6/12 James (first condo!) PMPS 274

Status
Not open for further replies.
kateliz

kateliz

Member Since 2012
6/12
AMPS 241, 1U
+3 297
+5.5 273
+9 258
PMPS 274, 1U

Hi everyone,

I'm Kate, and my cat James was diagnosed with FD a few weeks ago (5/22). I had been reading on these boards for a while, but didn't post until the first time James' blood sugar went below 50. (See thread here. Everyone was such great help and Melissa encouraged me to start posting regularly over here to take advantage of all the great advice and support. I'm reading all I can, but I still have a lot to learn...

I had been giving James 1U Lantus twice a day, but upped it to 1.5U after 5 straight days of really high numbers. 5 days on 1.5U was enough to give that low reading on 6/8, and I backed him down to 1U twice daily again. I just got my order of syringes with half unit markings, so before today, any incremental doses were all eyeballed, and I wasn't confident that I would accurately estimate quarter doses.

He's been in the 200s and 300s for the last few days, but I'm hoping to see some progress after he makes up for the last skipped dose and settles in to this dosage. I also JUST got those new syringes so am now able to adjust by smaller amounts.

I'm working on a profile for James, but until I do, I'll give a quick overview here. James is a 9 year old orange and white tabby who was found wandering near an RV park, and was given to me almost 2 years ago when the couple who found him inherited another cat. In the time I have had him, he has never been able/willing to jump onto beds or high furniture, which I attributed to age, a possible injury from a dog bite during his time at the RV camp, and a horribly mangled declaw job on his front feet (don't know when/how that happened). He was diagnosed after being taken to the vet when I noticed he was no longer using the litterbox to defecate. He'd lost 4 pounds since his last vet visit 4 months ago (different vet), and after some conversations about his water intake and other litterbox habits, the vet immediately diagnosed him with diabetes (blood glucose of 470 at time of diagnosis!). He's never had a problem with ketones, all his other lab work was good, so we got a prescription for Lantus and ended up here! He has a VERY robust, unfussy appetite (feeding wet only: Friskies and Fancy Feast) and has never given me serious troubles with home testing (using a Relion Confirm). I'm so lucky that my first introduction to FD has been such a patient little test subject!

Just wanted to give a little introduction, and I hope to be posting here regularly!

Kate

Update: My internet got "accidentally" disconnected so I'll be checking in sporadically for the next day or so. This means I might be slow to update my spreadsheet as well
 
Hi Kate and James-

Welcome to LantusLand..as many others say, the best place you never wanted to be! It sounds like you guys are off to an awesome start, with your SS up and running, James eating good fuds and not objecting to testing. Wonderful!

We're a family here...there is more support - both emotional and techincal - than you could ever imagine. Please ask as many questions as you need...someone will always know the answer, and there are many shoulders to lean on.

Once again...welcome to our little group!

Amy

PS - James is one handsome kitty!
 
Yay Kate! You made it! Great to see you post. You will be so glad you did. Everyone here is willing to help and have a lot of experience.

Welcome again. Can't wait to see James get better with you.
 
Welcome to Lantus Land!!

For having been at this for 3 weeks, you're doing an incredible job!! You've mastered testing and shooting, gotten a spreadsheet (SS) up and running, have James on a low carb diet, and you've read all of the stickies. That's impressive.

Has the vet given any explanation for why James may be defecating outside of the box? If he's not jumping, it may be that he had neuropathy and it may be difficult for him to get into the litterbox. It might be worth asking your vet about it but characteristically, a cat will walk on his hocks. Methyl B-12 (methylcobalamin) can do wonders to help with diabetic neuropathy. Zobaline is a product that was developed specifically for diabetic cats. In the mean time, have you tried anything to get him to go back to using his box?

It looks to me that James may be ready for a dose increase. What would you think about increasing to 1.25u?

Please let us know if you have questions. The people here are incredibly generous with their time and knowledge. We're happy to help in any way that we can.
 
Hello Kate and James!!! This is the best place you never wanted to be. James sounds like a real survivor! We have been here for a little over a year, but spend a few months after FD diagnosis before we found this place. The people here are the best educators about FD around. And we're all crazy about our cats and everyone else's cats too! ;-)
 
Welcome, James and Kate!! You are definitely are in the right place. We have been here for 1 1/2 years and without FDMB, I'm not sure Simon would be here. Our vet started him at 3 units and then increased to 4 without any hometesting recommended. Thank goodness I found this site and started hometesting. I shudder to think of what would have happened if I kept going with Simon's ex-vet's care.

