8/22 Bob PMPS=328 Insulin Advice??

Hi everyone!!! Long time, no chat!!

So, I've made a sad decision. I started feeding Bob his dry food again tonight. Im very sad about this decision, but I can't torture my poor cat anymore. I picked him up last night and he felt so light compared to what he used to - he's always been big, but not fat. Now he is skinny and his belly feels like it has extra skin. :shock: Thought I found something he liked (again) with the wellness turkey. For the first two days he ate the wellness turkey, yesterday he barely ate it and today, he licked it once and walked away. Tried some of the other wellness flavors and no go. He won't touch the YA anymore. I've done a very good job not being stressed and putting out his food with confidence! I've tried the cheap stuff, the expensive stuff and everything in between. I've tried the forti-flora, parm cheese, tuna juice, bonita flakes, catnip, mixing dry and wet and whatever else I could find and it just doesn't work. Bob is not normal i'm sad to say, but I love him anyway. ;-) When I put down the Orijen, he acted like he hadn't eaten in a year. I don't want anyone to think that I did not do my very best with him here. I love my cats like they are my kids and would do anything for them. However, I want Bob to feel good and eat a reasonable amount of food every day. I would also like to enjoy my life and HAVE a life. I've been locked up in my apartment for 4 months obsessed with my cat and his diabetes. It's really not healthy for anyone.

I'm very scared about what to expect in the next week or so until I get him back up to where he needs to be on insulin. I will just have to keep a close eye on him. I've thought about switching back to prozinc so we don't have the depot to be concerned with if he doesn't eat on a particular day. Any thoughts on that?

I'm going to keep up with Bob's ss and continue to visit, but I won't be a true TR follower, or even a partial TR follower. Sigh. :sad:

Dara,

Sorry, I have some bad news for you.

We don't want you to go anywhere else to post. You're part of our family and we won't abandon you or make you post elsewhere just because Bob is a dry food addict. You tried the 12 step program with him and he didn't follow it. Posting here is still fine with us

You did what you felt was best for Bob. If he'll only eat the Orijen dry, then that is what you will need to feed. I remember the days of offering Wink a smorgasboard of 4-5 different foods and letting him pick a little of this, a little of that.

We'll see what Bob does back on this dry food and adjust the insulin if needed. He needs to eat most of all because kitty's that don't eat get sick and we don't want Bob to get sick. If that food he eats needs to be the Orijen, then so be it.

You may still post here. You are not the one being stubborn about the wet food, it's Bob that is being picky. Who knows, if you keep offering him different selections, he just may surprise you now and then with what he eats.

Here, this may help you with your stress levels.

Hugs Dara,

just because you have to take a couple of steps backward doesn't mean you have to give up....

Bob is just going to be a one step at a time.... transitioner.....
You can only do the best you can....

Bob just likes the long and winding road.....

Awww....thanks guys. You made me misty..... :cry:

I still have the wet in the kitchen, but it's being ignored pretty much. I'll continue to put it out and we'll see. All three cats were like WOO HOO!!!! Even though Penelope and Hector pretty much like everything. Now they are all passed out in the bedroom. Sort of like when I eat an entire bag of doritos. I feel some relief that he ate and it's not something with him, like he's sick or something.

I did want to share this photo my friend took of Bob and had framed while she was kittysitting this last weekend. I LOVE IT!!! It's sort of "artsy"....

Dara --

The biggest reason to not follow TR is because it was developed and researched using a LC canned food diet. There are plenty of people here who follow Start Low Go Slow (SLGS) and there's no reason you can't do that. It will give you a set of guidelines and we'll know how to give you the help and support you need.

You're right -- you need to have a life outside of Bob's FD. You can't take good care of him if you aren't taking care of yourself. If Bob is going to eat dry, you will need to increase his insulin. Just do so systematically.

Dara and Bob

Welcome back....and welcome back Bob to your favorite food......
:smile:

I know you feel badly and that you some how failed....but you didn't! failing would be to hold out for months until poor Bob was just a shell of himself....both physically and spiritually.

I know your heart swelled when you saw him eat and eat and eat his favorite dry.....as did mine!!!

Eat 'em up Bob....you deserve it.......it has been a long hard road for you and momma....

