Max in MI needs new or temporary home

I hate even having to say this, but it'll be better for Max and better for us if he has a new home.

Simply put, I have a toddler and an infant and I work full-time. I can't give him the attention he needs in the hopes of getting him healthy again. He's been on Lantus for 5 days. We had issues with vomiting through the fall and into the winter, eventually he was on prednisone for a month, during which time he lost 4.5lbs and was then diagnosed with diabetes (but he's no longer vomitting like he was). I have switched to a low-carb canned food diet, which he has taken to like white on rice. No dry is being given to either cat, and they both seem to be doing fine.

Max is a very sweet and normally cuddly (he's not so fond of me at the moment with all the testing) black cat. At diagnosis he was about 10.1lbs...probably should be about 11-12lbs. He's 8yo, front-declawed, and likes to "talk" a lot. He does get along with other cats, but he's a pretty mellow kitty and just likes to hang out. He's not big on playing. I want him to get better, but with the constant chaos and stress in our house, I don't think it'll happen for him there. I'm not sure we'll be able to adhere to the 12/12 schedule either, and he's not fond of traveling (and traveling with an infant and a toddler is daunting enough), so taking him with us when we're out isn't a good option.

I certainly can take him back if he's OTJ, and might be able to take him back once he's regulated, but long-term I can't afford the insulin and supplies.

 

Re: Max needs new or temporary home

Hi Mindy

please cross post this thread into the Community forum as well, this will get more attention on it

 

Re: Max needs new or temporary home

recommend you post this on health rather than an insulin support group.
good luck.

pred is a known causal agent of diabetes and most diabetics made so from steroid use are otj quickly.

by the way I'm unemployed, as are many people on this board so I expect you may have to look at other options for max if you are unwilling to care for him. I don't know why in heavens name you'd think people would take over the costs of caring for your cat and then hand the cat back to you so you could just later give him up again when the next situation comes down the road. having a pet is not a temporary thing.

 

Re: Max needs new or temporary home

i posted in the community forum yesterday and got very little response. it was suggested that I post here as well.

And yes, I get that owning a pet isn't a temporary thing. I don't want to give him away, but feeling that it's better for his health if I do. I don't expect someone to take him temporarily, put all the cost and work into getting him healthy, and then giving him back...but I also know that someone may be willing to take him for a little while and help him get healthy, but in the long term they can't keep him either. It's an option, I'm open to it--whatever works out best for Max is what I'm willing to do. And it's not easy to say that I am not the best option for him. I've had him longer than I've had my husband, saying good bye to him will be one of the hardest things I'll ever do, but I'm willing to do it if it will make him better. :cry:

 

Re: Max needs new or temporary home

one way to keep your announcement threads active is to check back on them and "bump" them up to the top of the forums, just hit reply and add "bump" as your reply, it will keep the thread visible so it doesn't make it's way to the bottom.

also, as with Lantus, these things dont happen overnite - it would be great if someone could scoop Max up and take him in, but you need to be prepared that it may take some time.

Maybe add your state/city to your subject line and threads in the forums you posted the announcement, all these little details gives him the best chance.
(EDIT TO ADD: I just saw your health thread, I see you added the area your in already, good!)

 

Re: Max needs new or temporary home

Hi Mindy & Max. I'm very sorry to hear that you are feeling overwhelmed right now. Most, if not all, of us on the board have felt this way AT LEAST once during this dance, if not many many times over. It will get better, believe me...ask anyone on the board and they will tell you. You've only been at this for five days, please try to give it more time before you throw in the towel. I'm sure you love Max or you wouldn't be doing all this for him.
As far as traveling, there may be a board member who lives close enough to you that would be willing to pet sit for you. There are options out there.
I hope that you can take some time out to figure this out so that Max can stay with your family.

 

Re: Max needs new or temporary home

Bravo, Carolyn!
I totally agree.

