New Member - August 31, 2026. Diabetes Advice

danidesjardins

danidesjardins

Member Since 2026
Hi all.

My name is Danielle and my 7.5 year old female cat named Piper was diagnosed with diabetes on August 26, 2026.

She was peeing like crazy and drinking an astronomical amount of water and I just knew something was wrong. I was VERY sure it was diabetes.

We live in Northern Ontario and due to the vet shortages, our vet is 4 hours away. They got us in fairly quick for an appointment.

Me, my husband and Piper travelled the 4 hours there, spent about 3 hours getting tests done and then drove 4 hours home.

The vet tech suspected diabetes right away. We did her glucose test and her level was at 18.

We went back and forth about insulin vs Senvelgo but ended up going with the Senvelgo.

She also had a UTI and was prescribed Clavaseptin.

Again, due to being in Northern Ontario, Amazon was our only option for Hydrophobic Litter. The litter was supposed to arrive today (Monday, August 31, 2026) but has now been delayed until the 8th of September.

Piper has not been eating/drinking properly in 2 days and she has been sleeping 90% of the day for almost a week.

We started Piper on Senvelgo this morning and we didn’t realize that because she wasn’t eating properly, we should have waited on the Senvelgo.

She had her antibiotic/dose of Senvelgo at 9am today and by 5:30pm she vomited complete liquid and it was a colour I have never really seen before.

I called the vet 13 times and no one picked up. I left a message and ended up getting through to the after hours number.

The girl on the phone said we should bring Piper in right away for emergency services.

Our vet ended up returning our call and told us to stop all meds and see if she starts eating and drinking again. If she doesn’t, we are heading back tomorrow. (September 1, 2026)

We just spent $1000 at the last appointment plus gas to drive 8 hours.

I’m having a major breakdown and I don’t know how to handle this.

If anyone has any suggestions or advice please let me know.

We love our girl and want her to feel like herself again :(
 
Hi Danielle and Piper. Sorry you’ve landed here, but with the right treatment you might be surprised how fast a lot of cats get back to their old selves.

It’s late here for me but while you wait for responses from the others, check out this post that talks about setting up a signature and spreadsheet. It helps others see what’s going on at a glance and how things are trending with her blood glucose to be able to help you better.
Sticky - New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

Did the vet mention anything about ketones when you were there?

How about her diet, what’s she eating? And just flat out refusing or acting nauseous? Could you offer her some bland foods and see if she’ll eat those in the meantime? Plain boiled chicken worked well for us recently.

I think you’ll want to speak with @Wendy&Neko or @Marje and Gracie. Hang in there, you got this!
 
Tim & Pookey said:
Hi Danielle and Piper. Sorry you’ve landed here, but with the right treatment you might be surprised how fast a lot of cats get back to their old selves.

It’s late here for me but while you wait for responses from the others, check out this post that talks about setting up a signature and spreadsheet. It helps others see what’s going on at a glance and how things are trending with her blood glucose to be able to help you better.
Sticky - New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

Did the vet mention anything about ketones when you were there?

How about her diet, what’s she eating? And just flat out refusing or acting nauseous? Could you offer her some bland foods and see if she’ll eat those in the meantime? Plain boiled chicken worked well for us recently.

I think you’ll want to speak with @Wendy&Neko or @Marje and Gracie. Hang in there, you got this!
Click to expand...
Hi! Thank you so much for your response.

At the vet, we purchased ketone strips but because we don’t have the proper litter, we can’t exactly test her urine correctly.

We have been offering her both kibble and wet food and she’s refusing both. I will go out and grab some chicken and boil it and see if that intrigues her.

Thank you so much.
 
@danidesjardins while you’re there, grab some baby food that has only meat no vegetables or gravy too.

Would the store possibly have a blood ketone meter? We could walk you through testing her ear. The urine strips you can catch them while they’re actually peeing instead of relying on nonabsorbent litter. I never had luck with either way with the urine strips personally and relied on the blood meter.
 
I found this post very helpful for catching urine. Personally, I made a foil spoon (and now I'm buying a dedicated piss spoon).

Good luck! It's easier to get the hang of than you think!
 
Welcome to the best place you never thought you would ever be. Waving from south of you in the Kawarthas.

You will be testing for ketones regularly one way or another. If you catch it early enough, it can sometimes be managed at home. DKA treatment at a vet is very expensive.

