Cannot care for newly diagnosed cat in Boston

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TinaSparkle62

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Hello, FDMB members,

In February, I rescued a cat who had been living on the streets of Boston for at least 6 years (according to the mailman who fed him periodically over that time.) After $3,000 in vet bills, Phoenix, as I've named him, has come back to life from the skeletal, beat-up, FIV-positive mess that he was. Because he recently started drinking excessively and peeing/pooping anywhere but his box, I took him to the vet again. After tests, we now know that he has diabetes.

I am distraught by this diagnosis because, as someone who lives alone, travels frequently for work, and doesn't have much left over after basic living expenses each month nor have any savings, I cannot afford to take care of Phoenix's medical condition. I have asked all the "cat people" I know locally if there's any organization that could take Phoenix from me and place him in a loving home where he could be properly cared for, but no one knows of such a group in Massachusetts.

I would very much appreciate any guidance FDMB members can give me. It's a miracle to me that Phoenix is such a loving, sweet cat (all gray, short hair) given the life he has lead, but he really is a sweet, sweet animal and a good companion. I am just not able to do for him what he deserves.

Please help me if you can.

Thank you very much for your ideas and support,
 
Re: Cannot care for newly diagnosed cat

Please don't give up hope yet for Pheonix. It sounds like you have a lot invested in this sweet kitty. First of all, Diabetes is a very treatable disease. Many cats go into remission after a short time on insulin, and a FOOD CHANGE. Have you read up on the stickies at the top of this board?

Dry food is not what cat should be eating, and most of the people that come here after their cat has been diagnosed, is because they have been feeding their cat dry food for many many years.

Please tell us a little more about Phoenix, how he was diagnosed and if any insulin was prescribed. I would hope that you may try for a short time to get him regulated and into remission. It might be worth a try.

Also, there are several charities that might be able to help him. Some of the members may be along a little later to offer advice on that.

P.S.--On your first post, you selected a candle for your post icon. We usually reserve the candles for a cat who has already passed away. Phoenix has a lot of life in him! Please go back to your very first post, and UNselect the candle icon.

Thanks,

And good luck!
 
Re: Cannot care for newly diagnosed cat

Hi Tina

I'm sorry to hear you are going thru tough times.

Just a quick suggestion, have you checked with your local vet clinics for any recommendation?
Often times, there will be posting at vet clinics and/or someone there can make suggestion for you.

You may want to add your location to your subject line to help it stand out in regards to your search for any organizations in your area.

I hope things work out for Phoenix.
 
Re: Cannot care for newly diagnosed cat

Thank you for your reply to my plea for help with Phoenix. I have been feeding him dry food, but that is because as soon as he felt better after all the medical care, he showed a marked preference for dry food and stopped eating the wet altogether (I always gave him the choice of both.)

I would like to give Phoenix to someone who has the time and money to take care of him properly. I do not know how much insulin he would need, or how often, because I couldn't afford the additional tests that would be needed for that information. I know that if he does need insulin even once a day that I cannot afford the ongoing costs, nor do I know anyone who will take care of him (i.e., give him his shots) when I have to travel for work, which I have to do fairly frequently.

I hate to keep coming back to $$, but I've spent $3,400 in the 5 months I've had this sweet cat and I cannot spend more, more, more.

If someone can refer me to a group or an individual in the area who will take Phoenix as he is--with a diabetes diagnosis but no info on exact treatment requirements--I would love to be connected to that group/person. But I cannot spend more money to get more information on Phoenix's exact level of diabetes, insulin requirements, etc. I just can't.

Thank you again for any advice, and for the translation of the FDMB icons...I thought the candle was just for getting people's attention!
 
Re: Cannot care for newly diagnosed cat

TinaSparkle62 said:
If someone can refer me to a group or an individual in the area who will take Phoenix as he is--with a diabetes diagnosis but no info on exact treatment requirements--I would love to be connected to that group/person. But I cannot spend more money to get more information on Phoenix's exact level of diabetes, insulin requirements, etc. I just can't.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, there are already several diabetic cats in foster homes among the members of this board. It isn't easy to find a new home for a diabetic cat. It could take months to find a new home for him and he would need to start treatment in that time.

