First Home Test Attempt Was A Disaster

[Cherish4]

So I decided to attempt my first go at home testing today and it's not gone well.

Little B still isn't on insulin as the new vet we saw yesterday wants to do a fructosamine test first before we rush into it. I think this was partly due to the fact that his reading was 20.9 mmol compared to the first one they did two weeks ago (25.9 both done on a pet meter). She wants more of an idea of his levels over the last month before any decision is made.

In the meantime, I thought it would be a good opportunity to start home testing and have a few days of practice before he goes back for his test.

The first time I tried I couldn't get any blood and the second attempt I've made has stressed Little B out so much that I'm not sure the reading really means anything.

It's just been a very upsetting experience for both of us. I decided to do it whilst he was relaxing, so I filled an old pill bottle with warm water but he was having none of it. So I just warmed his ear up with my fingers instead. I then tried a couple of times with the lancet device but eventually gave up as it wasn't producing any blood. By this point, Little B was already getting irritated and upset, so I tried to quickly poke the edge of his ear with the Lancet freehand and he made an awful sound like it really hurt and tried to run away from me. I did manage to get hold of him and get some blood on the strip and his reading was 26.2 mmol (human meter) but like I said, given how upset and stressed he was, I'm not sure that I can take it as a real reading. I then had to grab him again, in order to hold the cotton swab on his ear to stop the bleeding.

I know it's only the first go but I'm so upset by the whole experience and devastated that I hurt him. It took a long time to get him to trust me when he first came into our lives and I don't want to ruin it.

I'm scared now to try again. I tried so hard to do everything right, I've watched videos, looked at the images to make sure I don't hit the vein, I got vaseline and cotton swabs, I tried to stay calm, I even got some food ready for him to have as soon as I was done.

He's currently hiding upstairs and won't let me near him. I don't know how I'm going to be able to do this regularly. What do I do?

(I am planning on setting up a spreadsheet, just haven't had chance yet)

 

[Diana&Tom]

Oh, I hear what you say, Lauren, and pretty well everyone else here will too! Getting blood from a cat's ear is such an alien concept for us that most people struugle to begin with. It does get easier, with practise. You can fine-tune some aspects though - maybe the pill bottle is a bit bulky and awkward, so try a small folded piece of something like facial wipe or tissue, warmed under the hot tap - this might be easier to hold to the ear with one hand with the lancet in the other. I'd say give yourself a break for a day or two and try again when you feel relaxed. Cats pick up on our stress so the calmer you are the better.

Have we mentioned the importance of treats, too? It's good to have some small tasty morsels handy that you can give a kitty whether a test is successful or not, to reward them for being good. A good choice is Thrive pure chicken treats which come in little tubes, but they're expensive. Small pieces of cooked fresh chicken are just as good - you can cook a breast and leave it in the fridge for two or three days, chopped into small bite-sized pieces. And you need to reward yourself too... we do know this is stressful! Give yourself some chocolate or a glass of wine...

I know it seems impossible but really - there are very few people here who master it straightaway, you're far from alone. Stay positive and tell yourself you can and will do this. Keep posting here for moral support!

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

First, BIG HUGE LOOOOONG HUG! Deep breath, that's now behind you - another hurdle down. We all go thru those, you're not alone!

For now just let him be. Like Diana said above, always give a low carb treat even if you don't end up getting blood - 3 tries, treat and stop, try again later.

Remember, it's different for him too. You startled him with the poke more than hurt. A cat's ear edges have very few nerves. I have a non-diabetic that I test every few weeks due to his being on steroids long term. He did the same jump/run the first few times but now he just waits for me to finish. He was abused before arriving here so this is a huge step. Just keep at it - it will happen - I PINKY PROMISE!

Another hug! You CAN do this! You really really can!

 

[kurikitty]

Try some yummy treats like chicken and a bigger gauge on the lancet. I am using 26g currently, its the only way I can get any blood. Good luck!

 

[Stewie's Mom ID]

I am right there with you. I just finally had to do my first one on Stewie. I too watched a lot of you tube videos and read on this cat forum for days. I was supposed to do it Thursday, then Friday. Etc. My husband was home today so I decided to finally try again about 15 mins ago. I warmed the rice sock, went back to store earlier and got the 28 Lancet since the 33 got me hardly any blood the first time I tried last week before I chickened out once again. I give him his insulin 2x daily but am so intimidated by poking him in the ear. The first reading was 34 so I thought it was wrong and did it again to poor Stewie and the reading was 41. I don't know what that means so I did it to my husband and his seemed right. I use a ReliOn Prime meter that my vet approved. I took Stewie off all dry food as of Feb. 4th. He had 2 curves done at the vets 2 weeks apart and he was still high. He stressed out so bad that he peed on me twice and was a wreck so she said I should start home testing. I used the lancet device with no cover on it. Th hat worked a lot better. Warming hos ear helped a bunch also. I am having a heck of a time getting the strip in the meter. Practice makes perfect hopefully. Oh, also put some neosporin on after to sooth his ears and fed him. Thanks for listening and good luck to you. You will get there. Just breathe.

 

[Stewie's Mom ID]

P.S. Stewie seemed to enjoy the warm rice sock that I warmed in the microwave. He liked the massage on his ear with that so maybe try the rice sock next. I also think it helped a lot to get the blood moving and got a good puncture in the end.

 

[SuziB]

I was where you are just a few days ago. I was a mess, my cat was freaking out every time, no blood was coming out...then things just sort of clicked. Here are the things I’m doing now that are successful:

Test in the same spot. I’m testing Reece on my bathroom counter, where she already likes to sit. She hated the warm water bottle, warm towel and rice sock. Now I give her a treat then rub her ear till it warms a bit, scratching her chin and talking to her to keep her happy and calm.

