Want to start Scrabble on a low carb diet

Hi, just took Scrabble home from an awful vet who doesn't think diet can affect a diabetic's insulin and will not work to control a diabetic. From all you wonderful people on here that have helped me realize that diet does play a big role, just want to see what everyone's opinions are about the food they feed a diabetic cat. Right now Scrabble is on dry food(free flowing) usually friskies or nine lives and a can of friskies a day. I want to change his diet but want to see what everyone's opinion is as to what works for you. I am seeing a new vet tomorrow, wish me luck!!!!
Thanks
Scrabble & Michelle confused_cat

I have an army of cats so i feed Friskies canned food. there's several low carb varieties of it that i use.

I occasionally do some 9lives. the cats tend to tire of it though so i never feed it exclusively.

I also do some raw stuff.

Michelle-
I cannot understand what this vet could be thinking. There are several prescription diets (that are sold almost exclusively at veterinary offices) dedicated to lowering carbs for cats with diabetes. Unfortunately, it seems that these special diets aren't low enough.
I can only give you my experience with lowering the carbs for my diabetic cat. While we are still in the process of switching food-the results are already obvious. Charlie's need for insulin has been drastically reduced. We actually haven't had to administer a shot for a whole week! While every cat is different, there are many people on this board who have had similar experiences. I'm pretty sure there are 4 or 5 of us right now seeing these results.

Follow your own instincts, read all you can about this disease. The more informed you are, the more able you will be to help your kitty!
I would seriously consider finding a new vet. They should be willing to work with you to find the right solution to the problem. They should also look at every aspect of the cat's health--including his/her diet.

Good luck!

ETA--just saw you are going to a different vet tomorrow!! Good move!

I can't believe a vet wouldn't think diet plays a role. Every doctor on the planet knows diet is a major part in human diabetics, no matter which type!

I used Binky's list and am feeding mostly Friskies and some 9 lives, and Sophisticat, in the 10 or less carb area. All wet. I try to get the ones that are the very lowest. As soon as I can get my hands on some, I'm also going to try Wellness foods, and I know a lot of people here feed some of the Fancy Feast varieties. Max also gets canned fish in water, tuna or salmon, as a treat post-poke test, but just a couple bites a day.

Once you're less overwhelmed and hopefully have a vet that you can work with it'll get easier My head spun for a full week I think, and I already knew some about people and dog diabetes. The way I see it, the more the person knows about the disease, the better care the cat can get, you know?

Be careful careful careful with insulin if you're changing diet. I started low carb food at the same time as the insulin, but I hometested like a madwoman because I'd been warned low carb food could greatly reduce the need for insulin and possibly create a hypoglycemic emergency. Are you planning to start hometesting before you switch the food?

I can only tell you my experience with the food. I did buy the Hills prescreptive m/d canned that is for diabetes and found out that it is 14% carbs and that was apparent when I tested Spice. I also had on hand the canned friskies special diet beef and chicken and that is only 4 % carbs. The friskies seemed to do well with all of my cats, especially Spice my diabetec one. I really love the price, Petsmart has it and is usually on sale with the Petcard for $.40 for a 5.5 oz can. Walmart carries friskies but not the special diet and they sell it for $.47 a can 5.5 oz. Petco also sold it for $.57 can 5.5 oz here in Tucson. So it makes it alot lighter on the pocketbok versus $1.00 something for the hills prescriptive m/d per can.

Hope that helps,
David

Thanks David,didn't realize friskies makes a special diet and they already like the regular friskies cans so maybe the transition will not be too harsh! I did buy some wellness cans today to try and they are a lot more expensive than the friskies I have been buying. Hopefully I find a vet who can work with me. I did find a person on here who is going to show me how to hometest so I will hopefully start doing that Saturday. Believe me I have been so inundated with info it is scary. At least this time when I am going to the vets I am more knowledgable about what is going on.

Hi - and welcome.
My first vet was weary of the diet change alone, too. Sweety's vet bg was considered diabetic and her fructosamine number were considered borderline and I chose to try the diet change before agreeing to insulin. Sweety was previously only fed dry, free feed - Friskies - as it was cheap. Now I know why. It's like feeding them cookies and crackers all day - no wonder she was fat and heading towards diabetes.
I came here an learned so much! Changed her to all wet food by printing out Janet & Binky's chart (in the health links if no one gave you the link) and brought that list to the store with me. I got the lowest carb food on the list - and it worked for us. I learned to hometest, I urine tested her for BG and ketones and in two weeks - we were in the clear.
You're in the right place.
How did the new vet visit go?

Welcome, youv'e found a spot with lots of people willing to help, with practical and emotional support. Here is the list to the Janet Nd Binky list http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html

This site is incredible to learn about feline nutrition http://catinfo.org/ Dr. Lisa is a vet who hasdone a lot of research into feline diabetes.

You are certainly not the first to be totally disappointed (I am being polite) with your vet. Change can be very good! There was another link to a list of questions to ask your vet, but it doesn't seem to be working. The board has recently been overhauled and it might have been moved or in progress. Any one know how to find it again? It was titled "Questions To Ask Your Vet " I have it saved as a PDF file and can send it to you if you want it. PM me w/ your email if you want it. I can also give you a pdf of just the foods on Binkys list that are under 10% carbs. Much easier to take along when shopping.

didn't realize friskies makes a special diet and they already like the regular friskies cans so maybe the transition will not be too harsh!

