Does insulin affect cat's personality?

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Christianna

Member Since 2014
It seems since Noodle has been on the insulin, his personality has changed. It sounds weird but he used to be very affectionate, liked to snuggle up, etc. but now he seems kind of crabby and not wanting to be touched. Also not as sociable. He only seems to be like his old self when the insulin is wearing off! This really has me puzzled. He has always been a cat who gets his feelings hurt very easily and I wonder if he is associating me with all the ear-poking and shots. He seems to almost cringe when I come into the room. I want more than anything to get him well but sometimes feel like he just wants me to leave him alone. Anyone else notice this kind of change?

Christi
 
I have not seen that but all the testing and the actual injections might be what is bothering Noodles. All my diabetics have gotten over it.
 
Do you give him a treat or extra lovin' after every test or shot? Bob got fresh shrimp after every poke with a sharp object. He came to associate the routine with his favorite food ever, and would come to me at test/shoot time after the first couple of weeks. Even two years after his last shot, he'd still come running if I took the meter out and he heard the case zipper open. I used to like doing that just to see him come running :-). Of course, I'd always have shrimp ready for his performance :-D
 
Christianna said:
... now he seems kind of crabby and not wanting to be touched. Also not as sociable. He only seems to be like his old self when the insulin is wearing off!
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I've observed exactly the same thing in Saoirse. She tends to be in great form pre-dose, gets withdrawn and un-Saoirselike during the middle of the cycle and then gets perkier and more herself in the hour or two before her next dose is due. What a relief to hear from someone else who has observed similar (means I'm not imagining it). FWIW, I don't think the testing bothers Saoirse too much. She purrs quite contentedly when I'm testing (but then she does get protein treats afterwards :cool: ).

BTW, I have a civvie whose name is Lúnasa but one of my pet names for her is Noodle. She also answers to Whack Job (a well-deserved epithet ... :roll: ). We're rooting for your little fella in The Shire.
 
Hi Critter Mom,
Thank you for your reply. While I am sorry you're going through the same thing with Saoirse, it does help, as you said, to hear from someone else who has observed the same pattern. What you have with Saoirse is exactly the same pattern as Noodle. Kind of makes me hate to give him the insulin, seeing how he changes but know, of course, that it is necessary. When I asked my vet about it, he just kind of shrugged and didn't have an answer. Noodle doesn't seem to mind the testing or shots now either, as he knows a tasty treat (that he only gets at shot or test time) will shortly follow :razz:
That's so cute, your nicknames for Lunasa ,especially Whack Job :smile: We have so many nicknames for Noodle too, first Bean, then Beanie, then Beanie-Baby, now Beanarino. Are we nuts or what? I remember one time reading that most people who have a cat for a long time end up with a bunch of nicknames throughout their lifetime, so I guess we're normal ;-)
Thanks so much for your post and we're keeping paws and fingers crossed for Saoirse too!

Christi
 
Christianna said:
That's so cute, your nicknames for Lunasa ,especially Whack Job :smile: We have so many nicknames for Noodle too, first Bean, then Beanie, then Beanie-Baby, now Beanarino. Are we nuts or what? I remember one time reading that most people who have a cat for a long time end up with a bunch of nicknames throughout their lifetime ...
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If you think 'Whack Job' is bad, one of the first cats I adopted (sadly no longer here) was meant to be called Conor, but ended up with Psycho Fatboy the Third as a monicker. (Now picture me calling him in in the evening ... :oops: )

I hope that both you and your Beanie-Baby have had a good day today. Give him some scritches for me.
 
BJM said:
A few folks here have reported their cats reacted adversely to Lantus.
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Yep, Mikey was one of them. I never realized how bad of a reaction he was having till I switched him to Levemir. He was diagnosed so young that I never had a reference point for how he should be. Since switching, it's like I have a new, happier version! Mikey 2.0. :lol:
 
It had the opposite effect on Chicken Little. She was a feral cat and never wanted to be touched. After we started shooting and ear poking she became more affectionate towards me. Now she even follows me around the house and comes to me when its shot time. I've never had the privilege of her sitting in my lap but she does come and sit on the arm of the sofa or right next to me sometimes. I guess all cats are different and have their own quirks just like people. :?
 