You are already doing an incredible job!!
 
Hi and welcome James and Kate. Looking forward to getting to know you. James sounds like a little love bug and a very lucky kitty indeed to have you as his Bean.
 
Well done, Kate! You are doing a great job for James. What a sweetheart. :-D Be sure to ask lots of questions because someone here will probably be able to help you.
Liz, Zener's other mom
 
Sorry for the mass reply; typing on the phone is HARD!


Amy: Thanks for the warm welcome! James must have heard your compliments because he just walked over for some attention, hmmm.

Melissa: Thank you, again!

Sienne:
I originally wondered if the problems were because I bought new furniture that is harder for James to jump onto, and he was stressed out. He's used the litterbox perfectly in situations I would think are more stressful (many family members spending the day in my small apartment). While at first he tried to go in the box, and then finished the job on the carpet, he then started waiting til I was in bed or gone so he could hide it from me, but it's gotten to the point where I can be in the same room and he will go on the carpet. He always slinks around guiltily afterwards. I've started cleaning his boxes (he has 2) more often, am cleaning the carpet with an enzymatic cleaner, and I have been using Feliway spray for the last few days in his usual spots! We've acclimated to a new normal on wet food only, but the consistency isn't different, he doesn't appear to be having problems going, and he goes like clockwork every 24 hours. He has never, EVER urinated outside the box! The most recent time he's used the box "successfully" was 6/2 during his period of low blood sugar, so I'm now convinced that it is a neuropathy issue.

The vet definitely thinks the litterbox problems are from neuropathy and said so when she diagnosed him with FD. She wanted to watch him walk while he was at the visit, but he would only manage a shy shuffle. James doesn't walk on his hocks like the pictures I've seen, but does pull himself onto furniture by his front paws (always has) which the vet thought was probably another symptom of the neuropathy. She thought with insulin, the neuropathy would improve, but I have looked in to Zobaline and would like to start it to see if it might help!

As far as a dose increase, I can start him at 1.25 U tomorrow morning and have a good few days at home to watch him closely.

Anne, Liz and Ann: Thank you all for your kind words! I'm glad to be here and so thankful for you all!

Georgia: My vet also started James at 3 units and I quickly dropped that down once I started home testing (which granted, she did mention in passing!) and with more reading on this site. I'm so glad to have already received so much good information and support! Thank you
 
Hello Katen & James! Welcome to LL!
Hope you can settle your internet connection soon & we can see more of James!
 
What cleaner are you using? Maybe we can offer some other options. Have you changed brands of litter?

One other thought is to get a very deep box -- maybe a plastic storage container. You can then cut a notch in the side so it's more accessible. The other option may be to get a lower box that's easier for James to climb into. A different box is a long shot, though, since James doesn't seem to have problems urinating in the box.
 
Litter has been the same for months and changing in the past never phased him. It's always been clumping and unscented, even among brands.

He definitely prefers the lower sided litterbox of the two, but I've put a cardboard box as a step in front of the higher one which he does use to get in and out, but maybe once out of every 5 trips. I'm going to get a another of the lower boxes this weekend to swap out for the taller sided one (a family member has it from keeping him in the past).

I was using regular Resolve Pet Oxi, but switched to Woolite Pet because it has the enzymes. He always goes on carpet, of course. :roll: At this point, it might be good for me to try something that's not just a spot cleaner to clean a bunch of his "favorite" places, if you have any suggestions for something like that?

And hi Jordan, and thank you!
 
I've used Nature's Miracle. Zero Odor is another product that people have used. I've sent a note to a member who raises Abyssinians. With intact males, odor can be an issue. When I hear back, I'll pass along the info.
 
Hi Kate & James!

Welcome, welcome, welcome. Just reiterating what everyone else has said, but this is seriously the. best. place. you could possibly be. Everyone here is so giving of their time, knowledge, support and friendship. I've only been here for a month, and I feel like I'm part of such an amazing online family, I feel so thankful every day that I found this place and these amazing people.

I've got Mr. Kink on Zobaline, and starting to see very small improvements (but he just started on it 3 weeks ago) - so there is some light at the end of the tunnel! We're having issues with him getting litter and urine all over his paws and hocks, and tracking it around the house because of it, so you've definitely got my sympathy there.

