OMG HELP! PICKY KITTY, SOOO FRUSTRATED!

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Jessica A MacPhee

Member Since 2019
Hello! New to this site but have been looking here since Snarfs diagnosis a couple months ago.

At first it was going great, he would eat his portion of wet food and get his 2 units twice a day as directed by my vet. He starts to be less and less interested in his food, I've tried almost every flavor and brand under the sun, cooked chicken breast and plain tuna. He is addicted to dry kibble. With funds being basically paycheck to paycheck, I cannot afford a special feeder for him, as I have 3 other cats at home. I have even went as far as getting him some a/d prescription wet food (high calorie) that I have had to force feed from a syringe recently because he is even turning his head away at that. Its not that he doesn't want to eat, he's a pig and goes for dry kibble even after I give him wet food.

After being on it just a couple weeks he's gained back some of the weight he lost, and his glucose dropped 300+ at almost 600 when I brought him in initially.

I have a glucometer at home, but I have yet to be successful testing, as I just obtained a lancet and using a needle in my heightened anxiety and stress proved difficult for us both. I'm so very terrified of giving him too much insulin for what he has been eating and him going into shock/hypoglycemia.

I am at my wit's end at this point. I am doing my best to take care of him.

Is there any recommended dosing using dry kibble for Insulin?

I need all the tips and tricks I can get, for an owner on a budget.
 
we need a bit more information but there's always someone who can help ...

still a relative newbie myself, but a couple of things come to mind

are you trying to feed only at the time you give the insulin? some vets recommend that, it doesn't work for all, or even most, cats

do you have ketone testing strips? available at most pharmacies or stores that carry such items .. I'll let the more experienced ones here, tell you about ketosis

could the refusal to eat have anything to do with Snarf feeling nauseated?

are there any treats (non kibble type) that he likes? freeze dried or fish bits?

(read the info sticky about New? with the information posted just a few days ago, that will tell you what we need to know to help beyond just general questions)

and here are a couple of hugs :bighug::bighug: -- we WILL help and it will be okay
 
Definately. Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I know and am sure more info will be needed.

It is a possibility he is nauseated, he seems to have been throwing up more often, and has been anxious and even yelling at me because he wants to run outside and eat grass. He is basically a rescue, was an outdoor cat that became an indoor, when my father passed I took him on. So he loves being outside. Actually him feeling better has made him more excited to lay on the sunporch or walk in the grass
 
If your kitty likes beef, have you tried flortiflora? It’s a powdered probiotic that you can mix into the v
wet food. My girl loved it

Putting freeze dried treats on top also helps entice my kitty to eat when she’s being stubborn. If it’s possible he’s nauseated, that might be the cause as well. When Sophie is nauseous all she will eat is dry food
 
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Dry kibble isn't recommended because of the high carb content. It will unfortunately put his blood sugar up into high numbers again, and I think there's only one or two acceptable dry food that is low enough in carbs but they're quite pricey. What food is he on now?

Are you using lancets by themselves or a lancet device? To each their own, most people prefer poking freehand but it was too stressful for me so I use the device and am much more comfortable with it!
 
Hello!
Just on a generic kibble right now, with high protein and yes I'm sure it isn't the best for him. Do you think the insulin wouldn't work as good on the dry?

I try to feed him like the vet told me to but we have been falling short recently and I have been more lax about it because it makes my anxiety sky rocket. Have been force feeding prescription high calorie wet food to give him any kind of insulin, he does eat the dry though throughout the day with the other cats.

As for the glucometer I still have yet to test successfully, just tried using the lancet on his paw pad today and didn't get enough blood, he was already so worked up. I am using a lancet device because I think it easier on us both.
 
What type of insulin is he on again? :)

Low carb food alone will lower his blood sugar without the help of insulin, often as much as 100 points lower...most cats after switching to low-carb food will need an insulin reduction, which is good! The carbs are what raise the blood sugar, so the higher carbs you give, the more insulin they need to give them a sense of normalcy.

