New Member - adopted a diabetic senior

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Hastings (GA) and Paula

Hastings (GA) and Paula

Member Since 2021
On April 1st I adopted two senior cats from the local shelter, Hastings (sugar cat) and Hercule (18lbs of love). They were surrendered by their owner when they could no longer afford to buy insulin for Hastings or take him to the vet when it was clear he was getting more and more hyperglycemic. From what I can tell from the vet notes (my previous career was as a paramedic so I'm used to the jargon of diabetic crises, just have to translate a lot of the values to feline ranges!) the previous guardian was free-feeding them dry food and giving Hastings 6 units of OTC insulin at meals, and he hadn't been to a vet in several years for any blood tests. It's puzzling how Hastings managed to eat enough because he's missing all his teeth but two bottom incisors, and he doesn't seem to even recognize dry treats or freeze-dried treats as food. (When I knew I was ready to adopt a cat I bought a big thing of Temptations before I ended up with a diabetic cat - they will be going to a friend!)

Anyways, it looks like he has had a roller-coaster ride with his glucose - the shelter put him on canned food without changing his insulin dose, and he ended up in the vet hospital with CBGs in the 20s. When he was released from his medical hold at the end of March his readings were still very high, and his latest when I took him to the vet for the first time to get established with someone to manage his diabetes it was in the 400s. The shelter and foster had him on 1u BID, and I kept him on that until I was able to get an appointment with a vet. Hastings is now on 2u BID, I give it to him an hour after he eats. When he first came home I could barely keep his water dish full because he'd drain it so fast. With the increased dose he still drinks and pees more than usual, but I'm not coming back to an empty water bowl half an hour after filling it to the brim anymore. The vet gave me a Rx for a FreeStyle Libre monitor which I have now and I have an appointment soon to have her show me how the sensor is attached. But from reading the posts here I'm thinking it will be necessary to have a back up monitor, because I can just imagine the sensor deciding to stop working right when I need it most! I have read the recommended monitor posts but I think some of those brands/models aren't made anymore. Does anyone have recommendations for a good glucometer and test strips I can keep on hand for emergencies?

Thank you all for the great resource you have put together here - I've been reading through all of the posts and FAQs and guides, and my initial worries about having fallen in love with and brought home a diabetic kitty are morphing into a determination to do the best by him and give him the maximum healthy golden years I can.
 
Welcome to the FDMB and THANK YOU for adopting a sugarcat! (Also, Howdy from a former Kansas City resident! I live down by the Lake now)

Kyneska said:
Does anyone have recommendations for a good glucometer and test strips I can keep on hand for emergencies?
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Most of us use the Relion Prime from WalMart because it's the most affordable. $9 for the meter and $17.88/100 strips. Add a box of lancets (25-28 gauge are best for new ears) for $2-12 (depending on brand). Some cotton cosmetic pads are nice too for protecting your finger and applying pressure to prevent bruising.

You may want to seriously consider switching to a better insulin. Novolin is cheap, but it's too harsh and hard hitting for cats and tends to wear off long before the next shot is due. The better insulin's are Lantus, Basaglar, Semglee (all brand names for Glargine), Levemir and ProZinc.

You can get Lantus and Levemir very affordably if you buy it from Canada. Most of us buy ours from Marks Marine pharmacy in Vancouver. The first order takes about 7-10 days but refills usually come within 4-5 days. Here's the information on buying from Marks.

A 5 pack of pens is 1500 units which is enough to last most cats at least a year and some up to 2 years. Total price is $190 including shipping. It's best to order soon before it gets too hot to ship safely.
 
