HELP!! My mom and I care for Diabetic cat that’s urinating all over apartment!

Please somebody give me guidance or strategies to assist in this matter! Elliott, our 12yr old cat was just diagnosed 7 months ago with diabetes. After changing doctors and his meds twice he is finally gained weight back and BG are better but still high. However, Elliott is showing signs of nerve damage in back two legs. He is also urinating everywhere which he has never done. I am fighting my mom to avoid putting him down. She took him to vet last week to put him down and vet gave her a med with opiates in it to stop urinating. It decreased his urinating outside of litter box from 4 times a day to once a day. After the four day dose of that med he has gone back to urinating all over. My mom is going to put him down this Thurs against everything I believe in. She has an apartment so the carpet can’t be destroyed. I just feel there has to be something I can do. He is the sweetest, smartest cart I have ever seen! I have spent over $2500 to get him through the diagnosis of this disease, now my moms impatience and frustrations are leading her to put him down!! PLEASE HELP ME! ELLIOTTS MY SONS PRIDE AND JOY AND I FEEL THERE IS MORE TO DO! HELP!!!!!!

 

I’d be open to finding him a new home so he can make someone happy with his sweet personality!

 

He may be having trouble getting in and out of the litter box with his back legs. You could try a litter box with a lower entry.the nerve damage you talk about is diabetic neuropathy and will get better once the BG levels are more under control.
You can also try Zobaline from lifelink.com
My Sheba had neuropathy badly and completely recovered in time.

Have you had the urine checked to see there is an infection? Cats with a urinary tract infection will pee outside the box.

Can you confine him to one room until you sort out the problem. Putting him down is very permanent and he’s not doing it on purpose.

How well controlled is his diabetes? He may need the dose adjusting

What insulin and dose is he on?
Are you home testing the blood glucose.
Can he stay on the medication the vet gave you.? 4 days isn’t long.
I’m sure we can help you but it will take time.

 

Hi @Garry,

As Bron says in the post above it could be that diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage due to high blood glucose levels) is making it harder for Elliot to use the litter tray. If neuropathy is affecting his legs then this can affect his mobility (getting in and out of the box) and also his ability to squat once in the box. It could also be making him feel pretty uncomfortable, poor boy (I have permanent neuropathy in my feet, and it's not a nice condition to have...) ...A litter box with lower sides may indeed be more accessible for him. And it could also be that the litter tray is too small for him to use at the moment, and he needs something with a bit more space in order to get his balance more easily. Some cats also struggle when the litter is too deep in the tray, as this can feel a bit unstable under their feet.

Neuropathy can also affect the digestive tract and the bladder. And this can mean that a kitty becomes less aware of their need to pee until late on, and they may not make it to the litter box. My first diabetic had this so badly at first that he sometimes peed in his sleep. He used to sleep on my pillow, and I woke up more than once to find my hair soaked in cat pee, and him still fast asleep beside my head...
This behaviour can be very frustrating for us humans. But it's important to remind ourselves that our cats didn't choose to become diabetic, or to be stuck in high blood glucose levels. They would much rather be feeling happier and healthier, but that is not in their control. It 'may' be within our control though...

...Are you testing Elliot's blood glucose at home? This usually makes it much easier to get control of the blood glucose. And if you are not yet testing are you willing to give it a try? It is not difficult to learn, but can take a bit of practice and patience. Many of us use ordinary glucose meters made for human diabetics. The test just involves taking a tiny weeny drop of blood from the edge of the cat's ear (or some people prefer to use the paw pads). This should not hurt the kitty. Doing this could really help you to help Elliot, and that in turn could considerably reduce the stress in your household...

I also second Bron's advice to get Elliot checked for urinary tract infection as this can cause inappropriate peeing. Cats in high blood glucose levels are much more prone to UTIs.