Blood ketone strips cost about a loonie apiece in Canada (which is still cheaper than a vet stay).

Liz & Crowley said:
I found this post very helpful for catching urine. Personally, I made a foil spoon (and now I'm buying a dedicated piss spoon).

Good luck! It's easier to get the hang of than you think!
Click to expand...
And you do not necessarily need the expensive litter. Check out the price of non-absorbent aquarium gravel. Or try the saran wrap trick, or if the cat will allow, a dedicated label.

Because you are quite a distance from a vet, please become familiar with Ketones, Ketoacidosis, and Diabetic Cats: A Primer on Ketones

danidesjardins said:
she vomited complete liquid and it was a colour I have never really seen before.
Click to expand...
Can you describe the colour?

Clavaseptin (clavamox in the USA) is known to cause stomach upset in some cats.

Information on Senvelgo. New Treatments for Feline Diabetes
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
Welcome to the best place you never thought you would ever be. Waving from south of you in the Kawarthas.

You will be testing for ketones regularly one way or another. If you catch it early enough, it can sometimes be managed at home. DKA treatment at a vet is very expensive.

Blood ketone strips cost about a loonie apiece in Canada (which is still cheaper than a vet stay).


And you do not necessarily need the expensive litter. Check out the price of non-absorbent aquarium gravel. Or try the saran wrap trick, or if the cat will allow, a dedicated label.

Because you are quite a distance from a vet, please become familiar with Ketones, Ketoacidosis, and Diabetic Cats: A Primer on Ketones


Can you describe the colour?

Clavaseptin (clavamox in the USA) is known to cause stomach upset in some cats.

Information on Senvelgo. New Treatments for Feline Diabetes
Click to expand...
Hi!

The colour was like an orangey/yellowish?

I can only assume it’s stomach bile?

She’s tolerated the Clavaseptin fine in the past but that honestly could be it.
 
danidesjardins said:
She just vomited white foam.

The second unusual vomit in 5 hours.

I think I’m going to take her to the emergency vet tonight. 4 hour drive but I don’t know what else to do.

She won’t eat, drink or pee.
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The new foam vomit could be related to the empty stomach… 4 hours is a big trip. I wonder could you call and talk to that vet and see if their wait until tomorrow recommendation has changed?
 
I've talked to Chewy vets before to see if they thought it was a "go to the emergency vet" situation or a "you can wait until monday" situation. They won't diagnose, but idk it gives me peace of mind.
 
I might be overly cautious but I am always concerned about the potential for ketones and diabetic ketoacidosis in newly diagnosed cats especially those not started on Lantus or ProZinc right away.

I’d try and take her to the ER. Even though she is on antibiotics, the recipe for DKA is
Infection + not enough insulin + Not enough calories & water

I hope you can get a prescription for Lantus and we can help you get started and I hope she will be ok.
 
Another option for non absorbent litter than one of our members used was washed lentils. Like Marje, my concern is potential for DKA. Not eating or drinking and lethargy are concerning.

Florastor is a common Canadian option that is just s. boulardii, good for diarrhea. Available in most grocery store pharmacy sections. Saying "hi" from the west coast.

Here are some tips to help with appetite: Suggestions on How to Stimulate Kitty's Appetite

Please keep us posted on what you decide to do. If you do end up at the vet's again, try to get some anti nausea meds. Ondsetron is my favourite, the vet will have to write a prescription but you can fill it at human pharmacies. Note, very expensive in Canada. Cerenia is another anti nausea med that also helps with vomiting. You might also see if you can get Mirataz which is an appetite stimulant, she does need to eat. Give the nausea meds at least 1/2 hour before the appetite stimulant. Ask them if you giving fluids at home would be appropriate and if so, get some of the supplies.
 
Liz & Crowley said:
I've talked to Chewy vets before to see if they thought it was a "go to the emergency vet" situation or a "you can wait until monday" situation. They won't diagnose, but idk it gives me peace of mind.
Click to expand...
If you have access to Chewy.com, PRETTY LITTER is the best invention yet! When the cat pees it detects on the litter different colors if there’s something wrong, the litter can change color if there’s infection etc, , but to test for KETONES you need to catch the urine on the strip to get a true reading
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Another option for non absorbent litter than one of our members used was washed lentils. Like Marje, my concern is potential for DKA. Not eating or drinking and lethargy are concerning.

