Just found out...

So, I had my 'Big Lug' "Meiko" into the vet just less than a month ago and he was diagnosed with a UTI. We did medicine and seemed better, up until last week (definitely knew by this past weekend). Something wasn't right, he stopped rubbing up on me, purring, going outside to hang out on the patio, etc. I scheduled an appointment this AM, which he had an accident on the way in his kennel, which was COMPLETELY out of the norm and they utilized the urine from the bottom of the kennel and compared it to previous sample a few weeks ago. She came in and said he definitely had diabetes and stated he had some traces of ''ketos"? In the urine...Could this be a reaction to the 15 minute drive vs actually having diabetes? He has lost weight (a lot), BUT he still eats, kind of like a predator... he's never tried stealing food before, but has in the last month...what do I do...plan was that if this was diabetes our family is too busy and chaotic...and we have poor follow-thru...which is not fair to Meiko...what do I do?
UPDATE: Well as of this afternoon/evening he is not really eating and he is showing signs of neuropathy in his back legs...so apparently he's further along than I was actually told... didn't even do anything with his catnip...normally goes crazy for it...did last night even and played with some of his toys...I have lost hope...I am emotional...I was told to let them know how I wanted to proceed in a few days...it was less than 24 hours...

 

Diabetes in cats is a very treatable disease and cats can go on and live normal lives.
Peeing this morning on the way to the vet would have been because of the diabetes and should come under control once his blood sugar levels come more under control. The ketones in the urine would be from the diabetes not the drive to the vet. What is the vet doing about the ketones?
He has lost a lot of weight and is very hungry because of the diabetes. Both these things will improve once he is on insulin, is on a suitable diet and his blood sugars improve.

The first thing you need to do is to change over his food to a low carbohydrate (10% or less carbs). Fancy Feast pates and Friskies are suitable canned foods. Dry food is bad for cats and is too high in carbs for diabetic cats.
Then get the insulin started.
You will need to check that the ketones have gone from the urine as they can be dangerous if they increase. You can test the urine yourself by buying a bottle of Ketostix from a pharmacy.

All of us lead very busy lives and because we love our kitties, we give insulin and a proper diet to ensure our kitty's health improves back to what it was. The first few weeks is the hardest while you learn what to do and get into a routine. Then it becomes easier.
I do hope you will treat Mieko and give him a chance to get back to his former self.

 

Caring for a diabetic pet quickly becomes just part of the routine. Once the insulin starts they usually feel better quickly. Plus it sounds like you caught it really early which is great because he may have a greater chance at going into remission with proper treatment. Please give him a chance.

 

I was overwhelmed at first when I got the diagnosis for my cat, but diabetes is not a death sentence and is very treatable. My work schedule is sometimes very irregular and I was worried about how I was going to manage his insulin shots. However, it's become very routine and quite easy to manage so far. Like Bron said, the first few weeks are the hardest, but it quickly becomes a normal habit. It's been 3 months and testing my cat and giving him his shots takes maybe 5 minutes tops. We're both used to the routine now, so it's a very small part of our day.

This forum is extremely supportive and people here will be able to answer any questions you may have throughout Mieko's treatment. They've helped make the learning curve much smoother, so you've come to the right place!

 

Just want to agree with what everyone else has said here so far!

Our kitty (Chim) was diagnosed with diabetes in 2016 and when we took him to the vet after he'd lost so much weight, I was really worried we were at the end of the road. It took a lot of research and a lot of support to figure out a way forward, but once we did so, we had another two and a half amazing years with him before an unrelated illness eventually took its toll.

Chim had very similar symptoms before his blood work eventually revealed he was diabetic. Eating like crazy but still losing weight, drinking tons of water and then using the litter box in what my DH called "race-horsing," even having some lethargy/neuropathy in his legs when he'd eat too much dry food. Even at that point, the diabetes was still treatable and within just a few weeks, he was more or less back to his normal self.

I totally agree that this forum is the right place to be. I never would have made it through the last couple of years without the amazing people here. Definitely ask all the questions you need to - everyone here is amazing, understanding, and supportive, and will do everything possible to help.