Seriously - ask ANY question that comes to mind. I have felt so silly asking so many questions, but everyone is so patient and takes the time to explain everything so thoroughly, it's unbelievable.

Again, welcome to the community, and looking forward to hearing about James' progress!
 
Welcome Kate & James!

Sounds like you've been doing a great job at taking care of James already. Everyone here is so helpful and caring.

We're fighting a carpet issue with Munchkin (Believed to be attributed to a diabetes issue, no neuropathy issues we're aware of). I've used Nature's Miracle. We've applied two applications to her favorite spot and it seems to be helping. It's important to make sure it does dry completely. I could still smell the urine when it was still wet. We pulled back the carpet and pad and treated each layer and have made sure all layers are getting air circulation. We just used a plastic scraper to help put the carpet back under the molding once dry. Hopefully that helps a little.
 
Welcome Kate and James :-D .
It looks like you're doing a good job so far, reading on FDMB, learning to test, and getting the ss setup :thumbup .
We're here to help you.

I was reading your condo with interest, this morning, because my cat J.D., also poos outside of the box, sometimes. In the higher box, he seems to get it all inside. In the lower boxes, he will often start in the box, and finish on the carpet in front of the box.

Hope to see your around daily. :smile:
 
Hi Kate!!! It sounds like you're already doing such a great job!! Way to go!!

About your litterbox issues, declawed cats often have litterbox issues and this might be what's going on with James. Unfortunately, this isn't something easily fixed because you can't reverse the declawing procedure. I know it wasn't you who had James declawed so this isn't your fault. I'm VERY against declawing. Uninformed people don't realize that what they're doing to their cat is amputing their "fingers" to the first knuckle. It's cruel and completely unnecessary and should be outlawed!! For far less than the cost of declawing, people can buy a few scratching posts to put around the house and you've solved any problem with scratching. My first cat, Shay (GA) never scratched furniture. She LOVED flip flops to scratch on. I would buy her her own pair every couple of months. She would put her back paws on the heel part of the flip flop and scratch on the toe part. Champ, on the other hand, even though he had scratching posts, did scratch the furniture. I applied clear packing tape to the parts he wanted to scratch, got taller scratching posts for him (he's a very "tall" cat) ,and that completely took care of the problem. I don't even need the tape on the furniture anymore...I just needed the taller posts so he could stretch as he scratched.

Sorry to use your condo to get on my soapbox, but it breaks my heart to hear about declawed cats and their resulting behavioral issues. Because James slinks away after going to the bathroom where he shouldn't, you know it bothers him as much as it bothers you. I wish you luck!!!
 
Thanks everyone for the welcome and for the info about the cleaners. I’ll definitely look in to some (or all!) of those. I have a pretty low carpet, so I don’t think anything has gotten too deep down into it, but I’m not confident that after I pick up the mess, I’m cleaning in exactly the right spot. Something that really works for odor should help that a lot!

And Patty, I can’t blame you for the soapbox! My family has always had cats, and we’ve never gotten a single one of them declawed, exactly for the reasons you mention. It takes some time and determination to train them not to scratch, but it’s definitely worth the effort. The people who found James were quick to take him in once they realized he was declawed and wasn’t suited to an outdoor life, so that might be the only good thing it’s ever done for him. I can tell the declaw job bothers him; he has trouble holding his catnip toys when he plays and can’t keep his balance on narrow or slippery surfaces. This is by far the WORST job I’ve ever seen on a cat, too; his little feet are mangled and there are loose flaps of skin around his toes. :? It’s a wonder he’s as good-natured as he is after everything he’s had to deal with!
 
Hi and welcome! I'm an old-timer, who is back with the group to keep an eye on my kitty's BG carefully for a little while.

Our vet did the same as yours. Picked a "standard" 2 units to start, upped us to 3 after a few days of 300s and then back down to 2u when we hit 44 in a random spot check a couple of days after that. I was moving along (going nowhere or worse) on that path when Basil hit 568 one day and I showed up here, squeaking "help!" The help I got was phenomenal. That was Dec 21 2009 and on March 4, 2010 we had our off the juice party. I'm not trying to say that will definitely happen for everyone, but it is amazing how this process goes down when you are not doing it blind!

It looks like you are doing a great job. Keep coming back for the advice and just for the hand-holding when you need it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top