It 'may' also be that Elliot is avoiding the litter tray because he has come to associate it with pain or discomfort. When this happens cats may seek out alternative surfaces to pee on, and sometimes that will be soft comforting surfaces such as carpets, bedding, etc. ...In this case it can be a matter of breaking the cycle. This is something I had to do with my current diabetic kitty after she had a very stubborn UTI earlier this year that took a long time to resolve.
She took to peeing on soft rugs instead of using the litter tray. I cleaned the rugs with an enzyme solution to try to get rid of the pee smell (if cats can smell where they've peed they will likely use that spot again.) ...I also replaced the litter trays and tried a couple of different types of litter. She fairly soon went back to using the trays just as she had previously.

Really hoping that you can resolve this situation both for Elliot's sake and for the human household too.

Eliz

 

Bottom line is the bgs have to be normalized. You MUST test at home in order to do this effectively. In addition, b12 methylcobalamin supplements such as zobaline can help reverse the neuropathy. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home.

Until you can get him feeling better consider using puppy training pads. I have a cat (not diabetic, just crazy) who won't pee in a box. I have puppy pads attached to the wall (on command hooks) and down onto the floor and she goes on that. Saved my sanity.

Make sure you are cleaning the current messes with a good cleaner. My favorite cleaners are Anti Icky Poo Unscented which truely has no scent and angry orange which obviously smells like orange. I get them on amazon.

 

For the neuropathy
https://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-vitamin-b-12-methylcobalamin-5000-mcg-100-capsules-6
Give one a day mixed in with the wet food
I hope your mom reconsidered

 

Thank you for responding. I went over this info with her this evening and she simply is not acknowledging it. She has two other cats and is willing to put down Elliot to focus care on other two cats due to her not willing to take extra measures. I work 70hrs a week and she tends to his care. I know trying some of the things that others mentioned on this forum would give him a shot, unfortunately she is not willing to attempt those measures. I wish Elliot had a place to go where he could receive this care. It’s making me sick to my stomach thinking his life could be taken rather than having these measures attenoted

 

@Chris & China (GA) can you help here at all?

 

Garry I am so sorry. I have tagged Chris to see if she can help. She is associated with diabetic cats in need. Would your mother wait until we can see if anything can be done ?

 

Where do you live @Garry ?

 

@Garry
Please let Chris know where you live .
That poor kitty ♥

 

Gary rather than put her to sleep see if she can be put with a rescue.

 

We live in Millbury, Ohio. It’s a suburb of Toledo, Oh. I have called all over this area and nobody is willing to take a diabetic cat. I even tried all contacts for disabled cat rescues and he doesn’t qualify as disabled. I don’t want him in a rescue where they put him down if he doesn’t get adopted. I was hoping you guys could guide me with a good resource that would be able to continue and/or improve his care. Elliot is the sweetest and smartest feline I have ever seen. He gives non stop kisses and loves people. I got into a huge argument last night with my mom letting her know I disagree with putting Elliot down.

 

I also ordered Zobaline after I initially learned of it on this forum. I’m hoping to get Elliot started on this ASAP when it arrives. I’m pretty sure my mom will hold off if she knows for sure that we have a good situation to place Elliot in (Rescue/Adoption/Foster/etc).

 

Hi Chris see post #13

 

Are you on Facebook? You could contact Diabetic Cats in Need and we can try to post to find Elliot a new home but you have to know it can take time to find someone willing to adopt a special needs cat.

What was the name of this medication? Have you tried Gabapentin?

 

He was on vetsulin then after we switched doctors they put him on Lantus 100unit/ml

 

At work right now so don’t know that medication name but I do know it had morphine in it

 

If you start home testing we can definitely help guide you in dose to help him get into better bg numbers. getting them in good bg ranges usually resolves the problem and will help with the neuropathy.

In the meantime when someone can't watch him, can he be confined to a non carpeted room, or placed in a large multi teired cage until he's in better bathroom habits? Other suggestions are to use puppy training pads and VERY low litterboxes. Some cats respond well to Dr. Elsey's cat attract litter.

 

good... lantus is a much better insulin. What is his current dose?

