02/20 Singha update

I would like to start by thanking all of you for your support with Milo before and after I lost him. His presence was always larger-than-life and our household feel that loss. We are slowly adjusting.

Singha, as some of you may recall, is Milo's littermate, brother and shadow. He is completely blind and has a heart murmur. He had surgery for an obstruction a year and a half ago when I almost lost him too. At that time he was also diagnosed as diabetic and put on Caninsulin. There was no recheck done and I was never told to test him myself. I am very fortunate that he never went hypo that I know of. I had no idea what to look for. I don't need to tell any of you how we really dodged a bullet with the mismanagement of his diabetes.

When Milo was diagnosed, I learned everything I didn't know about feline diabetes. I switched Singha to Big Country Raw Diet, tested him at home and he was able to be reduced until insulin was not necessary anymore. I have kept an eye on it since the summer and he's still in remission.

Since Milo has passed, Singha's behaviour is completely different. He has grieved relentlessly, hiding downstairs, and he wasn't interacting with us unless I went and retrieved him from his hiding spot. He barely tolerated us touching him. He is getting better and now comes to find me on the couch in the evenings and snuggles on my lap. However, EVERYTHING spooks him now: changes in protein (necessary weekly on the raw diet), being touched (you have to give him a very light touch before petting or he jumps out of his skin), any change in household, even my son coming home, noises etc, litter boxes that have been washed and refilled. He walks like he's always in imminent danger. He never sits in his favourite chair anymore where he used to snuggle with Milo. Things that never were a problem before definitely are now. He stopped using his litter boxes after I washed them out and refilled with the same litter he had transitioned to this fall successfully. I had to reintroduce the old litter and slowly add the newer kind.

Due to this change in personality, I was afraid to test him again as I'm just regaining his trust. However, I was worried that the stress of losing Milo could bring on his diabetes again. The good news: I did four tests a couple of weeks ago and he was rock solid in the green, before and after eating. I decided only to do the four test based on the low BG each time and he was so stressed by the testing itself.

I am open to any suggestions on helping him continue to recover from the shock of losing his seeing-eye companion/brother/life-long friend. I talk a lot to him and give him lots of verbal prompts so he knows where I am and when I am about to touch him. Though he's been blind for a long time, I'm having to relearn strategies as his human. Fortunately, he recently seems to be adjusting better. He's eating more ravenously like he used to. He had stopped eating the raw every time I had to switch the protein and I had to mix it with FF to convince him to eat... He's starting to talk to me again and he's spending a little bit more time upstairs rather than in the basement. Evening time he really wants to cuddle so this makes me happy as he never wanted to lie on me before...I take him to bed each night with me and he often stays until early morning, which is also new. What else can I be doing??

Thanks for your advice.

 

Hi Sam, I don't have any sage advice for how to help dear Singha through his grief, but it seems like you are being as attentive as you can possibly be to him. He's so lucky to have you.

 

No advice from me either except to give him as much attention as he will tolerate and I know you are. Max got pancreatitis when his sister was being treated for lymphoma and then left us. I’ll never know if it was due to stress or not.

 

I'm sorry Singha has been grieving so much, but I'm glad he is still OTJ. I think it will just take time. Just keep doing what you have been doing. Sending prayers.

 

Hi Sam, I just wanted you to know that we're all here to support you through every step, and that my thoughts and prayers are with you. Keep your head up

 

You're doing a fantastic job with Singha, Sam. You are giving him so much love, patience and support. And it sounds like he has made progress. IMO, keep doing exactly what you are doing. He suffered such a tremendous loss (you all did); when or how much he is able to heal and the grief lessens for him...nobody can say. You are doing all you can, and Singha is incredibly lucky to be part of such a loving family.

 

Thanks everyone. I have been really playing it by ear and taking Singha’s lead. There were a few times I really wondered if I should take him to the vet but there was nothing specific except change in appetite. And even that wasn’t consistent. Now that he’s evening out he seems physically fine; it’s all emotional. I’m glad I’m seeing a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel. I didn’t know exactly how reliant he was on Milo but it’s clear as day now.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. I wasn’t sure I should post but I’m so glad I did. You make me feel better.

Once a cat is in remission, how often do you need to recheck the BG? Hopefully not too often as he really gets freaked out.
Thanks again.

 

Have you tried Feliway difusers in the house? It might help calm him down a bit.

 

I actually do have the spray; I completely forgot about that. Thanks; I will give it a try.