Heriditary or Dietary

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Marvie and Tugger

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This is something I was thinking about in the wee hours last night while I was keeping an eye on Tugger (earned his first doscrease last night!) and I got to wondering how much is known about this? Tugger has a litter-mate, Tux. Born an hour apart in my bed ten years ago, both have eaten the exact same food growing up and as adults done everything the same. How concerned do I need to be (less now that they've accepted canned food I would think but still) about Tuxedo? I checked his bs one time just because, and he was in the normal range though I can't recall what time of day it was or feeding in relation to when I tested etc. it was just a random thing one day.

Obviously, I know the signs now so I can watch them all in future but my line of thought was on the two of them sharing not just a lifetime diet, which they also share with BB, but that they share genes as well. Would you monitor Tux because of those common factors and if so how and how often would you test him? Or would you just not worry about it because if he was gonna be a sugar cat he'd show me some real signs and maybe I'm just over-thinking and tired? ~O) Coffee sounds really good right now.
 
Hi,

I had 7 cats that were all related - based on 3 litters. First litter, Smokey, Marie and Strypper - then Marie had Boingo, Wheezer and Rugs - last litter Rugs had Plumpers and another kitten that died soon after birth. Of the first litter, Smokey, Marie & Strypper, Smokey was diagnosed in 2005 with FD. All cats were immediately put on the same low carb canned diet. Just a month or so ago, Rugs was diagnosed with FD. I am not sure who was the Dad to Rugs - but I am leaning towards Strypper (don't ask!). So...I'm not sure if she was predisposed because of family history or if something else. Good question!
 
I think about that alot too actually.

We trapped Mousie outside our business several years ago when she appeared with a floppy leg. we took her home as the vet said to keep her off her leg and ultimately she ended up staying at the house. a few years later, diabetes showed up.

two days after we trapped Mousie and took her home, her brother walked into our shop crying and became the shop cat. despite our best efforts the mongrel refused to eat wet food or human food for that matter. so i fed him his beloved dry food and kept trying to change his diet but because he is Mousie's bro, we took to testing his BG routinely, just in case.

and then there's their mother. i want to say within a year or two of trapping Mousie and taking her home, their mother, who lived at the body shop behind our business, managed to get herself hurt there and we trapped her too. unfortunately she was on the streets a bit too long and not able to be handled so i haven't been able to test her BG levels at home despite wanting to so badly. recently though we took her to the vet for a checkup for stuff like that and a couple other issues and fortunately her BG came in great and normal.

so why did Mousie end up with diabetes and not the other two? perhaps Mommie's life on the streets eating god knows what prevented it? but then what about Fuzzie eating 95% dry food for the first 6 years or so of his life? and why did Mousie develop diabetes so young? she was only about 4.5 yrs old. most kitties are much older when they get it.

personally i think it's just plain luck of the draw. my fiance just thinks Mousie is defective. :lol:

all i know is i test all my cats i can roughly every two months. i figure i have the gear to do so and if i can hold them still enough to do it, why wouldn't i? at least i'll catch it very early next time around :)
 
twix and mocha are not littermates, but they used to eat the same food until mocha switched to wet. On wet cat food, twix breaks out in rodent ulcers so she unfortunately is back on dry food. I always wonder if twix will become diabetic, and what we would do if that was to happen. She NEVER let's us hold her and if by chance she graces me with her presence on my lap, and peter walks in the room, well you can guarantee she is out of here like a bat out of ****. She would be an untreatable diabetic.
 
There is a genetic component to some FD but, like other genetic conditions, it's not 100 percent. My Quirk was the only diabetic not only in his litter, in his lines (he was a purebred). Obesity is a known risk factor, as you know, so the short answer is it could be either.
 
I imagine that genetics play some sort of role in a cats susceptibility to get diabetes just like it does in people.. but being more likely to get it doesn't mean getting it (garbage food or not).. and even in people it's not completely understood how big of a risk factor family history is.

I'm pretty sure that without any "rules" for you to follow or suggestions on how often to test.. you're going to watch Tux like a hawk for FD no matter what we say :).. the reality, a cat that's a good weight and on a good diet, the chance of any cat getting FD is small enough that you don't need to be chasing Tux around with a meter every day.. but a cat that's a good weight and on a good diet helps prevent not only against FD, but zillions of other problems..

