Missy (Mystery Kitty) - Newly Diagnosed

My 9-year-old cat, Missy, was diagnosed on 02/19 with diabetes. I noticed that she was drinking water and passing urine in huge quantities. Her coat was looking rough, she wasn't eating much, and she just wanted to sit on my shoulder and not move. I was afraid she'd be diagnosed with diabetes and yep, she was.

Our situation: One human, four-cat household. Missy is the "second child" and basically is deaf. The oldest cat is 14, male, and is on a special food for oxylate stones. Missy liked to snitch his food and since it is formulated to encourage the cat to drink more and thus urinate more my vain hope was that this was the cause of her initial drinking/urinating. The other two "children" are two female siblings, 3-years-old, no health issues and normal food.

Missy was adopted as a stray. She was a "mystery cat" of no known original so on the first visit to the vet, when asked for a name, she got the moniker "Missy". We "guesstimated" her age to be about one year at the time she joined the household. She had evidence of frostbite on one ear so we thought she might have spent the winter outside the previous year. She was such a friendly cat that I thought it was a shame to leave her a stray. She had respiratory problems that did not clear up after treatment with antibiotics. She was diagnosed with allergies to dust mites and dust in general. She was on a regimen of antigen injections for about 5 years, and that was stopped about a year ago when it didn't seem to have any long-term benefit. She was also receiving steroid shots intermittently when her scratching made her life miserable. The last such inject was about 2 months ago, as best as I can recall. The vet had told me that sometimes a cat would develop diabetes from steroid shots. He tried to keep the number of them limited, and tried to find alternatives to steroidal injections (special food, allergy shots).

After spending over $3000 on emergency surgery for my male cat's blocked urinary tract less than a year ago, my first reaction was "Oh, no! I can't afford this!" I could give a laundry list of all of my other "life events" but let's just say that I was already overwhelmed with responsibilities and now this additional issue put me over the edge.

On Saturday I boarded my cat at the vet's office to allow myself time to breathe. My schedule is very unpredictable and I worry that I will be unable properly care for Missy. My first instinct was definitely *NOT* to put her to sleep, but I am feeling rather numb right now.

The information I have at present is:
- Missy's blood glucose was 453.
- She'd lost about 25% of her body weight in 2 months.
- Urinalysis results are still pending, should have them on Monday.
- Vet is recommending starting treatment by first changing the diet to Hills M/D, allow the adjustment to the new diet, then begin figuring out the insulin dosage.

I currently feed my cats dry food. They have all been allowed to "graze" during the day. The vet is saying I will need to go to a feeding schedule: put out the food, give a certain amount of time, then put it away for everyone.

I've read that many people discourage feeding the Hills M/D, particularly the dry "kibble". Has anyone had any success with it? My vet said first and foremost the issue is to get Missy to eat.

 

HI! I'm so glad that you found us. It IS overwhelming at first but it does NOT need to be a horror story. There are many factors that contribute to *those* kind of diabetes stories. You can do MUCH better trying the diet switch choosing a low carb wet food she likes. w/d is a VERY old fashioned idea. It works for dogs but not so much for cats. YOu can see a list here of foods that are low carb. There is surely one here she would eat, yes?

http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html


We say it is best to stay under 10% carbs. Now, if she is already on insulin, you may have to wait to change. The higher the carb content, usually the more insulin required to see better blood glucose numbers (and often, very hard to get a predictable idea of what the blood sugars will do).

Next, we *highly* recommend learning to home bloodtest. There are videos and photos and tips posted here:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=287

Meters that take tiny amounts of blood are the best one to start with. Walmart Relion Micro, Accu-chek Aviva and the Freestyle are easiest IMO to learn on.

Dry food isn't helping anyone in your kitty family. You said your oxylate boy had surgery. Did he have the PU surgery? If so, seriously, he may only need to be on a high quaility wet food. You really want, for both cats sake to read through this site:

http://www.catinfo.org

Please know you can do this. We can help. YOu are NOT alone.

If you post your city and state, there may be someone near who can offer support in person, which is highly helpful especially in learning to test.

Keep asking questions!

 

Thanks for the support and the info! I followed the links and did some further reading. I'm not sure I could make my own cat food - seems too extreme for my lifestyle but will keep it in mind.

I'm from NE Iowa but currently I'm working in central Iowa. Not sure if there are any members in either vicinity.