Ditch the prescription food, it's expensive and not as good (too many carbs!). :) Most of us feed Fancy Feast Classics or Friskies Pate...I want to say 9Lives Meaty Pate is acceptable as well but I would double check that. All are cheaper options than prescription - not to mention Amazon frequently has deals on Fancy Feast so you can get it cheaper.

It's totally normal to fail with BG testing, it took me a couple days after many many tries. Have you tried the ear? It's often easier. What I did was I was try 2-3 times in one sitting, and if I still failed that was it. No point in getting both of us anxious and upset. You and kitty will learn how to sit quietly and he will need to "learn to bleed" first. The blood will start coming out quite easily the more times you do it.
 
Jessica A MacPhee said:
Awesome. Freeze dried treats sounds like a great idea! I will look into that probiotic, he could probably use it!
Click to expand...

It can be kind of pricey, I have a whole box of it because it unfortunately makes Sophie constipated I think. I can send you some to try if you’re interested, or just the whole box! If you’re in the US, purebites is a good brand for freeze dried treats, they’re Sophie’s favorite

It’s not that the insulin won’t work “as well” with the dry kibble, but it will likely increase the amount he’ll need as well as make it more difficult to regulate him.

As far as testing, you can test on the paw pads but I’ve always been nervous to do it because of the fear of infection from the litter box. Most people here test on the ears I think!
 
Jessica A MacPhee said:
Hello!
Just on a generic kibble right now, with high protein and yes I'm sure it isn't the best for him. Do you think the insulin wouldn't work as good on the dry?

I try to feed him like the vet told me to but we have been falling short recently and I have been more lax about it because it makes my anxiety sky rocket. Have been force feeding prescription high calorie wet food to give him any kind of insulin, he does eat the dry though throughout the day with the other cats.

As for the glucometer I still have yet to test successfully, just tried using the lancet on his paw pad today and didn't get enough blood, he was already so worked up. I am using a lancet device because I think it easier on us both.
Click to expand...
most cat's don't like their paws touched. does he not let you touch his ears? typically people test cats on the very outter edge of the ear. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat at home.

There is also a link to a food chart. will he eat food that is 75% dry and 25% wet? then you could slowly add more and more wet until he's off the high carb kibble.

There are only a handful of kibbles that are lower in carb in the meantime... young again zero carb, and epigen 90 are both under 10% carb. Ideally though get him on a low carb wet. if you do a search about transitioning from dry to wet food you will find more advice on how to do that.
 
Testing on the ear seems like a better idea, I did try that the first time. He's a jerk about everything almost but doesn't mind getting shots.

I will look up some more on transitioning him to wet. Before this he would gorge himself on any wet food treat I would bring home occasionally, and now he won't even take a couple licks
 
Hi Jessica and Snarf. Welcome to FDMB. I just finished reading through this thread and you have received good information about diet and testing. Yep, testing is really a process of practice and patience. You can try to help Snarf get used to the testing process by choosing the place where you will always test. Make sure it's comfortable for both of you and has good lighting. Give him a treat. I use small pieces of poached or baked plain chicken breast because Idjit loves that best. Rub and stroke his ears a bit, pet and reassure him, and give another treat. Then let him go. Do this as many times a day as you can. If you decide to use a lancet device, you can try clicking it when you are "practicing" and if you have the bottle of test strips, you can rattle that a bit so he gets used to the new sounds. Let him sniff the meter, strips bottle and other equipment. Some of our members' kitties hear that test strip bottle rattling and come running for the test and treat. If you are calm and soothing, he's going to be much more comfortable with learning this new process. You can sing to him also, this actually calms you down so you don't appear nervous to him.

