9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve complete - let's move on

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Tara & Buster

Tara & Buster

Member Since 2012
Going to get a curve in today so it's house chores and short errands. Buster started off in a good place - let's hope he gets to Greenville today :mrgreen:

Previous Condo

AMPS - 140
+2 - 201 (food spike om nom nom)
+4 - 301 (wait, you're going the wrong waaay!)
+5 - 328 (turn the bus around Bu!)
+6 - 327 (yay! 1 point in the right direction! LoL! Lunch snack is served...)
+7 - 318 (baby steps to the blue lagoon - Buster, you have 5 hours to get there, Mr!)
+8 - 345 angry(2)_cat
+10 - 431 (and there we go - rotten reds... grr_red )
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

So I stepped out on the patio for a beer and some time to reflect on my bff Buster and why his numbers suck furry donkey ballz lately... EUREKA! :idea: I think...

I have been feeding him Wellness Turkey and Chicken flavors exclusively. Until...the other day I thought I would introduce variety. I threw the whole consistency thing out the window. I forgot the rule, "if it ain't broke don't fix it." Turkey and Salmon looks nummeh, says I. Who wants to eat the same thing day after day? Thing is, the Turkey and Salmon is 5% carbs/calorie whereas the Chicken and Turkey are 4%. I'm not exactly sure which feedings he got it (yes, that's horrible grammar, but we'll all live)....but he certainly got it this morning and I have used a total of 2 cans over the past 4-6 cycles. Could this small difference be causing the higher numbers?

Regardless, I have returned that flavor in favor of the others that are 4%.

I would appreciate input from the wise and experienced elders. If I'm off base, I dunno what's up.
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

A lot depends on how carb sensitive Buster is. A 1% change may effect him. The other consideration is that some cats will have a response to a change in food. The food may be the same or even lower in carbs but the change effects them.

The other factor that may be influencing your curve today is that Buster's numbers dropped overnight from the 218 to your AMPS of 140. You just don't know how much they dropped. Given that he started last night's PM cycle in the pinks, that was a good sized drop. The cycle today reflects a bounce.
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

hmmm - thanks for the input Sienne. I guess all I can do is stick it out for the next few cycles and see what happens. I'll make an effort to get some more numbers in the PM cycle. Who needs sleep, anyway?
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

Hi Tara. Food can be the problem for sure. Tucker is OTJ, and I wanted to give him a variety. Like you said, the same food day in and day out has to be boring. Well, the ingredients on Whiskas little tubs, a few of the pate varieties, didn't mention any carbs. No rice, starch, veggies, etc. I thought it was safe.
Well, Tucker really liked the few varieties of it I tried. THAT should have been a clue! He liked it too much. Well, I decided to check his numbers just in case. One test was in the 200's, and the next day a few in the 160's. It sure gave me a scare that Tucker might need insulin again.
Like you said, If it wasn't broken, don't fix it...... I went back to the FF pate's, which I knew were safe.
His numbers came back down to where they should be. So, I now only feed him about 6 different FF pates' that are safe!
Good luck!
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

Hi Tara,
I think that if you want to introduce new foods you should do it gradually. Cats like their routines, and that includes their food. Make sure to add lots of water to Wellness (see the Wellness thread in this forum):
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=79899

Rusty eats mostly Wellness Turkey and Chicken (he's allergic to fish, so he doesn't get the one with salmon in it). I am trying gradually to introduce other foods because of the concerns expressed in the above thread. I am adding Merrick BG turkey, and rotating it with the two Wellness flavors. I've never had a problem with Wellness, but I don't want to take chances when they can be avoided.

Have fun completing your curve!

And have a good evening,

Ella & Rusty

whoops: I see that you have already seen the "Wellness" thread. Sorry!
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

Hi Tara, Nice job getting a full curve! I agree keeping the food consistent is good for cats even though it seem extremely boring to humans. When we tried feeding a variety of foods Jasper got variety of numbers, probably one reason is how much he ate at a time varied with the different foods we served. Once we settled on one flavor of FF classic pate day in and out, Jasper's numbers got much more consistent and it was one less variable for us to worry about. Its not perfect, but I am very wary about upsetting what seems to be working. If Buster will eat the same food all the time and perhaps avoid eating lizards, and it helps flatten his numbers, you will probably be able to get used to that :smile: Have a great evening!
Leslie
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

Food definitely can have effects but you have to test that carefully. It's not so easy to figure out.

Since Dr. Lisa gave us an updated list, I've discovered that the Friskies tuna and egg is 8% instead of 5%. Shadow had been getting that
tuna and egg a lot so it makes me wonder if she's not that sensitive. I had been trying to stay with 5% as much as I could.
Of course now there aren't any friskies I want to feed. :roll:

I think we should all collaborate and create a new cat food company!!!
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

I think the important issue to remember is, use the same foods, over and over. That way you keep consistancy. Cats don't need variety, we think they do!
Dr. Lisa also said:
Now for a general comment about any food chart...

Do not take them too literally!!

"5%" carbs is no different from "10%" carbs and I often see people getting way too fixated on the values. There is TREMENDOUS variability from batch-to-batch....so much that I almost stopped gathering data and contemplated going to just two sentences that state:

"Gravy foods are typically higher in carbs. If the food is free of grains, potatoes, peas, etc. (any starchy food) it is low in carbs."

Ok...so foods WITH those starchy ingredients, sure, we need to know the composition but please try not to get too fixated on the numbers. A batch really could be 5% one day and a 10% (or more) the next.

Don't drive yourself nuts. Very few things in life are consistent and etched in stone.
Click to expand...
 
Re: 9/30 Buster AMPS 140 - curve nearly complete - ??

Thank you EVERYONE for helping me out. I've been kicking myself all day over this and I really appreciate the input. The next few cycles will tell the tale (tail). Silly me for thinking like a human instead of a cat. I think we need a food line that is lizard flavor - he seems to love that one! Om nom nom...

Only thing to do is charge forth with the best knowledge you have and hope for the best! I'm sure Buster will be feeling better soon. :-D
 
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