Free feeding and glucose monitoring

[Likameow]

I know that most here schedule feeding with wet food. But there must be some who also leave some dry food out during the day for snacking. I was wondering how that works with testing through out the day. How do you know that the number you got isn't a food spike if you don't know if your cat has eaten recently? My sugar cat mostly eats FF after his AM and PMPS but I leave young again zero carb out for all the other cats and Ben occasionally eats some of that. I'm wondering how that would affect his glucose checks?

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[BJM]

Nope. No dry food. It isn't necessary.
I put down enough wet food to last over the next 10 hours or so, as all 14 eat the same thing.

 

[kds0200]

Hey Lisa, we've sort of talked about this on another thread but I wanted to join in on this one so I could keep track of what other's might have to say! I also wonder about food spikes, like you mentioned....

I feel like when I leave too much wet food out, even adding a little water to it, it dries out too much and Bailey refuses to eat it then. I leave out the YAZC and he doesn't seem to eat more than a few bites in a 12 hour period. When I'm home during the day I sometimes try feeding small bits of canned food every few hours and he does better eating that way, but overnight I have the same problem with just leaving wet food out and having it dry out. With just the one cat though I guess it's a little different!

Anyone have techniques for free feeding wet food they'd recommend (re: keeping it wet while sitting out)?

 

[Erinia]

My cat Maahes' was diagnosed with diabetes back in March. He has PICA and is a free-feeder with dry food (Nature's Variety), which has 12.5% carbs. He eats his morning and evening wet food meals, and just snacks through the day. The food doesn't really spike him, and I get clear curves. It's basically there to give him something to eat other than the trash can.

Yes, I know dry isn't recommended and especially not something with high carbs, but the EVO gave him *really stinky* poop that no one could cope with.

 

[Critter Mom]

Anyone have techniques for free feeding wet food they'd recommend (re: keeping it wet while sitting out)?

I use timed feeders and set out mini meals with a good bit of water added. The food that Saoirse is getting at the moment is a grain-free poultry & chicken in jelly recipe with 79% moisture. Depending on how she has eaten during the daytime and also the time of the cycle, I may vary the amounts in each feeder. . I set the feeders to open 2 hours apart. An example of amounts might be:

Feed 1: 18g food plus 12ml water (just under 1 tbsp)
Feeds 2, 3 and 4: 12g food and 2 tsps water.

I mash the food and water together well in the dish, and try to keep it in a little heap so that it won't dry out. In warmer weather I freeze the feeder ice packs to keep it fresh. In cooler weather, I just refrigerate the ice packs.

Some people freeze the food and leave a mix of unfrozen/frozen food out for their kitties. (Presumably it might be feasible to mix some extra water through the food before freezing in portions?)

Hope this might give you some ideas. :smile:

 

[BJM]

You can freeze some of the wet food to be eaten as it thaws, too.