It would be very helpful if you would create a signature so that Snarf's information is available whenever you post.
Setting up your signature (light grey text under a post). Here's how:
click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
click on "signature" in the menu that drops down
type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using and dosage amount /glucose meter you're using/what (s)he eats/any other meds or health issues (s)he has. You can add your name, and a geographic location (sometimes the time zone matters) Be sure to SAVE when you are finished. You can edit and update going forward with diet and meter information, and again when you get the spreadsheet set up and link to the signature.
Spreadsheet instructions
Understanding the spreadsheet

You mentioned being scared of hypoglycemia, and I'm glad you are aware of the possibility.
Read these and be prepared, just in case.
How to treat Hypos
Hypo Toolbox

Here is a wonderful website about feline nutrition that addresses dry food diets, transitioning and diabetic diets. There is a chart there that lists many processed canned varieties. https://catinfo.org/
The important thing right now though is getting Snarf to eat, especially if you are injecting insulin. If he will eat and keep dry food down, then let him have it. You can work on transitioning gradually.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/transitioning-your-cat-from-dry-to-wet-food.956/

If he's nauseated, this is a red flag and should be addressed. It could be a symptom of pancreatitis and you will want your vet's help with that.

You can try some baby food meat, only meat, no seasonings and no ham. Beechnut is a brand that qualifies. Make a "soup" and see if that works. It's not for long term, but maybe it will help get him interested in wet food.

Here are some other tips and videos about home testing:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
It's one of the best things you can do to keep Snarf safe from a hypo, and see how the insulin is affecting him. You should be testing him before making diet changes, as changing to an all wet diet can significantly lower the blood sugar, and you will want to track that, and on advice adjust the insulin dose accordingly.

Please visit the Vetsulin insulin support group forum HERE and read the Beginner's Guide to Vetsulin.

I know Jessica, it's a lot of reading and but it's going to help you so much to understand how to better care for Snarf. We will help all we can, keep posting and asking questions. We all started out just like you, so we know how this is feeling right now.
 
Welcome Jessica and Snarf. I was where your are a couple of months ago. I now test Mango on the kitchen counter and he lays down for me to do so. The more comfortable I go the more comfortable he got. I was awful with the ear prick. And yes the more you prick the easier it get for the blood to flow. I used the lancet holder but found free handing it was easier for me as I could see where I was poking. I put a tissue or a cosmetic pad behind the ear and poke. After awhile you get a feel for it. I was stressed and scared but I've become much better at it as practice makes perfect! My little guy doesn't care for the insulin shot so I wait until he is eating. I stick the needle under the skin, let the needle hang from the injection site while he goes back to eating then I push the plunger, wait a few second and remove it. That way I know he got the full shot as I found I was pulling the needle to soon and leaking some insulin out. We all find what is comfortable for us to treat our sugar babies. Mango also was a free feeder of dry food and I did purchase a bag of Dr Esley chicken dry and give it to him now and then. He loves Fancy feast or Frisky pate now which I mix with water. Be careful of Ketones in the urine or a UTI. This is frustrating and at time very stressful but with this board I know I am not alone. If you need help this is the place you will find it. I am ever so grateful for the members who are willing to walk you through a situation they been through and know how to handle. Peace of mind is a wonderful and priceless gift. So ask questions if you are unsure of any situation you find yourself in. You and Snarf are not alone in this dance of the sugar babies!:cat::):cat:
 
I'm sorry this is all so stressful for you and Snarf. Most of us have been where you are emotionally and many of us are stretched financially as well. It is so disheartening and worrisome when your baby won't eat. I went through a couple months of trying to transition Bama over to an all wet diet and every meal seemed like a battleground. Finally I decided that it was just as important for Bama to enjoy eating again as it was to eat "healthy". I bought him Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein Chicken dry food and feed him a single 3 oz. can of pate split into morning and evening meals plus about 1/3 cup or so of the dry. He gets the dry after he eats the wet and also in a couple of mini meals later in the day and before bedtime. I add warm [almost hot] water to the wet to make it really soupy and just dump the dry into the same bowl after he finishes most of the wet. I add more water to the mixture so that he gets an additional 2 oz. of water with each of his main meals. I don't add water when I serve the dry in his mini meals. Some cats can be very picky about mixing the wet and dry so go slowly if you decide to try that. You can buy Dr. Elsey's at Chewy.com. It is low carb and 95% of the protein is from animal sources. You can contact Dr. Elsey's for free samples.
 
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