Diabetic cat is terrorized when time for shots.

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seedimon

Member Since 2010
Miki, 13 yr. old cat was diagnosed two weeks ago. I'm willing to do what ever it takes, altering my life, spending the money, shots...whatever. Unfortunately five of those days he was kenneled so I could travel to see with my first new grandchild. Miki had never been kenneled before and this greatly upset him. He came home thinner and weak. The first fews days home I was able to give him two shots a day while feeding because he was ravenous, tired, not as alert and clueless. He perked up a lot. Now, he's on to me and won't let me give him the shots. I'm lucky to give him one shot a day, but now that has become difficult. It's more like every other day. Up to now my husband has been the bad guy catching Miki and holding him down. He won't go near my husband now. Breaks my husbands heart. I've tried to stay the good guy because Miki has always trusted me so much, until now. I'm so upset. I'm thinking this situation is impossible. If he is constantly being terrorized in his own home then is it time to put him down? IF I stopped the insulin shots and put him on wet meat all together sustain him a near normal life for a while if his glucose level dropped? Do we continue to catch (terrorize) him and force the situation? I always said I wouldn't make him fear me in his own home. I'm his mother. WE truly love each other. Are there any tips on how to handle this desperate situation :?: Be honest, brutally honest if you must.
Thank you,
Dee
 
Hi Dee,

This must feel terrible for you guys. Usually cats don't notice the shots. Tell us more. What size needles? What insulin and what dosage? (Just a possibility. Sometimes if the dose is too high, and the shots make them feel crummy, they fight getting the shot.) Where are you shooting?

Here is a primer for giving a shot. Maybe it will give you some ideas http://felinediabetes.com/injections.htm
 
Miki is receiving one unit of BCP PZI BOVINE 10 40-U/m1 twice a day twelve hrs. apart. The needle is 1/2 cc insulin syringes For U-40 insulin. I'm pulling up skin at the back of his neck and putting shot in crease. All his 13 yrs. he loves it when I pet him as he eats, but now he's suspicious and bolts.
 
Sounds like a good beginning dose. Are you sure warming it up for a few minutes in your hand before shooting? Is the bevel of the needle up?

We used PZI and the regular U40 syringes. I know some people have tried the shorter ones and like them better....

I'm out of ideas. Sorry, it is slow this time of night. Hope someone else will come along with more help.
 
Most likely 28 or 29 gauge needle size (kinda large). Many here use 30ga or 31ga (smaller needle diameter).

When you say "in the crease". Do you mean at the base of the pulled up skin?

That may be to close to the underlying muscle and it's possible you are shooting into the muscle, instead
of into the pocket formed by the tented skin. This would hurt.

We can teach you to use smaller needles, available at any pharmacy for humans (cheaper, too).
There are needles that are shorter and smaller.

You can use syringes for U-100 insulin (human insulin), but you MUST use a conversion chart to
draw up the correct amount of U-40 insulin.

I always shot about 30 minutes after Smokey's meals...I wanted to make sure he kept his food inside and
did not barf it up before giving the insulin.

Then I would get everything ready by a comfortable place. Get kitty on lap. Pet and brush kitty and
talk to kitty, etc. While still brushing and petting, move hands to the area where you are going to shoot.
Quickly put down brush, pick up syringe, pull cap off with teeth. With 'free' hand (the one still petting cat),
pull up the skin for the tent, insert needle, push plunger, wait only a second or two, withdraw needle, set down
in a safe place and keep petting kitty. What ? Did I get a shot ? Oh, well.

Honestly, the smaller gauge needles can hardly be felt. Not even like a flea bite.
 
The needle package doesn't say what gauge it is. I'll look into getting the smaller needles. I'm giving the shot in the tented area or hollow area. I DO think I've hit a muscle at least once. I'm willing to try other parts of his body if necessary. Also, associating being shot while eating is unpleasant. I don't blame him. I'm going to try your suggestion of giving the shot after his meal. He has never liked being brushed. I'll think of something.
 