My vet's suggestion of Hills M/D (or whatever it was) was probably based on my initial reaction that the odor of "wet' cat food makes me gag and become nauseated. And the cost was the big topic in this initial discussion. How does the cost of "wet" food compare to dry? I did notice that when I fed one of my other cats a prescription but wet formula food last year all of the cats wanted to sneak in and snatch some. Perhaps they are not as finicky as I supposed they are...? Perhaps this is just a matter of further discussion with Missy's vet. I am also open to trying to find a low carb wet food that Missy finds palatable, helps control her blood glucose, and which is not necessarily a "prescription" diet.

I see from some postings that there are those caregivers who push to have their pet on insulin immediately. Is it safe to try changing food to low carbohydrate/high protein first and then assess the impact after I've been feeding that for a couple of weeks? I don't want my poor kitty to have tons of problems because I wasn't on top of this enough.

One of my challenges is that I'm working in one city and my usual vet is 2 hours away in another. All of my pets have been seen at this clinic and the vet is one with whom I'm comfortable working. Now I'm wondering whether I'm putting my furry child's life in danger by not switching to a local vet in the city where I'm working. I'm not sure how long I'll be in this city, but my plan is not to be here any longer than it takes to find a job back home. Unfortunately this will probably take a long while, given the lack of jobs "back home".

Can I keep my association with my current vet, and line up a "consultant" for where I'm temporarily located? It makes me feel like a traitor to think about choosing another vet. Right now Missy is at the vet clinic at "home" and I'm in the "work" city. While there are plenty of vets to be found in my "work" city, how do I find a good cat vet who can help manage Missy's care? I know no one here outside of work.

About the home testing - I am confused by the frequency with which this is done. Some info suggests before every meal. Then there is the "curve" testing over a 12-24 hours period to assess how the insulin actually works. Does the frequency depend on what you are trying to track?

Missy is very resistant to being handled. I know she can pick up my emotional state and it translates into her behavior as well. I've had difficulty giving her medications, cleaning or inspecting her ears, trying to clip her claws, you name it. I've done the "kitty burrito" - sometimes effective, sometimes not. I am currently sporting a cat-scratched face from last week when I tried to check Missy's "under the tail" area. *Sigh*. I know techniques can be learned but I suppose it just takes the time and patience. Right now I am exhausted from other emergencies in addition to hers and I feel lik I lack both time and patience.

On a side note, my oxylate boy (Smudge) had surgery to remove the blockage from his urethra but didn't have to have "PU" surgery (had to look up what you mean before I could answer that part).

 

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the Family.

I totally agree with Karen on changing all of your kitties diet. Dry food, no matter the quality is just not good enough, it contributes to so many health issues that could be avoided. Now don't beat yourself up! It is not your fault!! You didn't give you cat diabetes!!! I know this can be a little intense at first, and the horror stories you've been subject to are probably from someone who hasn't yet found the support groups and is trying to go it alone. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

The cost of quality wet food is still far cheaper than the so called prescription diets. Changing her to a species specific diet, and adding a little exercise will make a world of difference in her general health. I do understand the need to take a breather, especially when you are dealing with more than one health issue. So have a glass of wine and you favorite treat. Continue with your reading and then you will be that much more prepared to resume caring for you baby.

Diabetes does not have to take up your every waking hour, you can get through this, the other caring people on this board are here to help both you and your kitty to adjust. I haven't been at this very long myself, so I have no advise on insulin, the best I can do is to offer a few words of encouragement. It is a steep learning curve, but trust yourself, you will get there.

Best of Luck
Terri

 

Welcome to our FDMB family and be patient with yourself. You sound like you really love your cats, so you have come to the perfect place. Get some chocolate, sit back and get ready to read. Also, remember Every Cat Is Different. (ECID) Also, remember opinions may vary sometimes on this board, so you may get different views. Unfortunately, that is human nature.
Sorry this is very long, but there is a lot to say! Also, remember we were ALL newbies once and are feeling just like you are right now! OK……..breathe………. :RAHCAT

You do not need any type of prescription food or “special” diabetic food. Use Janet & Binky’s chart for canned food at http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html. . Low carb is best for diabetics. I try to stay around 10% or under. I feed Whiskas, 9-Lives and mostly Friskies canned food. Diabetes is very treatable and does not cost as much as you would think. If you are giving a high dose of insulin and feeding dry, be careful with switching to canned food. You MUST reduce the insulin at the same time you switch to canned food.

Please create a profile if you have not already done so (viewtopic.php?f=6&t=531). It will help us to help you. We need to know what kind of insulin you are on, what needles you are using (U-40 or U-100), what are you feeding, how much insulin you are giving and when, BG test results, etc. There are many people on this board from all over the world, so it will be helpful to know what area and time zone you are in.

