Fancy Feast options for newly diagonosed diabteic kitty.

I hope this is the right spot to post this,
My 10 year old cat has just been diagnosed with diabetes. I'm new to all of this and am trying to learn more. He's getting insulin 2x a day every 12 hours. Its been about 8 days already.
He's been on wet food his whole life. Fancy feast in different varieties. Mainly grilled and medleys.
I was never aware that foods with "gravy" were high in carbs. I was talked into getting the Purina DM from the vet. The first 4-5 days were fine he ate it up with no problem. I had bought Fancy Feast Pate as a backup since I seen alot of comments that the pate is just as good. He started to not eat the DM, so I tried the FF Pate. He ate that 1-2 days and now Nothing. He wont even sniff it he walks right by it and meows. Was never a fan of the pate versions. So now i'm stuck cause I have to give him the insulin and he needs to eat to get it. It's not as easy as saying Oh just leave it he won't starve and eventually with eat it. The past 2 days I've had to give him a can of grilled or medleys. Now i'm trying to do more and more research in to what to try next that's not pate or gravy. The fancy feast Chopped, Flaked and Roasted look pretty good as far as the carb count. Any info or advice would be great. Thank you

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Yes it’s really important that your kitty eats. Not only because of the insulin but because cats can’t go more than about 24 hours without food before they run into serious problems.
There is no need to feed prescriptions foods. They are no better than other canned foods, just more expensive.
Your kitty may be nauseated. If he continues to not eat I would go back to the vet and ask for some cerenia for the nausea.
There are lots of options for diabetic cats to eat. Not just fancy feast. Here is a link to suitable foods. Look for 10%or less carbs.
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf
In the meantime let your kitty eat whatever he will eat as long as it is something. That is the most important thing.
Do you have some honey and high carb food in case of a hypo?

Can you tell us what type of insulin you are using and the dose please?
Also have you thought about home testing the blood glucose to keep your kitty safe.
Keep asking questions

 

The insulin is Prozinc and the dosage is 0.2 units.
He definitely wants to eat but not the pate so I’m giving in and giving him his usual FF grilled or medleys.
I do have honey.
I would like to start home testing as well. Do I need a special glucose meter or can I get a human one?

 

Hi Kim and welcome what's you kitty's name
A human meter is just fine, most of us use it and that's what our numbers are based on
If you live in the US you can buy the Relion Prime at Walmart
It's 9 dollars
17.88 for 100 strips
26 or 28 gauge lancets
Most of us just use the lancet to test, some use a lancing device
I find it easier just holding just the lancet in my hand, I feel I can see
exactly where I'm poking.Any brand will do

They also have The Relion Premier
Don't let the vet talk you into a pet meter the strips are crazy expensive something
like 54.00 for 50 strips.
You will be going thru a lot of them in the beginning and you can always run to Walmart and pick them up.
Even when I had to order them online I got them in 2 days

Get some cotton rounds to out being the ear in case you might poke your finger
then after you test you will hold the cotton round on your cats ear for about
15-20 seconds press gently until the bleeding stops
Testing your cat in the AM and the PM before you give the insulin is a must to make sure the BG is safe enough to shoot
Just withhold food 2 hours before testing, you don't want it food influenced
We also check during each cycle
Maybe text @+2 ( that's 2 hours after giving insulin)
then maybe @+4 and @+6 to find out how the insulin is working
You want to try and find out the nadir ( that's the lowest point of the BG)

Each day and night you want to scatter testing times, like filling in a puzzle

We all use a spreadsheet to record our cats BG. I will give you the link to create
one. If you have problems we have 2 members that will help you
Just ask

You can take a look at mine, it's at the end of everyone's post
Mine says Tyler's Spreadsheet
This is so if you need help with dosing we need to see how the insulin is working for
your kitty in order to give some advice.

Take a look at the link Bron posted above food suggestions

I assume the vet has been testing his BG?
If you have any BG numbers you can fill in the spreadsheet

 

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/editing-your-signature-profile-and-preferences.130340/

This link will tell you how to create your signature
It's at the end of everyone's post in gray
Look at mine, it's information about your kitty so we won't have to ask you the same
questions over and over again

 

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/

This link will explain how to set up your spreadsheet and also how to use the
spreadsheet

Like I said if you need help just ask

 

Always aim for the sweet spot warm the ears up first, you can put rice in a sock and put it in the microwave, test it on the inside of your wrist to be sure it's not to hot, like you would test a babies bottle. You can fill a pill bottle with warm water and roll it on the ears also.Just keep rubbing the ears with your fingers to warm them up

6. As the ears get used to bleeding and grow more capilares, it gets easier to get the amount of blood you need on the first try. If he won’t stand still, you can get the blood onto a clean finger nail and test from there.
When you do get some blood you can try milking the ear.
Get you finger and gently push up toward the blood , more will appear

 

Thank you all so much for the help and info.
His name is Jax.
I have a follow up vet appt coming up to see how the insulin is working. I definitely see a huge difference in behavior.
I will look into the glucose meter. Thank you again.

 

Do you have syringes with half unit markings, we increase or decrease by 0.25 units
They make it a lot easier to dose

 

You are welcome, we have another kitty here named Jax
Just keep asking questions , good luck

 

These are the syringes the vet gave me.
Monoject Insulin Syringes/Needles U-40 29 Gauge x 0.5-in, 0.5cc,

 

Thank you I appreciate all the help.

 

Those do not have half unit markings, but use them up and then you can order the ones with half unit markings



https://www.adwdiabetes.com
Just go to the site and in the search area just type in U-40 syringes with half unit markings
you will see other brands, here are a few

https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/18553/ulticare-u40-pet-29g-3-10cc-1-2in-half-unit

https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/18570/bd-pet-syringes-u40-29g-3-10cc-1-2in-half-unit

 

0.2 units is an awfully small starting dose. Do you mean 2 units?

 

Just to show you the difference

 

Hi Kel I was just about to ask the same questions lol
I hope you are doing well

 

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VIDEO: How to test your cat's blood sugarsugar

Here is a video one of our members made testing her cat, she's using a pet meter instead of a human meter that's all

 

Yes 2 units.

 

Thank you for the coupon, I just used it. I appreciate it.

 

You are welcome

 

@Diane Tyler's Mom Hi, I have a question. I ordered these from one of the links you provided. https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/18553/ulticare-u40-pet-29g-3-10cc-1-2in-half-unit
My vet needs me to go pick up a written RX for the order to go through which I can't get there til the weekend so it'll be a while before I finally get the syringes.
How does that work for increasing/decreasing, For example Jax is on 2 units now but if I need to increase him 0.25, Do you just eyeball it between 2 and 2 1/2?

 

Hi Kim, yes, you have to eyeball it. This photo might help.

 

Oh Ok i see, thank you very much.

 

Thank you Katherine for showing Kim