YES, I found it on the bag. The needle gauge size is 29.

Thank you everyone for your insight and suggestions. I'll do whatever it takes.
 
that 29 gauge seems to not make many kitties happy. and compared to a 31 gauge, it's huge. my Mousie reeeeeeally notices if i use a 29 or 30 gauge needle yet could care less with a 31 gauge needle.

as far as i know you can't get U40 syringes in anything else though so you'll have to switch to U100 syringes and do a conversion which is no big deal so don't fret about that just yet. we can explain all that. plus, with the conversion, it's easier on the eyes to pull up the dose in the syringe without straining your eyes so hard :-)

my Mousie, prior to diagnosis, had never been physically touched by me or my fiance and the first several weeks were hell in my house too. i had to chase her around in circles for anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes until she ran out of steam and i could catch her. then my fiance had to jump in and help hold her while i stuffed pills in her mouth and gave her her insulin

once i found this place and to be honest, a new vet, we started learning about the insulins, warming stuff up, treats & rewards, needles, etc.....and within no time at all Mousie started coming willingly to be tested and shot. mind you she still freaked when i laid my hands on her so i would half scruff her to get her to sit still but now i don't even have to do that.

another thing that we're gonna ask you to do and you're gonna say WHAT? YOU WANT ME TO POKE HIM TWICE? is to hometest. sometimes cats will pull away from their human if what you are doing them causes to not only hurt, but make them feel bad. cats can go into remission from diabetes and if they do and you are giving them insulin or if they are being overdosed, plummeting their glucose levels makes them feel like crap so they tie the shot together with that and they start to hide. by testing their glucose levels at home, you can tell if that's part of the problem or not. although, i'm betting that 29 gauge needle is more of your problem at the moment.

don't worry, we'll help you figure this out :-)
 
Do try the smaller needles. They can make a bigger difference than you think. I had a heck of time testing Calliope, but with the tiny needles, she never even knew she got a shot and, like you, I shot while she ate. One time, I shot while she was asleep and she didn't budge. Testing her was a nightmare. Go figure.

Low carb treats after shooting could help, also. Calliope loved and adored Halo Liv a Little chicken treats.

You can also try to wrap in a kitty burrito if you have to. That's how i had to test Calliope. Worked very well. She got ticked off, but then ate the treats and went on her merry way. I also sprayed blanket I used to wrap Calliope with Catnip, which also helped some.

As you experiment, let folks here know what's worked and what's not. There will be scores of suggestions since many folks have experienced difficulties, at first, with either shooting or testing. It gets better.
 
I put the bag of dried chicken treats by Melek's face when he gets poked or gets his shots (or I shoot him while he's eating). He loves the treats, and is so entranced by the food that he doesn't notice the poking so much, it's worth a try!
 
Cindy, I think you & others are right to assume the needle is too big. It looks big to me. I hear it going through his tough skin. I have to push and then hear the pop through. Not nice. He always looks better, bright eyed when he gets the shots. I don't detect any issues. But then again I'm new at this and not as aware. He started to play tonight for first time in a long time because he got a shot this morning and in previous days (off & on). I see the improvement! I would be glad to monitor his glucose level. Tomorrow morning I'll work hard to begin to perfect the shot technique. Thank you all a million times. You give me hope.
 
I think Cindy and the others are right...the gauge of the needle is just too much for Miki. Once you get the smaller gauge, your fur baby will likely be much happier.

Once you get the supplies to hometest, let us know. Any of us would be happy to help you out, as the first few times you try it will likely be frustrating.

Hang in there, you and Miki will both be fine and it is great to hear Miki is already perking up!
 
Personally, I've used 29 gauge insulin syringes and my cat never noticed it.

You can try smaller gauge U100 insulin syringes with the BCP U40 insulin but you absolutely must use the conversion chart to ensure that your cat is getting the right amount of insulin: http://felinediabetes.com/insulin-conversions.htm

1 unit of U40 insulin in a U100 insulin syringe is not the same as 1 unit of U40 insulin in a U40 insulin syringe. The chart explains why.

