Hello! Recently diagnosed kitty, very confused!

[sequoia]

Hi!

I am so happy to have come across this forum. I've been reading posts and articles and find them very helpful, and while I'm feeling more able to help my kitty, it's still an overwhelming amount of information (thank you all who have compiled and shared it!). I'm hoping for some guidance, please. Sequoia was diagnosed with Stage 2 Kidney Disease in June 2025. The vet recommended prescription kidney care food and, following instructions, I have been giving her Hills k/d wet and dry food. She liked both and her numbers improved. Earlier this month, however, she was diagnosed with diabetes. The vet recommended prescription diabetes food (Hills/Royal Canin), which I was then suspicious of given the new diabetes diagnosis. I asked about feeding her food that would treat her diabetes while also considering the kidney disease and was told that was very difficult and we now needed to focus only on the diabetes. The vet prescribed ProZinc and told me to give 1 unit 2x/day after feeding, which I've been doing as I continue to learn and try to make the best decisions. I was told to bring Sequoia in this week or next for a blood glucose curve, which I see now I can do at home (fingers crossed).

I'm wondering what other folks with kitties who have both diabetes and kidney disease have successfully fed their cats. I see a detailed doc:
2017 updated Food list under 10% carbs, under 250 mg phosphorus/100 kcal
Are there any specific foods on (or off) this list people recommend?

I welcome any information you can share, thank you!

 

[CORKY]

Hi!

I am so happy to have come across this forum. I've been reading posts and articles and find them very helpful, and while I'm feeling more able to help my kitty, it's still an overwhelming amount of information (thank you all who have compiled and shared it!). I'm hoping for some guidance, please. Sequoia was diagnosed with Stage 2 Kidney Disease in June 2025. The vet recommended prescription kidney care food and, following instructions, I have been giving her Hills k/d wet and dry food. She liked both and her numbers improved. Earlier this month, however, she was diagnosed with diabetes. The vet recommended prescription diabetes food (Hills/Royal Canin), which I was then suspicious of given the new diabetes diagnosis. I asked about feeding her food that would treat her diabetes while also considering the kidney disease and was told that was very difficult and we now needed to focus only on the diabetes. The vet prescribed ProZinc and told me to give 1 unit 2x/day after feeding, which I've been doing as I continue to learn and try to make the best decisions. I was told to bring Sequoia in this week or next for a blood glucose curve, which I see now I can do at home (fingers crossed).

I'm wondering what other folks with kitties who have both diabetes and kidney disease have successfully fed their cats. I see a detailed doc:
2017 updated Food list under 10% carbs, under 250 mg phosphorus/100 kcal
Are there any specific foods on (or off) this list people recommend?

I welcome any information you can share, thank you!

Welcome to FDMB
I always say that our instincts always kick in at the right time, ProZinc is a good insulin is a 12 hour insulin gentle on your kitty, also the prescription diabetes food (Hills/Royal Canin, there's nothing diabetic or prescribed about, it wet or dry it contains over 2-% carbs, and diabetic cats need to have a diet of wet can food between 0-10% carbs, including a feeding schedule feeding between3-4 small meals or snacks during the day plus the two main meals before shot are important to keep the insulin in check, most members feed Fancy Feast pates or Friskies pates, between 0-10% most feed up to 5%, home testing is also important before each shot to avoid hypoglycemia, and at least two more tests during the day, 1 unit is a good dose to start, the protocol for ProZinc is TEST-FEED-SHOOT,, and you are right, a curve is better done at home, is simply testing every 2-3 hours for 1 cycle (12hours), cats are very sensitive to stress, and what better stressor than a vet visit, at the vets office the glucose levels will not be realistic, making way to an unnecessary increase in dose.
We are very numbers oriented, so we can all be on the same page, we would like you to create your signature and spreadsheet, links below, there are sticky notes in the Main Menu with much valuable information, keep posting, we are here for you
I’m also tagging a member that has incredible knowledge on feline illnesses to go over with you the kidney’s situation, and give you dosing advice
@Suzanne & Darcy

 

[CORKY]

Could you give access to read the SS?

 

[sequoia]

yes, of course, will give access. I'm preparing to do the insulin curve in the next few days, so it's currently blank.

@ Corky Thank you for mentioning Fancy Feast & Friskies pates, I noted these were popular choices. I notice that neither are listed on the 2017 updated Food list under 10% carbs, under 250 mg phosphorus/100 kcal. Food As-Fed Chart lists Fancy Feast, which has phosphorous over 250 except for the beef feast in gravy and tuna feast in gravy (and both of them have over >10% carbs. Should I be looking for something that is <10% carbs AND <250 mg phosphorous?

 

[CORKY]

Here is my favorite list both Corky and Coco the Main Coon love these flavor, also a new found flavor, Medleys Chicken Flare Fare in a savory sauce 4.5% it’s chunky w kids loves it you know I have always gone by the dry matter carbs, personally I have never bothered with the rest, both my cats are 100% healthy and Corky very tightly regulated he just had full exams, he had dental cleaning less then 2 weeks ago he’s 14 100% healthy and Coco will be 6 this 29th, I needed to simplify his diabetes when diagnosed, and it’s worked for them I don’t fix what’s not broken, there are special circumstances with different illnesses some kitties have so all cats are different

 

[sequoia]

Thank you!
Do either Corky or Coco have kidney disease in addition to diabetes?

 

[CORKY]

No like I said they are both very very healthy, Corky’s Labs are attached to his SS, I was blessed to tackle the high BG levels quick, even though when I realized something was wrong and took him to emergency because one day He aloud me to pick him up and he felt like a feather He was weighing 16.5 tge month before he’s also a large cat, when I weight him he was only 8.5 lbs, I almost passed out, I kept seeing he was obsessed with the water bowl, but I had no idea about FD, at emergency after many test he’s glucose level was 650, he stayed hospitalized for 8?days he looked like a noodle when I brought him home 3 months later I found this Forum, it was God sent, he grew up on MEAUMIX dry grazing, so did Coco, this Forum saved his life, but thank goodness as bad as he was it did not affect his kidneys. I trust this forum blindly, now I pay it forward, helping here. How bad are his kidneys? Is it reversible? Here’s a picture at the hospital and now