I’m using 28G lancets, and the lancet pen with the clear cap. Closer to the ear tip is working better for me. I used to have to poke more than once to get a blood bead, but now she’s bleeding much faster and easier.

After the prick, I get the meter in my hand right away, while holding her ear with the other hand. Quick as I can, I get the strip to the blood bead. Then I use a cotton pad to pinch her ear while I get another treat with my other hand. She ends up so focused on the treat, she doesn’t care that I’m still holding her ear.

Things have really improved for Reece and me and home testing - which I never thought I’d be able to do!

Sometimes I put Neosporin on her ear, but it bothers her more than all the rest of it, so I only occasionally do it.

I still struggle with giving her injections - she is NOT taking that nearly as well as the blood tests, but am trying the same strategies I used - same location, treats, etc - and am hoping it gets better, too.

You are doing a great job. Persevere. It does get easier!

 

[Sybil and Zoe]

I feel you. My cat was so skittish about being held I had a terrible time at first and yes it was my stress more than hers. To catch her before work was such a nerve wrecking ordeal. But lo and behold her love of Temptations treats and the lure of getting a few after testing and shot was just too great for her so she started volunteering to get tested and injected just for the treats. I always used the same place- my sofa in the den. Now she comes and sits down beside me and waits for the prick and stick and I now dont give treats but she knows she will get food. I realize all cats are different and this may not work for you, but if a touch me not like Zoey, who would run if you reached out for her, can become accustomed to being handled now and even held a bit, anyone can. Temptations are not low carb but they are like crack and if it works to get them to learn to accept the sticks, a few are worth it!

 

[Cherish4]

Try some yummy treats like chicken and a bigger gauge on the lancet. I am using 26g currently, its the only way I can get any blood. Good luck!

I can definitely try chicken as he loves that but unfortunately I can't get any other sized lancets at the moment as I've just bought a load with the meter and I can't afford anything else right now.

 

[Cherish4]

First, BIG HUGE LOOOOONG HUG! Deep breath, that's now behind you - another hurdle down. We all go thru those, you're not alone!

Thank you, that means a lot. I think that's why I posted on here so quickly, I just knew that everyone would understand and help me calm down. I honestly don't know what I would have done without this place over the last couple of weeks.

For now just let him be. Like Diana said above, always give a low carb treat even if you don't end up getting blood - 3 tries, treat and stop, try again later.

I'm at work today so I wouldn't have been able to try testing him anyway but yes, I think I'll leave it until tomorrow afternoon and maybe try again with method you've suggested.

Remember, it's different for him too. You startled him with the poke more than hurt. A cat's ear edges have very few nerves. I have a non-diabetic that I test every few weeks due to his being on steroids long term. He did the same jump/run the first few times but now he just waits for me to finish. He was abused before arriving here so this is a huge step. Just keep at it - it will happen - I PINKY PROMISE!

Hopefully you're right as the thought I'd hurt him upset me very much. Thankfully he seemed to have forgiven me by the end of the evening and I was able to give him lots of fuss.

Another hug! You CAN do this! You really really can!

Thanks.

 

[Cherish4]

I feel you. My cat was so skittish about being held I had a terrible time at first and yes it was my stress more than hers. To catch her before work was such a nerve wrecking ordeal. But lo and behold her love of Temptations treats and the lure of getting a few after testing and shot was just too great for her so she started volunteering to get tested and injected just for the treats. I always used the same place- my sofa in the den. Now she comes and sits down beside me and waits for the prick and stick and I now dont give treats but she knows she will get food. I realize all cats are different and this may not work for you, but if a touch me not like Zoey, who would run if you reached out for her, can become accustomed to being handled now and even held a bit, anyone can. Temptations are not low carb but they are like crack and if it works to get them to learn to accept the sticks, a few are worth it!

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, I will definitely get some treats ready before I try again! Did you let her have the treats and then prick her ear whilst she was eating or before the treats?

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, I will definitely get some treats ready before I try again! Did you let her have the treats and then prick her ear whilst she was eating or before the treats?

Freeze dried chicken is a popular treat. Give them in whatever way works best for you and your kitty. My guy is tested in my bathroom so I give him a treat for entering the bathroom, one just before poking and one right after. The freeze dried treats are essentially zero carbs.

 

[Cherish4]

Oh, I hear what you say, Lauren, and pretty well everyone else here will too! Getting blood from a cat's ear is such an alien concept for us that most people struugle to begin with. It does get easier, with practise. You can fine-tune some aspects though - maybe the pill bottle is a bit bulky and awkward, so try a small folded piece of something like facial wipe or tissue, warmed under the hot tap - this might be easier to hold to the ear with one hand with the lancet in the other. I'd say give yourself a break for a day or two and try again when you feel relaxed. Cats pick up on our stress so the calmer you are the better.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm at work today so can't attempt testing anyway but yes, I'll either try again Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning.

Have we mentioned the importance of treats, too? It's good to have some small tasty morsels handy that you can give a kitty whether a test is successful or not, to reward them for being good. A good choice is Thrive pure chicken treats which come in little tubes, but they're expensive. Small pieces of cooked fresh chicken are just as good - you can cook a breast and leave it in the fridge for two or three days, chopped into small bite-sized pieces. And you need to reward yourself too... we do know this is stressful! Give yourself some chocolate or a glass of wine...

Would chicken slices be okay do you think? It's just I'm vegetarian and the smell of cooking chicken makes me feel sick!

