Higher carb foods don't seem to affect blood glucose

[Voula]

I was wondering whether some cats don't react to higher carb foods with increased glucose levels as my Lucy seems not to. For example a couple of times when she had lower glucose levels and I needed to go out for a few hours I have given higher carb canned food and it has had no effect. Her glucose levels either stay the same or go down. I even tried some high carb dry food once and her glucose levels went down a bit instead of up. The only thing that seems to have raised Lucy's glucose is honey once when we had a reading of 2.3/41. That day I tried gravy lovers fancy feast and Lucy's glucose kept dropping and it was only when I gave her honey that her glucose levels went up. This adds to my anxiety about hypoglycemia when I am not home because even if I left high carb food out if Lucy has lower glucose levels and if I need to go out I don't have confidence that the food will raise her glucose levels and so I get anxious about leaving the house. I am wondering if others have experienced the same.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

The sensitivity of BG change with carb level depends upon the individual cat. Some cats are very sensitive, large BG rise with increased carbs, while other show rise.

 

[Voula]

The sensitivity of BG change with carb level depends upon the individual cat. Some cats are very sensitive, large BG rise with increased carbs, while other show rise.

Thank you Larry. With all the focus on low carb foods for diabetes I thought maybe higher carb foods always raised blood glucose levels in all cats. I guess it makes sense that different cats have different sensitivities to different levels of carbs in food.

 

[BJM]

That said, carbohydrates are processed by insulin. If you have a diabetic, you want to be sure the 2 are matched up and the cat can use the carbs because there is sufficient insulin.

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi Voula,

What carb % was the food? It sounds like it may be triggering her pancreas to pulse more insulin at mealtime.

Saoirse's BG started dropping after meals just before she went OTJ. Have a look at her 2014 spreadsheet - 15 November. In the remarks column you can see the carb %s I fed, when and the effect they had on her BG.

Also, does Lucy's BG go higher if she fasts for longer than usual?

 

[Voula]

That said, carbohydrates are processed by insulin. If you have a diabetic, you want to be sure the 2 are matched up and the cat can use the carbs because there is sufficient insulin.

Thank you BJM.

 

[Voula]

Hi Voula,

What carb % was the food? It sounds like it may be triggering her pancreas to pulse more insulin at mealtime.

Saoirse's BG started dropping after meals just before she went OTJ. Have a look at her 2014 spreadsheet - 15 November. In the remarks column you can see the carb %s I fed, when and the effect they had on her BG.

Also, does Lucy's BG go higher if she fasts for longer than usual?

Thank you Aine. The canned food was the fancy feast gravy lovers but I don't know the percentage of carbs in it. The dry food would have been high carb for sure although I read that dry food can take a while to raise blood glucose but still I have noticed a lot lately that food doesn't increase Lucy's glucose levels and in fact often it seems her glucose levels drop after food. I will look at the effects of the carbs you fed on Saoirse's spreadsheet now. I hope all is well with you and that you are all settled in your new home now. I haven't noticed if Lucy's glucose level is higher than usual after fasting but I will take notice of that now that you mentioned it. Thank you again.