 

Re: Max needs new or temporary home

Hi Mindy,

I too am sorry that you're having such a hard time but agreeing with Carolyn. You will not have an easy time finding someone to take a diabetic cat to begin with. As you have found out in a mere 5 days, it's a lot of work. But as much work as it is, there's a bond that develops that is indescribable. Different than with any other fur baby you will ever have. If Max is fortunate enough to find someone to love and care for him through this first part of his journey with diabetes, please don't expect that the person who helps him should then return him to you. That bond will have developed with someone else and Max deserves to have a stable loving home with someone who does have the time to care for him as they would care for any other family member.
Good luck to you.

 

.

 

Shame on us all. This is the first time I can say I am disappointed in people here.

Mindy has been honest about what she is capable of doing. More than once, members of this board have vocally stated that our purpose here is for the cat and the health of the cats who we follow. If someone responsibly says, "I can't do this." or "I'm not able to take responsible care of my cat now that I know what's involved." and then looks to us for help, do we tell them they are irresponsible? I certainly think Mindy asking for help to find a home for Max from people who understand FD rather than the knee jerk of just euthanizing a loved and valued cat is a far better act. This has had to be a gut wrenching and heartbreaking statement for Mindy to put out there and she has been slammed. Shame on us.

Yes, having a pet is like having a child. But there is no Dept. of Health & Human Services what will step in and take an animal away from an irresponsible parent. This happens, unfortunately, all the time with children. An agency takes custody and provides foster care. The irresponsible cat owner opens the front door or drops their kitty off in the middle of nowhere, sometimes without a second thought. Many of you care for ferals and know first hand that this happens.

There have been people on this Board that cause me to lose sleep at night or whose condos I won't visit because of the quality, or lack of quality of care, they provide their cat. I applaud Mindy for stepping up and being a responsible caregiver.

 

I am really sorry to hear that you need to give up your baby. Unfortunately I can't take him since I already have 5 cats and my husband will put me up for adoption if I take on one more. Plus, all of my kitties have claws and Max might not be able to hold his own while he isn't feeling well.

I will ask around to see if any of my friends would be willing to take on the challenge.

Another option is to check with your Vet's office, maybe one of the technicians would be willing to take him in to help regulate him or get him to OTJ status.

I didn't read too much of your story, but if you still have him on dry food you might want to switch to wet and give it a go, because you might find things change very quickly.

I hope it all works out for you and Max.

 

Nicely said, Sienna.

 

please, let's not let this thread get ugly. there's no doubt this subject is one which is certain to evoke emotion, but shaming and judging no matter which side of the fence you're sitting on will not help max. venita has stepped in to offer some tangible suggestions and possible solutions:
http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8680&p=87559#p87559.

thank you for your cooperation!

 

Thank you Sienne for putting into words exactly what I wanted to say but was too angry to do.
Who are we to pass judgement and decide how somebody is feeling unless we are in their shoes. Yes, there are a lot of people on this board that are unemployed and have financial trouble but nobody should ever make anyone here feel bad because they are making a choice to do something that we may or may not do. She is not saying she wants Max to be PTS she is simply asking for help.

As far as asking if she would give her child up if he or she got sick in my opinion was going too far.

Mindy I cannot apologize for anyone on this board but I will say I am sorry that you were made to feel so bad when you were just trying to find the best solution for Max whom you obviously must love very much.

 

Mindy,

I'm so happy you're getting some good suggestions! Think about them as you may find that some things will work out a little better than you thought and give it a little time as you think through this. Things get better, many times, faster than you think, especially when you get reasonable helpful suggestions. There are a lot of folks here who have either been through some difficulties themselves or have seen others have difficulties, so they can come up with possibilities that some of us may not think of and that you may not think of because of all the stress you're under right now. We have some very creative minds here in FD land! I wish I lived near you, so I could help! There could be some members who do, though. Keep the faith and keep taking deep breaths as you work through these problems. There just may be a light at the end of the tunnel that you haven't yet seen.