 

Gabapentin doesn't contain morphine but can help with pain (as well as other things)

 

@Garry ...if you want DCIN to try to find a home for him, contact Lisa at lisa@dcin.info

She did tell me to tell you no matter what, do not take him to Homeless to Home Cat Sanctuary in Marion Ohio

 

Sorry I thought he was on Lantus but it’s Relion Novolin 3 units every 12hrs. I just got home abs checked his insulin.

 

Garry, Have you been able to work on changing his food to lower carb. ? I know the prescription stuff is expensive. I was able to get my dry food eater to eat it and the other cat too. I do mix it still, but I have been able to feed the fancy feast classic pate, which dramatically helped get the numbers down depending on how high he is. There is also a Friskies canned one that is low carb. So even if you get him to eat some vs. all high carb, it does help. I know people don't like change, and cats definitely do not like change, so everyone's patience wears thin.
As far as the peeing. Is he spraying or just peeing? I had this issue last year with mine before he had diabetes. If he is spraying, ask the vet about Prozac. Believe it or not, it does work. It, however, is iffy with cats that are diabetic. I am from the area, and unfortunately, I haven't found a vet that I am in love with and can trust. Our area is def not as good as Columbus or for my cat issues. The vet said the specialists are in Detroit.
I do second the puppy pads mentioned above or any type of disposable pad you can get, especially if he is peeing in the same area repeatedly. I know your mom's frustration. The last thing anyone wants is to have their house smell like pee and have to get the carpet cleaner out every day, multiple times a day. In case you can't tell, I have been there.
I hope you can figure something out and I hope your mother comes around to want to try a few more things before she gives up on him.

 

novolin is a short acting insulin…. Even more so than vetsulin. Very few cats can get regulated on it. It doesn’t work well with a cat’s fast metabolism. He should be on lantus or prozinc.

 

My mom has agreed to hold out week to week in hopes of finding Elliott a home. I have been in touch with Lisa and sent her pics of Elliott to post on Facebook. Pray we can find him a home!

 

That is good news Garry. Can you get the insulin changed to Lantus? It’s a much better insulin for cats.
Also has the vet given you anything more for the peeing which you said helped at first?

 

Problem is my mom is very stubborn and will not do anymore related to his care because of money. She is “primary’ caregiver of him because I work tons of hours. I don’t think my mom is giving me the straight truth with what vet said after the 4 days of meds for peeing. She obviously did not follow up after the four days on meds for peeing. She just threw the towel in after he started peeing again as if it was useless. I am really fighting upstream here for Elliott if you can’t tell.

 

You are doing a great job trying to help him. Don’t give up.

 

Ultimately it sounds like his diabetes is not regulated and he needs to switch insulin and start regular testing. But for a start, some inexpensive things you could do now:

• Use a low pan or cut a door in a pan so he can walk in without having to jump
• Try alternative litter. I had a cat who wasn't a big fan of litterboxes but he is always lured back by Dr Elsey's and there is also a Dr Elsey's additive you can add to your existing litter. Every cat I've ever had also really likes sawdust/shavings... my husband is a woodworker and they have to be kept away from the sawdust piles! If you can't do any of that try adding a bit of fresh grass to the litter. Some kitties seem to like the outdoorsy smell.
• Make sure the litter box is in a place that's easy for him to get to and doesn't require jumping, climbing etc. and isn't too far from where he likes to hang out.

 

I called the vet today to discuss switching insulin’s over to Lantus or prozinc. Elliott is currently on Novolin. The vet suggested to not switch at this point cuz Elliott has shown improvement from weighing 11lbs to now 14.5lbs in 4.5 months and sugar levels coming down from 390-500 to 220-350. I explained that I believe his levels are still too high based on his nueropathy setting into his hind legs and his erratic urinating. The vet suggested it would be easier to just add more units of Novolin to lower his levels. I asked if Lantus or Prozinc could be prescribed and she said yes, but it’s very expensive and she didn’t like the idea of starting back over at square one. I am now torn on what to do. Many of the great people who have given me suggestions have led me to take these actions and then to hear my vet tell me this makes it very confusing. I also just received my bottle of Zobaline for his nueropathy. Should I start giving it to Elliott or wait to see what we do with his insulin? I’m calling vet back tomorrow to make a decision.

