My cat Diesel was diagnosed...I need help

Hello, everyone

I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with just finding out my cat of 9 years has diabetes. I feel awful like it’s my fault, but want to do everything I can to make his life better.
I just am getting confused and overwhelmed especially after reading about food on cat info.

of course my vet suggested the hills science diet gluco support m/d dry and wet but after reading about it on cat info I feel cheated? I guess.
I have been giving my cat insulin for only 2 days now. I haven’t gotten an at home test kit yet (money issues)
I am just unsure where to start. That food I was suggested is super expensive and high in carbs from what I normally feed my cat...so I have no clue what to do and I guess looking for some more advice or next steps would be super helpful and appreciated.
Im so nervous I do not want to make my cat more sick. Please help ❤️

 

Welcome.

You are doing everything right by asking questions and proving things for yourself.

None of us here use prescription food ... no point unless you like giving money away. Any food on the catinfo chart that is under 10% carbs (ideally under 5%) is acceptable. Popular options are Fancy Feast Classics or Friskies Pate. Don't let your vet bully you into using high-carb, share the catinfo chart if you need (that's what I did).

If money is an issue please reach out to Diabetic Cats In Need - they provide home testing kits free for new diabetics to help you out.

 

Oh my. I'm so glad you found us-- your instincts are right about treating your cat. Hopefully we'll be able to help you get him on the path to feeling better. Do not blame yourself for his diagnosis! We've all had those feelings at the beginning, but it's not like anyone gives you an instruction manual when you get a cat, and anyway you've seen already what the expert vet advice can be like for feline diabetes (not a knock on vets in general, they just don't get a ton of training in FD). The important thing is that you are getting him help now.

First and foremost: you're correct that the m/d isn't a great choice for diabetes (the cans aren't actually all that bad, but they are in no way worth the cost!). Luckily, if you bought it from your vet it probably has a guarantee, such that you can just bring it back saying your cat didn't like it, and get a refund. There are many cheaper options for food-- lots of us feed low-carb Fancy Feast or Friskies pates, for example.

If the vet is trying to sell you a pet meter for home testing, you don't have to do that either (they're good meters, just pricey to run). Most of us here use regular human meters, largely because the test strips are sooooo much cheaper. If you are located in the US, a popular choice is Walmart's Relion Prime meter-- strips are cheap, and if you have a Walmart near you, easily accessible. If you are somewhere else in the world (or just not near a Walmart), we may have other suggestions to get you started in your shopping. [edit: I see Elizabeth has posted before me with an excellent suggestion about contacting DCIN for meters and other supplies-- they're a great organization, well worth checking out to see if you qualify for help from them]

Has your vet suggested an insulin and a dose? It probably won't surprise you at this point in this post to hear that we have suggestions on those, too .

Keep asking questions, and welcome again to the best place you never wanted to be!

 

What insulin is your kitty on and how many units

 

If you have already bought the expensive vet food, return it for a refund, even if the bag has been opened. Just say your cat does not like it and that it is a struggle to get him to eat it. The company that makes the food guarantees a refund. There's a couple of bucks right there.

 

Yeah I got it from pet smart so I was already thinking about returning it and getting a tracker!

 

I see she said she has been giving insulin for 2 days now

 

Hi thanks for replying! He is on Relion Novolin 1 unit twice a day every 12 hours

 

i appreciate all the help abd advice I can get so tysm for taking the time to help me! I do live near a Walmart and I will go tomorrow to return the food to pets mart and get a testing kit.
My cat has been on insulin for 2 days now, He is on Relion Novolin 1 unit twice a day every 12 hours

 

I'm forgoing the usual welcome to point you here:

Twin Cities - Supplies to Donate
They are free supplies

Please check them out

 

Oh no not Novolin! That's a very harsh insulin, wouldn't recommend it for any kitty I'm afraid.

Since you are using it now let me give you some important info:

Test (when you have supplies), feed, wait 60 minutes, THEN give insulin. Food MUST be on-board with Novolin
Feed every hour (regular food) for the first few hours. Novolin doesn't last long in a cat and it's very harsh on their bodies. I strongly recommend switching to Prozinc or Lantus
No insulin if BG is under 250 - do not let BG drop below 100-120

If money is an issue for switching, again, DCIN will provide you with good, species-appropriate insulin. That's what they're there for.