Alska is one of them too... Big difference in behavior and just overall happiness when I switched him from Lantus to Levemir. He is no longer the moody recluse he was when he was on Lantus. We love Levemir!!!
 
This is a really helpful thread.

Saoirse's BG levels are so low that it has become nigh on impossible to keep administering Caninsulin. I don't think she's quite ready to stop insulin therapy at the moment as her numbers, though relatively stable today, are still on the high side. It has been really hard watching her slump while the insulin was at peak efficacy. I didn't think to query whether it was the type of insulin that might be disagreeing with her.

It's great to know that there are kitties out there that are receiving insulin therapy without suffering a 'misery period.' That there is a possibility (though no guarantee) of a different insulin not affecting Saoirse adversely in the way that Caninsulin does, it might help me build a better case for our vet to be able to prescribe a potentially 'gentler' insulin.
 
I've just found this tread and It just got me wondering, I'm really new to all of this, my himmie Babu-Chiri was diagnosed just a month ago and we had a really bad time we started him on Humulin but his numbers dropped very drastically with just 1/2 unit ( from 475 to 100 ) we stoped giving him the insulin for a few days and changed to Lantus, starting with a very very low dose ( 0.25 unit ) and are working the dose up we are currently at 0.4 unit twice a day but his numbers are still high.

He seems better but I do observe the same behavior you are describing he is more o less ok before the shot and right after he just gets depressed definitely does not want to eat or be petted or anything, about 5 hours after his dose he starts beeing active and hungry and kind of stays that way until the next shot

So I would like to know if you have managed to do something about it
 
My cat has feline hyperestesia with seizures and the lantus made him all twitchy and uncomfortable. Lantus can sting quite a bit, so it might change behavior. Changing to levemir helped, as levemir doesn't sting.
 
The only thing I noticed was Carter has become more aggressive towards my dog. He will literally stalk her around the house at times, flat to the ground, tail poofed, growling and hissing and try to swipe the crap out of her. Mostly he does this if my dog runs up to my other cats trying to "play" but Carter acts like they are being attacked and jumps in to defend them. It only started after we began insulin, as they used to get along the best out of all the animals we have. I think it really hurt my dog's feelings and she was very confused at first but now she avoids him.
 
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My Callie, AKA "The Drooler " has become her old loving kitten self after starting insulin. She must have had diabetes a long time before she showed any symptoms. Now she snuggles in our bed at night, and just can't get enough affection.
 
Thanks every one I guess we would have to get his levels up to normal before we think of changing insulin, specially since he is so sensitive to any change in his dose
 
My Indie girl has been more moody too since being on Lantus! I just chalked it up to her high BG numbers assuming she has to be uncomfortable, but perhaps its actually the Lantus?? She has never ever scratched me or anything of that sort and last week when I was trying to trim her toenails on her hind legs she swiped at me and I even bled! Never ever has that happened. So then I thought maybe her legs are hurting as she also wasn't jumping on stuff like she used to. But she walks fine (watched many videos on neuropathy in cats). She also recently has been aggressive to my sister. Again I just chalked it up to her high numbers :( I feel bad for her! I 100% realize either way her aggressive behavior is not her fault. And didn't get mad. Have been telling everyone to just leave her be as she clearly isn't 100% right now. On the bright side, she has lost 4 ounces since 8/15! I digress...

Anyways, was happy to see this thread. I feel like there is still so much to learn about all this!!
 
Saoirse had a bad pancreatitis flare recently and now she's on 2.25IU BID of Lantus - the highest amount of this insulin that she has received. Her BG is better but with every dose increase she needed to get to the current level her mood deteriorated. She's a bit more comfortable overall at the lower BGs but her mood has not returned to how she was before increasing the dose (even though her BG was higher at that time). It's upsetting me a lot to see her somewhat 'muted'. As was the case when she was on Caninsulin Saoirse seems to be brighter at beginning and end of the cycle and more subdued mid-cycle. :( I want better for her.


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