 

I called the vet today to discuss switching insulin’s over to Lantus or prozinc. Elliott is currently on Novolin. The vet suggested to not switch at this point cuz Elliott has shown improvement from weighing 11lbs to now 14.5lbs in 4.5 months and sugar levels coming down from 390-500 to 220-350. I explained that I believe his levels are still too high based on his nueropathy setting into his hind legs and his erratic urinating. The vet suggested it would be easier to just add more units of Novolin to lower his levels. I asked if Lantus or Prozinc could be prescribed and she said yes, but it’s very expensive and she didn’t like the idea of starting back over at square one. I am now torn on what to do. Many of the great people who have given me suggestions have led me to take these actions and then to hear my vet tell me this makes it very confusing. I also just received my bottle of Zobaline for his nueropathy. Should I start giving it to Elliott or wait to see what we do with his insulin? I’m calling vet back tomorrow to make a decision.

 

I called the vet today to discuss switching insulin’s over to Lantus or prozinc. Elliott is currently on Novolin. The vet suggested to not switch at this point cuz Elliott has shown improvement from weighing 11lbs to now 14.5lbs in 4.5 months and sugar levels coming down from 390-500 to 220-350. I explained that I believe his levels are still too high based on his nueropathy setting into his hind legs and his erratic urinating. The vet suggested it would be easier to just add more units of Novolin to lower his levels. I asked if Lantus or Prozinc could be prescribed and she said yes, but it’s very expensive and she didn’t like the idea of starting back over at square one. I am now torn on what to do. Many of the great people who have given me suggestions have led me to take these actions and then to hear my vet tell me this makes it very confusing. I also just received my bottle of Zobaline for his nueropathy. Should I start giving it to Elliott or wait to see what we do with his insulin? I’m calling vet back tomorrow to make a decision.

 

I called the vet today to discuss switching insulin’s over to Lantus or prozinc. Elliott is currently on Novolin. The vet suggested to not switch at this point cuz Elliott has shown improvement from weighing 11lbs to now 14.5lbs in 4.5 months and sugar levels coming down from 390-500 to 220-350. I explained that I believe his levels are still too high based on his nueropathy setting into his hind legs and his erratic urinating. The vet suggested it would be easier to just add more units of Novolin to lower his levels. I asked if Lantus or Prozinc could be prescribed and she said yes, but it’s very expensive and she didn’t like the idea of starting back over at square one. I am now torn on what to do. Many of the great people who have given me suggestions have led me to take these actions and then to hear my vet tell me this makes it very confusing. I also just received my bottle of Zobaline for his nueropathy. Should I start giving it to Elliott or wait to see what we do with his insulin? I’m calling vet back tomorrow to make a decision.

 

I called the vet today to discuss switching insulin’s over to Lantus or prozinc. Elliott is currently on Novolin. The vet suggested to not switch at this point cuz Elliott has shown improvement from weighing 11lbs to now 14.5lbs in 4.5 months and sugar levels coming down from 390-500 to 220-350. I explained that I believe his levels are still too high based on his nueropathy setting into his hind legs and his erratic urinating. The vet suggested it would be easier to just add more units of Novolin to lower his levels. I asked if Lantus or Prozinc could be prescribed and she said yes, but it’s very expensive and she didn’t like the idea of starting back over at square one. I am now torn on what to do. Many of the great people who have given me suggestions have led me to take these actions and then to hear my vet tell me this makes it very confusing. I also just received my bottle of Zobaline for his nueropathy. Should I start giving it to Elliott or wait to see what we do with his insulin? I’m calling vet back tomorrow to make a decision.

 

You don't have to start from square one. If your switch to ProZinc is the same syringes you are already using. It's $104 on chewy.com and can last 5-6 months if kept in the refrigerator,so not that expensive.

Yes give the zobaline. Just crush it and mix into the food. You could also split it in half and give it am and pm. It doesn't help with the bg but helps with repairing nerves.