Hi and welcome and thank you so much for adopting a diabetic cat. Lucky boy,!
And you have the spreadsheet set up already! Fabulous,!
I agree with Chris about the insulin. You can do much better with Lantus or the other ones Chris mentioned. They are much more gentle insulins.
Are you giving snacks during the cycles as well as before the insulin?
Also as Novolin hits hard and fast, as you feeding him an hour before the shots?
Here is a link to using Novolin
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/introduction-to-cannisulin-vetsulin-n-nph.231602/
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/beginners-guide-to-humulin-n-novolin-n-nph.231593/

Ask as many questions as you like, we are happy to answer them. And I have to say what a gorgeous boy he is :cat:
 
Chris & China (GA) said:
You may want to seriously consider switching to a better insulin. Novolin is cheap, but it's too harsh and hard hitting for cats and tends to wear off long before the next shot is due. The better insulin's are Lantus, Basaglar, Semglee (all brand names for Glargine), Levemir and ProZinc.
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This is definitely in my plans to discuss with my vet after getting Hastings' complete medical records from the shelter - the vets wanted to try him on ProZinc, but they were worried he wouldn't be adopted if he was on the more expensive insulin, so they kept with the Novolin. I'm really lucky, I moved to KC from a much higher cost of living area for a really good job in the biotech sector after finishing my MSc, so I can afford it comfortably by giving up a few luxuries for myself. Thanks for the link to Marks - it's going in my growing folder of resources for Hastings.
 
You did the right thing adopting these two cats. We've taken in a few seniors with "behavioral issues" who all figured it out right away. So this is what forever means!
I used the Aviva Accuchek meter for years, it needs an incredibly small amount of blood but the strips were expensive.
We have Hercule beat by ten pounds, another rescue taken sight unseen. Love those big cats.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
Hi and welcome and thank you so much for adopting a diabetic cat. Lucky boy,!
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Because Hastings was on a medical hold, originally I contacted the shelter about Hercule - that's when they informed me that he was pair-bonded to a diabetic cat and sent me the picture that's in my profile of Hastings and I fell in love with his sweet little face. :cat: My goal had been to adopt a senior cat that might have had difficulty being adopted otherwise, so why not two? :)

I agree with Chris about the insulin. You can do much better with Lantus or the other ones Chris mentioned. They are much more gentle insulins.
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Yeah, after reading about the different ones here and looking through his medical file I am going to try out a different insulins once we have a good curve of how he's doing on his current regimen and have the Libre FreeStyle sensor on.

Are you giving snacks during the cycles as well as before the insulin?
Also as Novolin hits hard and fast, as you feeding him an hour before the shots?
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I have not been giving him snacks, he gets a 5.5 oz can of Friskies pate at 0700 and 1900 and then gets his insulin at 0800 and 2000. I was giving it to him right when I was feeding him at first since the shelter and foster said they were giving it to him then, but after spending the weekend reading through all of the resources here on Novolin N I changed it.

And thank you! I've told Hastings that people on the internet think he is very cute. Here's another picture, with his ride-or-die buddy, Hercule. I work from home and after I put my work laptop away they both immediately find the warm spot where it was and settle in.
 

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Noah & me (GA) said:
We have Hercule beat by ten pounds, another rescue taken sight unseen. Love those big cats.
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Oh my goodness! I don't know how I would manage with 28 lbs. It is so hard finding a carrier for Hercule, I originally just got a normal cat sized one in preparation for whatever cat I ended up with and he doesn't fit! He is the biggest cat I've ever had. His foster mom told me off-hand that he really liked bunting when he was cuddling but I didn't quite understand what an affectionate "bunt" can mean when it's got a solid 18 lbs behind it. Sometimes I think I should have named him Steve Austin because he can dish out some real Stone Cold Stunners. I think they were neutered well into adulthood because they've both got the Tom Cat jowls and big chests - Hastings less so because of his weight loss but the extra skin from it was definitely there.
 
We still have some crates but soft sided carriers can be so much easier to "fool" a cat into.
Kobiashi wasn't afraid of anything. He wasn't nasty but it's pretty sad when you're in a vet's waiting room and dogs won't go near whatever that thing is in your crate.
Loads of members here have used cement mixing tubs from Home Depot as litter boxes. First time cat owners are easy to spot buying litter rakes smaller than a spatula for 99 cents. "Snap!" Gosh, how did that happen?
angry_cat001.jpg
 

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What an adorable photo of them both. What lucky kitties. I am so glad you chose them.
One of my cats loves to sit on the computer too.

