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Jj12

Jj12

Member Since 2023
Just joined and so grateful I found this site. Found out Tues my 12 yo main coon mix is diabetic. I am familiar with injections as I have had sugar kitties before. The difference now is Baby Bella is semi-feral, I can't get near him even after several years being an indoor cat. He is now eating only fancy feast can with no problems, noticed slight decrease in water as I measure every day. Injections will be 2 ml twice/day on Lantus, needle is 5/16. I tried gabapenten in his food but then he won't eat it. Vet suggested compound pharmacy making gabapenten flavored liquid. Anyone try this? I really hate having my boy drugged all day every day.

Any suggestions as to how to give injection without getting hurt? He has never even scratched me, just runs away. I thought possibly a towel over him but then how do I give shot?
Thanks for any advice.
 
Jj12 said:
Just joined and so grateful I found this site. Found out Tues my 12 yo main coon mix is diabetic. I am familiar with injections as I have had sugar kitties before. The difference now is Baby Bella is semi-feral, I can't get near him even after several years being an indoor cat. He is now eating only fancy feast can with no problems, noticed slight decrease in water as I measure every day. Injections will be 2 ml twice/day on Lantus, needle is 5/16. I tried gabapenten in his food but then he won't eat it. Vet suggested compound pharmacy making gabapenten flavored liquid. Anyone try this? I really hate having my boy drugged all day every day.

Any suggestions as to how to give injection without getting hurt? He has never even scratched me, just runs away. I thought possibly a towel over him but then how do I give shot?
Thanks for any advice.
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Welcome!! I hope more experienced members weigh in, but wondering if you have tried putting him in a carrier or box w blankets for the shot? That worked for me when giving sub q fluids. I know other members have suggested giving the shot when he is eating ( i never tried that)
 
Hi and welcome to the forum to you and Baby Bella.
2 units twice a day is a large starting dose of insulin. Is he a big cat?
Did the vet mention ketones at diagnosis?.
I would try giving him the injection while he is eating to see if that helps.
Are you also giving him snacks during the cycles?
Is the gabapentin to keep him calm so you can give the shots?
Im going to tag @Suzanne & Darcy as she has had a lot to do with feral Kitties
 
No ketones, yes he is a big boy at 14.2 lbs he needs to lose 2 lbs per vet. Gabapenten is so I can handle him can't pick him up. But he won't eat food now with gabapenten. Problem now is getting him on feeding schedule. He only ate 1/4 can of fancy feast this morning. That's not enough food for shot is it? He grazes mostly from 4pm, give few treats during day so he has something.
 
Jj12 said:
No ketones, yes he is a big boy at 14.2 lbs he needs to lose 2 lbs per vet. Gabapenten is so I can handle him can't pick him up. But he won't eat food now with gabapenten. Problem now is getting him on feeding schedule. He only ate 1/4 can of fancy feast this morning. That's not enough food for shot is it? He grazes mostly from 4pm, give few treats during day so he has something.
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That is a large starting dose of Lantus. What was his fructosamine number? I would not start at 2 units of Lantus without being able to home test to know what the glucose is prior to shooting insulin (the preshot test that is to see if it is even safe to give insulin, i.e., not too low) and to know how low the dose is taking the BG. It is potentially dangerous. Have you considered getting a Libre sensor put on so that you just scan to see what his blood glucose number is? I understand about not being able to handle a cat for sure. That is definitely problematic. I have shot insulin while feeding before, though. The shots are so quick. Will Baby Bella let you touch him and get near him? Have you "practiced" just by touching his scruff while he's eating? You could just stroke it at first. Then you could try pulling up the scruff really quickly and letting it go. Then you could give a treat (low carb, of course.)

With Lantus, your cat does not need to eat a full meal at shot time. You can give a little food and do the shot, and it's better to give small snacks throughout the early part of the cycle (before nadir, which is the lowest point in the cycle.) It's better for diabetic cats on insulin to be fed this way. If you are not at home, an automatic feeder would dispense the food.
 
I would definitely try to compounded gabapentin. There are cats who take it every day for pain, and they are not "drugged" (I mean, they are not out of it and don't act "drugged.") With gabapentin, the key is to finding a dose that will relax your cat without it being so much that kitty has problems walking. You might have to start with a larger dose and then can decrease it as he gets more used to your routine. If getting tests during the middle part of the cycle is a problem (because you can't handle him to get an ear test) then a Libre glucose sensor would be almost a necessity to prevent hypoglycemia.
And now.... putting the greeting at the end of my messages (sorry)

Welcome! Thank you for loving a feral cat!
 
I agree 2 units is a large starting dose-my boy was 20 pounds and we started at 1 unit BID and sometimes he would drop too low. I understand it is so hard to test/shoot on a feral cat. Hopefully the prior suggestions will help such as the libre sensor. Sending a big hug:bighug:
 
Hi,

I’m in a very similar situation with my cat who was diagnosed a three week ago. Shots were a complete nightmare and we tried everything we could- giving food, treats, brushing, showing her the syringe, sneak attacks. Finally my vet suggested gabapentin until we can get her to accept the process. We gave her 75 mg on Friday and it made the world of difference. Only problem is that she will only eat it when they are wrapped in pill pockets and in gravy which is not a diabetic approved diet. We have still managed to get her shots in and part of this is that I am just matter of fact- walk over, inject, leave a treat, she stares at me like she wants to murder me, and then gets over it. I think she is hopefully getting to the acceptance phase. We have many scratches and shed many tears.

We just ordered the vanilla flavored tablets (that was all they had) to see if the flavoring masks her senses and if she takes it tonight.

We are clearly still learning and I think part of my failure was that I was trying to push her past her comfort zone as a previously feral cat. I changed her diet, tried to start testing, and giving her insulin. She just could handle it like the other cats. We will get up to those gold standards of home testing and curves, but she needs to trust this new routine first.
 
Thank you all for great advice! I don't know fructosamine number, his sugar was 435, vet recommended Libre after 14 days of shots. I will eventually start with 1 ml. I have noticed that his water intake is getting less, hopefully due to fancy feast. I think I was pushing him too hard also, now he's hiding under bed and won't come out. He ate last night at 9, picked up food cos I have 2 ferals, they both eat same food but I try to keep track of his food. He hasn't eaten since last night, he's not a day eater only eats at night. Yesterday he barely ate 1 can which he should be eating 2. Is 1 can enough for shot? I am so scared of giving him too much.

I've been trying to pet him, I get a few pets then a hiss then he runs away. I can't pick him up. This is very much stressing him which is probably causing sugar to go up.
 
Jj12 said:
I will eventually start with 1 ml.
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I hope you mean 1 unit. I ml of a human insulin like Lantus/glargine is 100 units.

My Snuffles is a "mean" cats. I found out that I can test hime before food and shots by bringing in a full food dish and then lift him up and put him in my lap and test him. I have to hold the ear with a Vulcan death grip otherwise he would be able to bit me. Before I used to test before even bring in the food. I would get a little bloodied by minor bites. He is a front declaw otherwise I do not know what I would do. I seldom test between shots because I am afraid of being bi. He sent me to the dr one because of a deep bite. After that he sent be to the ER when he ripped my arm with his teeth. At that time he really bloodied my hand to and I did not notice the ripped arm until I rolled up my sleeve to wash the bloody hand. I can pet Snuffles a little before he hisses and tries to bite my hand
 
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