I do like your suggestion of treats for me to though, think it'll be a Pimm's and some chocolate next time.

I know it seems impossible but really - there are very few people here who master it straightaway, you're far from alone. Stay positive and tell yourself you can and will do this. Keep posting here for moral support!

I will do, thanks. Not sure what I would have done without this place over the last few weeks.

 

[Cherish4]

Freeze dried chicken is a popular treat. Give them in whatever way works best for you and your kitty. My guy is tested in my bathroom so I give him a treat for entering the bathroom, one just before poking and one right after. The freeze dried treats are essentially zero carbs.

I haven't seen any freeze dried treats locally but I'll have another look.

 

[Cherish4]

P.S. Stewie seemed to enjoy the warm rice sock that I warmed in the microwave. He liked the massage on his ear with that so maybe try the rice sock next. I also think it helped a lot to get the blood moving and got a good puncture in the end.

I will give it a go! Little B just hates his ears being touched full stop so I think it's going to be difficult no matter what I use to be honest.

 

[Cherish4]

I am right there with you. I just finally had to do my first one on Stewie. I too watched a lot of you tube videos and read on this cat forum for days. I was supposed to do it Thursday, then Friday. Etc. My husband was home today so I decided to finally try again about 15 mins ago. I warmed the rice sock, went back to store earlier and got the 28 Lancet since the 33 got me hardly any blood the first time I tried last week before I chickened out once again. I give him his insulin 2x daily but am so intimidated by poking him in the ear. The first reading was 34 so I thought it was wrong and did it again to poor Stewie and the reading was 41. I don't know what that means so I did it to my husband and his seemed right. I use a ReliOn Prime meter that my vet approved. I took Stewie off all dry food as of Feb. 4th. He had 2 curves done at the vets 2 weeks apart and he was still high. He stressed out so bad that he peed on me twice and was a wreck so she said I should start home testing. I used the lancet device with no cover on it. Th hat worked a lot better. Warming hos ear helped a bunch also. I am having a heck of a time getting the strip in the meter. Practice makes perfect hopefully. Oh, also put some neosporin on after to sooth his ears and fed him. Thanks for listening and good luck to you. You will get there. Just breathe.

Thanks for sharing your experience, it does help to see I'm not the only one. Hopefully it will get easier the more I try.

 

[Cherish4]

I was where you are just a few days ago. I was a mess, my cat was freaking out every time, no blood was coming out...then things just sort of clicked. Here are the things I’m doing now that are successful:

Test in the same spot. I’m testing Reece on my bathroom counter, where she already likes to sit. She hated the warm water bottle, warm towel and rice sock. Now I give her a treat then rub her ear till it warms a bit, scratching her chin and talking to her to keep her happy and calm.

Testing in the same spot sounds smart. I think on our sofa will probably be the best place. I think Little B is going to be the same as your cat as he just hates anything touching his ear so I will probably end up just using my fingers (& treats!).

I'm using 28G lancets, and the lancet pen with the clear cap. Closer to the ear tip is working better for me. I used to have to poke more than once to get a blood bead, but now she’s bleeding much faster and easier.

I'm using 30G lancets at the moment but I will maybe try and order some 28G when I can. I never thought about using the clear cap but it makes sense, as does trying from the ear tip.

You are doing a great job. Persevere. It does get easier!

Thanks for the words of encouragement, not sure what I'd do without you lot at the moment.

 

[Stewie's Mom ID]

Thanks for sharing your experience, it does help to see I'm not the only one. Hopefully it will get easier the more I try.

Stewie is mad about all these pokes but I know I have to do it after the near crisis we had with him yesterday. The warm rice sock helped me a lot and it molds to the underside of his ear so I use that to flatten his ear while keeping it warm. I used the 28 lancet with no cap on it so I could see where I puncture better. That helped me also. Hang in there. We are in the learning curve together.

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

I haven't seen any freeze dried treats locally but I'll have another look.

Go to the dog treat section... Same freeze dried treats, just bigger chunks - easy to break!

 

[Cherish4]

Go to the dog treat section... Same freeze dried treats, just bigger chunks - easy to break!

Had a look today but couldn't find any in my local supermarket. So I had to just buy some chicken slices instead.

 

[Cherish4]

Stewie is mad about all these pokes but I know I have to do it after the near crisis we had with him yesterday. The warm rice sock helped me a lot and it molds to the underside of his ear so I use that to flatten his ear while keeping it warm. I used the 28 lancet with no cap on it so I could see where I puncture better. That helped me also. Hang in there. We are in the learning curve together.

Hope Stewie is doing okay. Thanks for the encouragement. *Hugs*

 

[Diana&Tom]

Had a look today but couldn't find any in my local supermarket. So I had to just buy some chicken slices instead.

Just be a wee bit careful with these as some brands contain potato starch - have a look at the ingredients on the label. It's probably not a lot, but any carb can raise bg so worth being aware.

 

[Cherish4]

Just be a wee bit careful with these as some brands contain potato starch - have a look at the ingredients on the label. It's probably not a lot, but any carb can raise bg so worth being aware.

No potato starch but there is pea starch so I don't know if that's bad?

 

[Diana&Tom]

No potato starch but there is pea starch so I don't know if that's bad?

Hmmmm... usually, any form of starch is a no no for diabetic cats, but I'd guess that the percentage must be small. What does it say on the label?

 

[Cherish4]

Hmmmm... usually, any form of starch is a no no for diabetic cats, but I'd guess that the percentage must be small. What does it say on the label?

It doesn't say the percentage of pea starch in the breakdown unfortunately. I'm thinking maybe it's best to be safe than sorry and not give him any.

