Don't know what to do anymore...

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jinxedowner?

Member Since 2016
I am new to posting and to this forum. I am now treating my second cat with diabetes. The first cat didn't make it and that was only 1-1/2 years ago. Now "Ching" has it. One of our problems is that he is not an eater of wet food. We do have him on a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate food (feline dm), and in one month, he's lost a little over one pound. I took him back to our vet 4 days ago to re-check his glucose levels, and they were relatively unchanged. To me, he is skinny, has no energy, doesn't interact with our other cats anymore, doesn't play at all, seems to hate life. I hate to see him like this! My husband and I talked it over and decided we wouldn't put him through insulin regulation and the possibility of becoming hyperglycemic. We don't want him to suffer anymore than we've put him through already. Do you think this is a selfish decision? I hate to think of my life without him in it, but I feel like I've got to put his best interests ahead of mine. Please advise.
P.S. I worked for a vet for 15 years, and feline diabetes remained an enigma to me the entire time!
 
I know how you feel, I've had to make decisions that were not easy and there's always that doubt - did I do the right thing.
I'm not sure what happened with your first kitty and I'm not going to pry as its none of my business but I wonder if this is what's influencing your current decision. Your decision isn't wrong by any means, you know yourself and your kitty cat better than I do.
I can't decide this for you and I don't think anyone here can either. It's not anyone else's decision but yours and no one can make that for you. It's too personal.

I know I base my decisions on many things but mostly quality of life. I will do everything I can to make that quality of life happen but know that at some point when there's nothing left to try or do then it's time.
Everyone has their own way of determining when it's the right time.

I wonder if your decision would be different with support and better understanding of FD? so my advice to you is to read as much as you can and then make your final decision with more knowledge and understanding when it's less of an enigma to you.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Hi, sorry you are going through this. If you don't think you can manage this please contact DCIN (diabetic cats in need) to help rehome your kitty.

That being said. FD is completely manageable once you get through the learning curve. This site has more information than any vet. We have heard some really unbelievable advice vets give. We have all been where you are now.

Home testing is vital regardless what your vet says. If you are giving wet DM food that is okay. If you are giving dry food it's to high in carbs again regardless what vet tells you. We can advise towards low carb affordable regular brand of cat food. We can help you learn home testing using a human meter so you don't need so many vet visits. We can help you with directions to get insulin inexpensively. And the insulin that work the best.

What you must do is want to treat him. It requires a routine with little interruptions. You must be diligent.

My Smokey is 18 1/2 yrs old. Diagnosed in 2010. He was my parents cat that I acquired 2 yrs ago. I knew nothing and still learning. I found this site not quite a year ago. What a difference it has made in Smokey overall despite other health issues and set backs.

Smokey doesn't mind. He knows the times he gets tested and will sit right down when he hears the beep of the meter. Is it worth it, to me it is.
 
Jinxedowner? said:
My husband and I talked it over and decided we wouldn't put him through insulin regulation and the possibility of becoming hyperglycemic.
Click to expand...

I think you mean hypoglycemic...low blood glucose...but the possibility of hypos is greatly reduced by home testing (which we strongly encourage here)

Yes, treating can mean some changes to your lifestyle, but the rewards of treatment are worth it....the return of the cat you remember...the one that loves life and can live many more years.

When China was first diagnosed, I too thought (for a fleet second anyway) that she was suffering and I couldn't put her through shots and testing...much less afford it!....but I took the plunge to at least try and we're on our 4th year of the sugardance and she's doing great! She comes when it's time for her shots and when I start getting the testing supplies out, she comes running.

I remember about 3 weeks after we started insulin when I caught her grooming and thought how long it had been since I'd seen her groom and knew we were on the right track....not long after that she began playing games she hadn't played in a very long time (I thought she was just too old for games)

Here's some pictures for you to consider (click on pictures to expand)
China before diagnosis.jpg China at diagnosis....less than 8lbs
China after diagnosis.jpg China after about 4 months of insulin therapy and the help of the wonderful people here on the FDMB...about 13lbs
 
Most dry food is high in carbs, even grain free and makes it difficult to regulate a cats glucose levels. Most cats do require some insulin. I know this is something that you said you do not want to do, but please reconsider this decision. Not all cats can be regulated by diet alone.

Feline diabetes is something that can be managed through a low carb/high protein diet (preferably canned or raw), insulin, and home testing. I realize this sounds like a lot of work, but once you find the routine that works best for you and your cat, it generally only adds a few minutes to your day. Initially it sounds overwhelming, but we can help you through this process.

Home testing is a must even if you decide not to give insulin. It can tell you how well the low carb/high protein diet is working. If it is not, then if you do not want to give insulin, then please consider rehoming your cat. Untreated diabetes can be a slow painful death for your cat other wise.
 
My Callie has gone from lying around ,not grooming and ignoring her 3 other house mates. She had lost weight and looked pathetic. Now her coat is soft and luxurious, she is our old playful and loving kitty. She has returned to the lap cat that we love so much.

In the 4 months since her diagnosis, she has not had a hypo event. She is not suffering! I give her low carb wet food. I test her before feeding and giving her shot. She jumps onto the card table when I shake the contaner holding the strips. I wouldn't put her down unless she was in pain. If you can't or won't take a few minutes a day to make her healthy again, give her to someone who will love her enough to do what is necessary.
 