 

Co-sign everything @Panic just said.

 

What food was your kitty previously on? We don't recommend changing food to low-carb without testing as a simple diet change alone can drop BG significantly. Some lucky kitties even go in remission on the diet change alone. If you switch food tomorrow, consider cutting the dose in half to 0.5u.

Do your syringes have half-unit markings? If not, Walmart pharmacy sells them 100 for $15.

 

You have already received stellar advice so I will just say WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY

Theres a ton of information here with really good people to help you navigate it all.

To get acquainted with how this board works, you will want to start here:
New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

Youve got a lot of reading ahead of you so, I will just say you have landed in a safe place. We have ALL been in your shoes. Thats why this forum exists. To help any and all that find us.
welcome to the best darn site on this planet, to help you learn every thing you need to know, about feline diabetes.
jeanne

 

Wait really?!? This is so upsetting. ): They vet offered me the more cost efficient cause this one was $40 from Walmart while the other bottle they mentioned (forgot the name) was $100 I wish I would’ve known the cheaper one was harsher. I appreciate all the help..holy crap this is overwhelming. It makes me super sad and stressed. I just want what’s best for him.

I am suppose to feed him and give him insulin at 8PM CST so in just a few mins...but what would you suggest?

 

My cat was mainly on a dry kibble from my local store here in TX.

 

Its going to be ok! We will help you get sorted. The best thing is you are HERE!

 

LITERALLY so happy I found y’all. I can’t thank you all enough. I appreciate everyone’s love and patience!

 

How has he been acting since you started the shots? Until you start home testing, that's the best guide as to what the insulin is doing. Any excessive lethargy, or excessive hunger around 3-4hrs post-shot?

 

Nothing really too abnormal. I have 3 cats total and I normally feed them 3 times a day and I was trying to cut it back to only 2, so they’re all just being fussy about food. More so the first day he seem to be acting lazier than normal, but today he seemed more normal.

 

OK, first thing is: don't cut back on food/feedings. Sometimes you get the advice to only feed diabetics twice a day, but that doesn't work as well for cats as it does for dogs. Multiple meals is easier on the pancreas, plus, if they do start to go hypoglycemic, most cats will suddenly get hungry and start seeking out food to bring up their blood sugar, so you don't want the next meal to be 10hrs away!

Second: since you're returning the Hill's, I'd just go ahead and go back to feeding the old food for a while. The carbs in it are going to help protect him against the harshness of Novalin-- he won't progress very far in treating the diabetes, but that's not as important right now as keeping him safe. You'd rather have him run a little high on the extra carbs for a few more days than have him go dangerously low. Once you are up and running with home testing, you can start working on a food transition. It'll drop his insulin needs, but as long as you're testing, you can keep him safe.

 

Okay. yeah makes sense. From the advice from Panic I'd like to get him on a better insulin, I just don't get paid till the 21st unfortunately. So I just feed him (wet food) so should I wait an hour to give him insulin?
So game plan for tomorrow is return the Hills food, grab a testing kit, and get correct food so I'll be ready for transition.

 

I'd offer him some of the high-carb kibble as well. I don't know which wet food you fed tonight, but I think the w/d is fairly low in carbs (unlike the w/d kibble). He's going to need a bit more of a "base" for the Novalin to work on.

 

Walmart sells the Relion Prime Meter it's 9 dollars
The Prime Test Strips are 17.88 for 100 strips
You will need 26 or 28 gauge lancets to prick his ear any brand will do
they are cheap
Some cotton rounds to put behind his ear when you test and them use it to
press gently with it to stop the bleeding

If his ears look sore you can put Neosporin Ointment with Pain Relief
Make sure it is NOT THE CREAM.
Just a thin layer if needed after testing.
Everyone has given you great advice.
Diesel is a handsome boy.
Everything will be fine.

 

Yes, wait an hour before shooting after feeding. The sooner Diesels' on a safer insulin the better!

Here is a shopping list for you.

