Feeding Intervals

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jhillery

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Vet recommended I feed my cat a half a can of wet food (prescription DM) every 12 hours. The switch from dry to wet has vanquished the diabetes, but my cat acts like it's starving after it eats. (She's really vocal about it, too.) She used to nibble on dry food whenever she felt like it. Now that her bg is normal, is 12 hours too long in-between feedings? And is it OK to give her some dry food as a "snack" in-between meals?

Jeff
 
You'd be best off feeding wet food in between meals rather than than dry. How much does she weigh? And would you say she's at her "ideal weight" currently? It's all about total daily intake of calories, and how many calories are needed to maintain a good weight. One can per day does sound "low", but it depends on how much she weighs.
 
With a clouder of 14 at home, it seems to work out to 2 meals per day of about 1/2 oz per pound of cat per meal.

So my big 12 pounder would get about 6 ounces per meal and my petite 6 pounder would get about 3 oz per meal. I don't actually measure - I free feed and watch for any become chunky.
 
Thanks for the advice. She's 8 pounds; was around 10 pre-diabetes. I noticed on the food chart that most of the dry food is high carb (DM being the exception), so that's probably out. Have been giving her some grilled chicken from time to time as a "snack."
 
Try putting out about 4 oz of canned, mixed with a tablespoon or so of water, spread across a wide plate to slow down the eating. See how long it takes her to eat.

Can you feel her ribs? Hip bones?

How old is she? If she is middle aged, and her body is still thinning, I'd check with the vet - hyperthyroidism can cause increased hunger too.
 
She just turned 9 and has always been on the small, thin side for a tabby (10 lbs is most she's ever weighed). Blood test at the vet didn't detect a thyroid problem. I'll try upping the amount of wet food I'm giving her. That won't affect diabetes, correct, as along as it's the prescription DM?
 
It doesn't need to be the prescription DM, so long as it is < 10% calories from carbohydrates - Friskies pates work just fine and offer more variety.

Yes, upping the food a bit is OK. Because of the increased food intake, you may need to tweak the insulin dose. You may not have known this - cats can break down proteins and fats to make carbohydrates! Its why they don't need it in their food.
 
Hello, Jeff

Diabetic cats (whether in remission or on insulin) always do best on several small meals throughout the day & night. In my opinion, I'd feed her more & simply pay attention to her weight (easiest way is to weigh yourself alone, then, with your kitty & subtract the difference). If she gets chunky, feed less, if skinny feed more. Statistics are great but clinical observation is more accurate in a specific case.
Best wishes, Sophie
 
Rough formula is about 20 calories per pound per day. So in theory, the one can of DM should be sufficient. If she's very active, she'd burn more calories than a cat like mine, who is pretty much a sloth. But Bob also weighs 14 pounds...

You could space out the feedings instead of just 2 per day. And low carb, low calorie snacks like chicken are good too.

You said "vanquished the diabetes"? So she's no longer on insulin, right?
 
BG numbers are averaging between 49 and 54 after the 390. Change of diet seemingly did the trick. She's been off insulin since a severe hypo attack a few weeks ago and seems better, but still doesn't have the energy she had before diabetes struck.
Have been giving her B12 for almost a week, but neuropathy in her right paw continues, and I can feel a slight tremor when she's on her side and I put my hand against her shoulder. But it's nowhere near as bad as it was when I'd administer insulin shots (vet started her at 1 unit, then backed it down to a half a unit before the hypo incident). The hunger thing may just be habit; she nibbled as she pleased (almost 9 years) up until the switch to wet food. I do believe she's gaining some weight. I feed her a half a can of wet Purina DM at 6a and 6p, and having been giving her a little chicken in between. Thanks again for the advice.
 
If the BG numbers continue to be between 40-130, for 14 days straight, you havea diet controlled kitty.

You will want to continue to feed only low carb foods, to keep your kitty in remission.

Has it been 14 days now with those low numbers? Sounds like it might have been several weeks since you gave her any insulin.

In that case, you have reached OTJ status. Congratulations! :RAHCAT

The neuropathy can take time to resolve, it that is what it is. Neuropathy usually damages the nerves to the rear legs.

Low BG numbers, time and those B-12 (should be methylcobalamin not cyanocobalamin) should help to resolve the neuropathy. It can take several months. It did with my foster cat Wink. He walks fairly normally now. Still bow legged, mostly up on his tippy toes except when he is tired. Then he walks more down on his whole paw but never on his hocks anymore.

Up to 20% of the daily calorie intake can be pure protein according to vet Dr. Lisa Pierson. It's here somewhere in a post, but I can't find it today. You don't want to replace too much of the canned food because the chicken doesn't have the needed vitamins and minerals a cat needs.

Here's hoping she gains more weight and regains some of her energy. Sending healing vines to your kitty.
 
Yes, it's been 14 days with low numbers since she's been on wet food diet and off insulin shots. Thanks for the info on neuropathy. It's a miracle the diabetes is under control. May be asking too much for another miracle re: B12.
 
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