Also try inserting the needle bevel side up. It will slide in more easily and cause less discomfort.
 
Hi,
I practiced tenting the skin a lot before I started shooting Sya. You do get a feel for what is skin and fat and what is deeper. It does hurt if you go deeper. Also, if you are tense, you can be less smooth with the needle and move it more when its in , instead of smooth inject and out, and that can hurt too. I know a lot of people inject while the cat is eating and it works very well for them. I made the conscious choice not to, because I didn't want to have her associate her bowl with anything else other than eating (I knew what a spaz I was with the testing).
It seems to me that you need to start ASAP with reassociating you and your husband with happy positive, yummy things (if she's food motivated) Find a test/poke spot in the house. Pet, love treat, cuddle. Let her leave on her own accord. Repeat, Repeat again, Repeat again, Repeat again...you get the picture. ;-) Definetly every cat is different in terms of how they respond to that, but if you're consistent, you hopefully will get to the point where you can get the insulin into that mix. She of course needs to be treated as soon as possible, but she also needs to be in a state where you and she can deal with long term treatment and have a positive/happy life. (both of you). MIne figured out the routine pretty quickly, and keeping it calm and exactly the same each time calmed both of us down. Lots of deep breathing on my part helped...mine could really sense my tension and when I could relax, so could she. Good luck
 
I was teaching someone yesterday how to shoot a diabetic cat she has this weekend. I noticed that she took the needle pushed it gently into his scruff, but held it there for a few seconds and applied a little pressure. I told her that she simply needs to put the needle in and very quickly and with a light finger push down on the plunger. You don't put a lot of pressure on the plunger to get the insulin out, just push softly and quickly then pull the needle out.

In case you were pushing hard on the needle, just know it's a soft quick motion.

Scruff shooting is great, but I found with one kitty I adopted who hated needles, shooting her flank, the side of her belly was easier for us. She was also on the 40U syringe at first, we switched her to the short needles (U100 5/16th length, 31 guage), then while she was eating a treat or playing I would pet her side, moosh around her fur a bit and then when she didn't know it, I pulled up a tent very quickly and gave the shot. It's not really easy to put that into writing, I'm sorry if it sounds confusing.
 
Dee, something sounds wrong. My cat doesn't even notice when I give her a shot.

If nothing else, and if someone else suggested this I apologize, go to the vet's office and tell them what's up and that you need another lesson.

Maybe you are tenting too close to the head? Make sure you have a good tent so that you are shooting just underneath the skin but not hitting any muscle, etc.

Good luck to you. I'm sure things will improve soon.

Best,
Pam & Layla
 
Oi, Pearl jumped ten feet when I used the 28/29 guage. I went straight out and bought 31 gauge u100 needles and used the conversion chart http://www.felinediabetes.com/insulin-conversions.htm She has rarely ever noticed the shot since. It was a serious and immediate relief. It's just that if you are using a u40 insulin be SURE to use the chart. Walgreen's has their own brand of syringes maybe Walmart too? I get the super thin u100 31 gauge .3cc needles. I find I have to give ALL that info when asking for the syringes or the people at pharmacies hand me all kinds of other boxes of syringes. Make sure the box says *all three* of those things. I use the short ones now, but short or long needle, it's the gauge that makes the difference. It seems like nothing compared to those 29 gauge ones.
 
One other suggestion in addition to changing your syringe size is to always give your cat a treat after either shooting or testing. Your cat will soon associate that time with getting a treat instead of something unpleasant.
 
I will say that I understand what you are going through. Mocha has been diabetic for a year and a half now. Never flinches when we hometest her, but shot time? HA! That is a joke. It takes both me and peter to be able to catch her. Sometimes we have to chase her from one end of this house to the other end. On hands and knees trying to get her out from under the kitchen table. When it comes time to actually give the shot, I have to hold mocha in my arms with her right side against my chest with her head under my chin. My left hand holds her back legs tight together and my right arm is around her left side with her arms trapped under my arm. Sometimes she wriggles enough to get her front paws out and she can easily slap my glasses off my face. This is the ONLY way we can give mocha her shot. She hisses at us while we give her the shot and while we put her down after the shot. She absolutely hates it. We tried snacks and treats the first day or two, until she caught on and refused the treats. She won't even eat treats now because I think she associated them with the shots.

