Seeking shirt recommendation for FreeStyle Libre

S

salmonlover

Member Since 2026
Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed and I've been having a really hard with testing him. He is a strong cat with a large personality and swats off my attempts. When I am able to get it done, often very little blood comes out despite heating his ear, looking for veins with a flashlight, trying it freehand or with a lancing device. It is has been hit or miss, but mostly misses. I think he doesn't sit still long enough to get a good poke. He also has hyperthyroidism, which the medicine goes on his ear, so I think his ears might be over-stimulated. He's now also started flinching from the insulin injections as well, despite being mindful of changing locations. He doesn't have a lot of scruff. This has made the curve very challenging, so I'm moving on to trying a FreeStyle Libre. I read some people suggest a toddler's size t-shirt over it to ensure the cat can't remove it. I was wondering if anyone has specific recommendations for a t-shirt? My cat does not like wearing things, and won't wear a collar (he's inside only), so I'm not even sure that this will work out either but I'm hopeful and willing to try anything to help him. I'd like to avoid giving him gabapentin because it makes me nervous as I haven't yet determined if the hyperthyroidism is masking kidney disease. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you so much!
 
Welcome to FDMB
Well, there are many options, like little girls tube tops wide enough to hide the sensor or the scarf I found At Walmart pic below this can give you an idea to be creative😉
 

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@Staci & Ivy can suggest some things.

@Allie & Gen uses a Kitty Holster-type jacket. Gen occasionally goes out on walks so it works for him.

All you need is something rectangular to wrap around the body to cover the Libre. If you're crafty, you can DIY a knitted or crochet a rectangle and attach velcro to the ends to stick it together. Or take a rectangular piece of scrap cotton fabric and attach no-sew velcro to the ends. You can hem the edges or just fabric glue the edges over to keep them from fraying.
 
squeem3 said:
@Staci & Ivy can suggest some things.

@Allie & Gen uses a Kitty Holster-type jacket. Gen occasionally goes out on walks so it works for him.

All you need is something rectangular to wrap around the body to cover the Libre. If you're crafty, you can DIY a knitted or crochet a rectangle and attach velcro to the ends to stick it together. Or take a rectangular piece of scrap cotton fabric and attach no-sew velcro to the ends. You can hem the edges or just fabric glue the edges over to keep them from fraying.
Click to expand...
Please see this document about using a Libre CGM, lots of important information in here.
My cat wears a “tube top” and her photo is in the document.
Here are more ideas (also as we suggest, the Facebook group Freestyle Libre for Dogs and Cats has a lot of information about variations of things you can try to cover the Libre so the cat won’t try to pull it off.
Getting Started With Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) for Diabetic Cats
1774567894641.png

Here is a headband or wider head wrap
1774567954919.jpeg

1774568004953.png
 
I've been using a Libre with my cat since his (re)diagnosis in November. I happened to have a Kitty Holster harness on hand (a friend gave it to me years ago when she bought the wrong size for her cat), so I tried that after Gen managed to get his first sensor off. I wasn't planning to use it permanently, as I wasn't sure it would be comfortable, but I'm not very crafty (I was sure that anything I tried to make myself would fall off or be too tight), so I tried a number of cat shirts ordered online (including a few designed for Sphynx cats, which tended to be well made), and those worked all right. Still, he would occasionally manage to tear off a sensor if he felt like it, with the shirts on - they were loose and made of a thin, light material. The harness, however, was very effective at keeping it on, so I bought a second one and now I swap them out, after checking with my vet to make sure they weren't going to be too restrictive/uncomfortable for long-term use.

He wasn't thrilled about it at first - the reason I'd never tried the harness on him before (after my friend gave it to me) was that he hates any kind of restriction (he's a cat that will not be burrito'd!) and absolutely destroyed the one collar I ever bought for him. I never had the heart to force him, until it became a matter of his safety and wellbeing. Lo and behold, he got used to the harness (and the shirts), and I don't think he even notices it anymore. Many cats seem to be very dramatic about any kind of top/etc that you put on them at first (we call it "going on strike" - they fall over and act like they can't move, or limp stiffly around like they're ancient and heavily arthritic when they aren't), sometimes for a couple of days, but most do seem to adjust given time.

