Any Tips For Temper Tantrum Throwing Cat When Trying to Test His BG?

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ThommysMommy

ThommysMommy

Member Since 2020
My 13 y/o Tonkinese, Thompson has been recently diagnosed with FD.

He is not yet on insulin yet as his vet recommended we try putting him on a zero - low carb diet first.
Every time I try to test him he throws a huge Temper Tantrum & kicks my hands away from his ears. If I'm lucky enough to get a successful poke, he shakes his head right after sending the blood sample into the air.

I read a study that said the stress can cause his #s to read higher then they actually are, so I'm not sure if the #'s I'm getting (when I'm lucky enough to successfully complete a BG test) are accurate.

Because of Thommys tantrums, I started testing his urine using the 11 panel dip sticks and lately it has been showing that the glucose in his urine is slowly decreasing but I would still like to know where his actual BG #s are at.

His diabetic neuropathy has been improving as his back legs appear to be getting stronger & his plantigrade stance has pretty much diminished, so hopefully that's a sign that we are on the right track. We still have a few more weeks till his next vet appointment & I'd like to have some #s to bring to her. If I can't get Thommy to cooperate with testing I suppose a fructosamine test will be done.

I'm wondering if anyone else who has had a difficult to test cat would like to share some tips on how they got their cat to cooperate & what they did to make testing easier?
 
Have you conditioned Thompson with treats? Take him to his test spot give a treat release. Do that several times. Once he stays start rubbing ears give a treat...rinse repeat. Once hes allowing the ear rubs if using a lancet device click it near his ears give treats release rinse repeat...get where I'm going here? Every failed attempt he still gets a treat.
Then theres always the kitty burrito. I will search for that video...biab.
 
Everything Jeanne said!

It really is about getting both cat and owner used to what is happening. Treats really do work wonders :) I would put a little tub of tuna under Kyra's nose and he would munch away, happily distracted, while I messed about with his ear and tried to get a sample (but of course that may not work for every cat)

Keep going!! You will both become pro's at it in no time at all..
 
I agree with everythin Jeanne said, but I would add that i found using lancet on hand much less stresful. I can't quite see where the "needle" will poke with the device, and I didn't like the click. I just hold the lancet in my hand place the tip in the right spot and press a bit. Feels more controlled and gentle to us... Just something else to consider trying....

I have 2 cats and always make me laugh how the second cat now comes dutifully to the test spot and beg to be tested....:)
 
Also, you need to project that you are calm while testing. Cats will pick up on any nervousness or stress you are feeling. One suggestion is to sing while testing. Sounds silly, but it is hard to be nervous when you are doing something silly, especially if it is a silly song.

Some cats do not like the lancet device. You may want to try using the lancets freehand. I found that I have better control when using the lancets freehand.
 
I'm seconding the conditioning and kitty burrito. Even if you can't pin him down exactly as firmly as that, just having it wrapped around relatively tightly has still given me some control. As well as making sure you're in a comfortable position with easy access to the ear, which might mean moving floor to table, or vice versa. Also both you and your cat need to get used to it. If one of you has an issue or gets stressed, you both will. This is coming from team-anxiety over here, which is exactly why I'm still struggling. Singing can help, I also have used calming or funny youtube videos to calm me down, or joked and teased with my cat.

I went with conditioning and then with the burrito when I still couldn't quite get the control. Now he purrs and doesn't cause an issue unless I botch it. Finding the right way to feed treats can help a lot too. I had to increase the amount and give them constantly to get anywhere with him.

I think once you can touch the ears without your cat having a huge issue, that's when you're set to go. If he flinches just calmly try again and he'll give it up eventually. You'll be surprised how quickly you can make progress.

If it helps, I did a few dry runs to get him used to it without any pain, and I go back to this when he seems to be getting upset with it.
Burrito, warming the ear, massaging, put vaseline on (if you want), giving treats, fake it by touching a small blunt object to the ideal spot on the ear (I used a lancet that was still capped), lots of praise as though you just got the actual prick and what a great job he did, beep the meter and go back to handling the ear like you're getting the sample, and praise again as though you got it, then apply light pressure to the ear like you would after getting a sample. That helped a lot when it came to making sure he could sit through the whole process when it was for real, and helped me figure out how to set everything up in a way that worked. Easy transition to actual blood drawing, he barely noticed and knew the routine.
 
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