It isn't a pretty sight when we have to give her a shot, and as far as someone else, like family coming to give her a shot so we could travel isn't likely to happen. I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news but mocha is a cat that just simply hates shots. She will never like them, but we will always do what we have to do to give her the shot. I envy the people who can just give the shot while their cats eat.

So while I didn't come bringing good news, I just want you to know that I also have a hard time giving mocha a shot so I know what you are going through, but you CAN do it!
 
I give the shot when Joey is eating. He has honestly never noticed the shot. I use the starboard and port method of remembering where to shoot. (Port side = p.m.)

I had another cat who got the shot on the bed in the morning (vet only had him on once a day) and he never minded. I followed it up with a tiny treat, just in case.
 
I think if you are making a big production out of it, both you and the cat will be freaked out-never a good senario!
I give Korbel her shot with her head in the food bowl. I don't restrain her at all-she's not a snuggly cat and ANY restraint=big fight!
I don't actually tent her skin either. All I do is gently live up some fur and shoot for the part in the fur-where you can see the skin.
For Korbel, the less you physically handle her, the better
 
As of this morning we are still having issues with miki coming out from under the bed. The past two mornings he came out to get a new delicious treat and willingly let me hold him in my lap for a shot before consuming the treat. But,not this morning.
I switched out the 29 gauge needle to a U-100 or 31 guage as suggested by so many. It makes a world of difference. He doesn't feel a thing. I'm not forcing him to me, but letting him come to me and then I hold him gently with my arm under his neck and the other (right handed) around his backside keeping his legs secure as I administer the shot. The nice thing about this posture is it affords me a variety of areas in which to administer the shot. Then I can reverse to give the shot on the other side. Also suggested by someone is to hold the syringe like a dart and plunge with my index finger. Works great affording me more control. Plus making certain the needle bevel side is pointing up. Makes shots go in smoother. Those tips alone make things much better. I believe if I had the smaller needles from the beginning Miki and I wouldn't have these issues now. He hated that 29 guage needle. plus I was making small mistakes. WHY oh WHY can't a vet make certain a human is giving the proper shot??? I had NO instructions, just a little one sentence info sheet with the insulin and then I'm expected to do this right? This can mean life or death for the little fella. Thank God for all of you or I might have to put him down. The weird thing is my vet is known for her understanding of cats AND she has two diabetic cats. She uses the 29 guage needles. One of her cats runs away all the time and the other willingly gets the shots. Not once did she suggest the smaller needle. I have to wonder if it's because she's selling more of them for the manufacturer? After all they are a pet brand which automatically means more money. Whereas I spent $12 less at Walgreens for a 100 pack of U-100's. Yes, it's a racket, but shouldn't be at the expense of the cats life.
At this point I'm lucky to get one shot in him each day. It's the best I can do for now without totally hunting him down which only makes things worse. Hopefully, things will get easier with time.
 
Hang in there, take big deep breaths you are doing great and yes, it gets easier with time and practice. Currently I don't have a sugarcat as my own Muse passed this last June, but I do have one that is on daily meds for allegies, at first that was a battle for us as well, but he now reminds me if I get busy and forget his pill. I know he dislikes the taste just by the faces he makes but kitties are smart and they figure things out pretty quickly so hopefully pretty soon your little guy will realize that the shots make him feel better and he will be easier to shoot.