You will figure out that balance of how much insulin to give....yet, not so much that you can't have a life. I hope others can address the other insulin options....because that depot is tough!!! as is that movable nadir!!! :?: :?:

we all understand....

Like you said in an earlier post: there are some cats that are maintained with just enough insulin that they are happy as hell albeit never tightly regulated....and sometimes you can only have one: we want you both happy as hell :razz:

you better not leave us.......you are my color!!! bob just makes me smile...

besides...there are many Bob's out there...and newbies need to read there are other options besides living in fear 24/7 and obsessing over every food your cats eats, DOESN'T EAT...and every poop your cat poops.....

~kelly

Thanks Sienne - do you think I should start a little higher? I gave him 1.5 tonight (he's been on 1.25) because I knew he would go up. Should I increase him quicker at first?

It's too early to say what the dose should be right now with the food change to the Orijen. Let's wait and see.

I can hear Dara now: "Oh no! She's having me pull out those d**m patience pants again.

Hi Dara

You gotta do what you gotta do and the bottom line is the best food for a cat is the one it will eat.

I'd probably up the dose to 1.5u and then we'll see what he needs as time goes on. Under SLGS, you would need to hold each dose for a week before evaluating whether to increase or not.

I love the photo....that is really gorgeous. I hope you can blow it up and have it framed.

As Rhiannon said, it's just a step back but maybe at some point, he'll move forward. BTW, I am sorry I don't know/remember this if you've mentioned it. But did you try something like the Nature's Variety Instinct raw premade patties? Some cats really go for the raw. If I have any raw steak or chicken that I'm fixing for us, I give some to Tobey and Gracie and they gobble it down.

Oh, Dara! I know how much you tried, how much you worried and ..... how much you've spent! Food is so important to a diabetic cat and you have to keep them eating. I can completely sympathize with you on this issue as I went through the same thing and fortunately, for me, the appetite stimulant worked. I know it's said that cats are carnivores and don't "need" carbs but that doesn't mean some of them don't WANT them.

Bob holds the cards here but he will show you the way. I bet in a month or so, you'll have it all figured out. The stress levels are not good, you can't live that way and your stress is transmitted to Bob. There is a good chance that when you are finally able to relax, so will he. Heck, maybe he'll have a lick or two of wet along with the dry .....

"Every Cat Is Different" - is a term that we, as newbies, learned quickly here. Have a gander at Tashie's SS and maybe that MAY give you some clues about dry food, with HER the insulin needs were quite significant - not to say Bob's will change that drastically - just something to have at the back of your mind.

Dara, you are a great mum! I am sure all will fall into place and level out! Bob is a cat, he makes the rules! You are just a servant :roll:

B

I agree with Marje. I think you're fine to increase Bob's dose.

Dara,
Hang in there :YMHUG: You gotta do what ya gotta do for you and Bob. If that means dry food, thats ok. It is so overwhelming to try to do all of this, and then when you can't get them to eat...UGH!!! You are a great Bean and Bob will be ok no matter what direction you choose. But I think you will get your best help and advice from this group. You know once you're here you're family and we would all miss you and Bob if you left :sad: Good luck with what ever you choose to do :YMHUG:

Deb & Wink said:

It's too early to say what the dose should be right now with the food change to the Orijen. Let's wait and see.

I can hear Dara now: "Oh no! She's having me pull out those d**m patience pants again.

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I do DESPISE the patience pants!!!! ;-)

Marje and Gracie said:

As Rhiannon said, it's just a step back but maybe at some point, he'll move forward. BTW, I am sorry I don't know/remember this if you've mentioned it. But did you try something like the Nature's Variety Instinct raw premade patties? Some cats really go for the raw. If I have any raw steak or chicken that I'm fixing for us, I give some to Tobey and Gracie and they gobble it down.

Click to expand...

Hey Marje - I did try something from petco. I THINK it was Nature's Variety and it was little smooshy kibbles. Bob was like "yeah, right" and the other two weren't that thrilled. I just figure since Bob's so weird when I try to feed him my food, he probably would like the raw either. I did order some samples so I will give it a try. Trying to be positive, but I sort of know better by now.

@Kelly, @Bern, @Pam - thank you guys for stopping by and the encouraging words. I felt I made the right decision, I'm just very disappointed. But, like you said, he's a cat and he runs the show!!