Remember that your cat is YOUR cat, and YOU are paying your VET to help you take care of him; diabetes was probably a day or two worth of notes when the vet was in college; it is probably NOT a day-to-day existence with his own cat trying to maintain a quality of life. Sorry to say, but I would have overdosed my guys on insulin if I followed my vet's advice. Vets, unfortunately are not as knowledgeable as they should be on diabetes.

Sometimes, as I did, you have to take a leap of faith and trust these people on this board who deal with diabetes day in and day out. Trust me. You will not be disappointed. OK………..breathe again……….get some chocolate…….. cat_pet_icon

Also, please realize that it takes insulin about a week to settle. START LOW AND GO SLOW!! The usual starting dose from our experiences is 1u twice a day for at least a week. Insulin in cats is NOT and I repeat NOT based on weight. This is a misconception that a lot of us have gotten from our vets here. pc_work

You have to be patient, as I also had to learn!! Do not adjust the dose upwards based on one test. Don’t freak out based on one test result. As long as the levels stay on the high side, keep the same dose twice a day for at least the initial week period and you should see improvements. When you have some time (hee hee), read my profile doc at http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfqss8sg_1cpgwhbd9 .

If you are not hometesting already, you really need to start!! Hometesting is VERY important. Most of us here use any human meter. Think of it as a human diabetic does. *If it were you or a child of yours, you'd be testing blood glucose levels at home prior to each shot; you'd be working with your doctor to determine a proper dose based on those shot results, correct?* Some vets do not agree with hometesting and I cannot for the life of me understand why. Most vets, sadly are not knowledgeable enough in feline diabetes. Insulin is a VERY powerful drug and you NEED to hometest before giving a shot. This is very important. The vet would rather have you bring the cat to them, stress it out more, which may spike the levels anyway and then they can charge you $$. Hometesting saved me a lot of money and it is VERY important for you personally to know the cat’s levels and how it is reacting to the insulin before you shoot so you do not pass up your ideal dosage.

Thanks to everyone's help here I learned to home test 2 cats and they both got off insulin within 3 weeks with diet change…but of course, they reacting both DIFFERENTLY with the process. If I can do it with 2 cats twice a day (and more on curve days), ANYONE can do it. It does NOT hurt them as much as you think it does. It just stings for a moment and then it is gone, you can try it on yourself. Also, put pressure on the ear after poking and it should minimize the nub. They won't mind it once they start feeling better. I use the True Track meter (CVS or Walgreens brand) which I love. And, the strips are also reasonable. Also, remember to give them a treat after the test. Here is a link to a member videos on hometesting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zE12-4fVn8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ6iXetR398

I would not feed DRY food if at all possible. Of course, it is better than nothing – you MUST get them to eat if you are giving insulin, but if there is any chance, get them off the dry. I took my guys off dry and within a month they were off insulin. Again, remember that switching from dry to wet can cause a drop in blood sugars, so you MUST reduce insulin at the same time to make sure you are not giving too much insulin. I truly believe also that I saved some of my many others from developing diabetes. I also saved so, so much money changing them all to regular canned cat food.
When Blackie and Jackie got diagnosed, I was afraid to start shots. The people on this board made me realize it was no big deal. (They went on PZI insulin around 3-25-06 and went off on 4-18-06! Please also realize that diet plays a BIG, BIG part in insulin needs. I switched my cats off dry food to all wet and I was never so happy. It was a challenge to try to regulate 2 cats at once.


Welcome to the Sugar Dance. flip_cat
Welcome to the Vampire Club.

If I can do it, ANYONE can!!!
It does get easier. Trust us.

You need to test BEFORE you shoot. It usually goes: Test, Feed, Shoot



There's a saying something like "better the sugar level is too high for a day than too low for a minute".

 

You've already gotten some great advice -- so I will only add my suggestions regarding the SMELL of cat food.

EVO 95% meat flavors smell like PEOPLE food - really they smell GOOD to me.

My cats were not really thrilled with the EVO 95% -- so we compromised on WELLNESS Chicken and Turkey Flavors. (one of my 4 cats has allergies, so we avoid beef and fish).

Wellness also smells reasonably good to human nose.

 

hey there, fellow iowegian! unfortunately i moved out to california about 20 years ago. would love to go back but can't stand the cold weather

whereabouts in central iowa are you at these days? i ask because we do have a couple members in Cedar Rapids and Palo. i don't see them around as much as they used to be but we could probably get hold of them if you are very near them. my family is down in appanoose county and has a good vet as far as costs & compassion but i don't think they are up on the latest in the vet world unfortunately.

 

Thanks to all who responded to my posting. I am evaluating what I've been reading to make the most sensible decisions for my situation, and that of my cat.