One thing that might help is taking it in small steps, get him use to coming to a "trigger" sound for his treat. We use a really cheap little kids party favor clicker. I click it a couple of times and all my cats have learned that it means treats so when that clicker goes off I have cats literally coming out of the woodwork to get the treats. It might work to get him to come to you when it is time to test or shoot. Start with clicker=treat then move on to clicker=test,treat and then finally clicker=test, shot, then treat. I know if it wasn't for the fact that my boy was trained to come to the clicker I would have never gottten that first few pills down his throat without major bloodloss on my part, he just isn't that kind of kitty and how this 14lb big black puff ball of mine can completely disappear in a small house is a mystery I will probably never solve..lol but at least I can now always find him when I really need him.

One last thing to remember if you decide to try training him to come to a particular sound is never lie to your pet, if the clicker means a treat, it means a treat every time, you may delay when that treat comes but it does need to come. They are smart and if you don't hold up to your end of the bargin they won't either.

Mel
 
Thank you for the encouragement. Admittedly I'm getting discouraged. My husband is rebelling which doesn't help. Might have to have my beloved pet killed. Finally got the shot in him at 11 am which means a late night issue or no shot tonight. I would think this would take a month to work out, but life gets in the way.
 
Hubbys tend to get stressed out by stuff like this....it takes some good communication to keep things moving.

Please consider posting your location, as one of us may live nearby and can help.

This does not have to end in euthanasia!

Jen
 
Hubby's can be a finkle as cats...lol.

Sometimes like Jen says it just takes really good communication to keep things moving along. I'm one of the lucky ones I have a husband that is if not more so as crazy about the critters as I am, but sadly that hasn't always been the way. (different husband back then). There have been times in my life that I have flatly told the significant other in my life. "Don't make me chose between you and the cat for you will not win". Not a statement that I have always been proud of, but it did seem to get my point across.

In the beginning it is always a struggle, just like having a new human baby in the house, sleep is upset, the routine that has become so usual and comfortable is now thrown into complete disarray. But just like we learn to cope with a new baby, we learn to cope with a sick pet. Unfortunately there are plenty of places to go to get help with a new baby, you can call your mom, or another mother, you can even call and talk to a nurse or doctor that are very well versed on caring for a newborn, but when it comes to our pets, not so much help out there other than thankfully with boards like this one. Everyone here has had or currently has a FD kitty that is how we all got here.

Sometimes I think it is that comfortable routine that makes our vets so lousy at giving instructions on how to treat or give shots, they have done it so much as part of their chosen career path that they also forget that what is something they can do in their sleep is something we has their clients have never thought about in our wildest dreams. How are we to know that the size of the needle can make such a difference, I'm sure if it was their kitty that they saw flinch in pain at a shot would just naturally go to a smaller needle, but they forget to tell us this. Another thing that I have seen when shopping for vets is that many times things like that are left up to the Vet Techs to explain to the client but they are left hanging too in they don't know how much or how little the Vet themselves have told us. This is especially true it seems in very large or busy clinics. I probably drive my Vet nuts with the amount of questions I have them go over until I'm happy with the answers.

Mel
 
Please, just hang in there. There will be a system you can figure out eventually, and you don't need to put your cat down. When Petie was diagnosed, we were at the worst vet. He left Petie sitting in his urine in his kennel for a long time. When the tech came to show me how to give the shot of insulin, he had me practice with huge needles (I didn't know better). It hurt Petie, and I thought I was going to freak out right in the office. He was so freaked out by the experience, I had the hardest time giving him shots. He's a big boy, and I didn't have anyone to help me hold him or catch him. If your kitty wants to go under the bed, try and find another place to feed him where he can't hide like that (even if it's the bathroom and you sit with him). Then, break down his food for the day into smaller meals. That way, he won't be getting a shot with every meal. Petie ate four to five times a day at that time. I would sit with him and pet him, talk to him ... get him being used to me just being there. I know this is hard with a job and a family, but the folks here have really creative ways to get through it all. I started just feeding Petie two little meals in the morning, one when I came home, and one before bed. If he was intent on running or getting away, there were times I had to skip it. His blood sugar would skyrocket with the stress.

Just breathe and keep trying different things. Have your husband step in, too. You can cry, break things, vent, have a tantrum. Whatever you need to do. Then, just go back to the problem.

