Question about thirst

As most of you know Bert is an newly diagnosed sugar kitty.

He is not in insulin yet(Tuesday), but we have been feeding just wet for about 5 days.

His BG is better, but still in the 200.
I noticed he is not drinking as much as before when he was on wet/dry food.
I assumed his behavior(thirst) would continue till he was on insulin.
He acts hungry, but Alfred(other cat) starts the process of the "starving kitty" show.
I think it is the shock of not free feeding on dry
Alfred is a DRAMA queen!! LOL

So do you think it is OK to see this change even though he is not on insulin yet?
He acts fine otherwise.

Thanks for any advice

 

That's a great response to the diet change. And yes, eliminating dry food and lower glucose levels can reduce thirst.

 

It's a great start. He probably still will need to be on insulin, but with those numbers, his pancreas may start working again quickly. When you start insulin, make sure you start at a low dose such as 1/2 to 1 unit. You also want to test before every shot. For newbies, we suggest not giving insulin unless the BG is over 200.

 

Part of the secret is that the wet food contains water. So many diabetic cats (and cats on wet diets) drink less water than a cat on a dry food.

Things are looking good. Hope that this means when he goes on insulin, it will be a short trip. Remember to be sure to insist on starting low and going slow, no matter what his numbers are at the vet. You have more accurate numbers (not under stress)from home.

 

Welcome Kathy! :YMHUG:

I had the same concerns last week. I noticed that none of my kitties were drinking out of the bowls anymore. Everyone had the same things to say. The wet food (especially if you add extra water) will sometimes be all they need.

Can't wait to see those numbers lower once Bert starts insulin. cat_pet_icon

 

Those changes are wonderful. We often see the thirst decrease almost instantly in some cases... It's a good thing. You can add a bit of water to the wet food just to make sure they are getting enough.

Alfred the drama queen... funny. He's probably going through withdrawal. When humans cut out carbs, they are super hungry for a few days too... and then on about the 5th day the body is free of the cravings. You may see a decrease in appetite eventually. As long as they are eating regularly and feeling good, don't worry about a little decrease in appetite.

 

Even if they stop drinking water from the bowl completely, please remember to keep a bowl of fresh water available for their use anyway.

 

Bert is still drinking, just not so much.

They have one of those fountain water things.
They love it, but Bert REALLY loves it when you put fresh water in a glass with ice.
He goes nuts if you have water and do not give it to him!!!

LOL

 

I think so, I have experienced it with my cats personally since we went completely all wet about 3 days ago. I have 4 cats. Spicey the diabetec still drinks water but not as much as the others do. Today she was at the water bowl at least 5x. I haven't seen the other cats at all. I have been home all day watching them. They do get water with their wetr food. I put the wet food in their dish and then pur just a little to moisten it up a bit.

 

They do go crazy I could not get spicey to eat wet food for 2 days. She ate very little.