Hometesting Kit:

Hometesting Tips and Tricks
ReliOn Prime glucometer - $9
ReliOn Prime test strips - $18 for 100
ReliOn Lancets 26 G (or 28 if unavailable) - $1-2 for 100
ReliOn Lancing Device (optional) - $5
Travel-size Vaseline - $1
Neosporin Ointment + Pain Relief (ointment only, NOT cream) - $6
Cotton Pads (optional) - $2
Rice Sock or Pill bottle w/ warm water (optional) - homemade

You can use any kind of human meter, however the one listed above is Walmart brand and has the cheapest strips available. Same goes for lancets. You do not need a lancing device if you prefer to poke freehand, it's just personal preference. Vaseline is for helping the ear to bead up, neosporin is for helping the ear to heal/prevent bruising after the poke. Just a little dab of each. Cotton pads are optional, some people like to use them as backing so not to poke themselves, then to hold the ear a moment after to prevent bruising and stop bleeding. You can use a paper towel or your fingers if you prefer. Rice socks can be used in the microwave a few seconds to heat up and rub on the ear to draw the blood to the ear; it can also be used as backing when poking the ear. A pill bottle with warm water in it is another alternative to warm the ear, whichever thing you prefer to use.

Hypo Kit Supplies:

Hypo Kit Toolbox
Karo Syrup - $3
Ketone Test Strips (Ketostix) - $6
A few cans of Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Marinated Morsels/Sliced in Gravy/Grilled in Gravy varieties - $0.60 each (these are your medium-carb cans)
A few cans of Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers/Medleys Tuscany/Medleys Gravy in Sauce varieties - $0.60 each (these are your high-carb cans)

Medium Carb is 11-15%
High Carb is 16%+

You can also search through the catinfo chart while you're at the store to check which cans available are the ones you need. They don't HAVE to be Fancy Feast but they're fairly easy to find.

 

Yeah I fed him the m/d tonight, but you suggest to give him something with more carbs?

 

Yes, please!

 

Can you tell us your name?

 

Here are just a few of the high and medium carbs


Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs


Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy. 15% Med Carbs




Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy. 15% Med Carbs


Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

A must to have these on hand, it's really only the Gravy that is full of the carbs if you ever need to bring up his BG up

 

Thank you for the list. My name is Kayla!

 

I also just filled out an application for DCIN. I appreciate all the advice.

 

Oops, overlooked this ... $40 from Walmart? It used to be $25. The other bottle was either Vetsulin or Prozinc ... I'm betting Vetsulin because Prozinc is more expensive than that, but Vetsulin is supposed to only be around $55. I don't recommend Vetsulin either, it's almost as bad as Novolin.

I would stick to the 1 unit right now since you're feeding high carbs tonight!

And don't feel bad. My vet told me to go buy Novolin because it was cheaper too. Vets just do NOT know much about feline diabetes, you're rarely going to find one that does.

 

Hi Kayla , it's just nice to know some ones name , you already know I'm Diane
You are in good hands here so don't worry

 

Why am I not surprised....I should've trusted my gut and shouldn't of bought the food and done more research on my own, I thought I could of trusted a vet for once especially when it came to something this serious, SIGH, I guess not. Y'all are way more imfoma, helpful, and overall awesome.

 

Nice to meet you Diane! Thank you for calling Diesel handsome (I think the same ) Tyler is very cute as well, I have an orange baby myself. His name is Finn and he is very talkative..lol
But I couldn't agree more!!! I can't thank y'all enough. Haha

 

He's a fluffy boy, lol Tyler says thank you
I just lost Tyler's brother Perry last Tuesday to kidney failure
He was as just as cute, he was my heart kitty.
It's so quiet without him. I miss him so ., he was as special
Anyway I'm glad you found us and everything will be ok

 

I'm sorry Diane..my condolences <3 My thoughts are with you and Tyler.
I am glad too. I just wrote up my list. Thank you for talking to me so late. Have a good evening. I'm sure you'll be seeing me around

 

Thank you Kayla, his ashes will be ready tomorrow, so bringing him home where he belongs.
I'm sure we will be talking soon. Have a good night