8/31 Mitsu 362 AMPS | 270 +1 | 182 +4 | 253 PMPS | 85 +4

[RCB & Mitsu]

Yesterday

Even though her numbers are pretty erratic, I'm happy something is happening. She's not obsessively drinking water any more. I'm sticking with the twice daily feeding for right now. So many changes recently, and she just got used to this after grazing her whole life. Going to see what happens before going back to that.

She's on half dry Royal Canin PR Rabbit (the vet told me this was 16% carbs - but when I do the math, it's more like 35%) and half Koha limited ingredient rabbit wet. The lower carbs doing half/half seem to be helping a lot. I don't want to go straight to Koha because $$$ but also I have a huge amount of the Royal Canin to use up. 6 months worth at the current amount I'm feeding.

I'm considering a cat only vet. Mitsu's current vet has been great, but with so much conflicting information I don't know who to listen to. You all have been so helpful. Realistically, what's the future look like for a newly diagnosed 16yo cat?

 

[Bandit's Mom]

Can you not return the Royal Canin dry? Feeding high carbs to a diabetic cat to save money seems counterintutive to me when you would be spending on insulin and testing supplies.
Maybe you could try mixing the Koha with another low carb canned food that fits in your budget?

We have had cats go off insulin from a change to 100% LC wet from high carb dry. Mitsu is newly diagnosed and has a better chance at remisson now than 6 months down the line.
For newly diagnosed cats, we suggest a food change to a low carb diet, before starting insulin (if there are no ketones) - some cats become diet controlled without needing insulin at all.

Here's the spreadsheet of a cat that went into remission after the CG phased out the prescription dry food.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZFFMwTNq__Lu3NkxBHLM6Qe3bkzZq8JOoqRn10T1qrk/edit?usp=sharing

 

[RCB & Mitsu]

Can you not return the Royal Canin dry? Feeding high carbs to a diabetic cat to save money seems counterintutive to me when you would be spending on insulin and testing supplies.
Maybe you could try mixing the Koha with another low carb canned food that fits in your budget?

We have had cats go off insulin from a change to 100% LC wet from high carb dry. Mitsu is newly diagnosed and has a better chance at remisson now than 6 months down the line.
For newly diagnosed cats, we suggest a food change to a low carb diet, before starting insulin (if there are no ketones) - some cats become diet controlled without needing insulin at all.

Here's the spreadsheet of a cat that went into remission after the CG phased out the prescription dry food.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZFFMwTNq__Lu3NkxBHLM6Qe3bkzZq8JOoqRn10T1qrk/edit?usp=sharing

The Royal Canin is what the vet told me to buy. I feel like I have to go with her recommendations to some extent, Mitsu is being boarded there in a few days, Friday to Tuesday. How does everyone else handle this? I don't know what I'm doing, there's so much conflicting information, and I have spent so much money. My dog passed last week as well. I feel like this vet isn't telling me the right things to do, but I do need a vet to prescribe everything. If just switching to the Koha would fix everything I would do it.

 

[RCB & Mitsu]

The first day I came here, I was told to get low carb food. And I did! When I told the vet what I was trying, she said that she didn't want me feeding grain free because it causes heart problems in cats, and also that high fiber was just as important as low carb for diabetic cats. Thoughts?

 

[Bandit's Mom]

The Royal Canin is what the vet told me to buy. I feel like I have to go with her recommendations to some extent, Mitsu is being boarded there in a few days, Friday to Tuesday. After that I can try to find a new vet. How does everyone else handle this? I don't know what I'm doing, there's so much conflicting information, and I have spent so much money. My dog passed last week as well. I feel like this vet isn't telling me the right things to do, but I do need a vet to prescribe everything. If just switching to the Koha would fix everything I would do it.

You can tell your vet that Mitsu is refusing to eat the Royal Canin and return the food and ask for a refund. A lot of cats actually do not like prescription food and I think they come with a return / money back option.

A lot of us have stopped listen to our vets for diabetes advice. We nod politely and then come home and do what we found was working.

The first day I cam here, I was told to get low carb food. And I did! When I told the vet what I was trying, she said that she didn't want me feeding grain free because it causes heart problems in cats, and also that high fiber was just as important as low carb for diabetic cats. Thoughts?

