This morning the meter was acting up, so several pokes, cries, squirms.. finally got a reading. Thinking the the Friskies pate he ate for dinner last night and over night made him rise from 209 PMP to 338 this AM.
Friskies pates are mostly low carb. The testing will get easier. Try inserting the strip only partway into the meter before testing. Just enough that the meter holds the strip but not fully in which puts you against the clock.