Feeding schedule?

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Kya’s Mom 1983

Kya’s Mom 1983

Member Since 2018
My kitty was just diagnosed and started insulin therapy 3 days ago. 1 unit of NPH 1x a day right now until recheck. Her old self is coming back and appetite with it. Trying to find right feeding schedule for her now sheis on wet food completely. Right now we are doing 3 cans a day to get her back up to a healthy weight butwhen to feed? We are trying 1/2 a can every 4 hours. Is this ok or should we be trying another schedule? Whatdoes every one else do?
 
One half can every 4 hours sounds good. Depends on current weight and how hungry she seems. Bama, who weighs just under 17 lbs. now, eats a 3 oz. can of pate just before getting his shots and 1/2 can 2 to 4 hours after his main meals. He's on 3u Novolin N every 12 hours. Sometimes he seems hungrier at the +2 & +4 hours than he does just before shot time. That may be because his BG is high just before shot time so he doesn't feel like eating.
 
Annie, just an FYI. There is an insulin support group for NPH and a sticky: Beginners Guide to NPH that might be helpful to you:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/caninsulin-vetsulin-and-n-nph.19/
Members who use this type of insulin can help with questions. I see @Bama Kitty Mom (AL) has responded to you already about feeding, and she is using that insulin. If you look at her signature you will see her spreadsheet "Bama Kitty SS" and if you click on that you can see how she records her testing data.
 
My Rusty is on Novolin N and canned food. She is on a .5-.75 unit twice a day and I feed her with the insulin, BUT she doesn’t eat enough at a time to just eat at one sitting, twice a day. She eats some, I cover it and set it aside, (or my other felines or dogs or ants will get it), then 1/2 hour later she licks some more, set it aside and then she’s back in another 1/2 hour. I let her keep eating until her blood glucose starts going back up, then hold off until time for the second daily shot. The insulin starts working slowly for Rusty and continues dropping her insulin for 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Then it starts going back up slowly. It all changes if she gets any food with higher than 10% carbohydrates. Most is well under that. Until you know how the insulin is utilized by Annie, it’s hard to devise an ideal schedule for her. NPH Insulin doesn’t do much after 12 hours for most cats. It makes a huge difference what you are feeding her, primarily how much carbohydrate, protein and fat. Use the food chart to look up the carb content of your food and to investigate other options, as there are quite a few non-prescription choices that are good for diabetic kitties. Rusty was on a roller coaster of BG values whan we started - bouncing from too high to too low and changing foods made a world of difference. By learning to check her blood glucose at home, you can find the best feeding schedule that works for you and your cat. Don’t be afraid to ask LOTS of questions here!
 
Evie Corso said:
My Rusty is on Novolin N and canned food.
Click to expand...
@Evie Corso
What canned food do you feed and how much does Rusty weigh? Bama does not get any food after +6 hours and usually nothing after +4 hours unless his numbers are low and I'm steering a curve. Yet, it seems like Novolin N runs out after +8 and his BG starts a rapid climb. He's been on it for 4 years and done well until the past year. I don't want to have to change to a more expensive insulin if I can avoid it.
 
My Rusty is 10 pounds. I have an arsenal of canned food in my pantry, because I have been trying to find one she will eat better. I have other cats, so nothing goes to waste.
Purina Pro Plan Focus Urinary Tract Health Formula Turkey & Giblets
Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain Free Chicken
Instinct Original - Chicken or Rabbit
Purina Pro Plan True Nature Grain Free - Natural Turkey & Chicken or Natural Trout & Salmon
Royal Canin Recovery - Rx
Friskies Flaked - Tuna with egg - meh
Tiki Cat Succulent Chicken - all of mine love this except the diabetic lol
Fancy Feast - Fish & shrimp flaked - She surprised me and ate this even though it has actual shrimps
Anything with gravy just gets licked which means she is only getting the carbs and her BG goes up faster
She gets first sitting plain, then subsequent feedings of same food gets water added just because she will slurp up more of it that way. There are some other Fancy Feast Flaked that she will eat, but none consistently.
Because she has kidney disease I stay with foods under 300 phosphorus 99% of the time, so that limits my choices. I stay away from fish 75% of the time due to mercury, but do feed some.

What works for you?
 
Mine loves pate but haven’t found many that fit my requirements. Sheba and Friskies pates make her BG climb faster. I do give cooked boneless, skinless chicken too. Bone broth sounds good.
 
