One of my family's cats, Oliver, was diagnosed with diabetes last Friday. We took him in, expecting one of the big 3, as he started peeing and drinking constantly. He is around 13 years old, an indoor/outdoor cat depending on the season. Has always been healthy apart from a few incidents and one cold that needed antibiotics. Generally he is an all around bomb proof cat. We run a daycare, he has been shot by some jerk, baths, car rides, ect phase him little or not at all. Well behaved cat that knows the rules. He is and always has seemed healthy and fit. Its hard to get him inside some nights during the summer. This recent diagnosis has left us really confused and with a LOT of reading it seems. Anyway from what little I have read I would like to get him off the insulin if this proves possible. Both my cats for their whole lives have been fed Science Diet regular and diet dry food mixed together. From what I have read and reviewed this food is pretty much expensive garbage, correct? :? The vet gave us Hill's prescription MD canned food and I am currently wondering if this is any good either. I am debating the raw food approach. I've read some stuff, but any links people KNOW are good would be great cuz as with everything on the internet there is lots of conflicting information. He was started on insulin on Saturday and has made an improvement. Two shots daily 3 units each. How expensive does a raw diet cost like monthly and how much time does it take to prepare the food?
Problems also come in pairs and this other one has actually been a problem for years. Our other cat is obese and has been for a long time. She is a sweet heart and all, but fat. Both our old and current vet simply say, "its overweight, you should try diet food." Her weight fluctuates, depending on if we maintain her dieting or not. She is between 16 and 18 pounds currently. It has never before been suggested that we change the brand of food... The fat cat, cally, does have eating issues. I don't think its the amount she eats its what we were feeding and how she eats. She like inhales her food. Occasionally when she throws up you will have whole kibbles not chewed up one bit... I am assuming the raw diet would probably help here with weight loss, correct? Apart from being overweight nothing else is wrong with her yet.
I keep, raise, and breed aquarium fish as a hobby and I understand all the issues of nutrition there. My fish, I hate to say, eat better then me. I guess its time to apply the same to the cats?
Not complete without pics of course. Its currently winter and both are kinda in-the-dumps since two feet of snow outside make is hard to go outside.
Problems also come in pairs and this other one has actually been a problem for years. Our other cat is obese and has been for a long time. She is a sweet heart and all, but fat. Both our old and current vet simply say, "its overweight, you should try diet food." Her weight fluctuates, depending on if we maintain her dieting or not. She is between 16 and 18 pounds currently. It has never before been suggested that we change the brand of food... The fat cat, cally, does have eating issues. I don't think its the amount she eats its what we were feeding and how she eats. She like inhales her food. Occasionally when she throws up you will have whole kibbles not chewed up one bit... I am assuming the raw diet would probably help here with weight loss, correct? Apart from being overweight nothing else is wrong with her yet.
I keep, raise, and breed aquarium fish as a hobby and I understand all the issues of nutrition there. My fish, I hate to say, eat better then me. I guess its time to apply the same to the cats?
Not complete without pics of course. Its currently winter and both are kinda in-the-dumps since two feet of snow outside make is hard to go outside.

