How to feed 1 diabetic cat and 2 non-diabetics

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aerdna

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This is Goldie's 3rd day on his diabetic regimen. I'm trying to rearrange feedings around him i.e. every 12 hours, but they're all used to wet food twice a day, and dry food out all the time (PLUS FREQUENT TREATS!!)

Waiting 12 hours has become difficult for all of them (and me!) I kept Goldie locked in a room today and secretly fed my other 2 - (like Goldie didn't know!!!) - so that doesn't work. It's very difficult to have all three of them waiting for food the way they're used to, and worse when I eat!!

I know they won't starve, but it's difficult.

Suggestions/help PLEASE!!
 
Most of us feed multiple small meals instead of 2 big ones. It's actually easier on the pancreas to deal with smaller meals. Just like human diabetics are told to eat smaller, more frequent meals, it's the same for our sugarcats.

Which insulin are you using? That has a part in feeding too.

It will save you a lot of headaches if you just start feeding all your cats a low carb canned diet. That way you don't have to worry if your sugarcat gets into "their" food, and you also decrease the chances that they'll ever become diabetic!

It does take time, but they will get used to eating scheduled meals (but boy, do they try to convince us they're starving to death until they get used to it!!)
 
I agree with Chris. When Witn was diagnosed I changed all of my cats over to wet food and a twice a day feeding schedule. I had a couple of cats that resistant to the diet change, but eventually I was able to get them eating only wet. I feed my cats Friskiest canned food. They each get two cans a day. Yes, it is more expensive than dry, but none of my other cats have developed diabetes in the 12 years since I made the switch.
 
I'm in the same boat you are. I've got one diabetic kitty and two non (and a dog that is very interested in the wet food because it smells delicious), so feeding times used to feel frantic. Now, all the kitties eat the same food and in little meals sparsed out through the day. I'm feeding mine five meals over the day, so in total it's about three cans of Friskies divvied up in little portions throughout. They've stopped crying and waking me up for meals because they know when things are coming now, but it was an adjustment from letting them free-feed on dry food all day. The routine helps. You've just got to get through that period of adjustment, which can be frustrating. Hang in there! You can do it!
 
We give four meals a day, the borderline diabetic cat gets 3/4 can of fancy feast breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime (and now that his hyperthyroid is under control, the food change and schedule alone seem to be keeping his bg under control, at least for now), and the non-diabetic cat gets 1/2 can at each meal because she's smaller.

They used to have free access to dry food all the time. The diabetic one immediately took to being fed a big pile of wet food several times a day, the other one resisted and only liked to nibble at it, but she has finally decided that she likes eating the good stuff four times a day instead of having to make do with the dry because that's all that's left. We have a very small bowl of dry still out for just in case (because I'm a little bit disabled and stupid big cat thinks tripping me is the ideal way to tell me he's hungry) but they aren't eating but maybe a cup a week, if even that, anymore.

So far, luckily for us, the big guy doesn't like fish flavors, and the little girl does, so we feed them their separate flavors side by side and mostly they eat their own food only (or the big guy would just eat it all). Because of the two dogs who also think wet food is so delicious, we built a cat-feeding-cage out of wire shelving/crate pieces, with cat-size-only doorways. But after the cats are done and have left, one dog sits there and licks at the cage, trying to get her tongue inside to grab the crumbs.....
 
For me it works out that Rhubarb can't jump due to neuropathy, so our two civvies are fed on top of my dresser. I need a better option because I'm now getting scratches on the dresser top, but it works for now.
If you can afford it, a microchip feeder may work out.
 
I have 1 overweight diabetic & 2 healthy cats. The healthy girls have surefeed microchip feeders so they can only have their own food & my big girl eats all her food straightaway so I don't need to worry about them eating any of hers. I'm in the uk so no sure if you can get surefeed stuff there but I'm sure there's something similar you could get where you are? They're not cheap but worth it for any easier life!
 
I had 3 now 2 adults and 2 kittens. I used to free feed all of mine dry food. They soon became accustomed to 3 meals a day of wet food. It’s just a question of sticking it out and ignoring the hurt you are starving us stares lol.
 
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