If this vet thinks Novolin is a good insulin, you may want a second opinion. It doesn't sound like she has a lot of experience treating diabetic cats. 220-350 is still way too high. It should be under 150 on a pet meter (68-150 is normal range). The problem is Novolin doesn't last long enough in their system and they wind up dipping low and then shooting right back up.

 

Garry it would be helpful if you can fill out your signature
Here is a link helping us to help you link. If you noticed, our members have some basic information about their cat's in their signature. This helps us to not pester you by asking the same questions (your cat's name, insulin type, date of diagnosis, etc.) repeatedly. We also have a link to our spreadsheet in our signature. We are very numbers driven. The spreadsheet is a record of your cat's progress. By linking it in your signature, we can follow along and provide feedback should you need the help.

You can also try
Semglee, it is a generic Lantus, and was approved by the FDA last June. The cost is compatible with Lantus from Canada.

https://www.goodrx.com/semglee
Here is a coupon above take a look at the price
Just call any pharmacy to see if they have the 5 pens, they will last you a year or more




We use the pens as vials , just insert the syringe into the rubber stopper on the one and draw out the insulin.You would need U-100 syringes with half unit markings
If you have any other questions feel free to ask

You really need to be home testing to see how the insulin is working no matter which insulin you're using. We can teach you how .
I see you said you work 70 hours a week, hopefully your mother will test him until you get home.I just hope she gives Elliott a chance before putting him to sleep
If you live in the US most of us use the Relion Premier Classic human meter from Walmart 9 dollars
17.88 for 100 strips
26 or 28 gauge lancets to poke his ear
Cotton rounds to put behind his ear

Let us know what happens

 

He's on 3 units of Novolin already like you mentioned and your vet said it would be much easier just to increase the units to bring his BG down, that's crazy especially since you are not home testing.
Maybe you should find another vet.

 

Garry, I'm so sorry. When a cat is peeing everywhere, that's crazy-making. You've been given tons of good advice here. This board is a godsend. Let me add what helped me as I found out my cat had uncontrolled diabetes (and while he wasn't absorbing insulin!) and was peeing EVERYWHERE. Aside from getting him on the right insulin, I think I tried everything to break what was also becoming a habit -- I wish I'd known about Prozac -- but here's what worked:

As many have said, I cleaned the urination spot really well every single time. I even bought a steam mop, which helped. Afterwards I sprayed with Nature's Miracle No More Marking. (I still use this.)

I stopped all dry food. A heartache, all round.

I got another catbox, a very low one, and bought some Attract kitty litter to add to his regular litter. I really think this worked.

I put down aluminum foil where he liked to pee. (Don't know where I read that, but I'd like to buy whoever shared that info a beer, at the least.) He wouldn't step on it. Once he tried to pee nearby, and the pee splashed back at him. He hated that and stopped. The house looked a little crazy for awhile with aluminum foil here and there, but by then, I'd been driven nearly insane, so we were well-matched, the house and me.

In some places, after I cleaned, I would put down a tiny bowl of food and make that a regular feeding spot. I'd read cats won't urinate near where they eat. That worked, even when his sister cruised in and ate it before he did.

He was stubborn about the bathroom. He liked to pee on bathmats (really pleasant to discover in the middle of the night). I latched the bathroom door on the outside, so he couldn't easily get in and put a bathmat down on the hallway route to the catbox as a lure. I laid a plastic garbage bag under it and after he peed on it, just threw the bathmat in the wash and put down a new bag and bathmat, saving the floor entirely. Everyday I'd move the set up closer to the catboxes. Took about a week and a half to get him there. I was nervous so kept the bathmat ritual up for another week, but by then, he was using the catbox again.

This has all worked really well -- and kept me busy. He's had trouble absorbing insulin, and I'm still not sure his diabetes is well-controlled, but he's stopped the wild peeing. I really feel for you and your mother. I felt like I was losing my mind, and the vet I had then was no help. She suggested your mother's plan.

 

Hi Garry, I would continue to push for a change of insulin to Lantus or Prozinc. If you vet won’t agree, I would also look for another vet. I would also ask about Prozac.
As others have said, you don’t have to start over again, you just continue with the new insulin.
Yes start the zobaline. please let us know how things are going

 

Wow, you are a genius.
So much creative problem-solving!