Petie and I were lucky because he was only on insulin for about six or seven months (thanks to the wonderful people here). But, in that time he had all kinds of bad reactions, side effects, and home testing him was sometimes impossible. I cried and cried, and I was so sad because he was my best friend and I felt like he didn't love me anymore. I have to tell you, though, eventually he realized when he felt bad that his mama-bean would be there. He really trusts me, even if some of the things I do may hurt or be uncomfortable. Please post your location. I had people in my city ready to come help me give shots or home test. It makes a world of difference.

You can totally do this, please don't give up.
 
Thanks to ALL of you we're still hanging in there. The highs & lows are incredible. Wendi & Petie you've aptly described the situation here. AND, I did have that tantrum day before yesterday. I set down the ground rules that MY cat was going to live and I am going to take my time to get it right. My husband is not an ogre, he simply can't see torturing all of us. He doesn't understand the process and time involved. There's no doubt he loves this little boy too.
Yesterday was a good day. Miki was not under the bed. He came to me. Those special treats mean everything to him. The needles are not an issue anymore, just being gently restrained is now the issue. We're working through it. As of now he's under the bed. I believe that's because we had a very late night because my other cat is an inside/outside cat and there was a full moon last night and Louie decided to carouse the neighborhood. He's usually home and tucked in by sundown. He came home this morning smelling of booze, women and cigarettes. First time he's done that in over a year. Hopefully, I'll be able to get that shot in Miki this morning. I know we'll continue to have good & bad days. I'm taking it one day at a time. As you know, sometimes the desperation sets in and all looks bleak. Then I begin to imagine that I will have his untimely death on my conscience. I'm fighting for this little boy. NOTHING else matters.

We would not be to this point had it not been for ALL of YOU. Priceless information and support.

I live 2 miles south of the city of Charlotte line in a small town called Weddington, NC.
 
It sounds like you have entered the second "phase" - the "Ok, maybe this is possible...There are answers to my questions....This has happened to others before."...phase. I remember how reassuring that felt.

Any way you can give him a shot while he is eating the treats so you don't have to restrain him? Or would that spoil the treat?

Phase 3 (Sorry there is a phase 3....) We will start nagging about hometesting. It is really the only way to do this safely - to know that he is at a number that is safe every time you give insulin.
 
Seedimom, welcome to the club of devoted mama and papa beans. cat_pet_icon Once you accept that you are going to lose your mind sometimes, it seems to be easier to deal with. I'm sure your husband isn't an ogre. I know a lot of people think that it's cruel and a reduction of a cat's quality of life to go through all this. But, really, once you find a rhythm it's like any thing else. A big change, but manageable. Petie is a big happy goofball now, and I adopted a little boy cat to play with him (Skeeter). Once he was OTJ he had so much energy he needed a pal. Now, they are BFFs. I know we here think of our fuzzikids like children, so there isn't an option but to find a way. It does get easier to deal with, I promise. I'm glad you are feeling better about it today. With Petie I just had to keep trying everything, and there is a saying here ... that I've forgotten ... about knowing your cat and realizing the advice you get from others may not fit. That's totally okay. We'll toss things out and you can see what works.

As far as Louie, sounds like he and Petie would be pals. He doesn't go outside, but my ex use to call him Big P (because he's big, and for "big pimpin") ... he walks like George Jefferson. He just needs a hat with a feather in it. :-D
 
I"m too much in a hurry to read all above, but wanted to let you know that I use the 31 gauge needles--really short and not scary...maybe someelse has mentined this above...but Fred barely notices that I stick him.
 
seedimom, read some of above--you mentioned that the vet never offered a smaller needle--yes, they use plungers and I don't know why. When Fred had to start getting subQ fluids for his kidney disease they wanted to use an 18 gauge needle! This is like a bore going thru his body. I insisted they give me something smaller and the most they could find was 22 which was still huge. I actually started ordered smaller and smaller needes until I fingally got to the 26 gauge for the fluids and it was great--NO ONE uses this, it made the fluids go in a teeny bit slower but not much and I avoided the huge paunch of water in their skin that you get from just dumping a load of water in there. I think they are in a hurry and they don't actually think as much about the animal's perspective, unfortunately. They are just trying to be efficient.

but anyone out there need to do SubQ--USE 25 or 26 gauge needles--and you may need to special request them since everyone uses bigger. But the kitties of the world will appreciate this.
 
