Feeding my sugarcat

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Traveling Cats

Traveling Cats

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Hi, guys! This is melissapeterman but I changed my username to Traveling Cats to represent all of us cats in the house. Looks like we're moving into LL for a while as we get adjusted/regulated. cat_pet_icon

Can we talk about food? Not what TYPE of food, but more about WHEN and HOW MUCH? I realize Nay needs to lose some weight to be healthy (he's 20#). The vet said to feed him less to lose weight. But I read on here that he's not processing food properly so I want to feed him more because he has very high glucose right now (400's today! BTW - negative ketones). But then I want to feed him LESS because eating will run his glucose numbers up. Then I want to feed him MORE because being hungry is stressing the poor kitty out! And should he have food right after his insulin shot? No food for a couple hours before the shot, right?

We used to free feed before diabetes but now we've been trying to switch to something more structured. confused_cat
 
The thing about no food for 2hrs prior to shots is so that you can get a good test number and not one that might be high from foods. What I do is ignore the kitties till testing time. I get the foods in bowls and test them, then put the foods down as I record their numbers and preparte the shots.

It is best to feed frequently, so you can divide up the foods you intend to feed through the day into small meals and snacks. During the day, I use a 5-section autofeeder for Shadoe, so she gets her breakfast with amps and then 5 portions during the day. Then, I feed her dinner at pmps, and then spoonfuls through the eve as she wants. Often, she just free feeds through the eve and I just watch her bowl in case she needs a bit more. She's pretty much predictable and eats much less than before.
Olive is still not settled with a dose and eats much more. Hopefully he'll eat less later, but \i still spread out his foods in several small servings.
 
Dr Lisa has done a section in Catinfo.org that discusses how to help a kitty lose weight without causing more problems.

Giving kitty the lowest wet low carb food you can find wil also help.
Also playing with kitty will encourage natural weight loss.It's a fine balance and something that will take time.

There's nothingwrong with feeding some snacks of fresh boiled chicken or freeze dried chicken (think you can get in USA not sure about Canada and elsewhere) which are negligible carbs may also help.

Good luck :mrgreen:
 
Just to further add to the discussion. I free feed my girls. When they ate dry before diagnosis I always kept a full bowl out. After diagnosis changed to wet nd maintained the free feed. I put fresh out bid and leave it out until next meal.

My grils are grazers and continue to graze in a way giving themselves theor own."Mini" meals.

I also give a buffet of options. 3 cats and 3 bowls of different foods. - 1 can friskies or fancy feast, 1/2 can nature logic. And 2 to 3 spoons of raw. They choose what and how much they want.

Now when Maui was first diagnosed. I would feed her 1-2 cans of ff at a time. Mainly cause she was starving and needed more to eat. As the insulin. Started working the 2nd can slowed and stopped and we eventually got to what I descri bed above.

Personally. I would not be concerned about weight as much as making sure Nay. Got enough to eat. Remeber feeding low carb is simialar to a human going low carb or following atkins - the weight will naturally come off. And if it doesn't then. Maybe just maybe this is her ideal weight

BD Maui was about 14 pds. After diagnosis she was about 9. And today 1 year later She is 13.7 pds. Her ideal weight.
 
Several of us feed "mini meals", small meals spaced throughout the early part of the cycle. That way there is not too much for the pancreas to deal w/ at one time. Also canned loses it's appeal if it sits out too long. Sometimes I think Tess is a hobbit, second, third and fourth breffis please. Speaking of which, it is time!
 
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