Cat attacking pet sitter

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Rascalsmom3

Member Since 2019
We are currently on vacation and received a call from the pet sitter. Our 13 year old cat has been attacking the pet sitter when approached. She has been unable to give the insulin. We are on month 3 of insulin and I am awaiting a call from the vet. I’m not sure if it’s better to keep trying or if the anxiety and fear while make it worse. She is a professional pet sitter with experience in diabetic animals so it’s not lack of training. I’m a nervous wreck. He’s on 2units of lantus via the pen. Twice a day. Blood sugars still in the upper 200’s-mid 300’s at times.
 
How long before you come back?
What were BGs before you left?
DId the pet sitter come over and introduce herself to the cat before you left?
 
If it's going to be more than a couple days before you get home, Perhaps it would be better if the sitter brings the cat to the vet to board? Or maybe a low dose of Gabapentin would chill her out enough to be able to shoot?
 
Larry and Kitties said:
How long before you come back?
What were BGs before you left?
DId the pet sitter come over and introduce herself to the cat before you left?
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Thank you for the fast replies. We get back home on Wednesday morning. She did introduce herself beforehand and he seemed ok. His bg levels were 290 and 340 before we left.
 
DKA is Diabetic Ketoacidiosis. It's a very serious complication of diabetes. Has your vet ever said anything about your cat having ketones?
Very small trace amounts of ketones are not dangerous but do need to be monitored and dealt with promptly to ensure they do not build up to toxic levels.

Has your cat been eating well in your absence? Any litter box findings of concern by the pet sitter? Any elimination issues or other odd/unusual behaviour noted by the sitter? Has the cat's behaviour toward the sitter changed during their time with your cat.....ie was kitty initially ok and allowing contact and then suddenly unapproachable during your absence?
Just wondering if a vet visit might not be warranted to make sure there isn't something else going on that is causing your cat's behaviour.
 
Thank you! The vet has never mentioned it. Rascal drinks a lot of water and often leaves large clumps to be sifted our daily from heavy urination. He hasn’t had any sudden changes in behavior. Eating his food with no problems.
 
My pet sitter never had problems with my kitties, but she did tell me she has one feisty diabetic kitty that she cares for regularly. She sprays a bit of Feliway on her hands, and I think she takes her time with the feeding and shooting insulin. She has mentioned she often sits on the couch and waits for the kitty to come around. Maybe your pet sitter is trying to rush the process?
 
You're welcome! Something else that just came to mind, you mentioned you are using a pen...that would mean having to hold in place for about 10 seconds or so, I think? Maybe she is pinching/tenting the fur too tightly? I just remembered my pet sitter mentioned she had to adjust her tenting style to match mine, the first evening I guess she stretched up the tent too far...and my very accommodating kitty did not like it! I don't pull up the skin very far, just enough to get a bit of a skin tent.
 
I tried the pen once on my high-dose cat (unit dosing was fine) and besides have to keep the needle in for 10 seconds or so, I found it awkward to hold the peb and depress the plunger with your thumb. Also, the distance between the needle and thumb was a lot longer than for a 3/10 cc syringe.
 
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