Click to expand...

Nope, it's not a special diet, it's just the varieties that are grain free and low in carbs. It's possible that the ones they are eating now are perfect.

It's the dry food that is the main problem. As an obligate carnivore, a cat needs meat. They cannot process grains, and the starchy grains and vegetables overwhelm a pancreas that is geared to an all-meat diet. Take a peek at the list of ingredients on the bags of dry food ... corn, wheat, more corn, maybe some rice, and corn again. Look for meat - IF there is any, it's way down on the list. Just by removing the high crab dry food, you will immediately take pressure off the pancreas. Then you make sure the canned food is appropriate, and take it from there.

You have good instincts. He's in very good hands.

When Mally was diagnosed, the only good advice my old vet gave me was to completely remove all dry food and feed canned food only. The day I got the news that she was diabetic was the day I switched all four cats over to canned food only. Once I did that, I did a lot of research about feline diabetes and posted on this forum asking lots of questions. I fired my old vet because I didn't agree with him about how we should proceed treating Mally's diabetes. He wanted to put her on pills and didn't agree with home testing.

After going back and forth with my old vet, thirteen days after she was diagnosed I found a new vet who put Mally on Lantus. During those thirteen days, my cats were feed the Fancy Feast canned food low carb varieties from Janet & Binky's list. So in that respect, Mally was already on a low carb diet before starting insulin. That's important because changing the diet after you start insulin can affect BG numbers drastically.

My cats do not like the Wellness brand cat food. I've tried it several times and they just don't eat it. Prior to Mally's diagnosis, the cats were fed kibble during the day and Fancy Feast canned food at night. They're happy with their low carb Fancy Feast and I'm happy they were so easy to convert to canned food only.

Starting Scrabble on a low carb diet is the best first step you will take in treating his diabetes. Good luck!!! :smile:

I always said that my cats wouldn't give up the dry food but in truth I guess it was me that allowed them to push the issue because it was easier and cheaper for me. Once I got the diabetes diagnosis I stood firm on the change and they gave in much easier than I anticipated. Within 30 days Harley is doing fantastic and I am hoping to keep his numbers in line with just the food change.

My vet may not be the cream of the crop but even they told me to try a food change for a couple of weeks and see what happened with his BG. Of course they probably assumed I would be bringing him in for the BG tests but I do that at home.

The one thing the vets and I have always argued over is that Hills food they sell. They have been well trained to push that food at all costs and they just couldn't believe I would refuse to put him on something they sold.

As far as the canned foods my guys seem to like the cheaper foods better. I have tried both EVO 95% and Wellness Core wet food and they don't like those. They will eat them if they are really hungry but they just nibble on them. Of course they like the Friskies stuff with gravy so it appears cats aren't that different than humans after all. We all like the bad stuff, right?

The way I was told is that if they will eat Friskies with gravy then give it to them, it's better that dry and then slowly work them into the lower carb foods or add a touch of parmesan cheese to the ones they don't like and see if that helps.

Thanks everyone! I switched vets today and am so happy I did! I found a vet that is going to work with me! I went out and bought fancy feast cans today that were on the list. I am starting him on lantus in a little bit (1 unit). Hoping I can give the shot correctly as it will be my first time!!!! I am a little worried about my other cat (female not diabetic) because she doesn't really seem to be eating very much of the cans, think she prefers the dry!! Well I guess if she gets hungry enough she will eat!

In case you are not already aware of it, there is a part of the board where the Lantus users post. It's the Lantus ISG (Insulin Support Group). Lots of experienced Lantus users there that can help you along the way.

Here's the link: viewforum.php?f=9

Good luck!!!

Hi
Welcome.....I am glad that you found a vet that is willing to work with you.
I may have missed your other posts so this question may be redundant. Are you planning on testing Scrabble yourself?
Since the switch to low carb wet food may lower his numbers it may be best to learn to home-test.

edited...I just found your other thread that says you will start hometesting.....great job. :mrgreen:

Yes am going to start the testing tomorrow. First a trip to the vets to do a test and then a woman Sherry I met on here is going to come over and help me learn to hometest! So scary to start on this new adventure! I am so worried that I will not do the right thing or I will kill/hurt my cat! Just gave him his first injection, he didn't mind at all, hopefully I did it right!!!

The test at the vet's office will probably be higher than normal due to stress. I'm glad that Sherry is coming to help you learn how to home test. Testing before giving a shot is really important. Also, getting doing spot checks throughout the cycle is important too. After you've been testing and giving shots for a while it becomes second nature and you will feel more confident. :smile:

That's so great that someone on here can help you! There's someone on here about 45 mins away to a place I go often and I keep meaning to pm her. :smile: Definitely figure out the testing. I tested at dinner time and he was 196 so I waited an hour and retested and he was 145 so I knew not to give him his shot tonight. Had I not tested, it could've been bad.

The vet has us buy the MD diet food and Arnie hates it. He doesn't seem to mind the dry much, but hates the wet so we gave up on it. He usually does 1/2 wet and 1/2 dry. We're working on his diet though. I bought a few cans of different kinds at Wal-Mart and he doesn't seem to take to any of them, so I bought more expensive cans tonight. Maybe he just has gourmet taste now like his mama. :lol: I bought some different dry tonight too. Even if we do keep dry food in his diet, he doesn't eat much of it so even the $$$ stuff isn't awful. We're supposed to feed him 1/4C and 1/4 can 2x a day.