I've just seen that Hi Life do some freeze dried chicken breast treats so I wonder if I should just go for those instead as I can pick them up from my local supermarket (they're on the UK list on here).

 

[Diana&Tom]

It doesn't say the percentage of pea starch in the breakdown unfortunately. I'm thinking maybe it's best to be safe than sorry and not give him any.

I've just seen that Hi Life do some freeze dried chicken breast treats so I wonder if I should just go for those instead as I can pick them up from my local supermarket (they're on the UK list on here).

I can't really imagine that a little bit of pea starch would do much harm, so I'd probably give him some in small quantities just as treats, since you've now bought it. This is where testing bg at home is useful, as you could probably tell if this food causes a spike. Meanwhile, yes, freeze dried treats are absolutely fine, they are pure protein, and as they are dry and not fresh they will last longer depending on how many you give as a treat of course.

 

[Cherish4]

I can't really imagine that a little bit of pea starch would do much harm, so I'd probably give him some in small quantities just as treats, since you've now bought it. This is where testing bg at home is useful, as you could probably tell if this food causes a spike. Meanwhile, yes, freeze dried treats are absolutely fine, they are pure protein, and as they are dry and not fresh they will last longer depending on how many you give as a treat of course.

Okay well I'm planning on making a second attempt at home testing in a short while so I'll give him a little bit of the chicken as a treat for tonight and then I will pick up some of the other treats tomorrow for any further attempts.

 

[Diana&Tom]

Okay well I'm planning on making a second attempt at home testing in a short while so I'll give him a little bit of the chicken as a treat for tonight and then I will pick up some of the other treats tomorrow for any further attempts.

Sounds fine. So now try to relax as much as possible before the test attempt - deep breaths and calming music maybe, and a cup of tea or glass of wine at hand! Remember, if you're stressed, kitty will be too. And give yourself positive self talk - don't focus on what happened last time, tell yourself that it's easy and that you'll soon get the hang of it. You're certainly not alone in finding it daunting to start with but it really is just a knack and once you've got it, you'll almost be able to test blindfold!

 

[Cherish4]

Sounds fine. So now try to relax as much as possible before the test attempt - deep breaths and calming music maybe, and a cup of tea or glass of wine at hand! Remember, if you're stressed, kitty will be too. And give yourself positive self talk - don't focus on what happened last time, tell yourself that it's easy and that you'll soon get the hang of it. You're certainly not alone in finding it daunting to start with but it really is just a knack and once you've got it, you'll almost be able to test blindfold!

Thanks for the advice and for all your help it is much appreciated honestly. I've got a cup of tea and some soothing music on the go already so fingers crossed!

 

[Diana&Tom]

Thanks for the advice and for all your help it is much appreciated honestly. I've got a cup of tea and some soothing music on the go already so fingers crossed!

Let us know how you get on! And for some more support, read the thread here on Health about Sooty - a fellow UKer, Amy, has had similar issues re testing to you, but is now starting to get to grips with it and is feeling more confident

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Some people cook a plain chicken breast (poach or roast with nothing added) and cut it up into tiny pieces as treats. Package it in small daily amounts and put in the freezer. Take out a package as needed.

 

[Cherish4]

Let us know how you get on! And for some more support, read the thread here on Health about Sooty - a fellow UKer, Amy, has had similar issues re testing to you, but is now starting to get to grips with it and is feeling more confident

Second attempt was a failure. He won't allow me to warm his ear with anything, rice sock or otherwise. Didn't get past the adding vaseline stage as he was getting very unhappy and hid under the chair. I made sure to give him a treat and some fuss anyway but yeah, not happening. Will try again tomorrow.

In the meantime I will take a look at the thread on Sooty though, thanks for pointing it out.

 

[Cherish4]

Some people cook a plain chicken breast (poach or roast with nothing added) and cut it up into tiny pieces as treats. Package it in small daily amounts and put in the freezer. Take out a package as needed.

If it comes down to it I can try that but I'm not mega keen as I'm a vegetarian and the smell makes me feel sick.

 

[Diana&Tom]

That's a shame but never mind, third time lucky. I suspect your nerves are getting the better of you so try to slow the whole process down... spend a few minutes fussing him or playing with him, try to massage his ears gently and then surreptiously get the lancet and... before you know it you'll be done. I'm sure you can and will get there.

 

[Cherish4]

That's a shame but never mind, third time lucky. I suspect your nerves are getting the better of you so try to slow the whole process down... spend a few minutes fussing him or playing with him, try to massage his ears gently and then surreptiously get the lancet and... before you know it you'll be done. I'm sure you can and will get there.

I'm afraid 3rd and 4th attempts have also been failures. I did what you suggested, spent 5 minutes or so fussing him and trying to gently massage his ear but if I touched it for more than a second, he'd pull away and flatten it down. It's obvious he's figured out something is going on every time I touch them. I tried giving him one or two of the treats but as soon as I put the lancet device and the cotton pad against his ear he started complaining and pulling away.

I'm feeling really disheartened now. I can't afford to keep wasting lancets and if it's this hard just to get one reading, how am I supposed to do this 3 to 4 times a day when he's on insulin? How am I supposed to do a blood curve?

The only other option I have is to get my brother to hold him whilst I test but that'll probably stress him out a lot and therefore affect his reading, which would render it pointless.

I don't know what to do now. He's going back to the vets tomorrow for his fructosamine test and I'd hoped to at least have had a couple of days readings to show the vet but I've got nothing.

There is no scenario that I can see at the moment that's going to allow me to do it without him stressing out. He loves food and treats so if that isn't enough to distract him then I'm at a loss.