Gen's a strictly indoor boy too, but now that he's accustomed to wearing a harness anyway, I'm planning to see if he'd like to hang out in the park on a leash sometime, for enrichment and such. So that's a nice bonus.

I've recently started placing a tegaderm bandage over the sensor (a leaf out of @Staci & Ivy's book! 😘), under the harness, for a little extra stability.
 
salmonlover said:
Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed and I've been having a really hard with testing him. He is a strong cat with a large personality and swats off my attempts. When I am able to get it done, often very little blood comes out despite heating his ear, looking for veins with a flashlight, trying it freehand or with a lancing device. It is has been hit or miss, but mostly misses. I think he doesn't sit still long enough to get a good poke. He also has hyperthyroidism, which the medicine goes on his ear, so I think his ears might be over-stimulated. He's now also started flinching from the insulin injections as well, despite being mindful of changing locations. He doesn't have a lot of scruff. This has made the curve very challenging, so I'm moving on to trying a FreeStyle Libre. I read some people suggest a toddler's size t-shirt over it to ensure the cat can't remove it. I was wondering if anyone has specific recommendations for a t-shirt? My cat does not like wearing things, and won't wear a collar (he's inside only), so I'm not even sure that this will work out either but I'm hopeful and willing to try anything to help him. I'd like to avoid giving him gabapentin because it makes me nervous as I haven't yet determined if the hyperthyroidism is masking kidney disease. Any advice is appreciated! Thank you so much!
Click to expand...
I've never tested my cat's blood. I've faithfully given her the injections and kept a careful eye on her. I've taken her in for a glucose curve every 6 months and she has been doing great. Some might disagree but I dont test her blood. I also started at the beginning after.her diagnosis. with the Libre 2 monitor for 2 weeks. That showed the amount of insulin prescribed was right for her. That has been my experience. One time I was worried about her because she seemed lethargic and just off and I took her in for an extra glucose curve and she was fine. So that's how I've been doing it, glucose curves every 6 months. Going in for thr curve all day stresses her out, but not as much as daily pokes would. I also use the Lantus pen at room temperature and she doesnt even feel it. Best of luck to you.
 
Honestly, you are very brave, shooting insulin without testing the glucose levels is a major risk, you have been very lucky as far, a glucose level at the vet as you noted, cats are very sensitive to stress, therefore the glucose levels will not be realistic it causes the levels to hike, so you actually do not know your cats' glucose real glucose level, and cats hide illnesses and symptoms very very well, keeping an eye is not the answer, sometimes it's too late. and a hypoglycemic episode is not a pretty site, as well as a risk to the cats' health and heart, the time you noticed your cat being lethargic and off it was most likely a very low glucose level, a sign of hypoglycemia, and of course the curve changed all that at the vet, because of stress, you are taking a wild chance, and it is NOT recommended to give insulin without home testing or the CGM, if humas would give themselves insulin without testing their glucose levels, there would be many death due to hypoglycemia. as well as cats' deaths.
 
Puffin said:
I've never tested my cat's blood. I've faithfully given her the injections and kept a careful eye on her. I've taken her in for a glucose curve every 6 months and she has been doing great. Some might disagree but I dont test her blood. I also started at the beginning after.her diagnosis. with the Libre 2 monitor for 2 weeks. That showed the amount of insulin prescribed was right for her. That has been my experience. One time I was worried about her because she seemed lethargic and just off and I took her in for an extra glucose curve and she was fine. So that's how I've been doing it, glucose curves every 6 months. Going in for thr curve all day stresses her out, but not as much as daily pokes would. I also use the Lantus pen at room temperature and she doesnt even feel it. Best of luck to you.
Click to expand...
This is very dangerous and you are putting your kitty in danger by not testing and just giving insulin.
 
Thank-you for your advice. I have already purchased the monitor and the Lancets and the strips months ago so maybe I will start. With the Lantus she has been on an even keel since day 1 of the insulin, no fluctuations at all (as I said I've had her on the Libre as well) so Ive been fortunate. This has all been on my veterinarian's advice becsuse ive asked them about the home testing of course. I am in many conversations with the vet. No arguments here, I appreciate you stating your point of view.
 
