but it didn't seem to hurt her. She would kind of make an annoyed noise, but I think that was mostly from being held still and the pressure...she still came running when she heard me pick up the box of lancets!

It DOES take time...and treats. As I said, Gypsy didn't like it, but she didn't fight it, because she knew a yummy treat was coming next...and if it REALLY hurt her, the treat wouldn't have been enough to keep her coming.

 

For the most part, my boy feels it too but it doesn't seem to hurt him. Like Djamila and Rachel, they feel the pressure sometimes. My boy meows once when we test but then he usually purrs. He's also meowed before I even poke so I think he just knows lol.

In regards to your weight gain for Jackson, there is a rough calculation of how many calories he should eat to attain a desired weight. Was he healthy at 15lbs? If so, then you should aim for about 274 calories per day, so divide that by how many feedings he gets. If he is a more "relaxed" kitty, not lazy of course , then you can aim for about 219 calories per day divided by feedings/snacks per day. You can find the calories for the majority of foods in the Food Chart .

My boy was around 18lbs before diagnosis and got down to about 10lbs. He is now back around the 15-16lb mark and I'm trying to keep him there. 18lbs was a little too much fluff . Good luck!

 

Hello Sabrina and Jackson,
just saying Hi and welcome to this forum, it has helped me so so much. My kitty was only diagnosed mid April and I have been on this forum about a month. Its very true that you will soon be an old hand at this, it becomes like second nature giving BG tests and injections, thats how i feel now and i started out so terrified i used to almost throw up beforehand.

My kitty (Mouse) does not feel the ear prick, i use a lancet, he does not seem to notice at all, tho he doesnt like me fiddling with his ears. I use good quality colloidal silver to wipe his ear afterwards as it disinfects AND has amazing healing properties.

wishing you and Jack all the best for this journey,
Lila

 

Oh, thank you Lila!! I'm going to get some for sure <3