Managing single diabetic with multiple cats?

[gmmace]

I've fostered hundreds of cats for local rescues in the past 8 years. In the past few years, I've gotten to the point where I only take seniors, hospice cats, or special needs kitties. I have a long-term foster who is diabetic and hyperthyroid. Up until yesterday, he's had roommates to share the foster room with. His last roommate was also diabetic, so it was pretty easy to manage their diet since they ate the same food. But sadly, his roommate passed away yesterday and I don't think it's fair to keep him in a room by himself. I have nine other cats and he gets along fine with them, but I free-feed them a mix of urinary health and sensitive stomach food. How do you guys manage a single diabetic cat in a household that has other cats that are non-diabetic? It's not feasible for me to feed each cat individually.

 

[Ale & Bobo & Minnie (GA)]

Have you looked into one of those chip feeders? They’re not cheap but it could be a solution. The chip goes on his collar and the feeder only opens up for the cat with the collar

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Have you looked into one of those chip feeders? They’re not cheap but it could be a solution. The chop goes on his collar and the feeder only opens up for him

Great idea, but the problem would be he could still get to the other food.
Could you choose one other kitty to go in with him and feed that kitty the low carb food?

 

[Larry and Kitties]

She could get one or two or so chip feeders and then put the diabetic cat in their room for feeding only and feed the other outside at meal time and put some of their dry food in the chip feeders as free feeding for the non-diabetic cats. Les expensive than getting 10 chip feeders.
All mine eat by themse;fes except my twins who eat in one room but they have ship feeders.

 

[Gracie85]

It shouldn't hurt another cat to be fed the diabetic diet, so pick a buddy for him and let him eat what the diabetic does.

I have one cat who is allergic to fish, immediately gets diarrhea.
I have one cat who is allergic to chicken, immediately gets diarrhea.
I have two cats who can eat anything. But one of them was bordering on diabetes, so we had to switch him to very low-carb food, which has successfully kept him off insulin.
So, all four eat low-carb Turkey flavor. Found three brands of turkey flavor that contain no chicken and no fish, and have very low carbs. Doesn't matter if they share food, steal food. Everyone is eating safe food. All are doing well. No hunger strikes because they have no choices, they either eat it, or they don't eat, there is nothing else coming so no reason to hold out for something better. Boring, but healthy.

Give him a buddy and let them eat what the diabetic one needs to.