Casey's high BG - could it be the cat litter?

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ohiogal

ohiogal

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Hi all,

I've been trying to bring down Casey's BG levels since February, and while I can get her down into the low 200s, I can't seem to budge her BG any lower than that. I've currently got her at 3.25u Lantus, but her numbers are very similar to when I had her on 2.25u. I can't figure that one out.

Then I wondered - I'm using World's Best Cat Litter, and have been since about February. I switched from Fresh Step because FS is a clay-based litter that, when it gets wet, was clumping in Casey's paws and getting into the carpeting - and once wet clay gets into a carpet, it's impossible to get out.

WBCL is great stuff, because it doesn't get stuck in Casey's paws, the bags are lighter, and it's cheaper.

BUT - it's made out of corn.

So now I'm thinking...is Casey's high BG numbers because she's ingesting the corn-based kitty litter when she licks her paws after using the box? Or is there not enough carbs there to make a difference?

Thanks for any opinions. I really like WBCL and would hate to have to switch...
 
Have you seen him eating it? The bag (right in front of me ) says it is milled from "whole-kernal corn", so yes, if he's eating it, it could raise the carbs.

Maybe find the granulated newspaper litter (not pelleted).
 
Are there any issues with pelleted litter? My cats have always been on clay but I've started mixing it with recycled paper, fragrance free litter in pellet form to cut down on the dust.
 
Cats tend to prefer a sand-like texture. Your mileage may vary.

Some pellets disintegrate into mush when wet. Some break up and can be kicked to kingdom come, with more cleanup around the box. Some reek with added perfumes that the cats (and I) don't like.
 
I'm using the feline pine brand and they recently switched the formula from a sawdust-like texture to a more pelleted one. It still works well, but the unused pellets don't always fit between the slots on the scoop, so it tends to waste some litter when scooping...of course that was probably the logic behind the change... use the litter faster, and you have to buy it more often! It seems to keep the odor down to next to nothing, and doesn't get stuck in their paws. And I think pine trees are zero-carbs.

There was a bean, don't recall who, who noticed an increase in BG a few months back that seemed to be due to kitty eating the WBCL. I use that too but my cats seem to prefer the pine. I haven't seen them eat either though.

Carl
 
I had the same issue with World's Best Litter - I loved it, but since Gandalf had long hair, it seemed to cling to him as if static made it stick. He would walk out with boots on! I had to stop using it because I saw a correlation between his higher BGs and the time I used the litter.

My favorite litter has been Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat, with 2 formulas, one for multi-cat households. It is different than the Cat Attract litter they make. Petco sells it. You can get it in 40lb bags, so it's more economical than something like Tidy Cats. I have tried nearly every litter there is and Dr. Elsey's is the least dusty, though yes, there is still some dust. It also clumps pretty well, but can stick to the sides of the box if the box isn't cleaned often. Th smell is much reduced and there are no perfumes like the commercial litters.
 
The Best Cat Litter raised Gus's blood glucose. I finally purchased a Smart Cat box which uses safflower seeds and separates the urine into a plastic tray. I couldn't be happier. Two of my friends purchased one after I bought mine.
 
BJM said:
Have you seen him eating it? The bag (right in front of me ) says it is milled from "whole-kernal corn", so yes, if he's eating it, it could raise the carbs.

Maybe find the granulated newspaper litter (not pelleted).
Click to expand...

No, I've never seen Casey eat it. I was thinking more she'd ingest it when she licked her paws after using the box.

I suppose I could try switching the litter out to a non-corn brand temporarily and see if that reduces her BG. I just don't want to go back to clay-based.

I'll keep y'all updated! :-)

ETA - OK, I did some research on Dr. Elsey's and it's clay-based. My big concern is that with the Fresh Step, sometimes the cats would track wet clay onto the carpet and it doesn't come out. Also, Casey would get wet clay in her back paws and it would set into hard clumps between her toes - very difficult to remove, for me and her! Can anyone who's used Dr. Elsey's tell me if this has been a problem for them?
 
To unclump litter from between toes, you may find immersing the foot in tepid to slightly warm water, or wrapping it in a very wet washcloth, is necessary to completely loosen the litter so it can be wiped away..

I haven't tried it, but another idea was to use vegetable oil on it and see if that will help loosen it.
 
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