Florastor is a common Canadian option that is just s. boulardii, good for diarrhea. Available in most grocery store pharmacy sections. Saying "hi" from the west coast.

Here are some tips to help with appetite: Suggestions on How to Stimulate Kitty's Appetite

Please keep us posted on what you decide to do. If you do end up at the vet's again, try to get some anti nausea meds. Ondsetron is my favourite, the vet will have to write a prescription but you can fill it at human pharmacies. Note, very expensive in Canada. Cerenia is another anti nausea med that also helps with vomiting. You might also see if you can get Mirataz which is an appetite stimulant, she does need to eat. Give the nausea meds at least 1/2 hour before the appetite stimulant. Ask them if you giving fluids at home would be appropriate and if so, get some of the supplies.
Click to expand...
Hey there!

After an absolute horrendous night, Piper seems to have bounced back a bit. Not 100% but she is moving, drinking and eating a bit. No more vomiting but she did have her first ever diarrhea poop. We thought we were going to lose her. We chose to wait it out for the night instead of packing her up in the kennel to further make her feel more anxious/scared. We decided to keep her comfortable in our bed instead of driving the 4 hours and taking the chance of her passing in the vehicle. She would not open her eyes, was pretty stiff, jerking and breathing really heavy. Me and my husband stayed up all night. It was honestly the scariest/worst feeling ever. We’ve never had cats so this is brand new to us. We called our vet this morning and they said we could bring her in tomorrow. I’m unsure if this decline was due to the antibiotics, the first dosing of the Senvelgo or the diabetes itself. Do we scrap the oral meds and go to insulin? After last night, I’m really willing to do anything for our girl and I’m really not ready to lose her.

I do appreciate all the help and support from everyone. Including the recommendations for the anti nausea and appetite stimulants.

My husband will be traveling the 4 hours there, 4 hours back tomorrow to see what the vet recommends going further.

Appreciate you all!!!!
 
That sounds scary, Danielle. I’m glad you stayed up with her. I’d still be thinking about ketones and keeping her eating. I’d be looking at the injectable insulins for a couple reasons. Her current symptoms and the injectables are I would say more tried and true? We just have many more folks using Lantus or Prozinc here compared to Senvelgo. It sounds overwhelming the shots and home testing blood glucose and stuff but you get into a manageable routine.

Keep us posted!
 
Tim & Pookey said:
That sounds scary, Danielle. I’m glad you stayed up with her. I’d still be thinking about ketones and keeping her eating. I’d be looking at the injectable insulins for a couple reasons. Her current symptoms and the injectables are I would say more tried and true? We just have many more folks using Lantus or Prozinc here compared to Senvelgo. It sounds overwhelming the shots and home testing blood glucose and stuff but you get into a manageable routine.

Keep us posted!
Click to expand...
I agree with Tim.

Until you can get her started on Lantus, please check her urine ketones daily and be sure she is eating more calories than usual as well as drinking. You can add water to her canned food.
 
Marje and Gracie said:
I agree with Tim.

Until you can get her started on Lantus, please check her urine ketones daily and be sure she is eating more calories than usual as well as drinking. You can add water to her canned food.
Click to expand...
I went through hoops to find a glucose monitor that would test her ketones as well and I thought I finally found one but after our first try doing an ear prick, the test strips were not compatible. :( it was really a rough event for all three of us and now Piper is hiding under the bed and won’t come out. I mixed up some canned food with water and left it out for her but she won’t eat/drink anything. Hasn’t peed at all either. I’m thinking we made a big mistake not taking her last night/this morning. The drive is 4 hours away and the vet closes at 5:00pm and by the time we would get there it would be after hours and we’d be stuck in the same position of paying the after hour vet fee. I’m so scared right now and I have no idea what to do. I need to get her on insulin asap and I’m afraid she’ll get worse overnight again.
 
danidesjardins said:
I went through hoops to find a glucose monitor that would test her ketones as well and I thought I finally found one but after our first try doing an ear prick, the test strips were not compatible. :( it was really a rough event for all three of us and now Piper is hiding under the bed and won’t come out. I mixed up some canned food with water and left it out for her but she won’t eat/drink anything. Hasn’t peed at all either. I’m thinking we made a big mistake not taking her last night/this morning. The drive is 4 hours away and the vet closes at 5:00pm and by the time we would get there it would be after hours and we’d be stuck in the same position of paying the after hour vet fee. I’m so scared right now and I have no idea what to do. I need to get her on insulin asap and I’m afraid she’ll get worse overnight again.
Click to expand...
Just the urine ketone test strips will work. If she will pee, slip a spoon under her bottom as she squats, dip the strip in it, and compare it to the chart exactly at the specified time; most are 15 seconds.