As of today Miki & I are hanging in there. He still doesn't like coming out in the morning until about 10 AM, and that's only because he's hungry. Reluctantly, he lets me hold him while I administer the shot. Then he receives his special treat and food. A few times he fought me a lot. As a result he received a couple of hair shots. Overall WE have improved. He tries to exert his will, but is beginning to realize this isn't going away. It's incredible to see his health improve before my eyes. He's walking with a smooth gait. Seems to be drinking less water, but is still hungry. He seems happier.

Again, I would never have made it to this point without ALL of you. I'm going to write down all the tips suggested on this site and present them to my vet. Hopefully, she'll pass them on instead of letting pet owners struggle and possibly fail.
 
good job!

One other suggestion is visualization. Talk with him, tell him why the shots etc. are necessary, visualize what you are going to do as you are doing this, and also visualize him starting to feel better and better...
 
Jen & Squeak,
I talk to Miki like he's human and I believe cats understand more than we realize. We always have eye contact and he knows every nuance of my voice & facial expressions. You just can't fool a cat. They also pick up on every body movement. If anything is out of sync, they are tipped off & want to run. I believe he knows I'm helping him. He just hasn't totally accepted being held in my lap for the shot. He's proven that he won't stand still. I'm still working on my overall technique.

One shot at a time...one day at a time.
 
Seedimom,

My hat is off to you. Giving a cat a shot with a 29 gauge needle has to be one of the toughest things I've ever had to do.

If you can change to U100, 31 gauge short needles, you and your cat will be happier. Yes, you will need to use the conversion chart, but it is worth it.

I pet sat a diabetic recently who was absolutely terrified when I came to give her a shot. I never experienced that before with the ~ a dozen diabetic cats I've cared for over the last 5 years. I felt so sorry for her.

Hang in there and he will get better.

Good luck.

Claudia
 
Update on Miki:
He is doing great!!! As of today, Oct. 29 Miki's health has improved tremendously. He acts like a kitten again, playing, jumping and getting into mischief with Buddy, our other cat. Miki has reclaimed his territory that he lost due to becoming weak. He's fighting back for his position on the bed, sofa and chair. He has put on weight and muscle. His eyes are very bright. He' s the happiest he has been in a very long time. The shots have become routine. It has been a LONG two months, but we made it to this point. He & I went through several different scenarios for getting him to accept the shots. We came full circle back to the way we started out, shot at feeding time. I think it's simply resignation on his part. As much as I hate it, I withhold his food & treats and his visit out to the screen porch until he gets his insulin shot. He has put it together and now knows that I am more stubborn. The reward system works. I give him his shot at each feed twice a day. I show him the delicious meat and every time he fought me I would say, "You're not hungry?" and begin to remove the food if he didn't let me administer the shot. So he knows the consequences & has totally stopped fighting me. The other thing that helps is I pinch up his skin with a little more firmness. Before, I was too gentle and he would pull away too easily & we both got frustrated. Now, he knows I mean business and actually holds still. It's over with very quickly and he reaps the rewards and praise. We have both fine tuned our behaviors. I must tell you one BIG reason he has changed for the better...good drugs. As much as I hate it, we were at a point that Miki needed to relax. He is now on the Xanax (anti-anxiety) equivalent, 25 C-ALPRAZOLAM0 0.4ML twice a day. It started working immediately. He is a relaxed happy cat. Not doped up at all. He jumps and plays a lot. It increases his appetite. He gets a little extra meat, which he can stand due to becoming thin prior to treatment. Not certain at this point if he will stay on the anti-anxiety. It helps to calm him during doctors visits and at home. The other issue that cropped up along the way was the severe constipation, a side affect of the insulin. He soiled in the office four times. He has never done this before. We put him on 3 ML of Lactulose twice a day. He has handled it great & is back in the kitty litter. Both meds are put into his meat twice a day. It can taste bad to cats, but Miki doesn't seem to mind, licking his plate clean. We had a house full of company last week. We debated about putting him in a separate room for a week, but decided to leave him out with us. He did beautifully. He loved being around my kids & the new baby. He has a vet visit next Wed. His glucose levels are in check. I'll continue to update. Again, thanks so much for all the advice that got us to this point. There were many dark days along the way and you got me through. I know each day can present a new problem, BUT I feel stronger about working through it.
 