 

Prescription for Prozinc ordered today!

 

That's wonderful!!! We are happy to help with dosing if you can get 2-3 home tests in a day. I know you work a lot, but whenever possible it would help. I have a video in my signature showing how I tested my cat CC at home

 

Great news, I suggested what meter to buy above on post #37 numbers are to the right of each post also

Always aim for the sweet spot warm the ears up first, you can put rice in a sock and put it in the microwave, test it on the inside of your wrist to be sure it's not to hot, like you would test a babies bottle. You can fill a pill bottle with warm water and roll it on the ears also.Just keep rubbing the ears with your fingers to warm them up

6. As the ears get used to bleeding and grow more capilares, it gets easier to get the amount of blood you need on the first try. If he won’t stand still, you can get the blood onto a clean finger nail and test from there.
When you do get some blood you can try milking the ear.
Get you finger and gently push up toward the blood , more will appear
You will put the cotton round behind his ear in case you poke your finger, after you are done testing you will fold the cotton round over his ear to stop the bleeding , press gently for about 20 seconds until it stops
Get 26 or 28 gauge lancets
A lot of us use the lancets to test freehand
I find it better to see where I'm aiming

Here is a video one of our members did
VIDEO: How to test your cat's blood sugar

 

fantastic!

 

Quick update on my cat Elliott. My mom has agreed to keep him and we just changed his insulin today from Novolin to Prozinc. After first dose his glucose levels are above 500. My mom who takes care of him now thinks it was a mistake switching insulin’s. He was on 4-5 units of Novolin twice a day and now on 2 units of Prozinc twice a day. Any advice would be much appreciated. My mom wants to raise his Prozinc to 3 units but I’m afraid that’s too much!

 

That’s great news!
Are you home testing the BGs?
It is usual when you swap over to another insulin to keep the previous dose in mind.
It is probable that the 2 units of Prozinc will not be enough.
I am not a Prozinc user so I’m going to tag a couple of people @JanetNJ
@FrostD
They may not be online for a few hours.
Here is 2 links to Prozinc use
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...-the-prozinc-basics-please-start-here.164995/

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/prozinc-dosing-methods.225629/

 

You can't say am insulin is not working after 1 dose. Chances are though that she's right that 2 units will not be enough. Remind me again what what food he is eating?

It would be really helpful if you could add a signature like the ones you see below our posts. To do that click on your name at the top right corner and choose signature. Add info such as your pets name, date diagnosed, insulin type, food you're feeding and any other health concerns. Then hit save. I'm also going to tag someone who can help you set up a spreadsheet with any bg numbers you have. @Bandit's Mom

I would get preshot readings today, before feeding and before the shot. Then at 5-7 hours after the shot get another reading and let us know what it is again.

Make sure he's getting no dry foods, and no wet food with gravy.... only low carb wet such as fancy feast classic.

If after a few days the numbers are still sky high then we can raise to 2.5 for several days. And see how that works. Again with getting preshot tests (no food for at least 2 hours) and at least one mid cycle reading. If after several days it's still too high then we will reevaluate the dose again.
Getting that spreadsheet up with the data will be very important, but I'm confident we can get Elliot into a healthier place. This is the link to set up the spreadsheet if you want to do it yourself. Otherwise @Bandit's Mom or @Chris & China (GA) are good at setting them up. https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/

 

I have to confess I haven't read every post but I've been through the cat pees everywhere nightmare. By now someone has mentioned the unhappy or in pain scenario. For years now I've had transdermal BUPE in the house. It started with a cat with long term dental issues but I've also used it for UTI's and Daniel's chronic blocked colon issues. It has a long shelf life, it's easy to use and I've yet to see a cat that has to be kept away from the stairs because they're too looped. It also never affected their numbers or caused constipation. So much easier than another oral med some cats hate, just rub a blob inside the ears. For me it was a lifesaver, for Noah it extended his life by years which is another story. Hope that helps.