5/7 Loose Lips

yesterdays LL: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=42747

Hope everyone has a good weekend started. I have been lurking, as usual, trying to keep up on all the Lantus friends.

I started Loose Lips today to maybe vent and maybe get some suggestions. DPS - whom helped with Tuscany, stayed at the house when we traveled, tested, shot etc has a cat that is now diabetic. Rather, her son who is living with her, has a cat that is diabetic. I've given them my old meter and strips (though she has bought new now), I've gone over to home test the cat (he's as easy as they come), I've gotten them to change food - got rid of dry and on LC (and even bought them several cases of food) , I've taken them to my vet (and yes, paid for it. Kidneys ok, gluc 406, home testing around 300) and I just went to Canada and got the Lantus this week. DPS feels like her son should take responsibility for the shooting, testing - he works mostly evening shift and actually would ideally work well if he did shoot, then when the GF and DPS are home in ams and after work they could be testing. DPS can't really do the shooting right now cause left hand is in cast and rt hand will be operated on soon and in cast. So now it sounds like the son is dragging his feet..... (might be some overtime starting to happen, some shift changing..? ) GF that lives there sounds like she doesn't want to take the main responsibility either.
THis is a great cat, only 10 yrs old and a love bug. It would be a shame to have him go untreated and to become ill. I do not want another diabetic cat - it was hard with our life as it was and we made it work but really can't take on someone elses cat.
SO besides venting - does anyone have any suggestions that might help get this family going?

Just curious... how old is the son? And has the son ever indicated that he wants to treat the kitty, or has this been mom's idea entirely? Has the son been there when you've tested? What's your take on his motivation level?

They're not giving insulin?

How about, sitting down at their computer, logging onto FDMB, asking them "what do you want your userid and password to be?" and then saying "post here, every morning" ... and we'll take over no?

I wish you the very best of luck, in convincing DPS and/or GF to take care of their lovebug cat.

Hi Joyce,

Good to hear from you.

Sounds like a tough situation with the DPS out of commission and two young adults who aren't motivated to step up and take care of this sweet kitty. How wonderful that you have been able to help them out w/the insulin, vet visits and teaching so far. I wish I had a good answer for ya. Perhaps someone else can come up w/a workable solution.

What a sad story especially since you've done so much to help them!! And I wonder if this is one of those kitties that would be OTJ quickly since the dry food is gone...maybe just needs a little juice for a short time. I'm with Dyana but if the DS won't even shoot, will he get on FDMB? This is really a heartbreaking scene but bless you, Joyce, for helping out so much! Hoping this will sort out for this little kitty...sounds like he deserves so much more.

What a sad situation .. you have done so much for them .. It makes me wonder the same as Marjorie, maybe this kitty could be OTJ with a food change and insulin for a bit? I hope this all works out ..

Marjorie and Devon - I keep trying to tell them that it could be possible for the cat to get off insulin and sometimes relatively quick. I was disappointed that the diet change didn't really nudge the numbers - He was low 300's after a week on LC and has been hanging there since.

Dyana - they just went to vet for rx for lantus last friday and I was going to Canada on Wednesday. They were supposed to start shooting today cause everyone was going to be home.... I haven't heard back yet if they reallly did give the injection. I have a feeling DPS is getting frustrated with the DS now dragging his feet. DPS did log on to FDMB, had almost had a SS up and running - missed a step that we figured out yesterday that she was going to try to rectify. More than likely she would be the one posting not the DS.

Kathy - son in mid 20's probably. When I was over there to test the first time he seemed like he was interested in testing and I know that he has tried to home test on own, too. But is he going to take the bull by the horns..... as much as he says he loves this cat and says he realizes it needs treatment...... I am sure if the cat goes in to dka it would be pts. (cost).

If DPS wasn't going to be tied up with casts for most of the summer I'm sure she would do it but she knows once the rt arm is incapacitated - not happening.

Hey Tena, thanks for checking in.

Nope, just heard from dps - they didn't shoot. DS and GF not willing to commit. I wish that it was the middle of winter and I didn't have all my summer planned out - I'd be tempted to see what I could do but I am leaving in 1 month for 2 weeks, then DH leaves for 2 weeks. Then we are home (but boating on weekends) for July - gone again 2 weeks in August, Labor day for 5 days.....etc.... I might have some insulin to give away soon....

The other thing if I ever did try to bring him here, even temporarily - I have no idea if he was ever tested for Feline Leukemia, etc when young and he never gets immunizations. He'd have to be totally segregated from the other cats.....DH would not be happy at all...... It's one thing when it is your own - I don't know how some of you have purposely gone and adopted a diabetic (ie ella/rusty). Hats off to you that do.

Hey Joyce! Good to hear from you even if it's been because this kid needs his head knocked against a wall. So, aside from the aforementioned approach...

What's the stumbling block? Does he care about the cat? I mean really care? (And if he says he does and this is how he's behaving, I'd suggest that DGF take note.) There are a lot of commitment-phobic young men around. Perhaps he needs the talk that when you bring a companion into your life, it is a lifelong commitment and it truly means in sickness and in health. The cat can't get a job and pay for its own medical care nor can his cat test and shoot himself. He made a commitment. It's time to man up. If he doesn't do something, he's passively killing his cat. What he's now doing (or not doing) is not all that different than being one of those yutzes who engage in animal cruelty with all of the horrible stuff you read about in the newspaper -- he's condemning his cat to a slow and painful death.

It sounds like being nice is only going so far. Maybe it's time for a bucket of cold reality to be dumped on his head. Maybe he needs an intervention!

What Sienne said!!!

Agreed. You can't take the kitty. The DPS can't treat the kitty. Therefore, by process of elimination, it's either this adult man take responsibility for his own kitty, or else. So confront him with the consequences of his decision, lay it on the line. It doesn't sound like there is anything to lose.

hope he gets on board...

It sounds like the son and his girlfriend are in denial. What a mess! Sienne is right: they need a talking-to. His mother should be the one to do it, but since you have given so much of your time and money, you have a right to speak your mind.

Nice to hear from you, Joyce!!! Sounds like you have a good summer ahead. I hope this all can be worked out.

Ella & Rusty (aka Mr. Wonderful Cat)

You have been amazing to this cat, and to your friend.

I second what everyone else has said, and I can also chirp in as the 20-something contingent.

I completely agree that not treating is the equivalent of murder by neglect. This is their cat, not Mom's cat, they have to own this.

At first everything sounds scary (there are things I'm still figuring out) but at the end of the day it's measuring, feeding, and shooting twice a day- and if their life is so busy, and they are so disinterested in a pet that they don't see it twice a day, they shouldn't own one, no matter how old they are. Being 20-something is no excuse for poor behavior and lack of responsibility, and cruelty is intolerable regardless of age. It begs the question; Is this really how you want to start your adult life? The person who let an animal die because you didn't want to show up twice a day?

They need to seriously assess where they are in their lives, and if they decided that they are more interested in a passive owner/pet relationship- they're better off with a virtual pet, and should allow their cat to be adopted by someone who can care for it.


My apologies if I come off strong on this, but I've always had animals, and I hate the excuse of youth as a reason for poor treatment of them.