Hello all,
Ollie (11 y/o tabby) diagnosed with diabetes about 3 months ago. He’s on 2 mL vetsulin insulin twice a day. He gets fed roughly at 9:30 AM and 8:30 PM. No snacking during the day. He’s eating a TOTAL of 3.3 oz can of wet food per day. He’s supposed to be 12 lbs so he’s obviously not getting enough calories. The problem is he doesn’t seem that hungry. He’ll eat voraciously for about 5-7 minutes and then he done, usually leaving about half of half of a can (so he’s eating around 1/4-1/2 a 3.3 oz can per day). Before he was diagnosed he was a free-eater and would graze throughout the day. Temperament-wise he seems a bit sleepier than normal, a bit less happy. I don’t have a meter so I am not tracking his BG throughout the day. He had a fructose test 3 mo ago and the dr said all looked good and to keep holding as is.
he’s currently on purina beyond pate wet food. I’ve tried friskies shreds (not interested except for the gravy), blue Buffalo, fancy feast…purina is the only one he hasn’t gotten sick of yet..he’s just not eating enough! Any tips?
Hi Lisa & Ollie! I am on similar timeline to you and have not yet found a local vet with experience / willing to comply with home-testing. I had difficulty helping my Arthur begin to regain weight and am working on helping him get the muscle back in his hind legs which is of major importance.
I must mention, the vet had raised his dose from 2units to 3units after a day curve in the charity - but it was instantly too much once I got him home. He was visibly lethargic, or 'zonked' as I put it, and dangerously could barely lift his head off the couch when he heard the fridge door which was a real scare. I brought him back to 2.5 immediately and he became his own self again. Vet acted quite critically that I had adjusted the dose alone, but he was dangerously low on their adjusted dose. I think his high-stress being without me all day in the charity sent his sugar skyrocketing and they had false over- elevated readings. Covid means the poor animals are unaccompanied in strange places for the curves unless we can test at home. I am working towards that!
As for food that has helped re-gain weight...
Bear in mind most diabetic cats are overweight and I notice most of the veterinary diets are designed to help cats stop weight gain, or reduce weight, and are not fit for our purpose.
I have been giving Arthur
Examples:
50g raw duck chunks with fat on from butchers after 10-15 mins of chasing a wand outdoors
40g raw beef chunks with small bit of fresh lard from butchers
50g 'chuck' (I think) which is a cheap cut but less chewy than cow cheek
I tried on diagnosis only feeding him twice a day, continued for 3painful weeks that way. He scarfed and barfed and it was dangerous when he vomited everything after he'd had his insulin.
Now I have adjusted back to a rhythm that gives him wellbeing and no stress of having to wait hungry for so many hours with only two meals a day. He has carefully timed and measured meals and snacks through the day, nothing off-schedule and everything weighed and calculated. I try to give raw snacks in the hours where the insulin would be low before the next shot and help to satiate his appetite. He is very content after raw food.
Even the dry veterinary diet has a high amount of carbs - I honestly don't understand how the big commercial companies get away with it. I'm developing a relationship with a local butcher instead but haven't yet completely transitioned off the dry.
In my cat's case in particular he has a fast metabolism and this is how I have been helping him to regain weight:
7.30-8.30 am 48grammes Purina Diabetic dry + insulin
12.00 either 13grammes dry or 40g boiled chicken in throw and catch game outside
4pm 50/60g Raw snack either kidney / duck chunks (with fat on) / something less chewy than cow cheek (maybe called chuck?)
7.30-8.30pm 48 grammes Purina Diabetic dry + insulin + 1tsp cod liver oil
11.30pm 13grammes kibble
4am 13 grammes kibble from robot feeder
Sundays - small piece of liver
48gramme meals are spread over the hour in different slow feeders. "
Rainy Day" is his favourite. It is also on amazon ASIN B087DNHXD4 if you use that.
He was a marauding looney before I added the raw. He was eating double the quantity recommended on the packet of the expensive dry and Cleary not getting what he needed. He'd try to get into my neighbors' houses and see what they had, steal from the communal bins... nightmare.
It is much safer when he knows he comes home and something delightful awaits him.