Can you call them and ask them to wait? Is there no 24-hour vet emergency clinic there? I think you will need to pay the extra fee.
 
Marje and Gracie said:
Just the urine ketone test strips will work. If she will pee, slip a spoon under her bottom as she squats, dip the strip in it, and compare it to the chart exactly at the specified time; most are 15 seconds.

Can you call them and ask them to wait? Is there no 24-hour vet emergency clinic there? I think you will need to pay the extra fee.
Click to expand...
She will not pee.

In our area, they will only take clients for emergency vet services which is honestly insane to me. We’re trying to get a hold of our vet to let them know we’re on our way but no one is answering again. :(
 
To get her to drink more, there are a couple things you can try. One is tuna water, from plain unsalted cans of tuna. The other is home made stock, just boil some chicken or other meat enough to turn the liquid into a colour and hopefully give it some taste. You can buy meat stock for pets too, but I found just boiled chicken water worked here.

Can you put the food/water under the bed where she can easily reach it? If she does come out, make sure to stuff around the bed with pillows so she can't hide again. If you have a cube or cardboard box you can put it out as an alternative hiding spot, but one you can reach into. Or try opening a closet door.

What type of meter did you end up buying? The Freestyle Lite has a pretty small blood requirement for testing glucose.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
To get her to drink more, there are a couple things you can try. One is tuna water, from plain unsalted cans of tuna. The other is home made stock, just boil some chicken or other meat enough to turn the liquid into a colour and hopefully give it some taste. You can buy meat stock for pets too, but I found just boiled chicken water worked here.

Can you put the food/water under the bed where she can easily reach it? If she does come out, make sure to stuff around the bed with pillows so she can't hide again. If you have a cube or cardboard box you can put it out as an alternative hiding spot, but one you can reach into. Or try opening a closet door.

What type of meter did you end up buying? The Freestyle Lite has a pretty small blood requirement for testing glucose.
Click to expand...
We tried giving her food under the bed and she would not eat at all. She ended up coming back out and I moved the food bowl for her to access and she tried a bit but still would not eat. We ended up getting a hold of our vet and they said we can bring Piper for after hour services. Pricey but we are ok with that. My husband left about 30 minutes ago. I have to stay home as I have a job interview soon and mandatory training at work tomorrow. What a whirlwind of a couple days!!! Hoping they will get us started on insulin this time.

I bought the Freestyle Libre 3 monitor thinking it would be a good choice. The pharmacist recommended it but it didn’t end up being what they promised unfortunately. It was very expensive but again, once we get a handle on the ear pricks, I think it’ll be ok.

I will have to try out the water tricks once she’s home!
 
If you decide to try a glucometer or go with a blood ketone meter.
Glucose testing strips are more expensive in Canada than in the US.
A lot of Canadians use the FreeStyle Lite glucose meter. Strips are roughly $72 per 100 in southern Ontario. The meter is reliable.

Feline diabetes has a steep learning curve but becomes second nature rather quickly. This forum has a wealth of experience and information, and people who have been where you and your husband are right now. :bighug:
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
If you decide to try a glucometer or go with a blood ketone meter.
Glucose testing strips are more expensive in Canada than in the US.
A lot of Canadians use the FreeStyle Lite glucose meter. Strips are roughly $72 per 100 in southern Ontario. The meter is reliable.

Feline diabetes has a steep learning curve but becomes second nature rather quickly. This forum has a wealth of experience and information, and people who have been where you and your husband are right now. :bighug:
Click to expand...
I am so thankful for the support and advice here already. We have had an emotional week and the loving nature of everyone’s replies are so very touching. Feeling so blessed for this community and I am so ready to be the best diabetic cat mom around with the help of you all!!!!
 
I am so glad he took her It is so much better to have it checked out and try and get Lantus. Please keep us posted and we can help you get her started on insulin or whatever you need.
 