 

[Diana&Tom]

Oh dear! Sorry this is proving so difficult. Some cats are very feisty, it's true, but most do come round eventually to testing. Having someone else hold the cat is one option but you're right, that's stressful too and could distort the reading.

I do feel your despair, it's tough when a cat doesn't seem to want to co-operate. See what the vet says tomorrow - maybe he/she can do a spot check just to give a rough idea of bg. Vets can be quite brisk and businesslike so the whole process is quite quick, whereas we take more time and give the cat a chance to say no! Take a few treats with you and see if that might help to associate with a test.

If it's any consolation, @Elizabeth and Bertie here in the UK, who has been testing her diabetic cat Bertie for years, has just taken on a new foster kitty and is having similar issues as you when trying to test... let's see if she has any thoughts.

 

[Erin & Scott]

I'm afraid 3rd and 4th attempts have also been failures. I did what you suggested, spent 5 minutes or so fussing him and trying to gently massage his ear but if I touched it for more than a second, he'd pull away and flatten it down. It's obvious he's figured out something is going on every time I touch them. I tried giving him one or two of the treats but as soon as I put the lancet device and the cotton pad against his ear he started complaining and pulling away.

I'm sorry to hear you're having such a hard time. Our Benny has always disliked having his ears messed with, and we were afraid we'd have a fight on our hands. The first few attempts, we tried having Scott hold him while I poked, but Scott gets so nervous that he wouldn't hold Benny firmly enough. Eventually I just said fine, go away, I'll do it myself.

Benny has never been a lap cat, so sitting him on a lap was out of the question. Instead, I set him up on a kitchen counter that is just the right height for me. He's gotten so he settles himself down now, but at first, I leaned over him and held him in place with my body. Not that I put my whole weight on him, but enough that he was being held in place firmly but very gently. Once I had him held in place, I would massage his ear to get him used to it being handled, and also to warm it up and get the blood circulating.

The first few times, I fumbled and didn't have everything handy - or I'd not get a good jab with the lancet and the meter would time out (it gives me 2 minutes after I insert the strip). Eventually it became routine; hold kitty firmly but gently in place, massage ear, pick up cotton pad and hold it against under part of ear (I started out poking the inside of his ear, but learned it was much easier to do the outside), insert stick in meter, pick up lancet, poke ear, massage a little blood out, and hold the stick (held in meter) next to the blood drop to suck it up. (I don't know if you've handled babies, but there are some similarities - you feel like you need at least three hands, but you somehow manage to make do by using body blocks. )

Alternatively to leaning your weight on him, have you tried the "burrito cat" trick? Wrap him up in a large towel so that his legs are all contained, then do the ear poke. I certainly sympathize, and wish I could offer a more tangible kind of help, but maybe once you sift through all of the advice, there will be something you can latch on to that will make a difference.

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Hi Lauren, I currently have two diabetic cats from very different situations. I have an oldie (now 20 years years old) who was diagnosed at age 8, and I've had him since he was about 2 years old. And I also, as Diana says above, now have a diabetic cat that has only been with me for 6 days, and who doesn't know me at all. My experience of the latter cat, Bonbon, has reminded me in no uncertain terms of what it's like to be starting out with feline diabetes, and just to what extent 'every cat is different'. It's a very humbling experience...

With my old boy, Bertie, I at least had/have his trust, so he's been willing to put up with me messing him around a bit (in his view) in order to get a test. And he was incredibly forgiving if I was unskilled in my early attempts with him. In just a very short time I was able to test him multiple times a day and also in his sleep.
However, with my recent acquisition, Bonbon, it's a very different ballgame. She doesn't know me and has absolutely no reason to trust me. And that has been a bit of a challenge.
But one thing is true to both situations; and that is that we need find ways to work 'with' the cat, so that they come to see the value of complying. And that can take a little time.

With my oldie, Bertie, it was a matter of finding ways to deal with his strength and willfulness. At diagnosis, 8 years old, very strong, and weighing over 6kg, it was really a matter of keeping him distracted (with crumbled cat treats) long enough to get a test.
With the new girl, Bonbon, the 'distraction' technique' also seems to work fairly well (but not always as yet!), but her needs are different. She is easier to test if she's laying down on her heated mat and feeling a bit chilled out.

Bonbon liking her heated mat has the added benefit of warming her ears so the blood flows better (warm ears make life so much easier!). And if I break up a couple of treats for her she will eat them while she's still laying down, and then I can quickly and gently get hold of one of her ears and prick the outer edge.
By then the treats are probably gobbled up so I have to break up a couple more for her, and hope that I have a blood droplet. If I do, great! If I don't, I might try again from the beginning. But if she's getting stressed, I give her a bit of treat and a cuddle, and walk away.
Over the past days I've noticed that, as long as Bonbon is lying down on her heated mat, she has become increasingly tolerant to my efforts to test her. She is beginning to get used to the process, knowing that rewards come with it.

Lauren, you do at least have the advantage of having your cat's love and trust. Little B isn't suddenly going to hate you or stop trusting you because you're trying to hometest. He may get a bit peed off with you at times, but it will pass. Really. So don't let your concerns about that stop you from continuing to try to test him. But do look for ways and situations that make it easier for him to tolerate, and that will make it easier for you also. If you notice Little B's ears are nice and warm at any time, that can be a good time to just try a test. You may get lucky, and that can build confidence.

Do have patience, Lauren, and be kind to yourself. You will find out what works for you and Little B, but it can be a learning curve...