I would give a couple of snacks during the cycles as well as the preshot meals. It is better for the pancreas and also gives the insulin something to work with during the cycle. I would suggest giving the preshot meal and then Maybe a snack at +2 and +4 each cycle (both am and pm cycles)
 
You have a great heart adopting Hastings and Hercule. I can see why you did. They are both adorable!! I'm glad you found your way here.
I bought Pet Taxi hard sided carriers for my two cats. I'm guessing they are medium sized as a small to medium sized dog would fit in them. My cat J.D., was 17 pounds at one time. I used the hard sided carriers mostly as they are safest for car trips, and I had a Sherpa soft sided carrier to use on board for airplane trips when traveling for vacations. I leave their carriers out and open all the time, and my cats love to sleep in them. It's like their cozy safe den, which makes vet and car trips easier on them.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I would give a couple of snacks during the cycles as well as the preshot meals.
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What would be a good snack? Something like cooked ground turkey or chicken? Their foster mom and the vet at the shelter said Hastings was really easy to put off his feed with schedule or diet changes, so I want to keep the canned stinky food he loves for "official" meals to give him the most motivation to eat a big meal at 12 hour intervals. I originally had bought premium limited ingredient canned food (Instinct Duck flavor) and they only nibbled at it - they love their stinky Friskies though! And they're very interested in anything I do in the kitchen so I'm pretty sure I could get Hastings to eat something I prepared. Hercule refused the duck canned food too but then immediately tried to convince me that I should share my avocado toast with him so who knows what he'll do with snacks, ha ha. Oh, I'm also feeding them both a capsule of feline Cosequin at each meal. Hastings clearly has arthritis in his pelvis and back legs and with the extra weight Hercule is carrying I'm worried he'll be prone to develop that too. They had a few bouts of loose stools after the first few doses but now their bowels seem to have adjusted.

I calculated out the calorie requirements for Hastings to maintain his weight and Hercule to lose a few ounces every week, but after reading all the articles here I know diabetes can throw those calculations out the window. Right now I've got them conditioned so that a special alarm on my phone means mealtime, so they don't beg me or wake me up early. I have caught them staring intently at my phone and batting at it about an hour before it's scheduled to go off, which is hilarious.
 
Kyneska said:
I have caught them staring intently at my phone and batting at it about an hour before it's scheduled to go off, which is hilarious.
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That's so funny!
My cats get fed their breakfast with a bell too, when the coffee maker dings to say it's done, they get fed.. I can sleep in though, because they are not diabetic. You, need to feed and shoot on a schedule. With your calculations, can you feed 30% at pre shot times and then 10% at around +2 and then again at around +4 or so for each cycle? Timed feeders help for night times. You can change the times of the snacks, as you get to know his test numbers and can tell when he could use a boost up to flatten the curve.
 
Noah & me (GA) said:
We still have some crates but soft sided carriers can be so much easier to "fool" a cat into.
Kobiashi wasn't afraid of anything. He wasn't nasty but it's pretty sad when you're in a vet's waiting room and dogs won't go near whatever that thing is in your crate.
Loads of members here have used cement mixing tubs from Home Depot as litter boxes. First time cat owners are easy to spot buying litter rakes smaller than a spatula for 99 cents. "Snap!" Gosh, how did that happen?
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Right now I have this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NGZUB78/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20 I got it because of the motor vehicle accidents I responded to as a paramedic, the animals in these (soft-sided, secured with seat belts) seemed to fare best. The only problem is Hercule is so heavy he makes the bottom sag when I'm carrying him! I think that makes him not feel as secure, and he definitely got a few bumps on his rump when I was hauling them both up the narrow stairs to my apartment when I got them home, so I want a smaller hard bottom one to use in emergencies.

