New member 03/27/2025 Help! Insulin injections food schedule

Darlene Smith

Darlene Smith

New Member
Ticky Lynn is 12 years old, male tabby and just diagnosed last week. Is it really necessary to make him wait 12 hours between feedings/injections? Vet said he would adjust, but I know he would never eat a whole small can of puree no matter how hungry he is. And it would be so stressful making him wait that long. Started insulin 3 days ago - made sure he had no food at least 4 hours before each feeding (and no food after 10 pm with a 7 am feeding) but leaving some food out before that 4 hour limit, especially during the day. I am concerned that if I do try to adjust him to 12 hours and he only eats a third or half of a small can, he will not be getting sufficient calories. All of his labs (except BG) were normal, so that was good news. Thanks so much for suggestions, help... I'm so thankful I found this website. I thought the injections would be the worrisome part, but nope... this feeding schedule is!
 
Many people here give their diabetic cat multiple small meals spread throughout the day. Two meals a day leaves diabetics too hungry and can cause blood glucose levels to drop too low. Human diabetics have small snacks between meals. Cats aren't any different. Unregulated diabetics are always hungry so making your cat wait 12 hours for a meal is not very nice. It's fine to ignore what the vet says about food and insulin timing. Many vets aren't familiar with treating diabetes.

People here use a programmable timed feeder to give their cats meals during the day. Canned food is fine if left out in a feeder all day.

What insulin is your cat on and what is the dose? With Lantus, you don't want to feed 2 hours before insulin because food will cause a blood glucose spike. I'm not sure about other insulins.
 
Thank you so much for your quick reply. He is on ProZinc 1 unit 2X/day - so the smallest dose. I agree with you - humans don't wait 12 hours between insulin meds. He is on canned food; have stopped the dry kibble for now. I am going to continue on this schedule with no food several hours before meds, which will really only be for the evening feeding, as he will have gone most of the late evening and night with no food. You have helped my stress so much! I just want to do the best for him... l ittle stinker that he is.

upload_2025-3-27_13-56-36.png
 

Attachments

  • upload_2025-3-27_13-56-36.png
    upload_2025-3-27_13-56-36.png
    186.6 KB · Views: 118
I would definitely give Ticky Lyn snacks as well as the two main meals a day. He will be much happier and it is better for his pancreas.
A snack is a teaspoon or two of a low carb food. I would suggest 2 or 3 snacks in the first 6 or 7 hours of each cycle. What ever you do for the am cycle, do for the pm cycle.
Are you hometesting ?
I would recommend you do to keep your boy safe.
And set up a spreadsheet. Look at a human glucose meter such as the ReliOn premier meter from Walmart.
Some links for you
HELP US HELP YOU
HOMETESTING HINTS AND LINKS
 
squeem3 said:
ProZinc is good :) I'm not familiar with using it but @Suzanne & Darcy is.

What canned food(s) are you feeding your cat? Low carb (under 10%) is ideal. Here's the link to the food charts: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/links-to-food-charts.174182/

Are you testing your cat's blood glucose levels at home or plan to?
Click to expand...

He has been on low carb Fancy Feast mostly all of his life. So I got lucky with that. He is soooo picky Ticky. I will check the food charts so thank you for that. I do plan to test - will probably get the one from Walmart that is mentioned a lot. I might have to work up to that lol.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I would definitely give Ticky Lyn snacks as well as the two main meals a day. He will be much happier and it is better for his pancreas.
A snack is a teaspoon or two of a low carb food. I would suggest 2 or 3 snacks in the first 6 or 7 hours of each cycle. What ever you do for the am cycle, do for the pm cycle.
Are you hometesting ?
I would recommend you do to keep your boy safe.
And set up a spreadsheet. Look at a human glucose meter such as the ReliOn premier meter from Walmart.
Some links for you
HELP US HELP YOU
HOMETESTING HINTS AND LINKS
Click to expand...

I just can't tell you all how this info has reduced my stress. I can't imagine an older cat going 12 hours - not much of a happy day. And he doesn't even know he's getting the injections which also makes things so much easier. One more question, how do I get his profile picture to post? I tried and it would not allow me to upload. I do plan to test and will use that meter from Walmart. Thanks again.
 
Darlene Smith said:
how do I get his profile picture to post? I tried and it would not allow me to upload. I do plan to test and will use that meter from Walmart. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
If I remember it's been so long , go to the top of your name and tap on it ,a drop down will appear ,tap on Avatar and add his pic

If you look under your user name at the top right of this page you will see avatar. Click on that and it will give you instructions.
 
Last edited:
Diane Tyler's Mom GA said:
Welcome you only need to withhold feeding Ticky Lynn 2 hours prior to testing his AMPS and his PMPS so his BG is not influenced by food.
@Darlene Smith
Click to expand...
Is this once insulin therapy has been started in general? My cat likes to wake me up at 5am almost on the dot for a munch. I have my appointment with a new vet tomorrow to confirm the diabetes banfield had given since they referred me out after seeing her bg and urine glucose were high on the 28th. Once she's on insulin, say she wakes me up at 5 and eats a little, is that ok if then after 7 I test and give her a dose? Or once started I should avoid letting her eat like that at all?
 
Mochi said:
Is this once insulin therapy has been started in general? My cat likes to wake me up at 5am almost on the dot for a munch. I have my appointment with a new vet tomorrow to confirm the diabetes banfield had given since they referred me out after seeing her bg and urine glucose were high on the 28th. Once she's on insulin, say she wakes me up at 5 and eats a little, is that ok if then after 7 I test and give her a dose? Or once started I should avoid letting her eat like that at all?
Click to expand...

That sounds like 2 hours to me! To be on the safe side, if you know she's going to be hungry, you could use a little timed feeder and set it to open for a little snack around 4:30. That would give you the 2 hours for sure, and a chance to sleep... which you may find you need. :D:D:D
 
Kobe (Dean and Lesley) MO said:
That sounds like 2 hours to me! To be on the safe side, if you know she's going to be hungry, you could use a little timed feeder and set it to open for a little snack around 4:30. That would give you the 2 hours for sure, and a chance to sleep... which you may find you need. :D:D:D
Click to expand...
For now I'm ok with her waking me up, I'm used to it. I'm holding off on the feeder for night time (will still use for when I have to be out) because sometimes she just nibbles leaves some and goes back and if I'm asleep i won't know if she finished it or saved some for the under two hour window. I'm not currently working and I'm used to sporadic sleep so in the beginning I'm even setting an alarm for 3 hours preshot time to give her some food so she's less likely to beg during the 2 hour window since I know at some point in the morning she will ask for a snack lol. My plan was to go back to work after june/july anyways so that gives me at least a few months of just focusing on her and nothing else.
 
Mochi said:
For now I'm ok with her waking me up, I'm used to it. I'm holding off on the feeder for night time (will still use for when I have to be out) because sometimes she just nibbles leaves some and goes back and if I'm asleep i won't know if she finished it or saved some for the under two hour window. I'm not currently working and I'm used to sporadic sleep so in the beginning I'm even setting an alarm for 3 hours preshot time to give her some food so she's less likely to beg during the 2 hour window since I know at some point in the morning she will ask for a snack lol. My plan was to go back to work after june/july anyways so that gives me at least a few months of just focusing on her and nothing else.
Click to expand...
Here’s a strategy for auto feeders, if you find you start needing more solid sleep. Timed auto feeder and a camera with motion detection and recording.

upload_2025-4-4_7-0-16.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • upload_2025-4-4_7-0-16.jpeg
    upload_2025-4-4_7-0-16.jpeg
    47.6 KB · Views: 81
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top