They have arrived at the vet! No ketones in her urine. They are doing bloodwork currently. Vet thinks she is just stressed out. We did just move houses and her diabetes diagnosis was literally at the same time. She’s a pro mover though. Her parents have made her move 10 times in her 7.5 years. (We don’t like to stay in one place, lol. We’re back close to where we grew up and hoping this move will be one of her last!) will keep you all updated as I hear from my husband. I have a good feeling about her getting the help she needs. I sent a list of questions over and hoping my husband will call/FaceTime me while the vet is giving his recommendations.
 
Okay! Here it goes:
Blood work was absolutely perfect. Her urine showed dehydration which I knew would be the case. Her glucose levels were great but the vet believes it’s because she hasn’t eaten anything substantial. She will be getting Subcutaneous fluids, anti nausea medication and an appetite stimulant. She really responded well to the fluids previously when she had a bad UTI. I asked about proceeding with Lantus but he does not want to jump on insulin without having enough glucose readings to go off of. Not sure if that is normal or not? We will be testing her levels at home for a while and keeping track of them each ear prick. If anyone has any tips for getting their cat to relax a little more during the needle pokes, let me know! Today was a disaster and I don’t want a repeat of that situation. I did read that pricking them while they were eating something they really love was a good idea? Again, let me know. Thanks everyone!!!
 
Will they prescribe the Lantus now in case you get home and numbers are high? Just to save you or your husband a trip.

Couple tips below that helped me with testing Pookey. There are other ways to do it but just my experience.
  • Pick him up, and then bring him down like straddling him between my knees to keep him from wiggling around
  • Sing or hum a song to keep things calm
  • Freehand with the lancet and ditched the lancing device and understanding the lancet does have a pointier end
  • Gently milk the ear like a pimple to get the bead of blood to come out
1787323450468.png
 
Along with Tim's tips, you could also make a little rice sock out of infant socks (I use infant mittens), and microwave it about 10 seconds or so, and use it to warm the ear. Jude's really good about testing now, but initially, I'd rub, rub, rub with my fingers and then use the rice sock to get the blood flowing at the ear's surface. Then, put a little round gauze pad inside the ear and sort of wrap the ear over your finger (gauze pad between your finger and the ear, and ever so gently poke on the outside of the ear. You're aiming for the outer edge of the ear. It takes a bit for their ears to "learn" to bleed in the beginning. When you "milk" the ear, stick with it to see if the blood will flow--it can sometimes be slow. And offer her favorite treats throughout. Tim's image of the picture shows that the lancets have a beveled side--you want that to be UP as you poke, so the sharpest side of the lancet contacts the ear. Are her ears black (I can't tell from her photo)? If so, a thin coat of vaseline on the ear where you poke will cause the blood to bead up where you can see it.
 
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danidesjardins said:
Okay! Here it goes:
Blood work was absolutely perfect. Her urine showed dehydration which I knew would be the case. Her glucose levels were great but the vet believes it’s because she hasn’t eaten anything substantial. She will be getting Subcutaneous fluids, anti nausea medication and an appetite stimulant. She really responded well to the fluids previously when she had a bad UTI. I asked about proceeding with Lantus but he does not want to jump on insulin without having enough glucose readings to go off of. Not sure if that is normal or not? We will be testing her levels at home for a while and keeping track of them each ear prick. If anyone has any tips for getting their cat to relax a little more during the needle pokes, let me know! Today was a disaster and I don’t want a repeat of that situation. I did read that pricking them while they were eating something they really love was a good idea? Again, let me know. Thanks everyone!!!
Click to expand...
That’s fantastic news. I’m glad she’s ok and they are rehydrating her.

Here is a post on testing tips/videos.

You’ll want to set up a spreadsheet for her so we can look at the numbers and make suggestions. I will be out most of tomorrow but if you need help with it, send me a direct message and I can do it for you when I get home.
 
Tim & Pookey said:
Will they prescribe the Lantus now in case you get home and numbers are high? Just to save you or your husband a trip.
Click to expand...
Not sure what it's like in Ontario, but in BC insulin is over the counter, you don't need a prescription. For drugs that do need a prescription, my vets have contacted my pharmacy of choice directly. Meaning, no extra trip needed.

Was a fructosamine test done with her regular blood work? That's a test that will tell you if the glucose has on average been high the last couple weeks, instead of just the one time vet visit stress numbers.
 
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