I have been giving mine fancy feast pates cans which she was a little underweight so I’m doing 3 cans a day trying to split it up into smaller meals. Like every 4 hours 1/2 a can or full can in morning with her 1 unit of insulin NPH then 1/2 can 6 hours later then another 1/2 can 4 hours later then for evening another full can. It jut seems she is always hungry and can’t go but 2 hours in between 1/2 a can. She has been on dry food for most of her life free fed so I wonder if it’s jut the diet change with low carbs making her hungry. She goes back to vet next week for another curve. I just don’t know what is best
 
Fancy Feast pate tends to be very high in fat and lower in protein. If you can go to one with higher protein than fat, she will be more satisfied and feel hungry less frequently.
 
The only low fat high protein low carb wet food I see on the list is tiki cat which is super expensive Can I supplement the wet food with something?
 
Yes, you can always add lean meat, like chicken. There are a lot of cat foods with higher protein than fat, such as Fancy Feast -roasted or flaked or chunky, 9 Lives Tender Morsels Tuna, Meow Mix Tender Favorites insauce - Chicken and Beef..., Nature’s Recipe, Purina Pro Plan Focus - Weight Management Turkey & Rice, ProPlan Savor - Turkey & Giblets, and a lot more
 
I just feel so bad for her when she has gotten a full can of fancy feast and 3 hours later she is screaming at me again. The 2 cans a day thing is a joke. I’m lucky if I get away with feeding just 3 cans. She is underweight but I don’t want her to blow up. I gave her a can with a spoonful of pumpkin yesterday hoping it would help keep her full a little longer. No such luck. She was still meowing at me 3 hrs later. Fed 1 can at 4am, 1 can at 9:45am, a 1/2 at 2:20pm, and another half with half canned human chicken at 5:20 cuz she would not stop begging. Then I programmed a half for her at 9:45pm to hold her over night. She is pitiful. Truly acts like she is starving. I don’t know what else to do.im hoping the vet has some suggestions when I take her on Tuesday.
 
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Annie, Kya really is hungry. Unregulated sugar cats are not able to process and utilize the food they eat well, and she actually is really hungry. That's why unregulated sugar cats eat and drink like crazy but lose weight.
For right now, feed her, small meals more often if you can. Do cook a chicken breast or two, cut it up into Kya bite sized pieces, freeze it flat on a cookie sheet or the like, then store the chunks in a freezer bag. Microwave thaw for a few seconds at at time, the bulk will help her feel more full, and is good protein. You can add it to her canned food too. It's also a very good reward treat for testing. When she is regulated, the "feed ME" will lessen and she will get back to normal.
 
I can do that. Do you think the canned chicken breast that is in the store next to the Tuna is ok? It has natural on it no preservatives. What is considered regulated? She has consistently been in the 200’s this week at Amps and when I check 8 9 hours after shot. Her consistent thirst has gotten less because she was drinking a ton of water when I first noticed. I work so I don’t get a chance to check a couple hours after I give shot. Her number this morning Amps was 194. That was at 545am and last time she ate was at 950ish last night. She gets 1 unit of Novolin in morning right now 30 min after food. I’m trying to keep food times and shot time consistent. I honestly think she might need a unit in evening too. How do I post my spreadsheet on here?
 
This is the link for the spreadsheet we use here on the board: SPREADSHEET
There should be instructions for linking it into your signature. If you are unable, there are members here who can help.
I think you should post in the Novolin insulin support group for experienced members advice. Here is the link:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/caninsulin-vetsulin-and-n-nph.19/ They will be able to tell you if they think Kya is regulated, or getting there.
I can't say about the canned chicken breast, you would really have to read the ingredients carefully, as many seasonings we like are poison to cats. You can just get a chicken breast or two, bake or boil and share with Kya, use some for you in a salad, sandwich or dinner and some for her, if you don't have the time right now for all the freezing, etc.
 
I think the canned chkn breast would be ok for now, if that's what you have and have time for. I would just rinse it first to get as much of the salt off? I do that with our canned vegetables, too much sodium is bad for all of us.
 
Suggestion: Find boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders in the meat department. Cut it into cubes. Put it in a microwaveable bowl and cover. Cook in the microwave until no longer pink. You can freeze part and put part in the refrigerator, in baggies/plastic bags. You can give her a cube or two at a time or dice/chop it up more it she can’t chew well. It is easy and fast and only one dish to wash. She will probably like it better than canned and she doesn’t need the xtra salt in canned. You can take a cube out of the freezer and add hot water to warm and thaw it for her. Microwaving chicken can make it a little more rubbery than other cooking methods, but that shouldn’t bother her. She may enjoy chewing it more. It’s faster and easier than it sounds, (and cheaper than canned chicken).

Her AMPS of 194 is fine.

Weigh her regularly. You can step on the scales with her in your arms and then without her and subtract your weight from the weight when you were holding her to get her approximate weight. If she loses weight, she needs more meals.
 
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