You don't need any additional testing if you already have tests confirming the diabetes. All you would need is a prescription for insulin and a glucometer to test at home. Switch to a canned diet and he could be off insulin in a short amount of time. You could essentially reverse his diabetes with just a little bit of effort.

Finding him a new home is going to be difficult, especially with his FIV status.
 
Re: Cannot care for newly diagnosed cat

My cat Trey was dx inmay and he is was adry food cat now he is all can along with my other 3 cats . He is on his way to remission and sure it will only take a few months tops to get him OTJ Please don`t give up sending Angels and Prayers to help you LOL Kath
 
What an angel you are! And great eye on seeing his diabetes symptoms. Nicely done.

I know how fast the costs add up. I am sure the vet is going to want to run additional tests, but the truth is, a lot of them can be avoided. He probably wants to run a curve, and we can do that ourselves with home testing.

If we were able to help you out with some home testing supplies, and got you some help regarding wet food and insulin, would you be willing to give this a try for, say, about a month or 6 weeks?

As for food, all my cats were dry food addicts. Now, they're all happily eating wet food, and they're loving life. I have two diabetics, and they're doing well although still needing insulin.

The key with the food is that with diabetics, we need to severely limit the carb intake. Carbs are the majority of nutrients in dry food. Carbs in the body will turn into sugar, and since your boy is having difficulty with sugar already, the carbs are just making things worse.

Now, with the right kind of wet food, the carbs are so very reduced, that a lot of times, the switch itself can bring the kitty down from high numbers because no additional sugar is introduced. Sometimes, only a little time of insulin use is needed before the cat doesn't need it anymore, either. And the food doesn't have to be any more expensive than what you're already spending. They tend to eat less with wet food than they do with dry, because they feel full longer, and their body is getting more of what it needs, so the hunger/eat response is not triggered as soon.

Since you caught it pretty early, I would be hopeful that with the right food and maybe some insulin, you could get your boy into remission (no active sugar issues), and be able to keep him around and love on him like you've been doing.

Let us know - we can help with some of the initial stuff, and like I said, if you're willing to try, we'll do what we can to help out.

Deal?

Best-
Michele
 
Hello, Michele,

And thank you for your very kind email, and offers of help. You and others have told me that dietary changes could diminish Phoenix's symptoms, and that with regular insulin at first, and the right food over time, his diabetes could be managed.

I very much appreciate your offers to help with food recommendations and testing supplies, etc., but the bigger issue for me is that I don't have anyone who can care for Phoenix when I need to go away, which I do later this month (and often have to for my job). If it were just a change in diet--no testing, no insulin shots--then I could ask my friends to cat sit. But if Phoenix needs shots, there is no one I can ask to help, and I cannot afford kennel or veterinary care for him for the 10 days that I will be away at the end of this month and beginning of the next.

Even if you help me with the costs of his insulin and testing supplies now, who is going to help me take care of him when I need to leave? Maybe I could get his diabetes under control in the two weeks between now and when I have to be away, but what if I cannot? Then I'll face the need to leave and the challenge of trying to find help for my sick cat, help that will only be available if I can pay for it. Which I cannot. Once Phoenix's diabetes is under control, I may be able to mitigate his symptoms with diet only, but what if he always needs insulin? I cannot afford ongoing diabetes control costs.

I hate that a lack of money and my single status means that I cannot care for Phoenix as I should. But there it is. And this is why I've asked for someone to adopt him, to assume the costs and inconveniences that are sadly insurmountable for me. I see that there are things I could do if my circumstances were different. But my circumstances are what they are, not what I would like them to be.

Thank you again for your suggestions. Your cats are lucky to have you.

