Hello, I am new to this site and new to my cat diagnosed with diabetes and early kidney disease. I am overwhelmed and crying all the time. She is 14 and I want her to live as long as possible, but comfortable. I have always given my cats a fountain water bowl, and feed them both dry and wet cat food. I need to know what is the best food to help her with both of her diseases. Should I feed her just wet food now? Should I feed her at specific times instead of the dry food out for her to eat at her leisure? I want to do the very best for her? I need help! Please, how do I feed her to help her the very best way that I can and slow the progression of the kidney disease?? She is on Senvelgo for her diabetes and her glucose numbers are reducing. What do I do?
Diane5 and Calli
- Thread starter Diane5
- Start date
Jessica & Indy
Member Since 2025
Wet food is definitely the way to go for kitties with diabetics. You just want to make sure that they are low in phosphorous for the kidney disease. The wet food helps with the kidneys as well because it promotes hydration. There are some wonderful people on this forum that have much more experience with balancing both diseases. My only suggestion (outside the wet food) is adding a fish oil supplement. It has anti-inflammatory properties and will help tremendously with slowing down the progression of kidney disease. I have all of my kitties on fish oil!
Here is some information that was saved in the health links forum: Does your Diabetic Cat have Chronic Kidney Disease? If so...
Good luck and welcome to the forums!
Here is some information that was saved in the health links forum: Does your Diabetic Cat have Chronic Kidney Disease? If so...
Good luck and welcome to the forums!
Welcome - you are in a good place for advice and support. I feed all wet food and several times a day. each time I feed I put an extra tablespoon of water mixed into the food. Boosie is diabetic and his his brother is prone to stone formation so I look for low phosphorus low carb food. My vet suggested the the prescription diet but I think some of the others are higher quality. I use Fussie Cat and Tikki and Weruva but there are quite a few in all price ranges that fit the bill. Dr Pearson's list is a good place to start - you will see the link here on the welcome forum. Bootsie is on senvelgo also and doing wonderfully with it. We are 2 months into our journey and have made it to the once every 3 month vet checks. I check urine ketones at home at least every other day. Please join us on the Bexacat /Senvelgo section if you have any questions. I think the name of this forum should be - at first we cry- we all do. It is stressful, but somehow we seem to all find our way- you will too.
CORKY
Member Since 2023
Welcome to FDMB
You are not alone! we have all been in your shoes, cried till there were no tears, felt inadequate, guilty, did I missed any feelings? probably, but we are here for you. thank you for the spreadsheet, looking at it I see a great improvement! that is great.
Diabetic cats need to have a diet of wet can or raw foods between 0-10% carbs, most members fed Fancy Feast of Friskies Pates 0-10% arbs most feed up to 5%, they need to have a schedule, no grazing no dry foods, these contain between 20-30% carbs, cats cannot digest carbs, as well as 3-4 small meals or snack during the day to keep the Lantus Depot in check, also you are home testing with the Libre, this is great, you do not need to input all the BG numbers but perhaps the one before shots and 3-4 times during the day, is your choice, his numbers are beginning to be in the low blues, do you have a manual monitor and strips, most members use the ReliOn human monitor and strips (Walmart) it will be necessary when you begin to see 2 digit numbers (green) the Libre tends to read the low (2 digit) number lower than reality, so your alarm may go off unnecessary, if you get a number lower than 90 please re-test manually,
below is a Drs approved food list the third column contains the carb% for each food, please make the transition from the dry to wet slowly to avoid stomach upset or a dive in glucose levels, you need to create HYPO KIT, this contains some medium carb foods 11-15% , some high carb foods 16-24% carbs Karo syrup or Honey, these two last ones are a quick fix, so we like to hike up the BG to safe numbers with food rather than the karo or syrup.
0-10% low carbs / 11-15% medium carbs / 16-24% high carbs, I will tag a member that can assist you with Lantus and dosing, as well as kidney concerns you have, she is very knowledgeable, in cats illnesses, We are here for you, keep posting , keep asking
@Christie & Maverick
@squeem3
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf
You are not alone! we have all been in your shoes, cried till there were no tears, felt inadequate, guilty, did I missed any feelings? probably, but we are here for you. thank you for the spreadsheet, looking at it I see a great improvement! that is great.
Diabetic cats need to have a diet of wet can or raw foods between 0-10% carbs, most members fed Fancy Feast of Friskies Pates 0-10% arbs most feed up to 5%, they need to have a schedule, no grazing no dry foods, these contain between 20-30% carbs, cats cannot digest carbs, as well as 3-4 small meals or snack during the day to keep the Lantus Depot in check, also you are home testing with the Libre, this is great, you do not need to input all the BG numbers but perhaps the one before shots and 3-4 times during the day, is your choice, his numbers are beginning to be in the low blues, do you have a manual monitor and strips, most members use the ReliOn human monitor and strips (Walmart) it will be necessary when you begin to see 2 digit numbers (green) the Libre tends to read the low (2 digit) number lower than reality, so your alarm may go off unnecessary, if you get a number lower than 90 please re-test manually,
below is a Drs approved food list the third column contains the carb% for each food, please make the transition from the dry to wet slowly to avoid stomach upset or a dive in glucose levels, you need to create HYPO KIT, this contains some medium carb foods 11-15% , some high carb foods 16-24% carbs Karo syrup or Honey, these two last ones are a quick fix, so we like to hike up the BG to safe numbers with food rather than the karo or syrup.
0-10% low carbs / 11-15% medium carbs / 16-24% high carbs, I will tag a member that can assist you with Lantus and dosing, as well as kidney concerns you have, she is very knowledgeable, in cats illnesses, We are here for you, keep posting , keep asking
@Christie & Maverick
@squeem3
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf
CORKY
Member Since 2023
Also if your vet talks about a curve, please do not take him, a curve is simply testing every 2-3 hours for a cycle (12 hours) your Libre is already doing that, cats are very sensitive to stress and a curve at the vet will result in higher BG numbers resulting in an unnecessary increase and dose, the same for the sensor you can do this yourself, is very very simple, make sure you have a couple of sensors at hand in case it falls off or stops working before the 14 days, make sure your vet gives you an ongoing prescription, avoid vet visits unless necessary and save your money