We're still working on finding a good litter! I use crystal litter because *I'm* allergic to clay clumping litter, but the one I've got right now I think they don't like how big the crystals are. Next bag I'm going to try the dust free micro crystal litter from PetSmart.
 
Dyana said:
That's so funny!
My cats get fed their breakfast with a bell too, when the coffee maker dings to say it's done, they get fed.. I can sleep in though, because they are not diabetic. You, need to feed and shoot on a schedule. With your calculations, can you feed 30% at pre shot times and then 10% at around +2 and then again at around +4 or so for each cycle? Timed feeders help for night times. You can change the times of the snacks, as you get to know his test numbers and can tell when he could use a boost up to flatten the curve.
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Yeah - after thinking about the schedule I might change to something like this:
  • 0600 1/2 can Friskies pate each
  • 0600-0700 I go for my morning run XD
  • 0700 insulin
  • 0900 1/4 can Friskies pate each
  • 1100 1/4 can Friskies pate each
  • 1800 1/2 can Friskies pate each
  • 1900 insulin
  • 0900 1/4 can Friskies pate each
  • 2200-2230 latest I can keep my eyes open, so bedtime snack of 1/4 can Friskies pate each
 
When and if you switch to Lantus or Prozinc, you don't have to wait the hour after feeding to give the shots, so that would save you those hours of waiting.
On Lantus you could do:
AMPS - 06:00am test, feed 1/2 can, and shoot
+2 - 08:00am test, feed 1/4 can
+4 - 10:00am feed 1/4 can
I'd try to get a test around his nadir time too, usually around +6
PMPS - 6:00pm test, feed 1/2 can, and shoot
+2 - 8:00pm test, feed 1/4 can
+4 - 10:00pm test, feed 1/4 can

I'm curious about the difference between the hard sided carriers and the soft sided carriers in cars. I always thought the hard sided ones would protect them more should the air bags be deployed.
 
Dyana said:
I'm curious about the difference between the hard sided carriers and the soft sided carriers in cars. I always thought the hard sided ones would protect them more should the air bags be deployed.
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Keep in mind the following is just my own observations and anecdotes, I'm not a pet auto safety expert!

The biggest correlation I saw between pets walking away from a collision vs having to be rushed to the vet was whether they were in the front seat or the back seat, with their carrier securely attached to the seatbelt. The worst injuries were large dogs riding unrestrained in the passenger seat or truck bed, and because I worked in a rural district, unfortunately I saw more than my fair share of those. My guess is that I saw better outcomes for small pets in the soft-sided carriers because those were more likely to have dedicated straps for seat belts to attach, and therefore were more likely to be secured in the back bench seat, away from front airbags. Also the hard-sided carriers that can be disassembled had a tendency to come apart during the crash if they weren't secured properly, leading to injuries. (Though I never encountered a cat after an MVC that was obviously seriously injured beyond some scrapes and bruises or some wheezing from airbag powder no matter where their carrier had been placed or how much it had been damaged - but they are good at hiding pain from scary strangers in turnouts and I obviously had no way of knowing if hidden injuries cropped up later for most animals.) Fortunately I never was on a call where a cat was deceased after an MVC, but from my conversations with co-workers who were, almost invariably most or all of the humans did not make it either in those cases, because we don't bounce as well as cats.
 
They just got their second snack of the day and I'm pleased to report they've already learned the new "snack time" alarm tone.

I'm going to have to get a slow feeder bowl for Hercule - with no teeth poor Hastings can't eat as fast (and he loses a lot of his food out the sides of his mouth) and I'm having to play goalie to keep Hercule from "helping" him finish his snack.
 
Olive & Paula said:
How about a 3 in 1 per stroller? I purchased one for my 18 lb because I couldn't manage the size carrier he would fit in.
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I love it! I won't lie, I have experienced a little anxiety thinking about what I'll do if I have to get them out of the apartment quickly during a tornado or derecho warning, and a way to be able to walk a ways with them in a pinch if necessary would soothe that.
 