I can't tell you what to decide but I do ask that you please find out as much about treating feline diabetes as you can before you make any decision. It is such a very treatable disease! And the impact on your time and lifestyle is so small, especially for what you gain in return. This site is a wonderful place to learn more, and if you decide to treat your kitty, we will be there to help you whenever you need it. My cat is 17 and was diagnosed about 15 months ago. I have never regretted my decision to treat him. He is happy and loves life, still purrs and plays like a kitten since we began treatment, and I still have my best friend! If you find you just cannot manage the idea of treatment, please do contact DCIN for help rehoming:

https://www.facebook.com/DiabeticCatsInNeed/
 
Jinxedowner? said:
I am new to posting and to this forum. I am now treating my second cat with diabetes. The first cat didn't make it and that was only 1-1/2 years ago. Now "Ching" has it. One of our problems is that he is not an eater of wet food. We do have him on a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate food (feline dm), and in one month, he's lost a little over one pound. I took him back to our vet 4 days ago to re-check his glucose levels, and they were relatively unchanged. To me, he is skinny, has no energy, doesn't interact with our other cats anymore, doesn't play at all, seems to hate life. I hate to see him like this! My husband and I talked it over and decided we wouldn't put him through insulin regulation and the possibility of becoming hyperglycemic. We don't want him to suffer anymore than we've put him through already. Do you think this is a selfish decision? I hate to think of my life without him in it, but I feel like I've got to put his best interests ahead of mine. Please advise.
P.S. I worked for a vet for 15 years, and feline diabetes remained an enigma to me the entire time!
Click to expand...
My cat mostly eats dry so we switch ed her to Young Again Zero Carb food. You can protect against hypoglycemia simply by testing her at home like human diabetic people do. All that requires is a tiny pinpoint to the outer edge of the ear and a meter. If you need help with dosing advice then this is the right place! Please consider giving it a try with this forum as support!
 
I'm sorry to hear that Ching has da 'dire beasties' too...HUGS. Diabetes is caused by the pancreas no longer secreting insulin that is required by the body. By giving insulin, all you're doing is replacing the hormone that the body needs to work right. Your 'blood glucose' meter is the key to hearing the 'tune'. The sugar dance isn't hard, it's just different. It's not hard on the kitty - both KT, our first diabetic and now Dakota, our extra sweet 15 year old kitty, come to me for testing and their shots.

HUGS!
 
Squeaky and KT said:
I'm sorry to hear that Ching has da 'dire beasties' too...HUGS. Diabetes is caused by the pancreas no longer secreting insulin that is required by the body. By giving insulin, all you're doing is replacing the hormone that the body needs to work right. Your 'blood glucose' meter is the key to hearing the 'tune'. The sugar dance isn't hard, it's just different. It's not hard on the kitty - both KT, our first diabetic and now Dakota, our extra sweet 15 year old kitty, come to me for testing and their shots.

HUGS!
Click to expand...
@Squeaky and KT What a great way of explaining FD and it's treatment!!!:)
 
I felt the same way, we didn't want to do insulin under any circumstances, plus in the beginning the vet told us he didn't need it. We waited until Perkins almost died to do it. As soon as he was on the insulin he started to feel much better. He eats DM and wet food. I wish we didn't listen to the vet who said he didn't need insulin. This is just my story everyone has to choose what is right for their cat. God bless.
 
Of all the diseases out there, feline diabetes seems to be one of the most well understood and treatable diseases. The untreated disease is not kind to our kitties. But regulated kitties can live a pretty normal life. Home blood glucose testing is a definite factor to successful treatment, but as you probably know this takes time. Our Leo is a high-dose kitty, and I spend quite a bit of time per day treating him and managing his disease. I wouldn't have it any other way. It does take a lot to keep life alive sometimes, but it is worth it.
 
donnalea said:
My Callie has gone from lying around ,not grooming and ignoring her 3 other house mates. She had lost weight and looked pathetic. Now her coat is soft and luxurious, she is our old playful and loving kitty. She has returned to the lap cat that we love so much.

In the 4 months since her diagnosis, she has not had a hypo event. She is not suffering! I give her low carb wet food. I test her before feeding and giving her shot. She jumps onto the card table when I shake the contaner holding the strips. I wouldn't put her down unless she was in pain. If you can't or won't take a few minutes a day to make her healthy again, give her to someone who will love her enough to do what is necessary.
Click to expand...
I appreciate so much your kind words and making treating "Ching" not sound so scary. He will not touch anything but dry food, and I realize that's not in his favor. But please give me specifics as to where I go from here: what kind of glucometer do I get? what kind of insulin? how often do I test and where? how often do I give insulin and how much? Anything else you can think of. I'm strongly considering giving this a go. If I can make his life happier, then it's all worth it. I loved what you said about your kitty starting to groom again, playing again, and interacting with her "siblings". "Ching" has lost weight on this food (low-calorie), and his coat looks awful. I was encouraged to hear that your kitty's coat is now soft and beautiful again. I'm not very good at computer stuff, so I'll keep coming back to this until you tell me different.
 
Glad your willing to give it a try. Wal-Mart brand meter confirm or micro is popular here. Easy to use. Pick up extra strips. It's what you will use the most of.

Do NOT transistor off dry foods until you have the home testing down.

You will need a script for insulin. ProZinc, Lantus and Levemir are good ones. You will have to get your first insulin from vet. Then send script to Marks Marine in Canada for much better prices. These insulin are given every 12 hours. So find the best time for you and start conditioning Ching. Pure Bites freeze dried chicken is a good treat to use after testing.

There are videos for home testing available. Home testing is a key to treating FD. Ask any questions you have.
 
Last edited:
It might be a good idea to talk to your vet about what insulin is best for you and your budget. Like everything else, there is "good, better and best". Feel free to come here anytime to ask questions. There are a lot of special people here.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top