 

[Diana&Tom]

There's a REALLY good post on this subject on the Facebook group at present, started by a lady called Cindy - lots of replies with excellent comments and suggestions. Are you a member of the group, Lauren? Many people find that first before they are directed over here - so much more info to be had in one place here - but there's no harm in getting the benefit from both so do join! - look for the posting I mentioned, or if you don't see it I can tag you.

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

I'm afraid 3rd and 4th attempts have also been failures. I did what you suggested, spent 5 minutes or so fussing him and trying to gently massage his ear but if I touched it for more than a second, he'd pull away and flatten it down. It's obvious he's figured out something is going on every time I touch them. I tried giving him one or two of the treats but as soon as I put the lancet device and the cotton pad against his ear he started complaining and pulling away.

I'm feeling really disheartened now. I can't afford to keep wasting lancets and if it's this hard just to get one reading, how am I supposed to do this 3 to 4 times a day when he's on insulin? How am I supposed to do a blood curve?

((((Lauren))), you're jumping ahead a wee bit. Try to take it a day at a time. Learning to test is a a process, not an event....
And while some cats take to testing like proverbial 'ducks to water', some others do not, and can take a little longer to get used to it. My new foster cat Bonbon is a case in point. So, in a way, you and I are both newcomers learning together. I may have experience of testing my old boy Bertie. But, 'every cat is different', and some will feel stress in situations where others may not.

If the cat is beginning to get stressed, and you're getting stressed, and it looks like the test isn't going to happen without causing further stress, just stop. Give the cat a cuddle and a treat or two.
Even if you don't get a blood test you can still use the situation to build the association between treats and testing in a positive way. If you can do that then the attempted test was still, in a very real way, 'successful'.

With my new kitty, Bonbon, I'm taking a few minutes here and there throughout the day to just massage or hold her ear for a second, and give her a piece of treat. I also click the lancing device near her, and give a piece of treat. My aim is to build the association that ear touching brings benefits/rewards, and that these rewards are such that they outweigh the faff of having her ears touched. It is a learning curve, but because I've been down this road before, and have seen so many here learn to test their cats, I feel somewhat able to trust the process.

If you absolutely must get a test at any point, for example if you suspect hypoglycemia, then that may justify being rather more assertive if necessary, or getting someone else to help you.

Other things I'm doing with Bonbon are monitoring her water consumption/ pee output; and testing her pee for ketones and glucose whenever the opportunity presents itself. This is easier than it was with Bertie because Bonbon is currently in a room on her own and any peeing or drinking that happens must be hers, so it is like having an 'only cat'.

I do strongly recommend testing your kitty's pee if you are able to do so. It does give other valuable information, especially if hometesting of blood glucose is not yet a regular thing. You should be able to get Keto-Diastix strips from most pharmacies.
The test itself is simple and involves dipping the end of the test strip into a drop or two of pee, timing for a given number of seconds, and reading off the result. The greater challenge is getting that drop of pee... Crumpling clingfilm loosely over the cat litter is often a good way to catch a little sample. Or, if you use clumping litter you may be able to just push the test strip into a fresh pee clump. I've found with Bonbon (who is a bit of a digger and tries hard to cover everything she does) that only having a thin layer of cat litter works best, since it's harder for her to cover everything, and increases the chance of my catching a little pee sample before it gets absorbed into the litter.
There is more information on testing urine on the sugarpet website here:
http://www.sugarpet.net/urine.html


Regarding testing, there's some general tips below that I wrote out for someone else a while back. There might be something in here that helps.
. . . . .

1. Warm ears. Ears bleed so much more easily if they've warm. If they don't feel warm to the touch then briefly massaging can stimulate blood flow. Or you can hold something warm (ie a pill bottle filled with warm water) against the inside of the ear.
2. Resistance. The lancet needs something to 'resist' otherwise it can push the ear away rather than prick through it. Some folks hold a little bit of cotton wool or folded tissue against the underside of the ear, opposite to where they're pricking. I usually use a finger tip, but sometimes get blood from myself that way too..)
3. Two ear pricks can be better than one. Two ear pricks close together can often produce enough blood for a test where one ear prick might not.
4. Massaging below the ear prick with fingers and thumb can 'milk' more blood out. I almost always do this unless the ear is especially warm.
5. Vaseline: A teensy weensy smear of Vaseline on the outer edge of the ear can help the blood to 'bead up' rather than disappear into the fur. I found it so much easier to see the blood droplet because of it 'sitting on top' of the Vaseline. I did this for the first few weeks when I was learning to test.
6. Get comfortable. I find it much easier to test if I pop Bertie up onto my desk or a counter top. I find it easier to see what I'm doing, and I'm physically more comfortable. And my desk lamp is a good source of local light. ..Some people prefer to put their kitty on their lap, or are happy to test if the kitty is sitting alongside them. Find out what works best for you.
7. Remember to breathe... The more relaxed you are about the process the more relaxed your kitty is likely to be. Take deep breaths. Approach the situation in a 'matter of fact' kind of way if you can.
8. Rewards. Always reward the kitty for every attempted test, whether successful or not. If you ONLY give treats when giving tests, most cats will come to develop positive associations with testing. ...I actually find it easiest to crumble a few treats and then test Bertie while he's hoovering up the crumbs.
9. Reward yourself too!

 

[Cherish4]

Oh dear! Sorry this is proving so difficult. Some cats are very feisty, it's true, but most do come round eventually to testing. Having someone else hold the cat is one option but you're right, that's stressful too and could distort the reading.