@Dyana @Chris & China (GA) @Bron and Sheba (GA) @Noah & me (GA)

THANK YOU for the great advice on feeding Hastings snacks. Even just after feeding his two morning snacks he was more alert and active during the day than he has been. Since we're new to each other I thought he just liked to sleep a lot (which he definitely does! But not as much as he had been.) Last night was also the first night he didn't wake me up sometime in the middle of the night because he was crying in the living room. Again, I figured it was just a new environment and he was scared when he couldn't see well (he's got cataracts starting) but I bet he was feeling the glucose crash. I'm going to pick up a ReliOn meter this evening after work, and the vet is coming on Wednesday to set up the Libre2 sensor. I'm a little worried about doing the BG sticks, just because you can still see the sore spots where Hastings was poked while in the shelter, and he's very skittish about his ears being touched. I've been trying to get him used to it by rubbing them gently whenever we're cuddling, but he's still very twitchy as soon as I get close to his pinna.

After looking through the shelter vet records again, I noticed that he'd still been losing weight every time they checked him, and my vet agreed that we need to stabilize his weight and maybe even gain a little back, even though he's technically still overweight, and that we can worry about getting Hercule down a pound or two after that. So I've got a Lickimat coming for Hercule, so he can be eating for the same amount of time as Hastings without as many calories. I added a case of FF Tender Liver and Chicken Feast classic (2% carbs according to Dr. Pierson's chart) so I can give them something different for their snacks. Also Hercule doesn't like chicken as much as fish flavors so hopefully that will also kerb his desire to steal food from Hastings. (I tried feeding them in separate rooms but they BOTH refused to eat, and cried. They are very co-dependent!)

I'm also now not sure if I'm getting an accurate impression of how much water Hastings is drinking - I put the bowl right by my desk so I can watch him during the day, and he gets more water dribbled out of his mouth than actually gets in, I think. There was a 6" radius splash zone after he was done!
 
As an aside (non DM related) thanks for the advice re the carriers. I read that with considerable interest. I know that here where I live in Canada, there has been a real spate of late, of people being involved in MVAs with totally unrestrained pets.
Inevitably, the pets get ejected and then run off.
The dogs seem to be more likely to be found, but sadly, the cats typically aren't :(
One of the cases involved a cat that was in a carrier, so at least the owner tried to do their best, however when the crash happened, the carrier either broke or popped open, the cat got loose and wasn't seen again. So sad for all involved!
 
Hastings and Paula said:
I love it! I won't lie, I have experienced a little anxiety thinking about what I'll do if I have to get them out of the apartment quickly during a tornado or derecho warning, and a way to be able to walk a ways with them in a pinch if necessary would soothe that.
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What I liked best was cat being in carrier in the house then carried out to car. Stroller frame stayed in my car. Vet was on busy highway with a long walk from parking lot to door. My back was out at the time and Smokey needed to go to vet. I could not handle the hard side carrier needed for his size. Plus carrying my phone, wallet and his bag of supplies that came with us any time he had to go with me (store, my dr, work and one time human hospital.) The one i got is no longer made. I am seriously considering the one I linked as it has nice height to carrier itself.

Haven't figured out about evacuate immediately yet. My cats hide during a storm under the bed which I can not reach under. If I have time i could do it, but if there is no notice, I'm afraid some might get left behind.
 
Hastings and Paula said:
I've been trying to get him used to it by rubbing them gently whenever we're cuddling, but he's still very twitchy as soon as I get close to his pinna
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Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.

Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!
 
If your cats like fish, and like stinky food, get Bonito Flakes for their treats! We call it Stinky Fish. It reeks. It's also fine, thin flakes, so they can get a lot of stink and flavor for very little actual food going in. Stinky Fish is so popular in our house, we have to put little piles of it out for each of the three cats and both dogs whenever we give it, and then referee them trying to steal each other's bits. We store it in a sealed tub, in a sealed ziploc bag, up out of reach, it's so pungent. But evidently very delicious if you are an animal who likes stinky fish.
 
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