Thank you Sienne and Miriam for reducing my blood pressure.

 

hi guys

thread from health forum with more info, and Venita's Diabetic Cats in Need (DCIN) offer

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8680

 

Thank you to all who provided supportive feedback. Yesterday was a very BAD day. I know I can't be the only person here who has ever felt that much despair, and never before in my life have I felt so awful about a decision I had to make. Two weeks ago my husband and I thought the only choice we had was to put him down--clearly we don't want to take that road.

Thanks to Venita's help, just knowing we can get help with the insulin costs makes a big difference. We're not getting very much support from our vet in general. She did enough research to tell us that Lantus had the best chance of reversing his condition. Neither she, nor the tech we've been working with, are aware of proper handling of Lantus, and the vet doesn't seem to be aware of proper dosing either. She suggested home testing, but never even offered to show us how to do it--I had to learn that from here. Our vet has only ever had two other clients with diabetic cats...but in the area we live in, people are quick to put down their pets for chronic conditions, especially in the last several years. The economic downturn hit Michigan long before it hit the rest of the country.

Anyway, we're going to try to give it a go. We knew that IF we could find Max a new home at all, it would take some time--and before finding this board, I never in a million years thought there'd be a chance to find someone willing to take him on. We'll muddle through as best we can and see how it goes. I am constantly in fear that I will do something wrong (like forgetting his shot yesterday morning), and kill his chances of recovery...or worse, that I'll come home from work one day, or wake up one morning, and he'll have passed. I've already had one cat die from a fatty liver, despite our best efforts (and a better vet) to nurse him back to health. I honestly don't know if my heart can go through that again, but we're going to do what we can.

 

Mindy
You will do what you need to do for your Max and your family.
It is extremely overwhelming for most people that do not have young children, job, and so
many every day stresses.
You are not alone with the lack of vet support. I have been to 4 and everything I do for
Max has been through the board. We started at 1u back in Nov, moved all the way up to 6u and now we are flying back down and are at 3.75.
I learnt how to test here and all of my dosing is done through here too.
If you miss a shot, you miss a shot. If you can't test during the day, well try a couple at night (not so easy either)
Hopefully you can get the tests done easier at preshots and take one day at a time.
The loss of a pet is painful and the fear of losing another is even greater.
We will all help you get through this and just take one day at a time.

Enjoy your little children, your DH, and Max.

 

I'm so glad Venita was able to help you, Mindy. You have a lot going on, but you'll feel better knowing you gave Max a chance. I'm sure the thought of giving him away tore you apart, but you were thinking of what would be best for Max. The people on this board are amazing.

It really does get easier. The testing will get better. When we first started testing Logan, it took two people. I cried after every test, it was so horrible. I had to learn to just relax and breathe. My anxiety was helping Logan, at all. Back then, I never dreamed Logan would run to his testing spot purring or come running downstairs when he heard me get the testing supplies ready! He loves his freeze dried chicken and salmon treats.

I'm sorry your vet isn't very supportive. And if you're in a rural area, you may not be able to find a different one. I've been through several vets (and am still not happy!!!) so I know how frustrating it is to not feel supported. But, you've found this board and the experts here will help you along the way. I think Max has a very good chance at achieving remission! He's off the pred now, right?

Hang in there, Mindy. You're doing the best you can and that's all anyone can do. Don't be too hard on yourself for forgetting his shot yesterday. These things happen and they're not the end of the world. Max is ok!

 

WooHoot!!!

 

Mindy,

This broke my heart to read. I remember how overwhelmed I felt with Basil's diagnosis. And then how I felt when I came here and realized all that we needed to do. And I live in a household of three adults who help take care of him.

THEN, I remembered back years ago to when my daughter was a week old, and my son was 3, and my parents told me they had bought a bicycle for him for his birthday the next week. It was The Final Straw! I called them up and was beside myself, because it was an overwhelming time to begin with. And I wasn't working outside my home.

