Hi everyone! My name is Caitlin and while I’m not technically ‘new’ here, it has been quite a while since I’ve been on. I originally became a member back in 2017 when my cat Pita was diagnosed and put on ProZinc. We had quite the wild ride learning, moving across the country (MA-CA) and settling into our new lives. Pita and his brother (litter mates!) Brat were beautiful tuxedo boys who loved love, going for walks on their harness and soaking up the CA sun. Pita was in remission for a short time in MA but fell out. However, around this time in 2018 he went back into remission and stayed there until the very end. Pita passed on 11/12/22 in the comfort of our home, on our bed, surrounded by myself, dad and Brat. We opted for in-home services and it was honestly the best decision we could have made. We knew it would be difficult for Brat since they had never been separated and unfortunately, but not unsurprisingly, he passed on 1/17/23- a little over 2 months after Pita. Again, we did in-home, on the couch with his favorite blanket. Matt and I were devastated to say the least, and took some time to ourselves, without any fluffballs for the first time in our near 13-year relationship. On Mother’s Day (4 months later) we decided to donate our leftover cans of food to a local rescue here in Los Angeles. As we made our way to leave, a volunteer asked if we’d like to go in and say hi to all the cats. We said yes, we could definitely do with some kitty lovin! It was wonderful to play, pet, hear purrs. We were there for almost an hour when I looked at a crate that had a medical tag ‘Do not feed me! I’m Diabetic.’. Well, I had never met another diabetic cat before and immediately began asking questions. Are they regulated? What insulin are they on? All that good stuff. Come to find out, she was on ProZinc as well and they were looking for a long-term foster since she needed special care. They were testing and doing the best they could, but it can be tough with 50+ cats to care for! She was 11 years old and had been returned twice to the rescue (trying not to judge). Finally, I actually looked inside and staring back was a beautiful, petite, Blue Point Siamese. Meet Mishka! I’m honestly not sure who was more excited about the possibility of adoption- us or the staff! Matt and I went home and discussed, then submitted the application. We officially brought Mishka home on 6/8/23 and it has been a match made in heaven-which we believe it really was our boys, reaching out to us and saying it’s ok to get her- she needs you. This little nugget is everything. She’s super playful, snuggly, of course vocal and extremely smart. She does things that make Matt and I constantly say ‘gosh she’s just like Pita/Brat when she does that’…and it makes us so happy. I guess it really is true that things happen when you least expect it, when it’s meant to be. Pita’s one year memorial was about a week ago (why does time go so quickly?!) and we looked at videos and pics, and Mish enjoyed a tuna fillet in honor of/from her big brother. Brat’s memorial is coming up and we’ll most likely do the same. With all that being said- I will be attaching her spreadsheet asap because as we all know- ECID- and I could use a little help from other knowing eyes. And pictures will also be here soon, don’t worry If you actually read all of this, I thank you (and even if you didn’t) and hope everyone is doing well. Talk soon!
Hi Caitlin! What a special story! I certainly did read all of it. I’m sorry for the loss of your two tuxedo boys (love tuxedo kitties!) but what a wonderful thing that you found Mishka. I have two Siamese, and they’re a handful! I have a lot of my own, and foster kittens everywhere. We stay busy. I’ve been away for a few days over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and am checking back in on the Board. I look forward to seeing her spreadsheet. How many units is she on?
Ok! I believe all the pertinent info is up here for everyone. Mish eats 3-2.8oz cans of Tiki Cat per day plus a smattering of other snacks/treats listed in my details. She definitely seems more sensitive to insulin that Pita was (she's barely 9lbs and he was well over 12) which makes sense. I have also seen her go into hypo numbers many times (even when at the rescue) so I know exactly what to watch for as far as signs go. She gets very twitchy in her face, ears, etc. I'm looking at her SS again and even I'm like 'what?!'. I do feel like this is normal to an extent for her being new with me since it's only been 6 months that she's received midday tests and I'm trying to figure her out. She also gets playful zoomies- without fail- every single night before testing. The Tiki Cat switch is still relatively new and Matt and I have already witnessed an increase in energy and playfulness! So I have to assume that's part of why she always seems higher at night because she goes bat-**** crazy!? I also wonder/have a gut feeling that maybe I should NS her for 2-3 days and almost 'reset' her normal numbers, since she is finally on food that I want. Anywho- I know there's no definitive answer but maybe someone else sees something I don't?! Thanks all <3
Realized I should add a few things. First- our vet (whom I love) said she preferred to have us stick with one dose for a full week. Now, I know that since ProZinc is an in-and-out, I usually stuck with every 3 cycles (1 1/2 days). It seems that I've naturally morphed into doing a combo of both sometimes, depending on her PS #'s. Also, we are at the point where Mish is having a bit of a harder time with testing and shooting. I'm getting it done, but last night for example, she wouldn't do any part of her usual shot routine. I had to hold her as best I could and I think I shot, but she moved very quickly and I wasn't confident in re-shooting. I remember when Pita entered this phase (although it was testing only), so I'm staying calm and trying to soothe her so we can both be successful still. Damn her for being so, SO smart! Not that Pita wasn't... Anywho, figured that may help also for anyone who takes a look. Thank you!
