Any specific advice to the owner of a new diabetic cat?

Question

After a rush to the emergency vet this weekend, we've learned our beloved cat is a diabetic. Are there any other cat owners that can share their experiences and advice on how best to deal with this new situation? Thanks so much for your responses!

Answer 1

You can test his blood glucose at home using a human glucometer, and you can test his urine, using Keto-diastix, for both glucose and ketones.

You can get a free glucometer here:
http://www.bayereasycare.com/meter/
or a cheap glucometer here:
http://www.diabeticpromotions.com/cgi-bin/webcart/webcart.cgi?CONFIG=mountain&RET=25&FIRST_TIME=Yes&START=1&OCATS=ultramini&DOSEARCH=YES&REFER=email56
(There are often free meter offers on-line because the companies make their money on the sale of the test strips, since a meter is a one-time purchase.)

Go to a pharmacy and purchase "Keto-diastix" for testing for both sugar and ketones. Catch a little of your cat's pee in a plastic spoon, and dip the strip in to test it. If he has ketones, he needs to see a vet IMMEDIATELY as ketones are serious and life-threatening. (I was lucky, and my diabetic cat never had a problem with ketones.)

Some cats can be diet-controlled, on a low-carb (grain-free wet food) diet. If you change your cat's diet, remember that any diet change should be made slowly and gradually (to avoid stomach upset) and also be aware that it will change his insulin needs and therefore home-testing is important, in order to avoid a hypo. (Please familiarize yourself with the symptoms and treatment of a hypo, and keep some Karo Syrup or PetGold Super-Cal on hand just in case.)

I've attached some great resources on feline diabetes. (I teach home-testing to vets, vet techs, and caretakers of diabetic cats. Feel free to e-mail me.)

There's a lot to learn at first, but it gets easier and becomes routine (for both you and the cat). Keep a consistent "testing spot" so kitty knows what to expect. My diabetic (who died of cancer last year) would come to his testing spot every morning and every night when I'd pick up his glucometer and ask "can we do this now? can we test, please?" He would lay down and let me get a drop of his blood (from his ear) then he'd be on his way. When I came back with his insulin shot, he'd lay down and let me give it to him. I kept a log of his BGs and his insulin doses.

Good luck. (And don't forget to breathe.)

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

one of my friends has a diabetic cat. A key factor in caring for a diabetic cat is proper diet. My friends cat would eat and eat and eat.......especially moist food. Put a plate of moist food down and you would think this diabetic cat had not eaten in weeks. So - from what I have observed, I would say maintaining a proper diet and maintaining proper medications if any have been prescribed and routine vet care. My friends cat is doing fine. Diabetic cats are considered special needs but all they really need is someone to continue to love them and to properly feed and maintain them medically. You should be fine. A good place to go for more info is catchannel.com - the Cat Channel is run by the people who do Cat Fancy magazine and I think they have an entire section where you can look up cat health issues.

Answer 5

Hi there!

There's lots to learn about feline diabetes but the good news is that there are some great websites out there that can help.

Treatment with insulin and a low carb/high protein diet is the best way to go and many of us actually monitor our cat's blood glucose levels with a human glucometer, eliminating a lot of the cost and stress that can go with treating this disease.

My cat's been off of insulin for years, I'm so glad I learned how to treat him.

edited to add:

please note that there is an error in a response to you. Fish is NOT the best protein source for cats, in fact it should only be fed sparingly due to phosphorous content. Second, you do not need to add greens to food as cats are carnivores....

Answer 6

purina cat foods are awsome, tidy cat works well, but natural cat litters are supposed to be somehow healthier. Cats always scratch your furniture even with a post, but I have brought in a piece of fire wood in the winter and had some success, Toys are different depending on your cat. Get a reflective collar just in case kitty escapes, and have her chipped. Letting an indoor cat outside while you are out with them working on the lawn etc, can be very healthy for kitty. And the best cat hair removal systems include (but are not limited to) a spray bottle of your favorite liquid fabric softner diluted appropriately to spray directly on rugs and furniture before wiping dry, and brushing off the hair, roller tape, pet hair sponge, and the bissel pet hair remover or healthy home vacuum with the pet hair wands. IF kitty pees in the house you MUST get enzymatic cleaners, The sooner you clean up the better and limit temptations by closing closet doors and bedroom doors (if there is carpet) and keeping large potted plants up off the floor..:)

Answer 7

Have a close relationship with the vet, also in case of emergecy know the number of your nearest emergency vet hospital. Always have a supply of her meds on hand, sometimes double stock if you can afford it. Also watch her diet, closely, feed the proper food no matter what. My cat is on special Hills Science diet, it costs a lot, but it works for her. Pay close attention to her body and behavior, you'll know if something is wrong just by the way she acts.

Answer 8

No personal advice from me, but I recommend you check the Yahoo groups for diabetic cats. Join any and all and assess which one(s) are best.

Answer 9

If you feed your cat dry food - stop immediately!! Cats, being carnivores, are meant to consume a diet high in proteins, then fats and as few carbohydrates as possible. Outside of fresh meats, canned cat food is the best thing to feed your cat. Fish is the best protein source for cats followed by poultry then red meats. It also helps to add a spoonful of finely chopped greens, like broccoli, to each serving of wet food.
Dry cat food to cats is like junk food to us. Cats keep overeating dry food because the lack of protein in it never fills them up properly...so they always feel hungry. Dry food is also full of corn - which is converted to sugar in the system.
My cat was diabetic, but about a month after changing his diet solely to canned food, much to the vet's chagrin, his glucose/sugar levels returned to normal, he stopped eating nonstop and stopped drinking out of the toilet. He is 12 years old but is out hunting every night now and has tons of energy. His coat, which had been dull and oily looking, is now soft and shiny. (I was highly disappointed by my vet's lack of knowledge of natural alternatives. She actually tried to sell me an expensive dry food sold by her clinic designed for diabetic cats and told me my cat would have to receive expensive insulin injections and weekly glucose tests for the rest of his life. Needless to say, I no longer take my cat to that particular vet and he is the better for it.)
I hope this helps!

Answer 10

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