I think once someone loses their "pet serious illness virginity" ;).. there's no going back.. you watch all your pets like crazy.. I have a heart disease cat, so I'm always inspecting all my cats for changes :).. pre-FD, I once rushed Nova in a wild panic to the vet because she was acting weird.. $300 later.. she was diagnosed.. she had gas. ;)
 
Yeah Dawn, I think you are right. I'll be keeping a close eye on him no matter what. It's just something that I was thinking about, with the big boys and BB all growing up together eating the same exact foods for their whole lives and the big boys being littermates... just got me thinking about food vs. genes and wondering if Tux might be more susceptible than BB since she is from a different mom/dad combo. Though since we have no idea of her family history there's no way to know for sure. Just idle thoughts. Then there's wee Echo, while he started out his life on kibble, maybe switching to wet food so early in his life will prevent him from ever having diet related health stuff.

Totally OT but omg I HATE that. My phone just rang and some computer asked me to hold when I answered. I hung up. If someone wants to talk to me badly enough they can call me in person. That is just rude. I always hang up on computer generated calls. I do not care who might be on the other end when the computer connects, I'm not talking to a computer and I sure as heck am not going to be ordered around by one on my own phone in my own house on my own time. /end rant.

I'm also curious about the canine factor too, I looked at the label on a can of Boomer's food last night and it's full of crap. It's just Pedigree I grabbed the other day because he gets so sad when the cats get canned food all the time and he doesn't. I didn't think when I grabbed it, just bought it. I do feed him "good quality" kibble that I pay crazy money to feed him, but I've just not taken the time to look into canine diet. Thoughtless of me, since I'm so focused on the cat's diet. But that has to go on hold for a while, I just don't have enough brain cells to add those thoughts to the ones I have going on right now.

I'm pretty sure last night I dreamed that my brain sent up one of those Windows boxes that said "Yo, human... Brain = Disk Full. Please insert a new disk or you're screwed." So I need to process some of the info I've been stuffing in there willy-nilly before I go trying to stuff more in there ;) I probably should have shut down this hereditary vs genetic thought process before I let it take hold, but I didn't move quick enough :lol:
 
It's an interesting question. My girls are unrelated and only Maui got FD.

she is also the only one who had food allergies and received steroid shots. I believe that, along with the inappropriate food (dry) is what led to her getting FD.

Now that everyone is eating appropriate foods, I am not as concerned about FD happening to my others, but I do know the signs and have the tools to test in case there is a concern in the future.
 
I agree, it is an interesting question - for what its worth & something more to think about:
I know you said they were littermates.. unless you know that mommy only hooked up with 1 daddy - then they are the same blood line. However, we need to remember that momma kitties can have multiple partners & there can be a litter of cats born at the same time but with different dads - very strange I agree - but true.

Also.. if we are to look at humans as an example.. you can take 1 mom, 1 dad & multiple kids - some have diabetes - others do not.

I just do not know.. but wish you the best in your other furbaby not getting diabetes ;-) but if it does happen.. we know how manageable it is!! YAY for FDMB!
 
I think it's just like people. Both heredity and diet play their part.

Maggie and Max were litter mates (same dad for sure) and both had diabetes. Max died less than a week after DX, Maggie's dx was 1 year later. She also had mild kidney problems, before her diabetes dx. My vet and I both thought there was some bad genetic stuff going on with them.

I also wondered about breed connections - I've had 3 siamese diabetics, but when I brought this up on the board a couple of years ago, there wasn't any research to support that idea.
 
Interesting thoughts about the Meezer connection. I'll keep an eye on Bella, I don't know what kind of history she had before she came to us last July. She's on the canned food diet along with everyone else now, so maybe we won't have to worry about FD with her. I've already got ear issues with her. She's got an ear infection that isn't clearing up and she *hates* to be messed with. She's not very well socialized and isn't sure she trusts me yet so it's a battle to get the meds in there. It's looking like another trip to the vet is about to be in order for her.
 
Nicole & Baby said:
I agree, it is an interesting question - for what its worth & something more to think about:
I know you said they were littermates.. unless you know that mommy only hooked up with 1 daddy - then they are the same blood line. However, we need to remember that momma kitties can have multiple partners & there can be a litter of cats born at the same time but with different dads - very strange I agree - but true.

Actually this is a REALLY good point.. I believe it takes um.. getting it on.. 2 or 3 times for a girl kitty to ovulate.. and unless it's in a controlled situation, it's usually not with the same dad (mother nature is a smart cookie).. there was actually a really awesome documentary about pregnancy in dogs and cats a while ago.. all sorts of crazy ultrasounds and stuff.. the chance of all the cats in the womb (unless its a breeding type situation) to be full brothers and sisters is actually quite small.
 
Just my 2 cents. I think it is more diet related than heriditary, but I guess it all depends on their weight and overall health too I guess. confused_cat

One of my guys, Jackie (GA) was diabetic. I had his mom, dad, 2 brothers and a sister and none of them were diabetic. Never could figure that one out.
 
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