Free feeding a diabetic cat

[Billie Guthrie]

Does anyone free feed your cat? We have two cats, one of which has diabetes. Currently we feed them at 8:00 am and 8:00 p m and give George his insulin at that time.
Our problem is that around 6:30 pm they start fighting, bumping chairs, crying and in general going crazy. After the 8:00 feeding they become calm and relaxed again.
They had always free fed before the diagnosis of diabetes and we never had this problem. Any ideas will be gratefully accepted.

I want to thank everyone that responded to my question about neuropathy. I ordered Zobaline as recommended and after 4 months, George's neuropathy is gone. I am still giving him the Zobaline as I am not sure if the neuropathy will come back if I stop giving it to him.

 

[BJM]

When I had Spitzer, I set the food down twice a day and they nibbled it until it was gone, roughly by 2 hours before ... and there were at least 10 cats in the house at the time.

The glucose level in the diabetic might be contributing to the situation - too high or too low and the diabetic is going to be quite hungry and irritable, plus, may smell different at that time which may provoke the other cat into attacking (much like coming home from the vet does).

 

[jayla-n-Drevon]

I have 2 cats 1 has FD and one does not he has CRF and needs to eat often .... I free feed but only wet and my FD cat will not eat food that has been out for more than 20 minutes-
I do leave freeze dried out in the auto feeder-
many FD cats do well with several small meals a day instead of 2 bigger meals....

 

[Wulfwin]

My girl Rain was free fed dry most of her time on insulin (due to eating issues related to undiagnosed pancreatitis), and then essentially free fed wet food after her pancreatitis was diagnosed/treated and she switched to wet, although she was only on insulin for another week or so after the switch. My other cat Jason also has chronic pancreatitis and a suspect insulinoma, so I have to feed him every 6 hours or he pukes (which is why Rain was basically free fed - and still is for that matter).

Edit: I work from home most of the week, so that schedule works for me. I think some people leave auto feeders with wet food kept cold with ice packs etc for meals when they're gone.

 

[Misterbeesmom]

We are on wet food only and yes we free feed. Mr b was eating a lot with his diabetes uncontrolled, and i fed him whenever he went to the bowl. Vet suggested i cut back but i felt that was poor advice. With uncontrolled diabetes, the body has great difficulty getting necessary nutrients, hence the hunger. He was losing weight despite all the eating.

So yes to free feeding. Now recently we've had some really good numbers and he is eating much less. That being said, i still free feed. I leave extra food out when i go to work, to bed, etc.

 

[Erica & Carter]

I feed 4 times a day with 3 cats but if they don't eat all of the meal right away, I leave it out until they finish it which I guess is free-feeding and it works for them. They aren't begging for food, but do get excited when they see the bowl getting filled.