I am so glad to read that things are getting better!

Don't apologize for using anti-anxiety meds; we have to have our dog on amitriptyline and it helps her overall quality of life so why not?

Jen
 
Two questions......are you hometesting yet? Are you using the conversion chart? I hope so. I have never used anything but a 29 gauge needle and have no problems. I also have never bothered with the bevel side being up unless I am giving fluids.......different gauge for fluids and bevel is needed to be facing up.
 
seedimon said:
Miki, 13 yr. old cat was diagnosed two weeks ago. I'm willing to do what ever it takes, altering my life, spending the money, shots...whatever. Unfortunately five of those days he was kenneled so I could travel to see with my first new grandchild. Miki had never been kenneled before and this greatly upset him. He came home thinner and weak. The first fews days home I was able to give him two shots a day while feeding because he was ravenous, tired, not as alert and clueless. He perked up a lot. Now, he's on to me and won't let me give him the shots. I'm lucky to give him one shot a day, but now that has become difficult. It's more like every other day. Up to now my husband has been the bad guy catching Miki and holding him down. He won't go near my husband now. Breaks my husbands heart. I've tried to stay the good guy because Miki has always trusted me so much, until now. I'm so upset. I'm thinking this situation is impossible. If he is constantly being terrorized in his own home then is it time to put him down? IF I stopped the insulin shots and put him on wet meat all together sustain him a near normal life for a while if his glucose level dropped? Do we continue to catch (terrorize) him and force the situation? I always said I wouldn't make him fear me in his own home. I'm his mother. WE truly love each other. Are there any tips on how to handle this desperate situation :?: Be honest, brutally honest if you must.
Thank you,
Dee
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I'm new to giving shots too. It's sad you're having so much trouble. My Spooky was diagnosed two months ago. The vet said we caught it early and it hadn't done any damage. He'll be eleven next month.

I feed him and let him eat for about half an hour before the shot. I get the insulin, rub the bottle upside down to mix, I use alcohol and wipe the top of the bottle with a cotton ball, insert the needle and draw out the 1 unit of insulin. (I do this every 12 hours) I place the syringe on my nightstand. Then I go pick Spooky up and carry him to my bed. He lays there purring while I pet him for a few minutes. With my left hand I pull up his skin at the scruff area and make a tent with my thumb. I use my right hand to pick up the syringe. Then I quickly slip the needle into the tent making sure it's pointed slightly upwards. I push the plunger in, pull the needle out and rub the site. Giving the shot is done quickly. He never moves, except last night when someone set off fireworks that startled him. I just held him there for a minute, then petted him and gave the shot. I also make sure each time to slightly move where I give the shot so it's not in the same place.

Spooky never seems to mind. I'm using the syringes the vet gave me. He appears to be regulated now as he's drinking and peeing alot less. My husband and daughter do exactly the same thing and have had no trouble giving the shot. I think routine is very important for the cat's security.

Cindy, I hope if you try some of the suggestions your kitty will eventually accept the shots too. It's not easy when you and your cat are nervous.
 
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Sherry H said:
I push the plunger in, pull the needle out and rub the site. .
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Hi Sherry, that was very kind of you to post for Cindy but this thread is 7 years old :). Also, just wanted to let you know you are not supposed to rub the injection site, it effects how fast the insulin is absorbed.
 
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