? Do I need to be worried?

[Nina Hopkins]

Hello Friends, I posted earlier on a different forum, I'm still getting my feet set up under me on the site and I got some wonderful advice. I haven't been able to start home testing yet (Christmas in a mid sized town, all the everything is closed so I cant get a testing kit.) But my 15 year old kitty has me worried. For the last 2 ish days she has been wandering around the house meowing pretty incessantly. She's mostly eating and drinking normally but she's not resting in her normal places. She also seems more lethargic than normal. It seems to have started after a couple friends of mine came over and she got to stare at the outside world for a time through a glass door. Im trying to figure out if this is the case of an indoor (and always has been indoor) kitty trying to be free or if I should be concerned or doing something. Worth mentioning I had tried to mix wet and prescription dry food for her on friday because I thought she was underweight and I should bulk out her diet, and I didnt know any better. But that only lasted for a day and I've since switched her back to 100% wet food.

 

[Idjit's mom]

Hi Nina, welcome to FDMB! I am not very experienced but I noticed your post and wondered how much food Dusty is actually getting right now. Are you feeding small more frequent meals? Maybe she's just hungry. When a cat is not regulated, the body can't process food properly, and they are ravenous.
When I switched Idjit over I used measuring cups so I knew how many ounces per feeding, per day. He's a much bigger cat, so I did use 1/4 and 1/3 cup servings. I also make chicken broth for him and he gets pieces of cooked, unseasoned chicken breast.
The Science Diet for Mature Adults is still too high in carbs, it is recommended to feed a wet diet of less than 10% carbs. Take a look at the food chart HERE.
Many of us feed Fancy Feast Classics and/or Friskies pates (no sauces or gravies). There are many other canned wet foods that are low carb, but perhaps you wouldn't have access to them either at a local pet store, or the local grocery. It's worth exploring.
Note of caution: If you are going to transition to a low carb wet food, make sure you are testing first, as the change can sometimes significantly lower the BG. And make the change slowly to prevent gut problems.
I hope you will be able to get a testing meter kit tomorrow and have the peace of mind of knowing how the insulin is affecting Dusty and keep her safe from hypos.

 

[Nina Hopkins]

Hi Nina, welcome to FDMB! I am not very experienced but I noticed your post and wondered how much food Dusty is actually getting right now. Are you feeding small more frequent meals? Maybe she's just hungry. When a cat is not regulated, the body can't process food properly, and they are ravenous.
When I switched Idjit over I used measuring cups so I knew how many ounces per feeding, per day. He's a much bigger cat, so I did use 1/4 and 1/3 cup servings. I also make chicken broth for him and he gets pieces of cooked, unseasoned chicken breast.
The Science Diet for Mature Adults is still too high in carbs, it is recommended to feed a wet diet of less than 10% carbs. Take a look at the food chart HERE.
Many of us feed Fancy Feast Classics and/or Friskies pates (no sauces or gravies). There are many other canned wet foods that are low carb, but perhaps you wouldn't have access to them either at a local pet store, or the local grocery. It's worth exploring.
Note of caution: If you are going to transition to a low carb wet food, make sure you are testing first, as the change can sometimes significantly lower the BG. And make the change slowly to prevent gut problems.
I hope you will be able to get a testing meter kit tomorrow and have the peace of mind of knowing how the insulin is affecting Dusty and keep her safe from hypos.

Oh my god! I had no idea science diet was double what she should be having! Thats actually genuinely upsetting, I thought I was feeding her higher quality food. She's had her diagnosis for 6 months, I cant believe Im only just now finding all this out. She used to be a much bigger cat, so I think that quarter cup measurement might be alright! And we have been feeding her rotisserie chicken pieces, would you happen to know how much of that is safe to feed her?

 

[Idjit's mom]

Nina, don't waste your energy being upset. You know now. Many of us who eventually ended up here, also didn't know about a better diet, or about testing. You are here now, and learning to do better. I don't know about the rotisserie chicken, if it's anything like what I buy occasionally from the deli at the store, it's loaded with seasonings and salt. Not good for any cat, much less a sugar cat. (Idjit goes crazy when we are eating it, and wants some too!) If you are cooking it at home, without any seasoning, maybe this can be an opportunity to start getting Dusty conditioned and used to the testing process. Choose a spot that you will use every time, where there is good light, Dusty is safe and you are comfortable. Offer a bit of chicken, rub her ears, give the reward of another bit of chicken.
Review the testing videos and tips HERE
There are many other videos on YouTube. Please look at *and print out, if you can* the Hypo Instructions:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/
and make a "toolbox" and emergency kit:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/jojo-and-bunnys-hypo-tool-box.2354/
I hope you never need it, but better safe than sorry. Some of those cans of high carb Science diet can be stashed there.
If you have time on your hands today, take a look at the other items in the FAQs Index, you will be able to use this info going forward: FAQS