Best,
 
I have been there, and I totally understand. I'm single, with no income right now (I'm in school), and I totally 'get' what you're going through.

Know what, though? What's super weird, and it really is, is that the cats get used to being tested and used to injections. I can't explain it, but it happens. Even my Eeyore, who was at first squirmy with tests and shots, now jumps up to his test spot and waits for me to get things ready. Cracks me up every time.

And I went away over Christmas, and my pet sitters were able to handle it without an issue. Surprised me, but they did it. So maybe it would be the same way with you? It honestly doesn't take more than about 2 minutes - both testing and shooting - and like I said, the cats make it easy once they get used to it.

If not, I am sure the good people on this board will try their best to get your boy fostered, but in the meantime, why not give testing and shooting a shot until then? You may find that it's not as overwhelming as it feels right now (and I **KNOW** it feels overwhelming).

I have to go out for a while now, but I'm looking forward to talking with you more later on, all right? Hang in there...you're having a rough go right now, and I get that totally. Just hang in there...

Best-
Michele
 
Tina ... Michele is so right Trey loves me more and he jumps to get poked. I just wrap him in the bath towel warm his ear poke test and he is out knows what is going on ..I hate needles and was a wreck the first 2 weeks but now I am better then my DH and Trey knows it :lol: Really if you can at least get him started We use to house sit our friends and I would never poke their cats ear and give shot but now second nature Here if you need to vent ...LOL Kath
 
Oh boy, do I understand where you're coming from! I was in your same position not that long ago. Max was diagnosed with diabetes at the end of February. I'm not single, but I have two small children and I work full time. We're often gone for entire days, and trying to get shots in every 12 hours was daunting. And then there was the cost of it all... Well, I'm happy to say that everyone here convinced me I could care for my Max, and that I could keep him (I've had him longer than I've had my husband, and no, he wasn't much help with the treatment until near the end). I'm very happy to say that my Max is now insulin free. It only took about 7 weeks. He settled into testing and receiving shots within the first week. I only ever bought ONE vial of insulin.

Really, it can happen that fast. And you can keep this kitty who has so smartly and wonderfully chosen you as his bean. To spend the kind of money you've spent already, well, I can only imagine how much of a bond you have with him. I can't imagine how much it must hurt to think you need to find him a new home. Oh, wait, I CAN imagine that because I've been there. I, too, posted here looking for a new home for my Max. I was under a lot of strain at the time, and I just didn't think I could handle any more. But I am THRILLED that my Max is still with me.

There are members here who may be able to help you with pet-sitting while you're gone for work. I think there are some members in your area. Or maybe you can even teach a friend how to test and shoot--if I can teach my husband to do it, I'm sure you can teach a friend. And I learned to do it only from watching internet videos--no one near me had ever home tested a diabetic cat.

There are a couple different groups around here that may be able to help you with gathering supplies and perhaps off-setting the treatment costs. I'll send you a note with the details. I really hope you can keep your sweet kitty with you!
 
I am glad Mindy and Max posted here because your post reminds me so much of when she joined the boards. She insisted there was no way she could possibly do this, and she did and her Max is still with her.

Would it be possible to ask your vet if you could try a food change only first? Some kitties have made it into remission without getting insulin by just getting onto low carb wet food, some received only a few shots. The wet food would not need to be the overpriced vet food either, but plain old Fancy Feast, Friskies, even Walmart's Special Kitty.

The deciding factors on waiting to start insulin will be how sick your kitty is and if there are ketones present (which you can test yourself at home with supplies bought OTC or possibly for the cost of shipping with a newbie kit from lori and tom on this forum). Will your vet give you free consult over the phone?

Good luck. Maybe a Boston area member will see and be able to help you out.
 
Thanks for posting about the newbie kits Melanie! I knew Cindy + Mousie (?) had been doing it before, but I couldn't find any posts about who was doing it now. :-D
 
As far as I know, Lori & Tom are handling the newbie kits, you can send her a private message to make arrangements.

Best of luck to you Tina.
 
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