We are a worldwide Forum that help 24/7 and we worry when we hear about not home testing especially from Vets, and for a Newbie that the vets gives them a very high dose and they have no idea why their cat is acting so strange. Overall home testing manually or with CGM is a must in my book, not only one sees the continued daily progress of how the insulin works itself in the system but helps to be able to increase/decrease without risk, and possible remission. All cats are different and insulin works different in mod cats, but the results is always the same safety when giving insulin, and knowing your cats glucose level before giving that shot, Corky was diagnosed 4 years ago, and I still test every 3-4 hours, today he, is as I said is tightly regulated, but I am positive that if he gets ill I will immediately know, just by the change in glucose levels, another great advantage of home testing, since cats hide illnesses so well, sometimes until the situation is out of hand or death
 
squeem3 said:
@Staci & Ivy can suggest some things.

@Allie & Gen uses a Kitty Holster-type jacket. Gen occasionally goes out on walks so it works for him.

All you need is something rectangular to wrap around the body to cover the Libre. If you're crafty, you can DIY a knitted or crochet a rectangle and attach velcro to the ends to stick it together. Or take a rectangular piece of scrap cotton fabric and attach no-sew velcro to the ends. You can hem the edges or just fabric glue the edges over to keep them from fraying.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! That's a great idea!
 
Staci & Ivy said:
Please see this document about using a Libre CGM, lots of important information in here.
My cat wears a “tube top” and her photo is in the document.
Here are more ideas (also as we suggest, the Facebook group Freestyle Libre for Dogs and Cats has a lot of information about variations of things you can try to cover the Libre so the cat won’t try to pull it off.
Getting Started With Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) for Diabetic Cats
View attachment 77577
Here is a headband or wider head wrap
View attachment 77578
View attachment 77579
Click to expand...
Awww, a tube top! I think this might work for us. Thank you so much!
 
Allie & Gen said:
I've been using a Libre with my cat since his (re)diagnosis in November. I happened to have a Kitty Holster harness on hand (a friend gave it to me years ago when she bought the wrong size for her cat), so I tried that after Gen managed to get his first sensor off. I wasn't planning to use it permanently, as I wasn't sure it would be comfortable, but I'm not very crafty (I was sure that anything I tried to make myself would fall off or be too tight), so I tried a number of cat shirts ordered online (including a few designed for Sphynx cats, which tended to be well made), and those worked all right. Still, he would occasionally manage to tear off a sensor if he felt like it, with the shirts on - they were loose and made of a thin, light material. The harness, however, was very effective at keeping it on, so I bought a second one and now I swap them out, after checking with my vet to make sure they weren't going to be too restrictive/uncomfortable for long-term use.

He wasn't thrilled about it at first - the reason I'd never tried the harness on him before (after my friend gave it to me) was that he hates any kind of restriction (he's a cat that will not be burrito'd!) and absolutely destroyed the one collar I ever bought for him. I never had the heart to force him, until it became a matter of his safety and wellbeing. Lo and behold, he got used to the harness (and the shirts), and I don't think he even notices it anymore. Many cats seem to be very dramatic about any kind of top/etc that you put on them at first (we call it "going on strike" - they fall over and act like they can't move, or limp stiffly around like they're ancient and heavily arthritic when they aren't), sometimes for a couple of days, but most do seem to adjust given time.

Gen's a strictly indoor boy too, but now that he's accustomed to wearing a harness anyway, I'm planning to see if he'd like to hang out in the park on a leash sometime, for enrichment and such. So that's a nice bonus.

I've recently started placing a tegaderm bandage over the sensor (a leaf out of @Staci & Ivy's book! 😘), under the harness, for a little extra stability.
Click to expand...
Oh you are so lucky! My cat is is the strike king! I tried teaching my cat to go on walks and he just flops around like a potato in the harness around the living room. It was a short-lived attempt lol. I'll have to try again. Thank you!
 
I am from China so I bought these pet clothes for Tiger from PDD (in overseas TEMU). Very low price. It could prevent Tiger licking Libre (I put it off yesterday/the 14th day).
I found some ppl they could also make similar type clothes by themselves. You can use the sleeves of an oversized garment to make a small pet outfit. Just measure the width between your cat’s front legs and cut two appropriately sized armholes for them to go through.

My cat Tiger is quite large (7.25 kg) — the length fits well, but sometimes the neckline and sleeve openings are a bit too big. I take them in slightly with a few stitches, so Tiger won’t be able to wiggle out of it easily.
 

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