Grain-free is not low carb. A lot of grain-free cat food has vegetable and fruits instead of low carb. Cats are obligate carnivores.

I don't know if anyone here pointed you in the direction of this excellent website on feline nutrition by a vet, Dr. Lisa Pierson:
www.catinfo.org

 

[RCB & Mitsu]

You can tell your vet that Mitsu is refusing to eat the Royal Canin and return the food and ask for a refund. A lot of cats actually do not like prescription food and I think they come with a return / money back option.

A lot of us have stopped listen to our vets for diabetes advice. We nod politely and then come home and do what we found was working.


Grain-free is not low carb. A lot of grain-free cat food has vegetable and fruits instead of low carb. Cats are obligate carnivores.

I don't know if anyone here pointed you in the direction of this excellent website on feline nutrition by a vet, Dr. Lisa Pierson:
www.catinfo.org

What I happened to try first was Kiwi (grain free and low carb) as is this Koha. Koha rabbit is actually .1% carbs - low enough lol. Thank you I'll read it. I'm afraid to make another change before boarding. Do you think that's a mistake? Normally I wouldn't be boarding at all, but here we are.

 

[Bandit's Mom]

I'm afraid to make another change before boarding. Do you think that's a mistake? Normally I wouldn't be boarding at all, but here we are.

A few days will not matter. Might be better to maintain status quo.
Don't be pressurized by your vet. You know best what's good for Mitsu.

 

[Summer and Susie (GA)]

Hi RCB. I just want to introduce myself. I am Summer and my fur kitty is Susie. We have been on this site since December 2020. I can't give advice but I am here to support you. When I first started here my vet also gave conflicting information. I have found that they do not always know what is best for a diabetic cat. I agree, you need a vet, but you also need these good folks here to advise you. My vet also told me to get the Royal Canin Glycobalance and it is so high in carbs. Even the wet cans. That is so very wrong for a diabetic kitty. @Bandit's Mom, Bhooma, has helped me over and over again and it would be really wise to take her advice. I'm sorry to hear you have so much of the Royal Canin left. Did you get it through the vet? That would be tough returning it but I think your vet is obligated to taking it back if you don't want it. I agree that after you board your kitty you may want to look for another vet or just tell your vet that you will be trying to follow the folks here and see if they can offer more support. Tell him/her that this group has helped hundreds of cats get into remission.

I see that Mitsu has already made improvements since you have been on this site. I hope you will stay with us to help her through this journey. Welcome!

 

[RCB & Mitsu]

Hi RCB. I just want to introduce myself. I am Summer and my fur kitty is Susie. We have been on this site since December 2020. I can't give advice but I am here to support you. When I first started here my vet also gave conflicting information. I have found that they do not always know what is best for a diabetic cat. I agree, you need a vet, but you also need these good folks here to advise you. My vet also told me to get the Royal Canin Glycobalance and it is so high in carbs. Even the wet cans. That is so very wrong for a diabetic kitty. @Bandit's Mom, Bhooma, has helped me over and over again and it would be really wise to take her advice. I'm sorry to hear you have so much of the Royal Canin left. Did you get it through the vet? That would be tough returning it but I think your vet is obligated to taking it back if you don't want it. I agree that after you board your kitty you may want to look for another vet or just tell your vet that you will be trying to follow the folks here and see if they can offer more support. Tell him/her that this group has helped hundreds of cats get into remission.

I see that Mitsu has already made improvements since you have been on this site. I hope you will stay with us to help her through this journey. Welcome!

Thank you! I'm sold on making the switch to the Koha after we get back. After going so long on hydrolyzed protein, I'm really happy to have found that Mitsu can eat rabbit. That was a nice discovery. I've got 5 months of insulin. 2 months of sensors. Maybe I can figure this out without needing more vet appointments.

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

You can tell your vet that Mitsu is refusing to eat the Royal Canin and return the food and ask for a refund. A lot of cats actually do not like prescription food and I think they come with a return / money back option.

You can return any food you buy from anyone who sells it, not just the vet office, as long as you still have a receipt. All pet food manufacturers in the US have a guarantee on even opened bags of food. I called Chewy to return an open bag of prescription Glycobalance and they refunded me the money and said don’t bother sending it back, so I donated it to a local rescue.