Calvin - Difficulty giving insulin

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Pumpkin2009

Pumpkin2009

Member Since 2016
My cat Calvin (8 year old male) was diagnosed with diabetes approximately 6 weeks ago. My vet recommended starting Calvin on insulin (Lantus) 2x a day. A couple years ago Calvin had a blockage and required emergency surgery. He is on special food to prevent a recurrence. He is not on a diet for his diabetes due to being on the special food he started after his blockage.

I have not been able to give him the insulin on a regular basis. Calvin is a very skittish cat who runs away when I get near him to give him the insulin. I adopted him almost 7 years ago (at 9 months old) from my local animal shelter. Getting Calvin to feel safe and comfortable has been a slow process. He now sits with me on the recliner and snuggles at times with me on the bed at night. It took about 5 years for him to finally sit on the recliner with me. He hides when anyone comes over. Over the last few weeks Calvin has started to run away when I come near him.

Most days I am lucky if I can give him one dose of insulin. I have tried various things (treats, turkey, tuna), but have not had any consistent success. For a few days I was able to grab him before I gave him turkey or tuna. My vet says that he doesn’t have any other options to give me besides insulin. He mentioned that sometimes a cat will go into remission, but usually it doesn’t happen on one dose of insulin a day. I am starting to feel desperate. I see the physical changes in him. I have only brought him for one glucose test due to the irregularity of giving him insulin.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
 
Hello :)
I know how it is. I had problems with the bg testing. There's is one major thing to keep in mind if the only time you 'come at them' is to give a shot they are going to assume every time will be the same. So if you make a point of giving him a fuss or a treat or playing with a toy or whatever without sticking him with a needle you can get around that.

Being patient with them I feel was key to my kitty. She doesn't like the ear testing but tolerates it and will come to me (sometimes) to get it done.

For the shots I get everything ready. Make sure the insulin is room temp by holding the barrel of the syringe between my fingers then casually strolling up to kitty, stroking her and scratching under her chin etc then giving the shot. But I do that a lot without giving her any shots too.

Definitely don't grab him or he will associate you with an unpleasant experience and won't want to be near you. Make time just to get him used to being fussed. Stroked played with and lifted for a few seconds.
If he's lying down somewhere go sit beside him and just hang out.

Find something he can't resist some sort of treat or something ( could be playing with a toy) and give to him when he allows you close.

In time if you are patient it will become easier,

Because your kitty is so skittish I'm not sure I would suggest the kitty burrito with a towel. But many people here know more about it than me it's not something I've used.
 
What food are you giving Calvin? Like Tara said, desensitization may be the key. Pet and rub and pinch the area you're going to shoot, but don't shoot, just give food or treat. Do this multiple times/day. When he seems settled with that, you can add the shot. In the meantime, practice shooting, watch videos and take a deep breath. Calvin can sense when you're nervous and that will make him more nervous.
 
Calvin eats Royal Canin Urinary SO, moderate calorie. A couple years ago he had a blockage of the urethra and needed emergency surgery.
 
Pumpkin2009 said:
Calvin eats Royal Canin Urinary SO, moderate calorie. A couple years ago he had a blockage of the urethra and needed emergency surgery.
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Our cat was blocked too, so we had to give him Royal Canin Urinary SO, now we give him Purina DM, it is for both diabetes and to prevent crystals
 
I just finished taming a wild cat Little Dude. It took 4-6 weeks and over 90 minutes a day. Maybe he was tame a long time ago. He's tame now.

He got tamed by slow steps. Barely touching him, and small food rewards for all positive behaviors. Many cats are just looking for that comfort zone. Maybe if you can deliver his special food multiple times a day, and gentle rubs with the food.

Our diabetic high-dose cat Leo gets his shots during food. I used to touch him a bunch during the food sessions to get him used to it. Now he doesn't notice. His insulin gets prepped, then food prep. Then the food goes on the ground, and a shot right after he starts eating. He doesn't even realize it is happening because he loves food!

Also, I never grab him. I let him think he is mostly in control.
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Have you discussed your cat's behavior with the vet? I'd ask about anxiety medicine.
 
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