I do feel your despair, it's tough when a cat doesn't seem to want to co-operate. See what the vet says tomorrow - maybe he/she can do a spot check just to give a rough idea of bg. Vets can be quite brisk and businesslike so the whole process is quite quick, whereas we take more time and give the cat a chance to say no! Take a few treats with you and see if that might help to associate with a test.

I'll try the treat thing at the vets today. When she did it on Saturday she had a nurse hold him and then she used a syringe to draw blood from his leg for testing. This stressed him out too.

 

[Cherish4]

There's a REALLY good post on this subject on the Facebook group at present, started by a lady called Cindy - lots of replies with excellent comments and suggestions. Are you a member of the group, Lauren? Many people find that first before they are directed over here - so much more info to be had in one place here - but there's no harm in getting the benefit from both so do join! - look for the posting I mentioned, or if you don't see it I can tag you.

I'm not a member no, I didn't know there was a Facebook group. I will try and see if I can find it.

 

[Diana&Tom]

I'm not a member no, I didn't know there was a Facebook group. I will try and see if I can find it.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/felinediabetes/

 

[Cherish4]

Benny has never been a lap cat, so sitting him on a lap was out of the question. Instead, I set him up on a kitchen counter that is just the right height for me. He's gotten so he settles himself down now, but at first, I leaned over him and held him in place with my body. Not that I put my whole weight on him, but enough that he was being held in place firmly but very gently. Once I had him held in place, I would massage his ear to get him used to it being handled, and also to warm it up and get the blood circulating.

Little B isn't a lap cat either and he hates being held. I tried the kitchen counter thing yesterday but he's quite strong and I just found it too hard to hold him and do everything else as well.

Alternatively to leaning your weight on him, have you tried the "burrito cat" trick? Wrap him up in a large towel so that his legs are all contained, then do the ear poke. I certainly sympathize, and wish I could offer a more tangible kind of help, but maybe once you sift through all of the advice, there will be something you can latch on to that will make a difference.

I've certainly done the ''burrito cat's thing with other cats in the past when necessary but I think in his case it'll stress him out too much.

Thanks for trying to help though, I do appreciate it.

 

[Cherish4]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/felinediabetes/

Thanks, I have submitted my request to join. He's had his bloods taken this afternoon for the fructosamine test so we'll see what that says. The one bit of positive news is that his excessive thirst has disappeared this week and his drinking habits are back to normal. I know that doesn't necessarily mean he's suddenly okay but I'm taking it as a good thing for now.

 

[Cherish4]

Hi Lauren, I currently have two diabetic cats from very different situations. I have an oldie (now 20 years years old) who was diagnosed at age 8, and I've had him since he was about 2 years old. And I also, as Diana says above, now have a diabetic cat that has only been with me for 6 days, and who doesn't know me at all. My experience of the latter cat, Bonbon, has reminded me in no uncertain terms of what it's like to be starting out with feline diabetes, and just to what extent 'every cat is different'. It's a very humbling experience...

With my old boy, Bertie, I at least had/have his trust, so he's been willing to put up with me messing him around a bit (in his view) in order to get a test. And he was incredibly forgiving if I was unskilled in my early attempts with him. In just a very short time I was able to test him multiple times a day and also in his sleep. However, with my recent acquisition, Bonbon, it's a very different ballgame. She doesn't know me and has absolutely no reason to trust me. And that has been a bit of a challenge. But one thing is true to both situations; and that is that we need find ways to work 'with' the cat...

With my oldie, Bertie, it was a matter of finding ways to deal with his strength and willfulness. At diagnosis, 8 years old, very strong, and weighing over 6kg, it was really a matter of keeping him distracted (with crumbled cat treats) long enough to get a test.
With the new girl, Bonbon, the 'distraction' technique' also seems to work fairly well (but not always as yet!), but her needs are different. She is easier to test if she's laying down on her heated mat and feeling a bit chilled out. Her laying on the heated mat has the added benefit of warming her ears so the blood flows better. And if I break up a couple of treats for her she will eat them while she's still laying down, and then I can quickly and gently get hold of one of her ears and prick the outer edge. By then the treats are probably gobbled up so I have to break up a couple more for her, and hope that I have a blood droplet. If I do, great! If I don't, I try again from the beginning... If I have a nice blood droplet I break up another treat for her and that will often distract her long enough to get a test. If she gets really fed up with me though I just leave her alone, maybe with another bit of a treat as a reward. And I try to test her again later. Over the past days I've noticed that, as long as Bonbon is lying down on her heated mat, she has become increasingly tolerant to my efforts to test her. She is beginning to get used to the process, knowing that rewards come with it. ...However, it currently remains very difficult to test her anywhere other than her heated mat. It's not an ideal situation. But we do have to work with what opportunities we have...

Lauren, you do at least have the advantage of having your cat's love and trust. Little B isn't suddenly going to hate you or stop trusting you because you're trying to hometest. He may get a bit peed off with you at times, but it will pass. Really. So don't let your concerns about that stop you from trying to test him. But do look for ways and situations that make it easier for him to tolerate, and that will make it easier for you also.
Strangely enough, once I'd got to learn how to test Bertie it suddenly struck me that I'd probably been trying 'too hard' and was making too big a deal of the whole thing. In reality I only needed to hold his ear for a couple of seconds at a time. I needed to hold it while I pricked the outer edge. I 'might' need to hold it while massaging beneath where I'd pricked in order to get more blood to flow, and I'd certainly need to hold for a couple of seconds while getting the blood droplet onto the test strip. I'd also press on the outer edge of the ear for a couple of seconds to stem any bleeding and reduce the chance of bruising. But in between these times there did not need to be any contact between us...

Do have patience, Lauren, and be kind to yourself. You will find out what works for you and Little B, but it can be a learning curve...