So the short of it is I really feel for you and know how hard this must be. I wish I could help.

Please come here whenever you can for support. There are a lot of people who will help you help Max to get better.

 

I know how overwhelmed you are feeling. When we got the call that mocha was diabetic (even though from online research we already knew that's what it was) we were out looking at new campgrounds for us to try out last summer. Instead we came home and cried into mochas fur not knowing what we were going to do. But we bucked up and went to the vet on monday and learned how to give shots. That vet was not into hometesting, or changing foods, or any set routine. So we did more research and found a vet more in line with our thinking. It hasn't been easy, and it hasn't been cheap. But it's been worth it. Every hug I can give her, every kiss she gives me. It's all been worth it. mindy, where in MI are you located? I am right in the thumb.

 

Mindy,
I am so happy that you decided to give it a go with Max. As you can see, we have all felt overwhelmed at times and I can only imagine what it's like when you have kids as well and a vet who isn't on board with you. But you do have this board and everyone will help you. You can do this! I saw your other posts and I just know you can This stuff doesn't come naturally to anyone and it doesn't come overnight. But it will become easier for you and more than likely you'll have a happy and healthy cat again, who you helped get that way!

Don't be afraid to ask for help, it is here for you!!!

hugs :YMHUG:
Caryl

 

((( Mindy )))

This is encouraging. Many vets are not very knowledgable about daily management FD - this one sounds like maybe she'll support you and learn in the process.

I'm glad you're going to try to treat Max. I hope he responds quickly, some do.

Scritches to your lucky boy, it's obvious you love him very much.

 

Mindy, this is great news! I can only imagine what you were going through yesterday. I'm sure you were so overwhelmed with everything and I'm glad you came here and let us all know so that we could help you. I'm glad that Venita could help you. I know that you honestly love Max and you only want to do what is best for him.
Keeping you and your family in my thought and prayers and sending well wishes for Max.

 

I hope all works out for you, your family and Max. I'm very happy you and Venita found one another and that you are willing to give this a go with Max. You know we will help in whatever way we can.

You may want to print out some of the information on the dosing protocol we use and even some of the research articles for your vet. Many people here do what they can to educate their vet about feline diabetes.

Since you noted that you don't have internet access at home, I'd like to make a suggestion. Take a look at some of the condos where a cat is running low numbers. Print out the suggestions that people make because you know that Max will have a low number at shot time and you won't know or remember what to do the first time this happens. Likewise, print out the dosing protocol and/or the general guidelines that are in the sticky. If you won't be able to log in from home, having hard copies can help.

 

Mindy,

Things are already looking up! Any time you feel down or overwhelmed, please come here and let people know. You will get the best support as you've seen already.

I was thinking about the internet issue. Do you possibly have a friend who has internet access at home, who might be willing to post for you if you get into a situation at home in which you have a question? Maybe the friend could post and read the responses to you. If there are any members of the board who live near you, perhaps they would share a phone number with you for that purpose, as well. There may be some other options that other folks can suggest.

Great idea about printing out info from the site for your vet. My vet sort of snubbed the suggestions i got here when Calliope was first diagnosed, but after I was able to test and shoot Calliope and then when she went OTJ, my vet couldn't do much arguing. She's even called me since to get a list of the foods I fed for another diabetic kitty she was treating. Your vet can either read the info or toss it, but it sounds like your vet is open to learning with you and that's a very good thing!

Keep asking questions here and the creative juices in the minds of other members will flow and help you out!

 

@ Peter Devon Mocha

Mindy & Max lives in Grant MI, which is north of Grand Rapids

 

I know how you feel Mindy, my boy got DX the week after I was laid off and I went as far as to call shelters to see if they could take him in. I came here crying and a month later Seamus was off the insulin. It's now 6 months later and he's in remission. You can do it! I'm so glad you got some help, you ladies are amazing & such a great support system!

 

oh. That is on the other side of the state from us .. I wish it was closer.