Nibs the Cat

Our cat, Nibs, is about 12 years old. He has never been obese, but is a long-bodied cat with lots of fur. The vet called this morning and confirmed he has diabetes. His blood test revealed a blood sugar reading of 490. I've been looking at information available on the 'net, and I'm understanding that an immediate switch to canned, low carb food is in order. I'm sure there is a spot on here that lists people's recommendations, however in panic mode, with so much to learn as quickly as possible, I wonder if people could throw out their suggestions? I would like to change his diet before starting insulin and by the number it looks rather urgent. Thanks!

 

from lower to higher cost:
Friskies Turkey & Giblet pate and Poultry Platter
Fancy Feast Classic Turkey & Giblet pate, including the kitten version.
Wellness Turkey and Giblet pate

 

Good work on your research and finding us sometimes a change to low carb canned is enough in itself to get a kitty into remission so it's great when people learn about that fast enough to get the diet sorted before starting insulin.

Before starting insulin is also a great time to learn how to home test. You can start preparing Nibs now by rubbing the edges of his ears and telling him how good he is so he starts getting used to you messing with them.

You're going to be on a steep learning curve so don't feel shy about asking questions. We are here to help - welcome to the best place that you never wanted to be.

Sorry no food tips from me as I'm in Australia but there are some links in the Health Links/ FAQ forum.

 

Thanks for the quick tip BJM! We switched right to the Friskies canned you suggested. Looks like it is helping already. Next, on to the meter! Thanks again.

 

Many of us in the US use the WalMart Confirm or Confirm Micro. The Target Up and Up is another low cost meter which is suitable. The matching test strips is where costs can pile up if you're doing a lot of testing, so be sure to check that when deciding what to purchase.
You'll want lancets for alternate site testing which are 25-28 gauge.
We find it helpful to give a low carb treat when testing. Plain raw or cooked meat or poultry work well, as do freeze-dried products such as PureBites in chicken or beef. The dog size is more economical - just break off pieces.
See my signature link Glucometer Notes for info on feline-specific reference ranges and what they may mean.