Thanks for sharing your experience and your advice, I appreciate it.

 

[Cherish4]

((((Lauren))), you're jumping ahead a wee bit. Try to take it a day at a time. Learning to test is a a process, not an event....

You're right I know and I do realize that I tend to panic a lot and over think everything. Unfortunately I think circumstances in my life have made me this way and I find it hard to not get ahead of myself.

If the cat is beginning to get stressed, and you're getting stressed, and it looks like the test isn't going to happen without causing further stress, just stop. Give the cat a cuddle and a treat or two.
Even if you don't get a blood test you can still use the situation to build the association between treats and testing in a positive way. If you can do that then the attempted test was still, in a very real way, 'successful'.

I will try this but honestly knowing what Little B is like, I don't think he's ever going to not be stressed when I'm doing it.

I do strongly recommend testing your kitty's pee if you are able to do so. It does give other valuable information, especially if hometesting of blood glucose is not yet a regular thing. You should be able to get Keto-Diastix strips from most pharmacies.
The test itself is simple and involves dipping the end of the test strip into a drop or two of pee, timing for a given number of seconds, and reading off the result. The greater challenge is getting that drop of pee...

I have already been testing for ketones for a couple of weeks now actually. I had to order some ketone strips online as nowhere locally sells them round here. They're just ketone ones though, not glucose as well.

Regarding testing, there's some general tips below that I wrote out for someone else a while back. There might be something in here that helps.
. . . . .

1. Warm ears. Ears bleed so much more easily if they've warm. If they don't feel warm to the touch then briefly massaging can stimulate blood flow. Or you can hold something warm (ie a pill bottle filled with warm water) against the inside of the ear.
2. Resistance. The lancet needs something to 'resist' otherwise it can push the ear away rather than prick through it. Some folks hold a little bit of cotton wool or folded tissue against the underside of the ear, opposite to where they're pricking. I usually use a finger tip, but sometimes get blood from myself that way too..)
3. Two ear pricks can be better than one. Two ear pricks close together can often produce enough blood for a test where one ear prick might not.
4. Massaging below the ear prick with fingers and thumb can 'milk' more blood out. I almost always do this unless the ear is especially warm.
5. Vaseline: A teensy weensy smear of Vaseline on the outer edge of the ear can help the blood to 'bead up' rather than disappear into the fur. I found it so much easier to see the blood droplet because of it 'sitting on top' of the Vaseline. I did this for the first few weeks when I was learning to test.
6. Get comfortable. I find it much easier to test if I pop Bertie up onto my desk or a counter top. I find it easier to see what I'm doing, and I'm physically more comfortable. And my desk lamp is a good source of local light. ..Some people prefer to put their kitty on their lap, or are happy to test if the kitty is sitting alongside them. Find out what works best for you.
7. Remember to breathe... The more relaxed you are about the process the more relaxed your kitty is likely to be. Take deep breaths. Approach the situation in a 'matter of fact' kind of way if you can.
8. Rewards. Always reward the kitty for every attempted test, whether successful or not. If you ONLY give treats when giving tests, most cats will come to develop positive associations with testing. ...I actually find it easiest to crumble a few treats and then test Bertie while he's hoovering up the crumbs.
9. Reward yourself too!

Thanks for this I do appreciate it, however I have already been trying just about all of these without success. Like I said before I can't get to warm his ears as he hates them being messed with, at most I can touch them for a second and that's it. I will keep trying but I don't think it's ever going to be easy with him unfortunately.

He's had his bloods taken this afternoon for the fructosamine test so we'll see what that says. The one bit of positive news is that his excessive thirst has disappeared this week and his drinking habits are back to normal. I know that doesn't necessarily mean he's suddenly okay but I'm taking it as a good thing for now.

 

[Georgiana & Perlutz]

Hi @Cherish4,

We were in your shoes until a couple of weeks ago and I know how frustrated you must feel I kept reading threads on FDMB about testing, watched countless videos on how to do it and yet we still failed We tried holding him, while he sleeps, while brushing him and nothing.

When we went to the vet, we asked if he could possibly show us and he was happy to. But instead of using the lancing device or a lancet, he used a syringe needle and did it with a very quick move. He gave us few syringe needles until we manage to buy more and sent us home. And that really worked for us. I was holding Perlutz in my arms, while gently pressing my head against him so he doesn't move but also because it calms him, I would talk to him and my bf would quickly prick his ear and we've been successful from the first attempt. The syringe needle and also seeing it done right in front of our eyes, on our cat, worked for us.

We've done it like this for few days but then we got confident and we are now using the lancing device. It's easier with the lancing device, especially for me (I'm squeamish for blood, needles and injections ). It's also a pain in the bum to buy syringe needles in UK, we've been given some interesting looks and got a LOT of questions on what they are for to the point I wanted to shout in the pharmacy that I don't use drugs! PS: we never managed to buy them, we got some more from the vet.

I don't know if the syringe needle is something others have tried or not, and I don't know if it's a method to be used on your own, we've always done it in 2. But I would definitely take the meter to the vet and asked him/her to show you.

Good luck, you can do it!

 

[Kris & Teasel]

I was given syringe needles at the start too. I switched eventually to the lancet but I only put it in the trigger device as a holder. I free hand the pokes.

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

The one bit of positive news is that his excessive thirst has disappeared this week and his drinking habits are back to normal.

Yes, that is a very good sign indeed. Celebrate all successes!

While you're not testing blood is there any chance you might be able to try to test his pee? It's not the same as a blood glucose test but in the absence of that can still give very useful info.

Eliz